What do you keep in your purse to entertain your kiddos in a pinch?

[one l michele]

I need some fresh ideas. My guys are almost 8, 6, and 4. In my purse I have mini transormers that turn into cars, dot to dot game pad, 4 pack of crayons and some blank index cards.

[imeverywoman]

nt

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

..

[GLOWAcademy]

Game Boy:D

[Anne in Saskatchewan]

Magnets! I just recently discovered this. I'm not even sure why I had magnets in my pocket, but two little boys ages 3 and 6 played with them for an hour at the hockey rink.

Anne.

[GLOWAcademy]

anne jacob use to play with them in the car, we took like a small cake pan and he stuck them to it :)

[strider]

I cannot *stand* carrying around toys. I have always, even from the time my kids were little, just carried a pen and my own notebook. I use the notebook for miscellaneous notes, OR the kids can draw or play dots or tic-tac-toe or whatever.

[abbeyej]

I don't. Like Strider, I usually have paper and a writing implement, but I don't carry toys around or things to entertain my kids. I expect them to be able to entertain themselves quietly and without disrupting others in any of our daily activities.

I *will* throw schoolwork or maybe a coloring book or card game in a bag if I know we're going to be waiting at a doctor's office or mechanic or something. But I guess I'm just a mean mom -- I don't feel the need to "entertain" my kids at home or when we're out.

[KIN]

Abbey -

Welcome!! I've missed your input around here!

[Daisy]

I usually have the following...

A small rubber ball, a hankie and a hair rubber band. Don't laugh. This becomes a decent doll in a pinch. DD has loved to play with this since she was little.

2 matchbox cars

small notepad/pen

3x5 cards of our memory work

small new testament (can read them stories of the miracles or whatever)

peppermints

a few coins for stacking, sorting, spinning, etc.

pictures in my wallet

[Holly in FL]

"Pass the Pigs" game.

~Holly

[Crissy]

I carry a small purse, and it only contains my necessities.
When my guys were smaller and we were on the go, they each carried their own small book totes containing books (reading and puzzle books), paper, crayons and pencils, a small snack and a bottle of water.

[Julie in CA]

When my kids were little I carried a few pipe cleaners and a teeny bottle of bubbles (like the wedding favor size). I didn't necessarily feel the need to "entertain them" as others have mentioned, but I think it pays to be prepared for those occasional times when the dc need to be quietly occupied for an extended period of time. I can think of times when the littles waited for 2 hours in a waiting room to see a doc, and those little pipe cleaners kept them busy for a very long time!

[Mamagistra]

I don't.

Hey! Good to 'see' you! :)

[Rebel]

money *snicker*

Hey, he's 14 and is always entertained by food.

[one l michele]

This is exactly why I posted, we've had 10 doctors visits this year so far. Mondays we had a 90 minute wait and today a 60 minute wait. IMO that is a long time to request a child to sit, I like to keep surprises on hand for these situations.

[JudoMom]

This is exactly why I posted, we've had 10 doctors visits this year so far. Mondays we had a 90 minute wait and today a 60 minute wait. IMO that is a long time to request a child to sit, I like to keep surprises on hand for these situations.

I have started to keep a little kids rolling backpack packed with coloring books, crayons, paper, a few cars, and happy meal type toys--things that won't be missed if we lose them.

I keep it packed at all times, and just grab it when we're headed to a doctor's office or someplace that I know we'll have to wait. And it rolls, so the boys can just drag it along behind them, and I don't have to keep up with it.

[Colleen]

I rarely even carry a purse, but when I do, I just have my own basics in there. The only time I would ever bring along things to occupy children would be on a flight, or if I knew with certainty that we'd be waiting somewhere for an extended period of time.

[Sue G in PA]

keep them in a small ziplock bag in my purse. I carry a small notebook that I use and just let them scribble, draw, play tic tac toe, hangman, etc. when we are stuck somewhere. I love the other ideas!

[Chels~]

Good ole' pen and paper:)

[abbeyej]

This is exactly why I posted, we've had 10 doctors visits this year so far. Mondays we had a 90 minute wait and today a 60 minute wait. IMO that is a long time to request a child to sit, I like to keep surprises on hand for these situations.

In that case, I would ask the older two (6,8) to pack (and carry) their own bags with things to entertain them. For the 4yo, I would probably give him a couple of reasonable choices ("Do you want the fire truck coloring book or the dinosaur coloring book?" etc) and help him determine how much to take (so he has a couple of things to do but that his pack isn't too heavy to lift).

I don't think an hour or two wait requires "surprises". Usually for us, I'd just include a couple of school workbooks, something to write or draw with, and maybe a "fun" book. As I said, at this point, I expect the kids to pack their own bags (with me saying, "and don't forget your math!")... When the kids were a little younger, I might throw in a small toy, but they never held my kids' attention as long as good ol' paper and pencils or crayons.

[KIN]

I have my boys pack their own bags in times like this too. We keep "surprises" for b-days and Christmas, LOL!

[Eliana]

I don't. Like Strider, I usually have paper and a writing implement, but I don't carry toys around or things to entertain my kids. I expect them to be able to entertain themselves quietly and without disrupting others in any of our daily activities.

I *will* throw schoolwork or maybe a coloring book or card game in a bag if I know we're going to be waiting at a doctor's office or mechanic or something. But I guess I'm just a mean mom -- I don't feel the need to "entertain" my kids at home or when we're out.

I'm another mean mom... the kids always bring books along with them when we head off anywhere in the car. Sometimes they'll bring word-searches or crossword puzzles.

If we're going to be sitting and waiting somewhere, I bring a family read aloud, but sometimes we just sit and talk instead of reading.

Eliana