United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Everyone,

I am interested in any great ideas on how to keep your child happy and entertained in a waiting room.

Please share any successful, creative tips that have worked for you.

Thanks,
Carrie

My favorite is all the new coloring/painting activites that Crayola has come up with that are non mess - all "paper activated". AND the black paper that you activate and it's multi color underneath - the kids love that! (thinking back on all the stuff I usually buy for the picnic) the black stuff was the biggest hit yet.

We have had good luck using a portable DVD player (runs on a rechargeable battery) and Baby Einstein DVDs when Aria gets too fussy to play with her toys.

Good luck!

My daughter had these great flat dolls. I forget what they were called. But they were kind of like paper dolls only they were fabric. They came in this little pack that zipped closed it carried the doll and all clothes and accessories. It was easy to take. The clothes velcroed to the dolls so easy for even a young child to do. I bought her 2 right away. Then if there was another child her age they could play together. We took them everywhere...sports events the older kids were in, practices, wrestling, ect. Everyone just loved them. Think they were call zip-up dolls. My younger son had a similar type thing only it was like a flat box that was metal. It had a zillion pieces to make pictures ect. It worked by magnets. These come in lots of areas of interest....fire, dinasaurs, dogs ect.
Sue
Found one on e-bay it was called My Press and Dress doll. When I searched the internet found several including boy's styles.


Message was edited by: ptrefam


Message was edited by: ptrefam

I was a "STICKER" mom !!!

I always carried a new notebook and a few sheets of "SPECIAL" stickers with me. I bought the sparkle or fuzzy ones and I once found ones that had a scenery backround and the kids complete the scene.

Most of your children's hospitals have a cool waiting room with things to do there....that is always nice, because they usually have items that you don't have at home when so they are new and exciting to the kids.

I have in the past taken the DVD player with a movie. I would buy the newest kids movie I could find, because I found it embarrassing that my kids knew every word to the movies they already had it at home LOL !!!
Good Luck Gayle

Wow- thanks for all your fantastic tips! Please keep them coming!

Carrie

We did the high tech thing too and just brought the portable DVD player. It not only kept Ty entertained until it was time, but it kept my husband and I entertained as well while we waited. Kept our minds from going crazy while he was in surgery.

~Laura

We've always been pretty simple. Books have always been good. Those little toys that you'll get from a McDonald's Happy Meal or something like that are small and can fit right in your purse or child's pocket and they'll play with those silly toys for hours it seems. Polly Pockets are a great one for Amber at age 4 now, too. We've got a miniature case to carry 2 dolls, and just a few clothes/accessories. Works great for her fine manipulative skills, too. Crayons and coloring books were always good. And I've come to bringing knitting with me for my own appointments for when my kids aren't with me (which is seldom).

Tanya in NY
Amber and Casey's Mom