Use a Pen and Paper To Entertain Children In Restaurants

White envelope, small scissors and pen for entertaining in restaurants. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

While waiting for service in a restaurant, you want to keep children siting at table - not racing around annoying other customers. 

One restaurant manager told me, "If I see children running around, I tell the parents, 'I have waiters carrying scalding hot tureens of soup. You tell your children to stay sitting down, and I won't have to tell my waiters that in case of accidents, dial 999 and call an ambulance."

So that you don't have to chase after your children in all directions when they hide in toilet cubicles, duck under tables, or go upstairs and downstairs, keep them entertained at table.

You can do this easily with a pen and a piece of plain paper, even an unwanted envelope from a letter. 

You can fold the paper into a hat for your head and decorate it. Write happy birthday or merry Christmas, or the dish you have ordered, such as chicken and chips, with a drawing.

Origami hat to fit a finger. With face drawn on using a black ink pen. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Or make a small hat to go on a finger. Draw a smiley face on the hat.

Or a plain colour hat to go on a finger. Draw a face on the top of your finger.

Some restaurants have menus and drawing pencils. Some airlines have coloured pencils which you can keep for use during a holiday.

With foresight, you can bring with you washable paint pencils and sheet of paper. Most parents have safety scirros with rounded ends for the smaller children. You can prolong the entertainment and suspense byy making a game out of presenting the toys in three different paper bags or envelopes marked 1, 2 and 3. What have a got in bag one? a pair of scissors!  

Happy Eating Happy Evening!