Projects and Ideas- kids' grocery list

Grocery list- a great tool to keep toddlers and preschoolers busy while you shop for groceries.  Find a couple of grocery store ads and cut out pictures of the items you purchase most often.  If your child works well with scissors and glue sticks, they can help- they don’t have to be perfect.  Use a glue stick to attach the pictures to both sides of note cards (preferably used ones or some that your child has found and scribbled on almost every single one).  Write the name of the item on the card with each picture.  Use a hole punch to punch holes in the corner of each one and attach them to a sturdy ring.  During your shopping trip, ask your child to find a picture of the next item you will pick up, or find a picture of a vegetable, something green, or something that starts with the letter C, for example.

TILTHW- Tiny Diner Placemat

Things I learned the hard way- Consider purchasing a rubber placemat to keep in the diaper bag for travel or restaurants.  I really like the Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner placemat.  It has suction cups on the bottom which work very well on flat smooth tables.  They aren’t as great on tablecloths or wood grain surfaces, but they don’t have to attach to use the placemat.  It also has a small trough to catch dropped food that is soft and flexible enough to seat your child very close to the table.

TILTHW- Streamline your diaper bag for short trips

Things I Learned The Hard Way- Consider keeping two separate diaper bags; one for short trips (grocery store, etc) and one for longer trips (full afternoon outings, etc).  You won’t have to wrestle with a gigantic bag just to run an errand, or have to repeatedly take out things you don’t need.  It is worth the cost and effort to buy the extra supplies and not have to worry about packing and repacking all the time.

TILTHW- Diaper bags

Things I Learned The Hard Way- Consider purchasing multiple small, inexpensive diaper bags.  You may be able to borrow some, or purchase them used if they are easily cleaned.  The type given away free to new moms when they are discharged from many hospitals (donated by formula companies) are perfect.  On the weekend, pack all of the bags for daycare or the babysitter to last all week.  Include an extra change of clothes, diapers, bottles, bibs, burpcloths, bottled water (if you use it), baby food, snacks, or anything necessary.  Even if you don’t get a chance in the evening to unpack that day’s bag, the next day’s bag will be ready in the morning.