Restaurant/Down-time activities for kids

[Sunflowers13]

My kids (a 7yr old, & 5yr old twins) behave much better in restaurants when they have little coloring pages or similar simple activities. Newbie question here—Do sit-down restaurants at Disney parks/resorts typically provide a couple crayons and a coloring sheet to kids? If you bring your own, what suggestions do you all have for little activities that are easy to transport for waiting periods/down-time on your trip? Even ideas for airport/room-time in the resort, etc. would be appreciated. I have a few of the color wonder books and plan on bringing some crayons/coloring books. But would love any and all thoughts on what your kids have enjoyed!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

My kids (a 7yr old, & 5yr old twins) behave much better in restaurants when they have little coloring pages or similar simple activities. Newbie question here—Do sit-down restaurants at Disney parks/resorts typically provide a couple crayons and a coloring sheet to kids? If you bring your own, what suggestions do you all have for little activities that are easy to transport for waiting periods/down-time on your trip? Even ideas for airport/room-time in the resort, etc. would be appreciated. I have a few of the color wonder books and plan on bringing some crayons/coloring books. But would love any and all thoughts on what your kids have enjoyed!

if traveling in warm weather times I would look at colored pencils rather than crayons because of melting in backpack. I would plan on bringing things with you for them to do. for the 7 year old I would also look for simple find a word sheets or mixed up words. something my grandgirls made up your kids might enjoy while waiting for transportation finding rainbow colors of cars who were four and 10 at time of trip

 

[Aimeedyan]

I can't remember a WDW restaurant (Disney owned or not) that hasn't provided a coloring/activity page and crayons or colored pencils. We do not carry crayons or paper with us as it's always been given to him.

Mine is only 3, and coloring isn't his favorite, so we also bring the same stuff we take to restaurants at home. A writing tablet (those super cheap ones that you can erase with the push of a button), small train set, small construction vehicles, pipe cleaners, magnetic blocks. I have a small bag of stuff we take to restaurants and just toss it in the backpack.

 

[Sunflowers13]

Thanks so much! These are all great ideas. I hadn’t even thought about crayons melting, so colored pencils, it is! I just ran to dollar tree and grabbed some word search books for my daughter and ordered a pack of pipe cleaners on Amazon. My kids love crafts so they’ll enjoy those. And we have those drawing tablets but I’d completely forgotten about them, so much appreciated!

 

[sponica]

We bring crayons, but I've never had any melt unless I've left them in a car during the heat wave (and they were cheap-o crayons, not crayola).

My kids color A LOT so they blow through whatever is given at the restaurant, and I end up digging out the coloring books.
If we remember them, the water wow books by melissa and doug work.

 

[Sunflowers13]

Good to know, thanks! Slightly off-topic but still in the spirit of keeping kids entertained…are pool toys allowed at the Disney Resort pools? We’re staying at Boardwalk…can you bring little water toys like diving sticks or anything like that? I’m assuming no innertubes/floaties (not that we’d even have room to pack those with all the other stuff we’re schlepping haha, I’m just curious)..

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We bring crayons, but I've never had any melt unless I've left them in a car during the heat wave (and they were cheap-o crayons, not crayola).

My kids color A LOT so they blow through whatever is given at the restaurant, and I end up digging out the coloring books.
If we remember them, the water wow books by melissa and doug work.

have had them start to melt when left on stroller outside rides in summer in a diaper bag/backpack and these were brand name

 

[Anna131517]

We stayed at BWI on our last big trip and the main pool can be very crowded. I would just bring goggles for that. For the quiet pool you could bring some small pool toys like diving sticks. We stayed in a first floor garden view room right by the quiet pool and often had it to ourselves - we much preferred that over the main pool. Don’t bring any big swim tubes, rafts, or water guns.

 

[serenitynow]

My kids (a 7yr old, & 5yr old twins) behave much better in restaurants when they have little coloring pages or similar simple activities. Newbie question here—Do sit-down restaurants at Disney parks/resorts typically provide a couple crayons and a coloring sheet to kids? If you bring your own, what suggestions do you all have for little activities that are easy to transport for waiting periods/down-time on your trip? Even ideas for airport/room-time in the resort, etc. would be appreciated. I have a few of the color wonder books and plan on bringing some crayons/coloring books. But would love any and all thoughts on what your kids have enjoyed!

We always carry a little memo pad (3x5) and a click 4 color pen. Great for tic tac toe, hangman, etc