Christmas shopping with a toddler

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Take all the stress out of Christmas shopping with little ones in tow.

Christmas time means lots of fun and delicious food with the people that you love – however it also means shopping at the busiest time of year! Schools are on holiday and shopping centre are filled to the brim with other Christmas shoppers, but also with children trying to entertain themselves. This does not bode well for a quick, effortless trip to the shops – especially if you have a toddler with you.

There are various things you can do to placate and distract your little bundle of joy while you try and get all the things on your To Do list ticked off. Here are a few ideas:

Make sure you take some time off from your shopping to let your little one out of their pram or the trolley, to expend some energy. Your child will definitely start performing if they are made to sit still for extended periods of time.
Try and involve your child in the decision making process when it comes to choosing gifts. Ask questions like, “Do you think Aunty Jane will like this?” or “Which colour do you think Paul will like?”. Remember not to give them too many options as this will confuse them.
Have snacks on hand! A drop in blood sugar from being hungry can make a pleasant child turn into a monster faster than you can get to the end of the queue!
Praise your child for good behaviour while you’re out shopping. This will help them know that you are paying attention to them.
If you can, avoid going to the shops alone with your toddler. Take an older child, family member or friend along to help distract your child while you get what you need.

Try and keep in mind that your toddler would much rather be playing at home, so if they start fussing and no amount of distraction or attention will placate them, then just leave the shopping for another day!

Image from: Axel Buhrmann

Images courtesy of Fresh Living magazine