Shopping with a toddler

Let’s face it, shopping is precious time. I’m not talking about the weekly food shop in Sainsburys, that’s necessary and often an ‘outing’ for the toddler. I’m talking ‘you’ shopping. The rare outing to treat yourself to a new item of clothing or perhaps some eye cream to address the ever present dark circles under your eyes. Either way, those shopping trips are ideally undertaken alone.

However, for us busy parents this isn’t always an option. This occasionally means that you need to attempt clothes shopping …….. with a toddler in tow. Shopping with a Toddler well frankly, it’s a nightmare.

Cries of ‘this is boring’, ‘can I have this’ and ‘Mumma, can we go now’ begin the minute you cross the boundary into Topshop. It’s officially worse than shopping with your Nan. Who in my case, follows me round like a shadow, checking the price tag on everything I pick up! (Love you Nan)

So on a recent trip to the shops I learnt a few top tips for keeping the little one occupied. Almost by accident I might add. Here they are, my top three toddler shopping trip tips……

1) Take the scooter with you. Having to whizz between shop to shop makes the whole process quicker, keep them engaged and the psychology makes them think they are having run. Granted you run the risk of p*****g off the rest of the general public but frankly needs must!

2) Take a snack or two with you. These need to be tactically unveiled at the right time, like when you need to try something on. Sit them in the changing room and reveal a YoYo. You now have around three minutes to whip your clothes off and try on as many outfits as you can in the time it will take them to eat it.

3) Visit shops that have loud music playing. The reason for this is twofold…firstly, the other shoppers can’t hear your toddler moaning or you nagging the toddler to stop moaning and secondly, they might keep themselves occupied by dancing.

Yup, you heard. Learnt from experience when whilst shopping with the toddler recently, I turned to find him lost in the music dancing away and garnering quite an audience.

So there you have it. No need to thank me. As we move into the summer season you now know that the dress hunt can be done, with or without the toddler. (Without, go without!!!)