It seemed obvious… so why hadn’t I ever had the idea to bring toys to simchas?
At a recent family simcha, while waiting for the meal to start, my sister-in-law pulled out a huge bag with toys. Here I was, a mother of many bored kids, and I didn’t think to bring along toys to simchas. I always bring along some sort of food/snack for the kid that gets hungry, and some water to drink. But toys? Never. They’ve always entertained themselves with nothing (okay maybe with some ‘he’s stepping on my line that I’m walking on’ kind of fighting). But the toys were quite fun. Cars and Legos and little people. The kids didn’t want to stop playing.
From that day I started carrying some toys to simchas in my diaper bag too. My sister-in-law’s version of toy schlepping was too extreme for me. I didn’t want to carry such a huge bag and I also didn’t want the kids to make such a scene when playing on the floor. My solution? Keep on hand 1 or 2 small toys that take up no room, but can keep 2 to 3 kids busy for 10 minutes (always keep your expectations low).
Some ideas:
Yes! Great game ideas. For littles I bring a sandwich ziploc with a few matchbox cars. When my daughter was little in rough along Polly pockets.
Great ideas thanks
My aunt brings a bag of cheap prizes to every family wedding – colorful glasses and necklaces, noise makers, tiny bubbles etc. the kids all line up to get prizes and they’re busy all evening.
Magnadoodles are the best. No mess coloring and it always keeps my kids entertained at every simcha.