I picked up a couple of things lately that I’ve finally gotten to use when we eat out — not that it happens often with a toddler and infant!
The first is the Tiny Diner portable place mat. I’ve meant to get one for awhile, and it worked really well. It has suction cups on the bottom side to hold it to the table, and it has a little trough that hangs off the edge of the table to catch big messes. The entire mats folds and rolls up to fit neatly into the trough, which fits nicely into the side pocket of my diaper bag.
The second is a portable placemat/chalk mat by Jaq Jaq Bird. This was a big hit when we took Sly out to dinner last night — she was only so-so about the standard crayons that came with the kid menu, but happily marked up the chalk mat. It ties closed with a ribbon and also has a little pocket for holding the chalk. Worth its weight in gold for keeping a toddler happy in a restaurant!
