Magazine Scavenger Hunt
Pick up any magazine and you'll have all you need for a pictorial scavenger hunt. No matter the type of periodical, you can use it to start a seek-and-find. If it's a family magazine, ask your child to find a van, a baby, a dog, a house, and more. If it's a design magazine, children can find a bed, an oven, a window. And if happens to be a food magazine, you can ask your child to find something they might eat for breakfast or lunch or at a restaurant.

Pack a Purse for Your Toddler
Toddlers love to dig through Mommy's purse, so why not pack a purse just for your toddler. You can use an old purse of yours or buy an inexpensive tote for your toddler. Fill it with all these things they fish out of your purse: an old (or toy) cell phone, keys on a key chain, paper and crayons, tissues, an old wallet, and plastic cards that look like credit cards. (Save cards from hotel stays or offers you receive in the mail. Your child will love to tuck them into the slots of the wallet and pull them back out.)

Take-Out Tic-Tac-Toe
For parents with small children, eating out can be a daunting experience. The wait between ordering and when the food hits your table can seem like an eternity, so it's important to have a few tricks up your sleeve to pass the time. On those outings, make a game with what you have on the table. Use silverware to make a tic-tac-toe grid and sugar packets or jelly containers for the Xs and Os.

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