Kid Friendly Shopping

Shopping with a little one can be tough, especially when they realize they don't want to be constrained to a shopping cart. Moms need to get shopping done, and unless you are made of money and can get a babysitter every time you go out, kid friendly retailers are key to a happy mommy-kiddy shopping experience.

I decided to write this post when we were in Ikea. We had to grab a number and wait in their never-ending return line because the bed that took 8 hours to put together had one small piece with a flaw. You know the routine. Or maybe your house is big enough for real furniture. Well, much to our pleasant surprise we were greeted by this perfect distraction heaven. This made our wait for the slowly changing number board to choose our number seem a little less ominous.

You may already know the tricks of Ikea, but here are some of the kid-friendly features they boast:

• Family parking spaces
• Free strollers to rent
• Supervised playroom
• Play areas throughout the store
• Restrooms with baby changing facilities
• Baby care room
• Diapers available
• Kid's meals
• Baby food available
• Bottle warming station
• Bibs
• Highchairs

A couple of things on the list are no brainers. Audette isn't old enough to use the supervised play area, but even I vaguely remember going in when I was a kid. Some of the items are a little less known and can often make or break your shopping experience. Bottle warming station, diapers and baby care room? How convenient for taking care of your newborn. Having a nice place to nurse or warm your bottle is awesome. Plus, we've all been in the awkward position where you forgot your diaper bag in the car and don't want to go through the crazy Ikea maze with a stinky child to find it, or you forgot a diaper altogether! My problem is I forget bibs all the time. I actually purchased bibs from Ikea once so I could feed Audi some meatballs for lunch. Wish I had known earlier they offer free bibs for your kids meal.

And the food is always a plus for hungry babies and daddies who are tired of endless rows of light fixtures and pillows. Basically, Ikea sets you up for a full day adventure. I'm sure it's all in their plot to get you to spend the maximum amount of money possible, but these simple niceties make my life easier, so I'll throw in another awesome black and white striped Ikea throw to show my support!

I wanted to bring you a list of other retailers who offer similar experiences, but in my search, there are few, so if you know of some, please share!

Here is what I came up with:

• In the west, some Fred Meyer stores offer free child care for an hour. Fred Meyer is more than a grocery store too. It's smaller than a Walmart, but carries similar items.
• Costco is always a fun destination for kids with samples galore. In my experience, Wednesday seems to be a good day to catch fewer crowds and more samples.
• Large retailers are now offering classes for kids, story times or coloring stations. I mentioned this in a previous post about Mall Play Day. You have to check out the times for your local store, but here is a short list of some places to check: Home Depot, Michaels, Pottery Barn Kids, Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, and Crewcuts. Each website has an easy to find store locator. Just give them a call and ask them about their next kids event.
• Small retailers and restaurants are also jumping on the much needed trend. For example, a score of Seattle restaurants have their very own play room for kids that you can easily view from your table. That means kids eat and then play, while you finish your meal without every bothering any other customers. Here are two of our Seattle favorites, if you are in the area: Pritty Boys Pizzeria and Vios Cafe (excellent Greek food).
• Even though Nordstrom doesn't call their women's room a "kid-friendly" destination, I still love that they have an excellent place to escape to for nursing or changing a baby. Plus, my mom tells me that when she visited Seattle for the first time (the location of Nordstrom headquarters), they loaned her a stroller for the week because she didn't have one for my little brother.

And if you are in a bind at a store; need a diaper, bib, a place to play, just ask! Most will be very accommodating and those who aren't, they'll be sad to lose committed customers. Happy shopping!