Keeping Toddlers Busy While Waiting In Line at Disneyland {and other theme parks}

When I was planning our family vacation to Disneyland, I knew I was going to have to come up with some ideas for keeping my kids (ages 3.5 and 18 months at the time) busy while standing in line for the rides.  Knowing how hard it can be to keep them out of trouble while standing in line at the grocery store, I knew I'd have to have a few tricks up my sleeve so we didn't all go crazy. *wink*

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Below is a list of items that I had with me while we were at the park.  Many of them I picked up at my local dollar store before leaving on our trip because if they got lost or damaged, I didn't want to feel frustrated at having to replace it.  Also, I didn't bring all of them with me each time we went to the park.  I brought a few items to the park in the morning and then packed a few different ones when we came back in the afternoon.  That way, the kids weren't bored with everything I had brought within a short time of being there.

• Bubbles: I bought a small 3 pack and just took one with me each day we were at the park.  I haven't met a kid who doesn't love bubbles and it definitely kept my kids entertained, as well as a few others who were in line.
• Cars/Trucks: There were four small trucks that came in a pack.  I brought one for each of my kids and kept the others at the hotel in case the kids lost or ruined them.  They loved to drive the cars on the ground, the fences and themselves.
• Small Notebooks and Crayons/Colored Pencils: I found some little notebooks at the dollar store and a couple small packs of crayons so the kids could each have their own.  This came in handy especially when one parent had to wait with one child while the other parent went on a ride with the other child.  You could also ask them to draw the things around them or their favorite Disney character.  Some other options would be to play hangman, tic-tac-toe, practice spelling words, writing their name, etc.
• Glow Sticks: We used our glow sticks when we were at the parks later at night in the dark.  The kids loved swinging them around and wearing them.
• Small Books: I found a couple of Disney board books at the dollar store and brought them with me to the park in the evening when we went to watch one of the shows. 

I also tried to keep them engaged by playing games, including the ones listed below:

• I Spy: There is so much to see at Disneyland and other theme parks with all of the colors and characters and carts full of food and toys.  Playing I Spy is a fun way to help kids pay attention to their surroundings and be observant to details.
• Counting Items: If your child knows how to count, or is learning to count, then having them count any given item you see around you might be a good way to keep them busy.  My daughter loves counting things and it also gives her good practice with her numbers.
• Play with Other Kids: If there were other kids in line by us (which was most of the time), we'd let our kids play with them in line.  It kept them all busy without us having to do much besides keep an eye on them.  I guarantee other parents will be glad their kids are being entertained too.

Lastly, we kept them busy by giving them small snacks or pieces of candy.  When we'd park our stroller, we just grabbed a couple bags of snacks to keep handy while waiting in line (since they would inevitably get hungry the moment we were away from the bulk of our snacks).  We also had a bag of individually wrapped Lifesavers Mints that they liked to suck on and would curb their hunger a little bit if we didn't have access to more snacks.

I hope some of these ideas are helpful to you and your family on your next trip to a theme park!

What are some ways you keep your toddlers busy while standing in line?  Please share!