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Doing any kind of grocery shopping with a toddler can be a real challenge. But, with a little preparation and a lot of patience, it can be an enjoyable and entertaining experience. Here are some tips and tricks that work for our family.

1. Bring snacks! This is probably the number one most important thing to remember. A hungry toddler is a cranky toddler, and they get hungry often. I usually bring a plastic zipper bag full of her favorite dry cereal and a sippy cup of water. This will quite often keep her happy for most of the trip through the store.

2. If he gets restless sitting in the cart, let him down to move around for a little while. If you can bring along another adult or an older child to chase him around while you get the shopping done, by all means do so. Sometimes toddlers just need to burn off some energy.

3. Let her help! My girl loves to throw items into the basket. Of course, she will sometimes grab random things off the shelf and throw them in, but I just pull them back out when she's not looking. This leads in to tip number four:

4. Let him shop! Allow him to pick an item off the shelf and carry it around the store with you. (Just make sure it isn't breakable!) If it's something you don't want to buy, odds are he'll lose interest in it long before you reach the checkout, whereupon you can either put it back on the shelf or hand it to the cashier apologetically.

5. And finally, be careful what you offer as a means of distraction! One mom I know had a cherry slush hurled at her in the store by a grumpy toddler. The less potential for a mess there is, the better.

Shopping with little ones doesn't always have to be stressful. Believe it or not, it can even be fun!