Entertaining Children through long Doctor Office Visits

Last week I had the joy (read with thick sarcasm) of taking my three youngest kids to the doctors office 3 times. Once for a well check for my baby which they didn't tell me they had to cancel until I got there. A second time for a sick visit, and the third time was for the re-scheduled well check. I don't know about you but my doctor's office is completely inefficient and if I have an appointment I better plan at least an extra hour time there. So what do you do to entertain your children during those long visits? Here are some of my ideas.

• Small toys- Take a few of their small toys that they can play with. My son loves to take his Hot Wheels while my daughter likes ponies or babies. Remember to sanitize the toys when you leave to clean off any germs they picked up.
  


• Crayons- Take crayons and stickers to decorate the paper on the exam table in the room.
  


• Books- You might consider taking some books that your children like to read.
  


• Snacks- Depending on when your appointment time is, it might run over into a meal or snack time. If you have snacks on hand you can avoid the melt downs associated with hunger. Make sure it is a snack that won't leave a big mess.
  


• Magazines- Most offices have a stack of magazines. I sometimes hand each child a magazine and send them on a scavenger hunt to find different objects in the magazine. For example: find a purple flower, a ball, or a red car. This can keep them entertained for a while just make sure the objects aren't too hard to find.
  

These are just a few of the things I have tried. I want to know what you do to help pass the long waits. Please share your thoughts and ideas.