This guest post is by mommy blogger Danelle Barbi Ice. She is the founder/editor of Homemaker Barbi, an online Home & How-To magazine with free resources specializing in homemaking, life hacks, family tips, and more.  If you like this article, please subscribe to Homemaker Barbi for free!

A relaxing day of shopping can easily turn into havoc when you’re shopping with kids.  Screaming tantrums, begging for things, toddler meltdowns and kids that insist on “me do it” for pushing the grocery cart in a crowd full of shoppers… all these things can scare even the best parents!  Planning ahead for a day of shopping when you have kids is essential, as almost all the common pitfalls can be avoided with preventive measures.

1.  Bring snacks and drinks. A soft-sided travel cooler or lunch bag will be one of your wisest investments as a parent.  Pack healthy snacks that do NOT have sugar added!  We’re trying to avoid long-term meltdowns, and sugary snacks will only contribute to a hyperactive sugar rush followed by a hard crash.

2.  Pack an “adventure bag”. Inside the adventure bag, include toys, coloring books and crayons, and projects that might keep a little one entertained during a prolonged shopping trip.  Important: only allow 1 item out of the adventure bag per child at a time.

3.  Leave your house immediately after naptime ends.  A well-rested child will be the most cooperative and pleasant, and less likely to have a meltdown from being overtired.

4.  Give your child an “important job”. Important jobs can be anything from crossing items off the shopping list to carrying a shopping basket to waving to all other kids in carts!  The task you give your little one will depend greatly on their age, but anything engaging will give them something to focus on other than that shopping is taking a long time.

5.  Create a scavenger hunt for your child. This list can be made up once on the computer and used over and over again.  Put items on the list that are likely to be spotted at any store, and have your kids check off items with a crayon as they spot them during shopping.  Some examples of what to put on the scavenger hunt include a red fruit, a baby, a big sign, a cartoon character, a pregnant woman.  This fun project will have your children observing their surroundings like never before, leaving you able to focus on your shopping with well-behaved children!

These 5 tips will give you a prepared parent’s edge on shopping with kids.  Keep in mind that all kids have limits and these tips will only make the best out of a shopping scenario for so long. Know your kids limits and be understanding that sometimes it’s just time to go home!