Recently, when shooting a video about “Ten Things You Can Buy at IKEA for Under $10“, I decided to bring along my kids since a lot of the stuff I would be buying would be for their rooms. (Here is a link to the list of the ten things I bought)

The drive from our house is about 45 minutes, just enough time to risk a half a nap or a hangry attack (huner + angry), but nothing will keep us from our IKEA adventure.

As a result, I present you with the Parent’s Survival Guide to IKEA.

1. After you park your car, as you approach the IKEA store, grab a cart and put a kid inside. Since the carts have FOUR steerable wheels, you can do some great dancing a la Fred Astaire with your kid AND the cart. While it can whip your kid into a pre-entry frenzy, it also sets the tone that this will be a fun trip. No standing. ___

2. IKEA stores actually have built in child care. Right as you walk in the store there is a play center where you can drop your kids into an IKEA employees care. And if that is not for you, our local IKEA has a video screen with a bunch of places for kids to sit, maybe with one parent while the other one shops. ___

3. IKEA can be a little maze like, and so they have maps of their store. Grab a pencil, and tell your kid that you need help navigating the store. Which is true. If she is a reader, then she can watch the signs and trace our where you have been. Ask her every once in a while what is coming next, how far to bedrooms, where is the kids play area, is there a restaurant? Best of all, kids love the shortcuts. Have her on high alert to find all shortcuts. ____
4. If you have a baby, and you left your diapers in the care, no worries. IKEA has free diapers. I will let you draw your own conclusions about the marriage of socialism and capitalism. __5. If your kid can read numbers, tell them that you are looking for something under ten dollars. It gives them something to hunt for and keeps their mind busy. Maybe even tell them you will let them buy something for under $10

6. Keeping on the numbers track, tell you kid you are looking for something that is under 12 inches long, and then give them one of the handy measuring strips.
7. If all else fails, hand them your iphone with a game on it. Our IKEA has free wireless, so you they can even download a bunch of apps without your permission. Most of the apps are under ten dollars, including the new iphone app for DADLABS.
8. Bring a camera and have them take pictures of the furniture and toys they want in their room.
9. Eat a snack in the store’s restaurant.
10. Once you hit the warehouse, have the kid go to the printer that prints out what aisle your furniture is on. He will have learned his touch screen skills on the iphone.

11. Searching for Aisle and Bin numbers is a treasure hunt in and of itself. DesCartes would be proud.

12. Let your kid push a cart. Be serious about it. Tell him this is a big boy responsibility. And then you help him do it. The warehouse is a little more forgiving than the showroom.

13. Even little hands can help with self check out.

14. Don’t forget the ice cream just after the check out counter, which will keep them full of sugar for the whole ride home, but who cares, its your family’s big adventure to IKEA._____