I mean, yeah, our kids were enjoying the American Idol microphones and iPod type toys (right until we “forgot” them at Grandma’s). And I’m sure there’s money exchanging hands somewhere that makes this seem reasonable for someone. I just think that, if we’re going to use these meals to promote movies and shows, aren’t there enough kid-focused shows to associate with the toys? Do we need these meals to promote adult-oriented entertainment? I just don’t get it.

Anyone care to enlighten me? (On this specific topic, not on stuff just in general. )

Photo Credit

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I love our local children’s hospital. They’re very attentive to the needs and tastes of the kids they serve. That includes having some of the Kidszpace activity centers (some of which feature Nintendo video games) in the waiting rooms in the hospital. Although I don’t see a ton of kids using them, I think that’s because I’m usually there more toward nighttime hours and the kids who are there aren’t feeling so playful. In daytime hours, when there are more likely to be siblings along for the visit, or when the kids are in for more routine visits, I think little ones would really appreciate these centers, and I’m sure the parents enjoy the distraction.

I also noticed what I thought were similar centers at a McDonald’s in a nicer area near Chicago while traveling a few weeks back. From the looks of the Kidzpace website, it absolutely was their product that I saw. “Two all beef patties, air hockey games, Nintendo consoles, golden arches and a sesame seed bun?”

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The kids and I have been to fast food joints twice this week. I know, I know, I’m not going to win any mother of the year awards with that kind of nutrition record, but it gives me another kid topic to share with you, our wonderful readers.

Early in the week, after our visit to the free movie, we went out with our friends to McDonald’s. We drove out of the way especially for the McDonald’s that had the indoor playland, with seating for dining (can you really refer to it as dining when it’s fast food?) in the play area. Of course, by the time we got there, there was no longer any seating left in the play area. So, we just corralled the kids into a common area, and took turns doling out our husbands’ hard earned cash for a few nuggets and a cheap toy. (I don’t think I’m insulting McDonald’s by referring to the toys as cheap. You don’t see them putting American Girl Dolls in there.)

As Hsien mentioned in an earlier post, Pirates of the Caribbean was the theme for the current Happy Meals. So, we start handing out the lunches, and my daughter reaches in to check out the toy. She pulls out a very scary looking skull. She hands it over to her (male) buddy, and asks if she can have a girl toy. Well, apparently Pirates of the Caribbean is gender neutral, because they have no girl toys. They do, however, have the pirate bandana things (sorry, not up on my pirate fashion lingo), and 6 of the 7 kids trade in their skulls for pirate headwear. (One of the 3 year old girls happily grabs her skull after my one year old happily slobbered all over it. Sorry about that!)

My question is this: Why are the toys in Happy Meals promoting a movie that the kids can’t see for, like, a decade? I understood when they were doing the Cars toys. But this one doesn’t seem like a great fit. Oh well. Who am I to question a culinary empire?

The other kids’ meal that my darlings consumed this week (No, I wasn’t just joking. Yes, they had fast food twice this week. No, I didn’t force the fruit over french fry option on them. Yes, they actually did have some veggies this week, too.) was from Chick-fil-a. I personally love going to Chick-fil-a. The employess are always helpful and cheery, they have a clean playland, and my husband always takes the kids to play so that I can have a few minutes to myself to read (this is one of my luxuries these days, and I am thankful for it!).

In addition to a great environment, they usually put books in their kids’ meals instead of toys. This week, they had CDs of stories from the PBS show, “Between the Lions.” My kids love this show, and were so excited to have the stories on CD. I love the fact that it’s not another cheap toy to get kicked around for a week until it breaks and someone has a crying fit over it. And, way too conveniently, the CD lasted just long enough to get us from their parking lot to our garage. I really wonder if Chick-fil-a exists just to brighten my day.

Did I mention they were also handing out free samples of their new milkshakes? Yum!

KBaggott at Babylune shares another positive aspect of Chick-fil-a.

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