TV Kart for Grocery Shopping Entertainment
March 29, 2007 by Kerri Aldrich
Filed under General Play Library Goodies
The kids love it when we visit the grocery stores that have carts that are shaped like race cars, complete with steering wheels so that they can pretend they’re zipping around the store when we’re shopping. I was surprised, though, to come across these TV Karts when at another local grocery chain. These carts feature several different characters, including Barney, Bob the Builder, and The Wiggles.
Apparently, you toss $1 (US) in the machine, and then your child can watch a video of one of their favorite characters while you zip through your errands. One of the benefits listed on the Cabco Group website (providers of the TV Kart) is as follows:
Parents shop in peace while their children watch their favorite programs, or listen to songs and stories in the Karts
I can understand the appeal of it, but I think it’s going a bit far now. Do you agree? I mean, do our kids need to expect to be entertained everywhere they go? Wouldn’t it be better to emphasize good behavior and patience? Maybe it’s just me.
Even though the TVKart looks fun, here are the reasons that it wouldn’t be much use for me:
- There’s only room for one or two kids in the cart. I have three! How do I pick who gets to just hang out with mom and be bored? (Okay, so I don’t ever go to the grocery with all three. What’s your point?
) - The portion of the cart meant for the groceries themselves is awfully small. Really….if I’m on a trip where I need for the kids to be entertained, I’m on a trip that’s going to last longer than 5 minutes. The basket in that cart could be filled in about 2.
- The TV Kart itself cannot leave the store. So, once you’ve made your purchases, you not only have to wrangle your child away from the TV, you also have to transfer said child and your packages to another cart, return the TV Kart to the spot where you picked it up, and then go out to your car. Sounds like no fun at all for me.
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If my kids are actually being quiet and not asking me a billion questions through the store, I will take much more time to look around and will end up putting more in my cart (if the cart wasn’t so small) and I’d go way over budget.
Maybe I’ll have to give it a go, anyway, should I find myself at the store at some point with one kid. You know….for research purposes. Have any of you tried the TV Kart?
Forget this one. It definitely sounds like more of an inconvenience than anything else. It’s not like there aren’t a bajillion other things you can bribe them with in the supermarket. hahaha
Silly. Luckily for me, my kids are all past that age now. I give them the list and they help shop now.
Hsien: ha. Too true…not that we would ever resort to bribery…no….never…
Char: That’s true. There’s enough entertainment when we all go shopping together, split into teams, and make it more like a scavenger hunt.