Restaurant Menu Ideas for Kids : Tips for Kid-Friendly Designs

Eating out is something people from a wide range of demographics enjoy – this includes children. In fact, with kids becoming more attuned to the whole experience of eating where they have some say over what they’re having for dinner, (which is likely to NOT be brussel sprouts or broccoli) restaurant owners are starting to notice them as important consumers. This is one reason why many establishments, and not just fast food places, try to come up with restaurant menu ideas for their young diners.

Layouting kids’ menus can be really fun because you get to play around with colors (even more than usual), and add a sense of whimsy to the entire project. Of course, there are still a few things to consider when trying to create the funnest menu ever.

Restaurant Menu Ideas – Creating Kid-Approved Designs.

One good thing to keep in mind is that kids don’t like to be kept waiting just like everyone else, but this is especially true for children. Anyone who’s heard “Are we there yet?” 746,000 times while en route to grandma’s can attest to that. Restaurant owners can make the wait easier and more enjoyable for the kids with menus made especially for them.

As the designer, it is your job to create an awesome menu but how should you do it? Here are some tips that can help you make a menu that kids can enjoy, and can help their parents relax (“Look, Ma, no squirming in my seat!”).
 
Placemat-type or Folded-type?
There are two particularly popular types of menus : the flat placemat variety which commonly has some puzzles and activities, and the folded menu with multiple pages.

Placemat Menus :These are best for toddlers who will like solving the mazes and drawing on the menus.

Folded Menus : These are sort of like “real” menus and are better for older kids (ages 5 and up) who are likely to have some say on what goes on the table.

What’s Inside the Menu?

Here are some very interesting restaurant menu ideas about what should be inside the menu.

Tips:

• Having photos of the special or favorite menu items on the children’s menu is a good idea. Some young visitors may not read too well yet, and pictures can help them choose their food.
• Menus are mostly expected to make good use of colors but this rule is emphasized in kids’ menus because children generally love colorful things.
• Activities are what kids like best. Coloring pages, mazes, and connect-the-dots are great for really little kids while older ones might like spot-the-difference, tic-tac-toe, and trivia games. If you’d rather have reusable menus, you can add hidden objects or magic eye games.
• Restaurants with their own mascots can include their own comic or story in the menu. A cute character can help endear the place to children. Funny stories will have kids giggling as they wait for their meal while stories with lessons in them will make sure they take home more than just satisfied stomachs.

Remember, if you have trouble coming up with designs, try consulting your inner child -he or she will be a really big help!
 
 

Presentation and Printing

 

As with everything else that makes up the restaurant, presentation is key for the kids’ menu. Aside from developing children’s menus from your great restaurant menu ideas, it is also important to find a printing company that can offer you high-quality menus at inexpensive rates, free design proofs, and dedicated 24/7 customer support. After all, it wouldn’t do to end up with washed-out colors and bleary printing.

When you’re all set to have your menus made, check out the expert menu printing services at UPrinting and ask about your options.
 
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The children’s menu examples shown in this article are from the following:
1) Meagan Shoots
2) Olga Babych
3) Little Chef
4) Jonathan Carnehl.

Please click on the photos to see the menus at their original source.