Flea Market Shopping...with kiddos

This past Saturday, Carmie and I did some flea marketing at a good sized flea market that was happening at one of the nearby high schools. So I decided it would be a good idea to post some easy guidelines to flea market shopping...with kiddos. Learn from my mistakes and be more prepared than I was. In my defense it wasn't a planned shopping excursion. I was planning to just go to the bank when we passed it by on the road and I couldn't help myself :P

Most these tips are pretty common knowledge but I still wanted to help out those who have never gone flea market shopping or are still new to it.

Tips for Flea Market Shopping with Kiddos:

1. Mind the weather. Of course I decide to take my toddler flea market shopping on one of the hottest days in weeks. It was mid to upper 90s that Saturday.


2. Don't forget the stroller. There may be a lot of walking involved based on the size of the flea market you are attending. And there may be a lot of waiting for your kiddo if you're like me and like to over analyze each purchase :P


3. Bring snacks. Lots of water for warm summer days and treats to keep their little hands occupied around all the valuables being sold.


4. Hit bigger flea markets. Mamas know that time is a valuable thing. So I suggest looking in the paper to find larger sized flea markets that'll be more worth your time. You don't want to be taking your tot in and out of the car visiting smaller markets. Plus, larger flea markets tend to have more family friendly facilities like bathrooms and food booths. The booths who sold candy last Saturday were a Godsend for keeping Carmie's tears and whining at bay. Haha.


5. Get your child involved. We made sure to break into Carmie's piggy bank for some change she's earned from cleaning her room. She had fun picking out little toys and trinkets.

and remember these General Flea Market Tips:

1. Bring comfortable walking shoes.


2. Bring lots of loose change and small bills


3. Don't be afraid to negotiate or haggle prices
   (especially on items that have seen better days)


4. Look at how you might be able to use items in different ways than intended.

With that being said I found this lovely vintage crate last Saturday. I plan to use it when I start to do craft shows as a display, but for now it'll house my little trinkets and/or craft supplies. I also picked up a few pieces of costume jewelry. The locket is one of my fave finds. Hope this helps a bit for you newbies out there, good luck shopping!