Tips For Families Traveling With Toddlers/Infants

[pepperidge]

I was asked to post this link on this thread... Just a bunch of reccomendations on your up-coming trip to Disney World if you have little ones!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=2948585#post2948585

[MamaOfTwoPrincesses]

Thank you. I will read through it, as we'll be going in January with a 5 year old and a 17 month old - who I fear won't have as much fun as her big sister.

[katytrott]

There were some great tips in this thread. I do, however have one question. My son will be 2 exactly on our next trip and is quite noise sensitive. I really want to try the ear plugs first and if they do not work, the ear muffs (plugs probably cheaper). My question is, how on earth do you get a 2 year old to allow you to put them in their ears, let alone keep them in?If that doesn't work, I will try the ear muffs, but I can still imagine my son not keeping them on. Any ideas and tips will be greatly appreciated.

[tripletsmama]

I'm printing the list out right now!

[scouthawkk]

There were some great tips in this thread. I do, however have one question. My son will be 2 exactly on our next trip and is quite noise sensitive. I really want to try the ear plugs first and if they do not work, the ear muffs (plugs probably cheaper). My question is, how on earth do you get a 2 year old to allow you to put them in their ears, let alone keep them in?If that doesn't work, I will try the ear muffs, but I can still imagine my son not keeping them on. Any ideas and tips will be greatly appreciated.


We use the Mack's silicone ear plugs. They make child sized ones (we usually get the neon orange, but have also seen them in bright green). If you can't find the child size ones, they have clear adult ones. Just break one in half and use it as a pair. They don't actually stick inside the ears, they spread out over the opening. My DS3 hates the kind that stick in the ears, and we can't seem to keep them in. But the Mack's work great. We used them while he had tubes in his ears to keep water out, and also for when we were in very loud settings (primarily hockey games and fireworks). Don't use them for water anymore, but he still insists on using them for loud settings. And while they keep overly loud noises out, he can still hear us talk in a normal voice, and can respond to us...when he feels like it :rotfl2: I keep one pair in a contact lense case and grab it as we go out the door if I anticipate being some place that will get noisy.

[Schmeck]

A couple of problems with that list:

The long coiled phone cord with a clip described at the beginning, to attach toys to the stroller, sounds like a strangling hazard. You're pushing your child, you can't see his head (unless no sunshade) and you can't tell if the cord is wrapped around his neck...

Second issue - the flashlight on the scary rides - as long as the kid isn't pointing it in peoples' eyes, or at parts of the ride, or drops it on the attraction...

[pepperidge]

In response to

"The long coiled phone cord with a clip described at the beginning, to attach toys to the stroller, sounds like a strangling hazard. You're pushing your child, you can't see his head (unless no sunshade) and you can't tell if the cord is wrapped around his neck..."

These cords are not that long... but, just as a child choking on a sippie cup is a hazard, or putting a toy inside his/her mouth could be a danger, I suppose these could be as well.

"Second issue - the flashlight on the scary rides - as long as the kid isn't pointing it in peoples' eyes, or at parts of the ride, or drops it on the attraction"

Ummmm... yes, don't give your todder dad's police force Magnum spot light or a laser pointer. I was thinking a lot less calaber; more like a small fisher price toy that has a light... In all of the parks, especially Magic Kingdom, during the late afternoon and night hours, there are carts with all sorts of light up things for sale. Light up roses, spinning toys w/ lights, pink light up minnie mouse ears, etc - these might work as well.

[Schmeck]

Glad to know the cords aren't very long! When the description said 'like telephone cords' I pictured something that could stretch over a couple feet long.

About the flashlights - we were behind a family who had given a pre-schooler a flashlight on the ride. She proceeded to do all 3 things I mentioned on PPF. And then wailed when she dropped the darn thing!