Keeping track of the kids...

[TripletsMom]

Hi Everyone
Any advice on keeping track of the kids while in a busy park. We'll be going May 18th. Should I dress them alike so it's easier to find them (just in case)? I keep close tabs on them, but I'm a little concerned. Any other safety tips for five year olds?

Thanks!

 

[my3princes]

When my kids were 4 and 6 we gave each of them a walkie talkie and showed them how to use them. That way if they did get lost (which they never did) we knew that we could contact each other. I'm sure that you are diligent as I am and won't let them out of your site. I also saw an add in the newest Disney Magazine for an alarm. The child wears one part and you have the other. If the child gets more than 30 feet(if I remember correctly) the alarm will sound. I think they said that Kohl's carries it. If you want more info I can try to find the ad.

 

[Win5DW]

One thing that I've always done at amusement parks or crowded places is to put all my kids in the same BRIGHTLY colored shirts - like Lime Green or Bright yellow or orange -- that way they're all the same and they're easier to keep track of.

 

[linnettevl]

Last September when we went in our first trip to Disney with the kids I had a instant polaroid camera that I bought at the salvation army and every morning before leaving for the park I will take a picture of the kids and take it with us, sure enough one day I left the kids with my husband and went souvenier shopping when I came back notice that one of my kids was missing!!!!well... I did panic and for the life of me could not tell the cast member any description of my child when I remember the polaroid picture; they found my child just few steps away( with so many people we could not see him) cm recognized from the picture, So many parents were telling me that It was a great idea because sometime in a moment of panic your brains will not work the same and simple details will escape your head

 

[HaleyB]

Also make an idex card with vital info (names, cell phone numbers, hotel, and so on) laminate it and use a safty pin to attach it to each child. That way if one gets lost you will be able to find them fast!

The wrist bands in the above post use blue tooth, if you do a search online for 'blue tooth' you might find more info on this. My brother and I talked about making these and marketing them for parents, they will also go off if they get wet. We wanted to add a sound alarm and a panic button... Now I kinda wish we had explored it more.

 

[DwarfMaster]

We made Dog Tags at WalMart with our last name, cell #, and hotel name. DS7 wore his around his neck, and DD2 always had one tied to her shoe...just in case. Thank God we didn't need them, but it just made me feel more comfortable.

 

[DisFam95]

We did the dog tag thing on DS (17mo) shoe. IT's still there and we get all kinds of good commenst on it.

We saw a lost child when we were there. It was handled very well. 2 female CM's stood with the child and the other CM had the "Lost Child" handbook (really) and was on the walkie talkies notifying the powers that be in the chain of command.

 

[got2lovedisney]

If your kids are outgoing enough you could put some colored gel in their hair. It's easier to spot a kid with green spikes than it is to pick out a child with brown hair.

 

[Katy Belle]

We have found it helpful if the adults wear the same color as the kids. A glance at their own shirt tells them what color to look for Mom or Dad in. Also, start working now with your kids on this one....when you say their name they must immediately answer with YES or HERE or MOM. A lot of times they are really close, you just can't see them.

Have a great trip!
Katy Belle

 

[Soupermom]

If you become seperated, teach your kids to call your first or last name, not just "mom" or "dad"; there will be lots of mom's and dad's around, but probably just a few Gayle's or Rusty's!

 

[miche61]

All very good advice.

We do the same brightly colored shirts, much easier to spot. We've also had all the same shirts as a family, a big help, and people did notice that we all belonged together.

We also bring my "heaven forbid pics". Those are pics of the kids just in case they do get lost. I do like the polaroid tip a LOT though.

Brightly colored hair ribbons, so you can see their heads a little easier.

 

[Frozenfingers]

Just one more tip:... at night get some glow rings and make braclets, necklaces, headbands etc... easy to see at night!!

 

[Goofyest mom]

I have always told our children that if they ever got lost from us, to find another Mommie (someone with a child). My reason behind that is another Mother will be more concerned with helping a child find there parents. I was glad to know that my son listened to me because last summer, he was ridding his back at Ft. Wilderness, took a wrong turn coming back and got lost. When my husband found him he was with a Security person and a Golf cart full of women and children.

 

[TripletsMom]

Thanks everyone for the great advice!!!

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

This is all so real.

When we went to Disney in December DH and we took our DD (almost 4) to the Toon Town play ground. My other DD (7 months) needed to nurse so I was looking for a bench to sit down at and thought DD4 was already playing. DH and I started looking for her and she was GONE. We went into panic mode and started screaming her name and asking people around if they saw her. I told DH to get a CM and he went off to find one. I did not want to leave the area because I thought maybe she would show up. About 5 minutes later (seemed like an eternity) I saw a CM with my DD and then DH came along with the CM that he asked to help. The CM told me that DD went up to her and told her that should could not find us. We were so proud of her for going to a CM. We did mention to go to a CM if she was lost and could not find us and it worked.

These are all great ideas and I will heed them on our trip coming up the end of April.

Thanks for the tips.

Lisa

 

[buzz'smom2]

We used to dress our DS's in matching clothes. (They are 18 mos. apart, and liked to dress alike anyway.) At the beginning of each trip, we would go over the safety procedure. If you get lost, go directly to a CM and explain you are lost and need help. On our first couple of trips (when they were between 3 and 5), we actually used to find a CM who did not look busy and have the kids "practice." The CM's were always great and explained what would happen if they really were lost.

The kids (7 & 8) still know to follow that rule. On our most recent trip as we went through our first set of turn styles, they told ME to go to a CM if I got seperated or lost. They even asked if I needed to practice. We had a good laugh over that one.