Activities for kids in line?

[CJK]

We're taking our 4 and 6yr old nephews to WDW in a few weeks. I was wondering if anyone has some tips on activities we could do in lines or waiting for shows (ie. Fantasmic) to keep them occupied. I'm already planning on bringing bubbles. We thought of Disney trivia, but this is their first trip so they don't know much about Disney as of yet. Thanks for your help!!!

 

[TinkerTracy]

hmm my pal mickey has always kept me occupied on lines and other activites involving waiting...but if you don't want to get him i suggest maybe while waiting in the fantasmic arena you can play cards play i-spy search for hidden mickeys...have a snack...start the wave :thewave:
Hidden mickey hunt is fun while in line too spotting special things...maybe the birnbaums disney for kids by kids book has some fun activies like guess the charachter...mazes puzzles and stuff in to book (especially since it's their first time the guide book might be a good idea so they can read about the rides and so forth!)

hope i helped

 

[ptslp]

I don't have many suggestions- my ds (2 1/2) and dd (6 mos) did fine on the lines- we just looked at everything and talked about stuff we were seeing. I didn't want to carry a lot of extra stuff around.

You mentioned bubbles- I remember reading a similar post about things to do in lines where someone posted about a family member with allergies to bubble solution, so you may want to rethink that. I know that I would not be happy if I were overwhelmed with bubbles in a small space and couldn't get away from them (like in line). Just a thought!

 

[Camping Griswalds]

We always play the "alphabet game". Just pick a category ie foods and then each person takes a turn with a different letter of the alphabet in order. It's actually a little educational, kids have to realize what their letter is when it's their turn. Pick a category that's fun and familure to them. We once stood in line for the statue of liberty for 4 hours and played this game. About 10 people ahead of us and 10 people behind us got involved too. Our categories ranged from toys, to Pokemon characters, to favorite rides at Disney.

 

[Lizzybee]

We haven't done this in line at WDW because my kids are "trained" to wait in lines because we have much longer lines at Six Flags near our home. At restaurants though, if they are restless we play "I spy"... as in "I spy, with my little eye something ...blue" and then everyone tries to guess what blue thing the spier has spied. The person who successfully guesses gets to choose the next "I spy". HTH

 

[JennaTX]

We have a digital camera, and we would pass the time looking at the pictures we had taken and talking about how great it was to meet Cinderella, etc. We would also let the kids "take" their own pictures since it was so easy to erase them! Hope this helps.

 

[CJK]

thanks everyone!! GREAT ideas!!

 

[eeyore45]

20 Questions!! Its a ball you can buy in the electronic section of games at Target, WalMart ToysRus etc.. around $10... it was created by a mathmetician, and you think of something... then push the button "new game"... and it asks you questions, and you answer, yes, no, sometimes, unknown... and it guesses... altho last night it couldnt guess ice cream! it did guess wine

I'm just saying it has become an intriguing addiction of sorts!!

 

[curiouser]

20 Questions!! Its a ball you can buy in the electronic section of games at Target, WalMart ToysRus etc.. around $10... it was created by a mathmetician, and you think of something... then push the button "new game"... and it asks you questions, and you answer, yes, no, sometimes, unknown... and it guesses... altho last night it couldnt guess ice cream! it did guess wine

I'm just saying it has become an intriguing addiction of sorts!!

oh that thing is so addicting! its wonderful! And quite small too so it would be easy to carry around in a small bag.

 

[Metallicat]

I don't have many suggestions- my ds (2 1/2) and dd (6 mos) did fine on the lines- we just looked at everything and talked about stuff we were seeing. I didn't want to carry a lot of extra stuff around.

You mentioned bubbles- I remember reading a similar post about things to do in lines where someone posted about a family member with allergies to bubble solution, so you may want to rethink that. I know that I would not be happy if I were overwhelmed with bubbles in a small space and couldn't get away from them (like in line). Just a thought!

oooh, please people don't bring the bubbles! my DD has very sensitive eyes (had eye surgery last year) and cannot make tears to cleanse her eyes (she is 23) and this sort of thing will set her eyes on fire. so, please think of the people around you and don't blow bubbles because someone like my DD may be standing next to you.

 

[CJK]

Bubbles are now back in my drawer!!! Thanks for the heads up!

 

[etail]

We make up limericks. Each person does a line. And yes we keep it clean, it is Disney afterall...

 

[Nebsky]

We bring a Gameboy Advanced along.
My 7yr old son and I take turns playing the same game trying to beat the high score. Makes it go by really quick.

Limericks eh?

There once was a man from .......... ahh...I better not finish it.

 

[babybunrab]

I don't know if they still have this, but DS got a game in 2002 that he brought along last year. It activates different low quality graphics, but fun, Disney games if you aim it at different rides you pass. It resets itself after some period of time, so DS can always reactivate the games when we go back.

 

[minnie61650]

20 Questions!! Its a ball you can buy in the electronic section of games at Target, WalMart ToysRus etc.. around $10... it was created by a mathmetician, and you think of something... then push the button "new game"... and it asks you questions, and you answer, yes, no, sometimes, unknown... and it guesses... altho last night it couldnt guess ice cream! it did guess wine

I'm just saying it has become an intriguing addiction of sorts!!

We just got one. It is so much fun. It guessed bike and cell phone correctly but when we were thinking hockey puck it guessed handgrande LOL
Gotta take it with us to keep the adults entertained
Linda
Just 61 more days--But who's counting?? Me

 

[wilsonjen]

Just found a cute keychain with a tic tac toe board for $0.49! The pieces spin, so you can spin to your symbol and play over (and over, and over). We're trying to buy small, inexpensive toys like these that can keep a 4 and 6 year old entertained but still fit easily in a small kid-size fanny pack. I imagine you could do something similar with a travel size doodle pad.

Math flash cards will go with us, but only because the 6 year old loves math!
Of course, the 6 year old's favorite entertainment is "tell me a story" and she insists I make it up from scratch! Then, the 4 year old has to interject with his version of the story. Nothing like kids' imaginations!

We love interacting with our friends' kids this way because they get to be creative and silly and we get to learn how their little minds are working and developing. What better time for some quality interaction than while waiting in line?

(Do I sound like the wife of an educator or what?!)

 

[meatballsmom]

I don't know if they still have this, but DS got a game in 2002 that he brought along last year. It activates different low quality graphics, but fun, Disney games if you aim it at different rides you pass. It resets itself after some period of time, so DS can always reactivate the games when we go back.

I remember reading about those. Does anyone know if they still have those?

 

[tazleiten12]

I remember reading about those. Does anyone know if they still have those?

I think they have these on ebay, put Magical Moments Game in the search field. There are some for $4.99, but shipping seems high.

 

[babybunrab]

I know the Magical Moments game (thanks for reminding me of the name, tazleiten) was only about $15.00 at the most when I bought it (in 2002) at WDW. Worth every penny!

 

[pennylynn]

I don't know the ages of your children but a favorite pastime of my nephews is to have someone think of an animal (food, character, flower, etc) that starts with a certain letter. The person who guesses correctly then has to think of an animal that begins with the last letter of the word that they guessed. Ex. I'm thinking of an animal that starts with the letter t. A person guesses tiger and then they have to think of an animal that starts with the letter r. Or if they guessed a turtle then they would have to think of an animal that starts with an e. What's interesting is that there are so many animals that end in the letter n but hardly any that start with n. We've never done this with Disney characters but there's a lot of different ones so it could go on for awhile. Another game that they like is a memory game. The first person starts off with "I'm on my way to Tupelo (or where ever) and I'm taking along a ????. The second person has to repeat everthing and add a new item. It continues until someone can't remember things. It's great fun if you take very unusual things with you.