At what age did your children start pin trading

[Kate-n-sam]

I have the two oldest all set up for trading this trip, but it occurs to me the youngest might be jealous and want to play too....She's almost 4, and wants to do everything the older 2 are doing. Do you think 3.75 is too young? Don't want any tantrums LOL!
Thanks!

 

[slo]

My 4yr old pin traded and she enjoyed it. Plus I believe it was a valuable learning experience for her to let something go (the pin)to gain something in return (another pin).

She just pin traded with CM and the CM were so much fun. CM had a ball with my daughter. When we go this year she will do it again.

 

[nursetink]

Our DD was almost 4 our last trip. We bought pins and a lanyard for her to trade, but she just wanted to wear them. Which was okay with us.

 

[peanutzmom]

Our youngest was a month past her third birthday on our last trip, and she LOVED pin trading! She only traded with CM's, and we only gave her 3 or 4 pins to trade with, but she still enjoyed getting a little "special attention" from the adults. She's looking forward to pin trading when we go back in November and absolutely loves her lanyard.

 

[InstImpres]

My DN traded last trip (just shy of 3 years old). Really didn't get it and didn't always want to do but with my DD8 and DN7 doing it occassionally, she wanted in the action. I would say having two older ones, you should plan on a few pins for your youngest. It's easier than tears/

JMHO
Sandy

 

[tublady]

Our DD was just 2 on our trip last year in September and loved trading with CM's, we didn't have a problem with "Mine". The CM's were really great! Some of them even gave her a pin instead of asking for one in trade even when we tried to insist. They thought it was so cute that a little one was so proud of her pins (we put them on her harness instead of a lanyard to get her to wear it). She loved showing them off and she would get excited when she saw a pin she liked! She even found some Playhouse Disney pins that she especially liked.

 

[disneymama73]

Our daughter was almost 4 1/2 on our last trip and LOVED pin-trading. Our 2-yr-old wasn't interested in the slightest. If your daughter is interested, I say go for it! It's a great lesson!

 

[lindaso]

My middle son was almost 4 and he liked pin trading. The only drawback was he didn't always want to wear the lanyard so one of us wore it most of the time. He mostly traded for Toy Story pins. His lanyard is now hanging on his bedpost and he loves to look at them.

 

[CarrieAP]

We've never tried pin trading, but might be fun to start this trip. We are a Disney family, so fun to add some activities each year as the girls get older. Any advice for a 5 and 8 year old?

 

[czy4WDW]

This may sound dumb since this is my first time to WDW in 10 years - BUT where do you buy the pins prior to your trip? My DDs are 6 and 4 and the 6 yo is already talking about pins -- I guess it's all the classmates who have gone to WDW since Sept!

Thanks for the info

 

[Shells9]

DD will be 7 in April. She has a lanyard full of pins, but has not yet traded. I tried to explain it to her last weekend, and she was all for it, then a few minutes later was not so sure.

I think we will try to let her see the CM's lanyards and chat with them, and if she wants to, fine, if not, that's okay, too. But, the first Lion King pin she sees that she does not have will probably sway her!

BTW - we bought some pins at our Disney store, and some at a Character Warehouse.

 

[lindaso]

I bought the cheapest pins I could find at cheappins.com. They have to be Disney pins to be traded. My advice would be to get pins that your kids won't like too much, this way they won't mind trading them away!!

We had an incident where my DD had a Mickey New York pin that I loved. DH had her in a store and let her trade it. I was the one who was disappointed (I fell in love with that pin!!). DH thought quickly and grabbed DS's lanyard and traded right back for it. He told the CM he was in trouble with his wife!!

After that we had a family discussion over "non-tradable" pins. They know that the MNSSHP pin that they each got is absolutely non-tradable under any circumstance!!

 

[Memaw2Wm]

My grandkids started collecting pins on there first trip to Disney in 2002 (they were 5½ and 7), but they aren't interested in trading. In fact they won't even wear the lanyards, but they love pouring over the pins in the stores and choosing one or two to add to their collection.

 

[czy4WDW]

LINDASO - thanks for the advice -- I'm going to get a few and see what they do!

6 weeks till WDW

 

[InstImpres]

The way we try and get around the "keep vs trade pins" is to buy matching. DD's lanyard starts with 16-20 matching pins (or 2 kinds if I couldn't get all the same on clearance). Than she knows when she has no Pooh pins left she has to decide if she really wants to give something up. I found this very helpful as the first trip it was a monumental decision each time as to which pin to trade.

Sandy

 

[jaysue]

DS#1 started on the May 03 trip (he was 3 3/4 yrs old) - he likes trading pins with the CM's at AK - nowhere else just AK - I have no idea why but it is cute!

 

[immalemon]

I know I am going to sound like such a goober....but how do you pin trade? Id like to start this with my DD, but this is our first trip to WDW, and believe me, wont be our last. I think this would be something fun to start and continue on. Can you explain a little please? Do you go up to any CM and trade pins or what do you do? Thanks in advance.

 

[zurgswife]

My DD now 6 has been trading since she was barely 3...she has always loved it..

 

[funnygarcia]

Originally posted by immalemon
I know I am going to sound like such a goober....but how do you pin trade? Id like to start this with my DD, but this is our first trip to WDW, and believe me, wont be our last. I think this would be something fun to start and continue on. Can you explain a little please? Do you go up to any CM and trade pins or what do you do? Thanks in advance.

Go to this web site for some basic info
http://disney.go.com/eventservices/whatispintrading.html

And locations to trade with CM
http://psc.disney.go.com/eventservices/wdw_tradinglocations.html

I know Disneyland rules are slightly different but the basics are:

See a CM with pin lanyard.. ask them if they will trade with you.

Check their lanyard /vest to make sure they don't already have the pin you are trading (if they already have that pin they will not trade with you -- it insures no repeats on their lanyards).

Point out which one you want. Take your pin off lanyard - put back on and make the swap.

One basic rules is that it must be a Disney pin (no fake pins/fantasy pins) , enamel -- no all metal, no epoxy, no name pins, no rubber/flex pins allowed.

The parks may have additional rules in relation to the cheaper Disney Store pins (ones that were clearanced out a year ago).. certain lanyards will be for Limited Edition pins, Park pins only.. but the CM will let you know.

We found that CMs will trade more with children than adults and allow "bending" of the rules.

My boys love to trade - and have been trading since our first DL trip when they were 4 and 7 yrs old.

I know they have a "training session" for children (they give them a pin for free too!) at the pin shop in TL at DL.. not sure of they do that at WDW??

 

[coachYO & my 3 girls]

Is pin trading among CM's and my DD's or do I have to worry about strangers talking to them about their pins and wanting to trade?
If they do not want to trade is that ok?
Are some pins more valuble than others?
How will we know if someone is taking advantage of a newbie like us?
Any suggestions or am I being parnoid?
Thanks, YO