Bags for kids

[goofygas]

Do you have your kids carry their own bag at WDW? If so, what kind and what do you let them put in it? Is it easier that way or for Mom to just take care of it. I have 3 DS's ages 5, 8 and 9.

 

[jenseib]

I never brought one ,but my son packed his own fanny pack (which I hate those things) and wore it. He had money in it. Mostly change. (he was like 7) He never complained about it or anything. It was his choice totallly. I feel there really isn't much of a need for them to bring a bag. This trip we are just taking my 2 year old (my older ones are in highschool now) and I will have her stroller and a bag with goodies and diapers. But if she was older, I wouldn't have either, and I just wear a SMALL backpack to keep my money and whatever may be needed for the day.
I thin kif you let real little ones carry a bag, you may get stuck carrying it yourself.

 

[sbanders]

I have ten kids, six under then age of 11. This is our first trip to disney with the kids and I have been going back a forth with this same idea. I'm using a ebay suppier ( I'm new here so if that is a no no sorry) to purchase autograph books w/pens, color books, walets for disney dollars, personal fans and a draw string tote bags. I'm also going to order the lightchaser from disney.com before we go to save money of those must have souveniers.

I'm using the drawstrings bags to load the loot and add some Easter stuff for their Easter baskets. Then we will put it away in their suitcase to save for the trip.

I just think if you put all those things in a bag together even for three kids can be a lot for mommy to carry. Realisticly a kid may not need all this stuff. I always try to think ahead on the "I wants" that way it doesn't cost me $$ or I have to say no becuase It would be a $120.00 for lightchasers instead of $42.00

 

[dsnymomof4]

I have ten kids, six under then age of 11.

Wow-God bless you! I think for the plane/car ride, yes, each child should carry his/her own stuff. It's just easier that way. But for the parks, you really don't need all of that extra stuff. I usually carry one bag in which I put everyone's lanyard/pins, suntan lotion, sunglasses, some snacks, etc. (extra clothes when they were younger). I keep in my wallet an envelope for each child with some spending money for the day (don't bring all of it at one time). I know what would happen if each child started out carrying their own bag....by the end of the day I would end up carrying 5 bags instead of just 1!

 

[TheDizMom]

Wow-God bless you! I think for the plane/car ride, yes, each child should carry his/her own stuff. It's just easier that way. But for the parks, you really don't need all of that extra stuff. I usually carry one bag in which I put everyone's lanyard/pins, suntan lotion, sunglasses, some snacks, etc. (extra clothes when they were younger). I keep in my wallet an envelope for each child with some spending money for the day (don't bring all of it at one time). I know what would happen if each child started out carrying their own bag....by the end of the day I would end up carrying 5 bags instead of just 1!

I'm with you. I had one bag that was big enough to hold what we needed, but not so big it's a pain to carry. There is very little they need to have in the parks except suntan lotion, sunglasses and some small snacks if you want to save a little money, and lanyards if you want to collect pins. I also carried the autograph books, but we got smaller ones so they didn't take up much room. They are to busy to need anything else. As for their spending money I kept it so we didn't have to worry about it getting lost somewhere.

For the plane they each had a small roller suitcase (the kind with D characters on them)with their entertainment items in them, and because they had wheels on them they were easy for them to get through the airport on their own. We also tucked in our immediate necessities since we used the ME and you don't get your bags right away.

 

[Steve's Girl]

For the plane, my 7,5 & 3 year old each have their own backpack. Last year, they did not carry any bags in the park. However, this year my almost 6 year old daughter wants to carry a few of her own things. So, I made her a small messenger bag that will be very comfortable to carry. She loves to collect maps, etc. and will carry her autograph book. I will carry all money and valuables.

 

[tripplanner]

Same here, for the plane they use their own bags. In the parks, I carry a single bag. I carry just the basics (money, cards, ponchos). By the end of each day, I usually have the kid's hat, sunglasses, and lanyard that they are tired of wearing in the bag.

 

[sbanders]

I have to add that my kids are bag people and have to have their mp3 player and firefly phones etc. Me having to carry them at the end of the day will be fine becuase I have 4 older teenages that can help. I also have the stroller and since the bags are small they will go under with out to much problem

 

[1of6]

Last year my kids, then ages 9, 7, 4 and 2, each had their own fanny pack. They each had a chapstick, sunglasses and snacks in their bag. After the first day DD2 was done with her bag and it just stayed in the room. It was a lifesaver that they each put snacks they wanted into their pack and I wasn't in charge of handing out everything. It really helped when we split up.

 

[mepperson]

My DD (then 6 and 7) LOVED to have her own fanny pack. She keeps her own chapstick, a little stick of sunblock, her daily allowance, and pennies and quarters for pressed pennies. She thinks she is very grown-up, and makes her responsible for at least a little of the load.

BTW - we give her $10/day allowance for WDW. That may seem "high", but that is for her to use any way she wants - snacks, souveniers, whatever. She doesn't get the "I wannas" so badly when she realizes that she uses "her" money for whatever. The first year she actually budgeted very well and ended up with at least 1/2 left over at the end of the trip for some nice souveniers.

 

[alloyd1170]

Last year my son saw a Buzz fanny pack and wanted it (he was 4). My dad gave him a dollar to put in it, and he also carried his autograph book and pen in it. I did have to put a couple of knots in it to keep it from falling off him!

alison

 

[kileybeth]

God Bless the stroller basket! I have often said I can not go to Disney without one, maybe that's why I had 6 kids spread out over 23 years??? hehehe

one bag lady here too. altho mine want bags and have ipods,wallets, etc. by end of day, or on wet rides. . .yup, into the stroller. I'd rather scoop out one bag and hand it around to shift the load than fish out 3 or 4 seperate ones every time we park the stroller to leave it behind. . .

eleven kiddos huh? what a blessing and so many helpers! woo-hoo!

have a magical trip!!

 

[kileybeth]

opps! only 10 kids and original poster only 3! either way,it's one more than Mom and Dad and you are out of hands! hehehe.

doesn't everything feel heavy after 4 or 5 hours in Florida sunshine? Even my sunglasses in my pocket get on my very last nerves somedays, why I visit in cooler months I guess!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

My 8 and 11 year old boys wear their own fanny packs. They like to wear their baseball caps but I get tired of them constantly thursting them at me to hold when we go on rides. They're afraid they'll lose their favorite hats if I don't put them in my bag. On our recent trip, they each wore a kid-size fanny pack and carried their own rain ponchos and small snacks. I put a caribeener hook on the strap of each of their fanny packs so they could hook their hats on when they didn't want to wear them. This worked really well. Also, if they saw a small souvenier that they just had to have right away, they had to carry it themselves in their fanny packs. This rule actually saved us buying a few things (I want that but I don't want to carry it around so never mind!).

 

[goofygas]

Thanks, so much. I think we are going to go minimal stuff and no extra bags! I want to relax and be worn out from carrying everything!