Children/toddlers in line

[Disneymamaof5]

This May we are taking 2 of our 5 children to disney for their first trip. They are 4 and 5 year old girls.
In September, we are taking our 2 youngest children, both age 3. 1 boy and 1 girl.
My question is, what are some suggestions as to what to do to occupy them as they are in line with us?

I guess, I just need all around advice to make our trips nicer, smoother, and the most enjoyable it can be.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Just talk to them. Point out all the different things around you. Talk about the ride that you are going to go on. Look for hidden Mickeys.
I personally don't carry toys and gadgets for the kids. We just talk to each other etc. Our kids are all young and we manage. We also do not get on lines that are a million hours long. We try to plan our days so we aren't waiting forever for anything. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[TDERadulski]

My children (ages 2 and 6) are generally occupied by the other children in line. They are quite outgoing and love to talk to other kids. My older son gets excited about his favorite rides, and we started having him tell his little brother all about the ride (little bro LOVES his bog bro and listens to every word that comes out of his mouth!). Don't worry too much about it if your child gets antsy in line....there are dozens of other families in the same line who are in the same situation!!!
Have a wonderful trip!

 

[nessz79]

The lines are usually interesting in and of themselves. I have never needed to entertain my kids when they have been 3 or older. We also pick short lines and fastpass anything that isn't short. Do your research on touring plans to get an idea of which rides you want to do when. It helps immensely.

 

[allison443]

The only times I needed something to "entertain" my little one was when the oldest kids were doing something she couldn't do. Like if DH took the older ones on a ride, we might find a shady spot to rest and I might have something for her to play with. The kids you are bringing are of similar/the same age so I guess the trip will be geared for them, kwim?
Have fun!

 

[verlee]

We also did not need anything to occupy their time. There was so much to lok at. Also, They were in a line that they wanted to be in. They knew if we left the line they would not get to see pooh, or ride peter pan ect. There was a reward at the end!

 

[hroyale]

My DS doesn't wait well, so even though we planned our days to keep lines short, we did sometimes need to occupy him. Some things that worked the best:

* snacks and water (my first mistake was leaving these in the stroller for one of the first lines)
* looking at the autographs in his book (only works later in the trip)
* reviewing photos on the digital camera (loves gadgets and seeing himself)
* taking photos with the digital camera

These were mostly "last resort" attempts to keep him calm. They were mostly necessary on the longer lines and later in the day when he was feeling less patient. Come to think of it, we tended to use them mostly when waiting for shows to start, like showing up 30 minutes before Nemo or Lion King at AK, and when waiting for the bus home.

Have fun,
Heather

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

We taught our 4 year old how to play rock/paper/scissors and that was a big hit. (Our 2 year old tries, but he does paper every time... ) Also thumb wrestling and guessing which hand behind the back holds the ticket (or whatever), seeing who can stand on one leg the longest... Goofy little things like that.

Hand clap games like "Miss Lucy had a..." are fun for the girls. (Am I dating myself by suggesting that? )

 

[crl]

We make up stories or have a small pack of bubbles to blow for the kids. Other parents around have thanked me to the bubbles. We go at non-crowded times and try not to wait more than 3-5 minutes for anything.