How do you keep your kids safe in the parks?

[lolobug]

Hi!
I'm sure there has to be a thread on this topic but I couldn't find it. Anyhow, I'm wondering what tips parents have for keeping their kids safe while in the parks (I.D) . My understanding is that theoretically, if a child is lost and a CM rings their magic band they should have the parents identification. Any other identification tips/tricks? I'm leaving in a few weeks with a 2 year old (yikes!) and a 5 year old.
Thank you!

 

[Canooknic]

We printed little dog tags at our local pet store with my cell number on one side and my hubby's on the other, we attached them to our boy's shoe laces.
We also repeated over and over again on our flight and through the week that they had to stay with us and to find a cast member in the nearest store/restaurant and stay there until we found them.
It's hard (one of our boys is a drifter and often doesn't realise that he's not next to us!) so we took responsibility for one child each so neither of us assumed they were with the other parent

 

[farah]

Not sure if the site but we got bracelets made with their name, our names and cell #. It's the rubber ones. We used them for many years.

 

[taterheads]

Hi! I'm sure there has to be a thread on this topic but I couldn't find it. Anyhow, I'm wondering what tips parents have for keeping their kids safe while in the parks (I.D) . My understanding is that theoretically, if a child is lost and a CM rings their magic band they should have the parents identification. Any other identification tips/tricks? I'm leaving in a few weeks with a 2 year old (yikes!) and a 5 year old. Thank you!

Our son has wandered from us twice once in MK and once at Pop Century resort. It was way worse at the resort because there is no procedure in place and VERY little security. Hold your child's hand at resorts! Don't the them out of your visual field for a second! Parks are actually less scary as they have procedure to handle the situation. My suggestion- hold their hand as much as possible, when not possible (I know some dislike this but if you have ever had a child wander and had that gut wrenching feeling that you might never see them again, you would understand) a wrist to wrist or backpack harness, take a picture of your child every day once you dress your kids- the parks can send a picture quickly through Mobil media to identify who is being searched for. Talk to your kids about what a CM looks like- this is what a CM name tag looks like, if you are ever lost find someone with this tag. Whose shoes ID tags or straight up sharpie your name and number on the back of their hand. Mostly just pay attention- never expect your child to stay where you can see them- YOU stay where you can see your child.

 

[CTdaizy]

I think the most important thing is to talk about it ahead of time at the level of understanding for each child. Make sure they know the rules and who to look for in case of an emergency, just like teaching young kids about calling 911, or what to do in a fire- have a plan!

When our kids were younger, we used a label maker to print phone numbers and put those in the small key chain see-through plastic identifiers. They had a little chain on them, easy to move around. We would put them on belt loops so they weren't flopping on the shoes. They knew what the tag was for, and to show it to a cm if needed.

The first day in the parks we made a point to stop right inside the gate and show the kids a security guard and a cm, showing their name tags and what to look for.

And like a pp said, each took responsibility for a child, so we always knew who had who..

 

[GoofyFairie]

We always held their hand or wrist. We also told them never to wander off, just tell us what they were interested in seeing and we would take them to see it.

 

[LindseyLou2222]

My 2 year old spent most of our trip last week with her backpack/ leash on. It was a great purchase for us. She loved the freedom it gave her and I loved knowing she was with me at all times. It was also great for the airport.
I also stuck a luggage tag on the backpack with all of our info on it.
Good luck!!

 

[MSSANDRA]

I had never really worry until last year when we went NY week and the crowds were much heavier than we anticipated. I ended up writing our cell phone # on the inside sole of his shoe with a sharpie. He was 5 and knew the # but I was afraid he would panic and forget. In addition to making a picture and talking about what to do if we were separated, we made sure we knew which of us had our eyes on him at all times. I was the primary watcher. Anytime I took my eyes off him for any reason, I told DS or DH to watch him. Now most of the time we all were watching but we always checked ourselves that way to be sure each of us did not think the others were watching and drop our guard. Our DN was lost in DC when we had 4 adults and a teen because everyone thought someone else was watching her......SCARY time.

 

[taterheads]

I had never really worry until last year when we went NY week and the crowds were much heavier than we anticipated. I ended up writing our cell phone # on the inside sole of his shoe with a sharpie. He was 5 and knew the # but I was afraid he would panic and forget. In addition to making a picture and talking about what to do if we were separated, we made sure we knew which of us had our eyes on him at all times. I was the primary watcher. Anytime I took my eyes off him for any reason, I told DS or DH to watch him. Now most of the time we all were watching but we always checked ourselves that way to be sure each of us did not think the others were watching and drop our guard. Our DN was lost in DC when we had 4 adults and a teen because everyone thought someone else was watching her......SCARY time.

Your last line says it all! Large crowds and believing someone else was watching our son is how we have lost our DS twice at Disney. Assigning "buddies" is by far the best way to keep tab on your kiddos!

 

[lolobug]

We printed little dog tags at our local pet store with my cell number on one side and my hubby's on the other, we attached them to our boy's shoe laces. We also repeated over and over again on our flight and through the week that they had to stay with us and to find a cast member in the nearest store/restaurant and stay there until we found them. It's hard (one of our boys is a drifter and often doesn't realise that he's not next to us!) so we took responsibility for one child each so neither of us assumed they were with the other parent

Great ideas! I have a drifter, too! I was thinking of doing the same thing, give DH the "easy" kid, I take the drifter. Thank you! I love the pet tag idea, too! Do you think people would think to look at their shoes? I'm most concerned about my 2 year old and I don't think she could tell someone to look at her shoe. Thanks!

 

[lolobug]

Thank you ALL! You all had great ideas. I think it's "easier" to watch them when I'm by myself rather than with other adults because, like you all said, you start to assume someone else is watching them, too. I have a leash backpack, DH doesn't like it but for disney I'm using it! Thank you ALL

 

[Lisa71]

Labels inside their clothes and I have taught them to go to a woman with a name badge ..preferably behind a counter so they are real employees for sure...I read "protecting the gift" by Gavin Debecker ...great book on teaching kids to be safe. "Don't talk to strangers" means who do you tell you are lost?? What about people you know who make you uneasy?? We practiced it when they were small "if you could not find me what would you do?"

 

[teambeaman]

I bought a Road ID to put on my 2 yo's shoe when we were there in October. It's pretty noticeable. I liked it so much that I keep
it on his shoe at all times.

 

[KaLyn]

We got handmade beaded bracelets for our DDs on Etsy. I was going to make them myself but they were actually cheaper on Etsy. They have the child's name and my cell number on them. They can wear them on their wrist or I could string them through their shoelaces.

I also plan on taking their MagicBands (which will already be printed with their names) and using a sharpie marker to write my husbands cell number on the underside of them.

 

[lolobug]

I bought a Road ID to put on my 2 yo's shoe when we were there in October. It's pretty noticeable. I liked it so much that I keep it on his shoe at all times.

Thank you! Where do I find one? Planing on reading that book now!

 

[lolobug]

We got handmade beaded bracelets for our DDs on Etsy. I was going to make them myself but they were actually cheaper on Etsy. They have the child's name and my cell number on them. They can wear them on their wrist or I could string them through their shoelaces. I also plan on taking their MagicBands (which will already be printed with their names) and using a sharpie marker to write my husbands cell number on the underside of them.

Great idea! Their names come printed on their magic bands??

 

[KaLyn]

Great idea! Their names come printed on their magic bands??

Yep, on the underside in the band. When you customize the colors there's also the option to add a name. I don't think it was meant for helping lost children, I think it was probably to help figure out which band was which if 2 people in the same party had the same color band.

 

[lolobug]

Yep, on the underside in the band. When you customize the colors there's also the option to add a name. I don't think it was meant for helping lost children, I think it was probably to help figure out which band was which if 2 people in the same party had the same color band.

what an awesome feature though!

 

[micheand]

We bought a prepaid cell phone, just a basic one, and attached it to a lanyard around DD neck. She was 6 at the time and we just programmed our #s into the phone so if for any reason she got separated we could find her. We also downloaded a special ringtone, a really loud and obnoxious one, so if we couldn't see her at any point in time we could call the number and hear the tone. It worked exactly as it should!

 

[lolobug]

We bought a prepaid cell phone, just a basic one, and attached it to a lanyard around DD neck. She was 6 at the time and we just programmed our #s into the phone so if for any reason she got separated we could find her. We also downloaded a special ringtone, a really loud and obnoxious one, so if we couldn't see her at any point in time we could call the number and hear the tone. It worked exactly as it should!

Awesome idea! How much do those cost?