Kids and Pin Trading

[Donald is #1]

Hi! After collecting pins for many years, I got into pin trading last year. Anyways, I am taking my niece and nephew down to WDW in November and I am trying to decide whether I should bring my stuff for pin trading and also whether I should let the kids trade. My main concern with letting the kids trade pins is that we will only have 3 park days so I am concerned with how much time we will loose to trading, especially with 2 kids. I think that if we were there for a week, then I would let them pin trade without a thought. So my questions are:
1) How much time per day do your kids spend pin trading?
2) Do you limit them to x many trades per day?

Plus I would welcome any other advice for kids pin trading.

Thanks!

 

[jack hannah bananah]

My son (7) trades whenever we have time. We don't stop as we are racing from one ride to another. Usually, later in the day when things slow down for us. He'll also trade at meal times or back at the resort. He only trades with CM so there are no negotiations. Also, before we leave he knows which pins he has that he is willing to trade. This cuts down on the decision making.
He loves doing it. I would definitely share this with your niece and nephew.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Our daughter only pin trades with CMs. No questions asked!

If she sees one she'll ask, but it all depends. It is a lot of fun and she really likes making the choices and getting that bit of one on one attention. We have had total strangers come up to us a dinner and offer my daughter a pin (nothing requested in return) as a small thank you for being so polite during dinner. Truly warms my heart at that kind of generosity.

A lot will depend on how old your N & N are. Some kids just aren't in to it. We didn't push it on DD, but she was hooked the minute we walked in to BC and a CM came up to her and offered her a Belle pin.

Just take their lead -- and be willing to carry their landyard around when they get tired. Those pins can get heavy! Also, remember that the back can come off easily sometimes -- always at inconvenient times -- but the permanent backs take time to put on and are not very conducive to trading.

Best Wishes!

 

[Donald is #1]

jack hannah bananah and AuroraBeauty, thanks for your replies. It sounds as if your kids trade but don't spend too much time at it? I guess my fear is spending a 1/2 hour at each CM while either my niece or my nephew tries to make up their mind.

 

[AuroraBeauty]

Don't worry, the CMs are really good. Look for the CMs with the green trading lanyard or square thing on their belt. Those CMs with the green pin trading thing only do pin trading with kids. All the CMs were great but the kid-only CMs really know how to help the kids along, especially if there are others waiting. If you have ADRs at a buffet, (like Crystal Palace) there are CMs there with the green pin trading stuff and since it is a bit more leisurely, if the are not tied up with something else (such as monitoring their character) they'll be happy to take the time.

You can always use the 'You have to choose one. I'm going to count to 5 and you need to decide because others are waiting'. It will hurry them along w/o being as demanding.


Have fun!

 

[kristennn]

We did pin trading last june with my 4 year old daughter and 7 year old niece and they loved it. I traded too! We didn't spend a lot of time doing it - the Cm's were usually busy so it's not like the kids could have sat there for 30 minutes but they usually made thier choices pretty quickly anyhow.
We only traded pins when it was convenient for us - We had three days at disney parks - and the girls each traded about 25 pins. My niece was so into it - she would trade for a pin and then later the same day - trade that same pin in for another pin - I think she just liked the trading experience.

I think it was one of the most fund parts of our trip and I bought more pins to trade for when we go this May. My daughter looks at her pins from last trip all the time - i think it makes a really nice souvenir.

 

[Donald is #1]

Thanks everyone! You have me really leaning towards letting the kids trade. Of course, I will probably change my mind 5 times between now and November.

More suggestions and opinions would be wonderful!