Mask wearing 2 year old SUCCESS stories please

[ToddlerMom311]

We have a trip planned in June 2021 and I am beyond worried about the mask policy for my 2 year old. She enjoys wearing a mask for approximately 5-10 minutes and then it's a no go for the day. How in the world am I going to get her to keep it on for a 2+ hour flight and then again all day in the parks? I've been searching for "tips" online but I just keep finding story after story of entire families getting kicked off of their flight. I'm starting to feel really defeated and am considering canceling the whole thing. (We have DVC points that expire in July, so I need to figure out pretty soon if I should cancel.)

I am hoping to hear some SUCCESS stories of 2 year olds on the plane and then in the parks wearing their mask! And please share any advice on how you were able to motivate them to keep them on.

Thank you!!!

 

[DebLovesPooh]

I’m sorry, my DD is 8 so I don’t have success stories to share. Have you tried having your DD practice at home with everyone else wearing one too? My 3 year old nephew is a pro at it now and I think my sister started with practice at home for longer periods of time.

 

[starry_solo]

^^Agree with the OP. Think of it the same way as potty training. You work at it over time.

 

[AZMermaid]

Do you have child sized masks? It really helps when they fit well. That recent viral video was with an adult mask. I think the disposable ones are lighter and maybe easier, but try both styles. I know There are kid ones, not sure if there are toddler sized ones which would be even better. You have six months. Keep trying! Have her wear one whenever you go out, even if you dont have a mask mandate. Maybe even bribe, if you can wear this the whole time we are at xxx, you can have two M and Ms in the car! If you make it “normal” now.... it will be way easier than trying to force it later when you are out of time.

 

[sbd929]

We have a 22 month old and have been trying to have him wear a mask whenever the rest of the family goes out for short outings, such as to the playground, for a walk, etc. Finding a good mask that fit helps, and also one he likes (choose color, for example). It helps that his big sister (5) wears one, but I think just exposure and potentially discussing why we wear the mask (its the rule, like wearing a seatbelt, sitting in car seat, etc., which may uncomfortable). If your child has a small face, we like the masks from The Odell Shop. The material is soft, and the child size masks are quite small. Sometimes when they are too big, it becomes a nuisance. Most child masks, don't have nose clip, but some Etsy sites will add them for you. Some friends of mine just purchased masks from Primary (children's clothing website) and those masks have great coverage, filters, and straps that go over the head instead of over the ears. The only way we've had great success, is trying lots of different kinds, even though that becomes costly. I also really love the Joah Love masks and Januu for comfort and fit (adult and bigger kid). Maybe even if you find a way to make it a fun game, or on the plane give stickers or a small wrapped toy for every 30 minutes or so he/she wears the mask. The plane is more concerning to me than the park. Good luck and stick with it!

 

[Lilylogan]

Yes!! We just went and I was a little stressed but my 2.5 year old kept a mask on the whole flight (2 hours) and at WDW no problem at all! I told her beforehand "mickey say you need a mask to stay safe at his house, ok?". And I bought her some disney themed masks. At WDW it's fine- if your toddler is in a mood, just find a quiet spot and get an icecream or snack and chill for a bit without the mask. I was more worried about the plane/airport but luckily she was so distracted by everything new she never messed with her mask.

 

[NOLA_Tink]

We went with our toddler last month and I was nervous beforehand, but she kept it on the whole time. I think seeing everyone else wear was was very encouraging for her to follow directions. ( We may have had one very short episode where she didn't want to wear it because she was getting really tired, but we were on our way out for a 3 pm nap anyway.) Best wishes for lots of mask magic!

ETA: I did plan snack breaks (mostly popcorn bucket refills eaten at relaxation stations or character cavalcade routes) and meals throughout the day to help prevent mask fatigue.

 

[stephk1981]

We have gone many times now as we were living in tampa, but a few months ago moved to Winter Garden. My DD2 almost 3 has been wearing a mask to the parks since they reopened! If she starts to complain, we leave. I realize if you are traveling from quite far, that may not be necessarily what you want to do though. Our days have normally consisted of getting to the park at opening, ride 2 or 3 rides, then stop for a ' mask' break snack. We may only make it through one ride some days, but normally if DD can have it off for a bit, she is good to go to ride another ride or two. We either leave the park right before or right after lunch....so are only there for 2 or three hours. When we have stayed on site throughout this, we will go back into the parks for dinner too. My DD is pretty good about mask wearing, but we keep our plans totally flexible so that when there is a melt down and her not wanting to wear it, we leave. Hope it works out and you all have a great trip

 

[stephalloo]

I have great success with my 2 year old wearing his mask when he sees his older brother wearing his, but he does get tired of wearing it and eventually takes it off. I have found that if I give him a little break he's fine putting it back on. I would recommend practicing at home with wearing the mask and taking breaks then putting the mask back on. I have taken him to the grocery with me and when he takes it off I go somewhere where it's a little more isolated for him to take it off, then he gets bored and puts it back on knowing if he wears it we will see more and move.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

One of my friends found that her 2 yr old didn't like wearing a mask for very long because of how it felt on his ears. She found masks that tie behind his head worked better, and the real winner was getting a headband made for him with buttons on the sides that hold the ear straps in place. Now he's totally fine with wearing the mask for extended periods, and loves picking out new masks with his favorite colors or characters on them. Only one person has given her a hard time for putting a headband on her son, and he's totally comfortable with it on for hours at a time.
Good luck, and hope that patience and practice pay off for you!

 

[Princess2R]

I've got a really easy toddler, she can wear a mask all day and even nap with one on. Before our Nov Disney trip, I had her practice wearing in the house. Now that she has a bunch of masks, I let her choose what she wants to wear.

Practice is key. Also, my daughter at the late part of 2 years old was able to understand that if her mask was under her nose or not on, that we would have to leave Disney World. So she would catch her mask falling under her nose and i would hear her mumbling to herself "oops i want to stay in disney world" and readjust the mask herself.

 

[ilovebassets]

We had reasonable success at the parks a couple of weeks ago with our nearly 3 year old. The first three days were rough going into the parks where they're the strictest about enforcement, but with lots of patience, we were able to make it work. Then he eventually got the hang of how it all works and put it on much more readily. Once it was on, he would keep it on for a long time until he had to eat or drink. So for us, the hard part was getting it on, not keeping it on. I will say that IN the parks, there was less overall enforcement for that age group than I thought there would be, and I'd say most kids that age were not masked if they were in their strollers or just hanging around outside. Going on the rides was about 50/50 in terms of enforcement.

Personally, I would not travel with a two year old on a plane. Way too much stress and high stakes if she or he decides to be problematic right at boarding. Also, there's tons of reports of Covid positive and exposed people getting on planes anyway.

 

[WantToGoToWDW]

Dupe

 

[WantToGoToWDW]

We haven’t been to Disney with a mask yet but my grandson has been wearing masks since before he got out of the hospital at 9.5 months old. He is a transplant recipient and it was never an option for the first two winters. The hospital started putting them on him anytime he had to leave the room for tests, procedures, etc. from the time he was 4 months old. Here he is a week before his first birthday

 

[AutismTrek]

I agree. Practice is the key

 

[kmeurs521]

Same boat here. Our daughter just turned 2 a few weeks ago, and we can't get her to keep it on more than 5 minutes. Debating booking a trip in July since we also have (a ton of) points expiring in July. We are from the midwest, so I'm thinking we might just drive as to not risk getting kicked off a plane.

When she was 18 months old, we found out she needed glasses. When she first started wearing them, it was a win to get her to keep them on for 2 minutes, now she will go up to 2 hours without tearing them off. I'm hopeful if we practice, practice, practice, she will get better with the mask!

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

^^Agree with the OP. Think of it the same way as potty training. You work at it over time.

My oldest took 13 months to potty train I felt it was a success when he wore a mask at age 4.5. Youngest (age 2) doesn't respond to bribes to potty train, but hoping that seeing her brother and cousins wear a mask will inspire her. We drive to Disney, and she will wear a mask for short periods of time, so worst case scenario, she and I will just have to go to the pool or something while rest of the family is at the park.

Target has some disposable masks with smileys and monsters for ages 2 to 7 that was the key to success for my 4 year old.

 

[sandlsmom]

Yes to practice! I didn't make just son, who just turned 3, wear a mask this whole time until I found out he'd more than likely need to wear one for our December trip. We would have him wear one whenever we'd make a quick stop somewhere and he will now keep it on for long periods of time. I found the ones that fit him the best are the youth size from Old Navy with adjustable ear straps.

 

[MinneTinK]

I’m a preschool teacher of 2 year olds as well as a mom to a 2 & 5 year old. Our school requires masks & while difficult at first, they all got it quickly & with no complaints. It’s really just lots of practice & reminders. I would also suggest trying different styles to see which suits your child best. My 5 year old likes the neoprene material with the middle seam. The adjustable TY beanie baby masks & old navy brand are popular in my class

 

[EllenMurphy]

My two year old wears masks on outings and has quickly adjusted. A few things: plenty of masks on hand as they can get "wet" very quickly. Adjustable ones are key. Allowing your kids to wear masks while they watch a movie, etc. are great tips. I am surprised how quickly my kids have adapted!