Pin lanyards for kids

[mommykds]

I have a 9, almost 6, & a 4 year old. How many people buy lanyards & pins for there kids at WDW? I know its fun to have them on your neck when you are there but what do you do when you get home? Are they are "waste" for young kids or a great sovinier? Thanks!

 

[tinan]

I thought it would be fun to do as well. However, I noticed that some of the pins could get pretty pricey. I have opted to buy pins and lanyards online for my children to trade while at Disney. The girls have quite a collection going now.

 

[foxtrotter]

I bought one for my daughter last time we went. She's only 2 but I wanted to get her a couple pins to start in case she wanted to have a pin collection when she's a little older. I bought her the WDW pink lanyard, a 'my first trip' pin, a Mickey pin, a Minnie pin, a pin from the night we went to MVMCP, and a Pop Century pin because that's where we stayed. I thought that was a nice little start for her collection and I'll let her have it in a couple years. Right now it's hanging on a lampshade and she just likes to look at it and point at the pins and say 'Mickey!'

 

[LBS]

My 3 children are in the same general age as yours and they all 3 love the pin trading. If you can, pick up some pins on ebay or somewhere before you go. Pin trading keeps my children occupied all day. They are constantly looking for specific types of characters to trade for. So no, I don't think it is a wasted souveneir.

 

[princesslulu]

I thought this was very expensive so I opted for the pressed penny collecting instead. I know my youngest will really enjoy this. I don't know enough about how pin trading really works.

 

[vicceja]

Hi!

I get them with my package every time . My boys 9, 6, 4 do not wear them but we do collect the pins they keep them in their treasure box.

 

[WhatsaPooh]

Ds was 4 his 1st trip and we bought a lanyard and some starter pins..... he loved it!! To the point that we couldn't pass a pin cart without him spending an hour looking for ones he liked. Now it was easier and less expensive for me (having 1 to buy for) than for you and buying for 3, but if you set a limit they should understand. The 2nd trip back he was 6 and still in love with the pins (he will not trade though ). He liked wearing the lanyard into the parks, but at some point Dh or I would end up wearing it.

I would like to find some cheap pins or duplicates, and get him to try trading this upcoming trip. We'll see. And as for it being a wonderful souvenEar- yes!!! His favorite pins have been mounted in a shadow box on his bedroom wall, and his lanyard hangs on the end of his bed or on a hook on his bulletin board. He just had them out the other day, talking about where/when he bought each. I amazes me what he has remembered from the past trips.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

My oldest (now 9), got into pin trading about 2 years ago, and absolutely loves it. My little one (6), decided to start last year's trip, but was more interested in buying, what she likes, but started trading a bit more the last part of our trip.

I have bought about 30 pins a piece for the girls on Ebay, for about 2.75-3.00 each, which is a huge savings from the prices at the parks. I'm sure they will still buy ones to keep, from the resort, and special ones.

Last trip, I'm sure my daughter traded some more valuable pins for lesser ones. At $3.00 per pin from E-bay, I don't mind them just trading for what they like.

At home, they enjoy displaying their lanyards. We have them hanging from shelves in their rooms. They were also nice for show-and-tell at school.

I would suggest the locking backs for the kids though. They are a bit more, but worth it.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Heck with the kids...Pin trading in fun in general!!!! DH and I went last year for our first trip since we were kids. Prior to going, I was of the opinion that the pins were a huge waste of money. Then, of course, we got our free lanyard and pin when we checked in...and it was downhill from there. First DH suggested that we get one for our DD who was home with Grammy, then I noticed the anniversary pin and as that was the purpose of the trip...had to get it. We came home with 10 pins that are now displayed in DD bedroom...and she looks at them daily. I'm sure her collection will be added to this year. We are just disappointed that you don't get the free one to start off with anymore!!!

 

[kandeebunny]

I love love love love love pin trading it. I've been doing it since 2000, and I am planning on doing more when I go back in a couple weeks. I started off with pins from the Disney Store (back when they used to sell pins before they were bought out by children's place) I had purchased a lanyard and starter kit from there for $15 instead of the $25 at the park and some additional traders for $4 instead of the then $6.50 a piece at the park (now $6.95) I frame a bunch of mine in shadow boxes as does DM and then I have pin binders full to flip through whenever I am down, as well as a backpack and 2 large pin bags. While home I trade online ( see www.pinpics.com ) If you are considdering getting your kids started go to the mall and go to Claire's/Icing they often have either plain lanyards or Disney printed ones much cheaper than at the parks. Also watch E-bay do NOT pay more than $3.00 a pin for traders. Only trade with CM's your first trip until you get the hang of it. Many CM's will have GREEN/PINK lanyards and these are KIDS ONLY!!! Encourage them to trade for what they like not what has value. There are many different types of pins. LE (limited edition) which start at $8.50 a piece Lanyard series you can only get these from cast members Cast Member Exclusive again usually only from cast members Free-D the pins with the little rubber balloons Dangles pins with parts that dangle Pin on Pin layered pins Jumbo Pins pins bigger than 3" Event Exclusive these come from pin events people PAY to go to! When you get home go to your local wal-mart/craft store and pick up some shadow box frames and frame some for yours kids walls as reminders of their trip.

Another framing idea that I've done: I collect Pooh and gang so I bought a post card of the whole Pooh gang together and had Pooh autograph it then around the post card I put a pin of everyone in the post card and framed that. I also use photos from my trip for background. I also use pins at tacks on my bulliten board!

Any questions let me know!

 

[impsmom]

I don't know if it's a "waste" or not. We haven't been there yet. However I did pick up about 20 pins on e-bay (about $3 each) for my 4 & 7 year olds to trade when we get there. I'm pretty sure it's something my oldest will love since she's a bit more outgoing. I'm hoping it helps our 4 year old with some of her shyness.

 

[kandeebunny]

OH I forgot in my above post...try to avoid sedesma pins (black cheap feeling metal) on e-bay they will either be listed as Sedesma or that they are from Spain. A lot of CM's don't like to accept these as traders!

 

[HollyJoy]

We bought a starter set for our girls... one chose the princesses, the other chose Tinkerbell. I believe they were about $20. THey came with 4 pins... They used some of their money to buy new pins, traded some , and we bought them a couple. They have them hanging on their wall waiting to go back to WDW! They love them. I think they are a neat souvenier.

 

[iowa mommy]

Hi, I have 3 kidsa about same ages and my kids LOVE their pin collections..when I get home I have put them around the border of a corkboard in their rooms, and my son last year put them on a floppy hat, and my daughter put hers on her school backpack

 

[ms.ojo]

Started pin trading w/ and for my son when he was celebrating his 4th bday at WDW. he was hooked from the start! it was so much easier than standing in line waiting for char signatures. If we waited in a line for a ride he would ask the CM to see their lanyard. It was a great diversion. We went w/ some cheap Ebay pins for easy trades and of course, bought him some new special ones too.

He has quite the villains collection going now (along w/ Toy Story). I bought 2 square corkboards and covered them w/ fabric. Then we put the pins on there to display. Special pins he puts on his lanyard and has brought into school for show & tell.

His sister is only 2.5 and LOVES his collection. I have started one for her but it only has about 8 Disney pins. I have 20 trader pins for them for our April trip. Should be a lot of fun. But now I'm thinking I'm going to have to start my own lanyard, as they probably won't want me as involved in their trading anymore and I love it too! LOLO

Oh, as for the actual Lanyard....I found carrying a few in a pocket or small bag in my purse worked well. ds didn't enjoy wearing the lanyard after about the 1st hour in the park as it was scratchy on his neck in the heat.

 

[Toni300z]

wow, this is awesome. I was trhinking about doing teh same for my boys, but was worried they would lose them. I have ordered about 10 DW pins in the last month. They are pricey on Ebay sometimes.

 

[CheezDoodle]

If you are worried about losing them they sell locking pin backs. I had to get some because I lost a pin just about every trip! They are a bit pricey, but a good investment.

 

[uva185]

I am totally addicted to buying Pins. Every time I go I buy 10 or more pins. I usually get pins relevant to the trip. For my last trip I got the St. Patrick’s Day pin, First Day of Spring pin, Grand Floridian Pin (we stayed there), Its a Small World Re-Opening pin, etc, and of course a pin with 2005 on it. I think they make the perfect souvenir because you can get pins to remember aspects of your trip.

 

[pezpam]

Oh, as for the actual Lanyard....I found carrying a few in a pocket or small bag in my purse worked well. ds didn't enjoy wearing the lanyard after about the 1st hour in the park as it was scratchy on his neck in the heat.

I carry DDs in my backpack (or hers, whichever is handier) and we get it out when she sees a trader. They do get irritating on your neck after a while.

That said, she LOVES pin trading. I pick up pins when I can and just save them up for when we can get back to the park so she can trade. She chooses what to trade and for what and has a ball doing so.

Question for more veteran pin traders...... we're not into this enough that we know which pins are LE, CM-only, etc... I generally let her take care of trades since it's her pins and she enjoys it, but I'm hesitant to let her trade with non-CM traders. A few folks I've talked to seem very cut-throat and likely to talk her into trading her $25 (unknown to us) pin for a $4 pin. While I want to let her enjoy this, I don't want her to be totally taken advantage of either. Is there a way to handle all of that easily without taking away from her fun? Maybe I am being silly since we don't care as much about value as maybe we should, but still......

 

[Tiger Fan]

DD started pin collecting about 2 years ago, she's 8 now. She bought the princess starter set that had two duplicates so she immediately traded. She was hooked right away. We all now have lanyards and wear them on our trips. It can be expensive, but we found that since we go a couple of times a year that's it's really cheaper than buying those $25 stuffed animals that end up just sitting around. I have been able to buy lots of "trader" pins at various outlets or the Disney Store and we use those to trade. Before each trip we get out our lanyards and only put pins that we'll be trading for that trip. As DD trades if it's one she knows she will keep she puts it on her right side and that way she won't accidentally trade it again. We all also have pin books (her's is the princess one of course) that we put our special pins (AP only or limited editions that we buy or ones that represent where we stayed that trip or whatever). I think it's a fun hobby and it can really help pass the time in line or give you a change of pace on a busy day. Have fun!
Lisa
Tiger Fan