Pin Trading: Fun for kids?

[angiepangie8]

I was thinking about getting some pins for pintrading for DS~8 and DD~5.

Are they at a good age to start this?

I was hoping people could share their children's positive or negative experiences with pin trading.


thanks!

 

[JeremyGNJ]

I'm already expecting that DD5 will *NOT* be pin trading. Why?

Cause I bought a set of 3 pins on ebay and I explained to her that should could trade them for any pins she sees people with at the park.

Her immediate reaction was "I dont want to give my pins away!"

 

[ginnymac]

When we went to Disney last time, my DS was in 1st grade and DD in preschool. I got them some pins before we went...I picked out some "not so special" pins. We gave DD a lanyard and DS wanted his pins on his Pooh baseball cap.

They loved it....they traded lots of times and both ended up with favorites that they wouldn't trade. DD ended up with extra pins that people gave her for being "cute".

We are going again in April and they have both dug out there pins and are ready to go at it again...this time DS is in 5th grade and DD in 3rd.

Pin trading was something that they fondly remember from our last trip there!

 

[tmarquez]

DD(5) started pin trading when she "won" a YOAMD lanyard and pins. Of course that wasn't enough pins so we ended up buying her one of the starter packs as well. She LOVES to trade. She would spend all day just seeking out CM's to trade with. Sometimes we leave the lanyard home on purpose so we can concentrate on rides and not the pins.

 

[Thats_for_Shore]

Pin trading can be fun!! My DS started at the age of 5, and he loved it.

They feel like they're so cool, wearing those pins. And it's fun to trade.

The down side can be the pin addiction that he went through. Every time we passed a shop or one of those carts that sell things, he wanted to stop and see what kind of pins they had, because he wanted more, more, more!!

 

[runwad]

My kids were 5,7 &9 when they started, they love it. Like the previous poster said the downside is them wanting to stop at all the carts and the cm's trying to get guests on rides. We cured that by going to DTD a few times a trip for them to just trade. Works for us.

 

[howdyfrtx]

Do you think a 3 yr old would be too young?

My daughter is 5, niece 6 and nephew 8 and they will all be trading pins and I know he will see them and want to do it too...

 

[LoriMomx5]

My children started pin trading early at 2 and my youngest son was shy and would just smile, point and nod . He soon started asking the cast members to trade pins with him. It helped him alot in overcoming his fear of initiating conversation. They have special pins that they keep and others that they don't mind trading. Our family has had fun with the pin trading.

 

[momto28weeker+1]

Do Cm's have popular pins to trade? Do many people say no?

I bought a grab bag of pins and nothing is really special.

 

[iheartdisney]

My mine were 4 and 3 the first time we tried pin trading, and they loved it, it was alot of fun for them. We mostly stuck to the pin boards, but they loved picking out what they wanted to give away and what they wanted. They'll even trade with each other in the car!
Just make sure you don't like any on their lanyards...becasue those will be the first to go.

And let them have fun! I felt so bad on our last DL trip, we were in line at the pin cart to buy some new Grumpys, and the woman in line behind us was GRILLING, (honestly, tearing her daughter down...looking no older than 8) for trading her pins for a bunch of junk. The poor girl looked like she was about to cry.

 

[mandysbus]

DS (then 5) got a pirate starter lanyard(the pirate stuff had just been redone along with the movie coming out so we had a heck of a time finding that set), but the starter set includes doubles so they dont feel so bad about trading some away. He had a good time with it looking for "pirate/skeleton" related pins. We had the most luck with him trading with cast members. There are people that are really into collecting that hang out outside the pin stores in the parks that have books full of pins and its hard to explain to a 5 year old that these people are looking for rare pins and do not want to trade you for your common ones (whereas the cast members have to trade with the kids). But overall he had fun with it.

Also watch if they are wearing them on lanyards, sometimes the rubber pinbacks come off. I can see where investing in locking pinbacks for the keepers would be a good idea.

 

[PrincessKell]

My dd wants to do this too. She is six. I think she is ready. I know she might have a hard time "trading" them actually. I think we might do a starter set.

 

[angiepangie8]

thanks everyone for your feedback on the pins. I still haven't decided whether or not to get them for DD and DS yet.
If I do I will most likely order the grab bag from
http://www.mousepinsonline.com/tp40/Default.asp?ID=18157

But still it'll end up being another $50 ~things sure keep adding up!
I'm trying to justify my purchase by thinking that these can be Easter Basket Stuffers or maybe part of their Disney presents. Chaaaaargeeee it!

 

[howdyfrtx]

So, where is everyone buying there pins from? I know you can get them at the world but I would like to get some before our trip.

I saw angiepangie8 may be getting hers from mousepinsonline. What about ebay?

 

[RNtheRN]

We got hooked on pin trading on out last trip to WDW in Nov. '08. I like trading in the parks but you can easily go overboard on your budget if you buy singles from the parks. Ebay is always a good choice to get started, especially if you want to buy lots and get a collection started.

I can't wait to get my DIS pin in the mail soon. It will look great on my laynard.

 

[audrey444]

I got a grab bag of pins from mousepinsonline. Per pin, it was cheaper than getting them from ebay. I did the grab bag of 1 and ordered 20. That's enough to split between kids and grown ups incase we want to trade too.

I'm getting lanyards from a friend who works with promotional materials, so she has lots of sample lanyards.

 

[Pungodingy]

can the kids trade propins? the look and feel different, but still have the logo???

 

[kimsuenew]

Pin trading is awesome! For kids and adults!


PROS:
1. You get to meet a lot of CM's!
2. CM's have to trade with you, if you have an official Disney pin and they do not have one like it on already.
3. There are special (green) lanyards for kids only, and they often have the coolest pins on them.
4. You can choose how/what you want to collect. Some people are ecclectic and have a little of everything, others pick a theme or series. I tend to collect Lilo & Stitch, Tink, and Pooh... my son does Pirates (all types), Nightmare Before Christmas, and Mickey!
5. Lanyards are cheap... ($5.00 and up in the parks) and you can sometimes theme them as well (like Pirates or Princesses, or the year of visit).
6. The lanyards full of pins make for the most awesome souvenier.

CONS:
1. It is very expensive. The cheapest pins in the park are $6.00. In one day last year I spent over $200.00 in the pin shop at MK on pins to trade!
2. Some people trade junk to the CM's (often buying it on Ebay) and even though you have a fortune invested, you in turn get junk.


Disneyshopping online sometimes has AWESOME deals on pins, try to check there weekly. They allow stacked codes, so when they run %'s off and free or reduced shipping, you can use them together!

Before Christmas I bought over 80 pins on there, all Disney pins, Limited Edition of 1,000 each, for a bit less than $2.50 each (including S&H)! These are all for trading during our 2008 trip!

Use caution buying from Ebay, there have been many people that bought scrappers or untradeable pins on there!

Disney stores have genuine pins and I am told that sometimes you get great deals there as well!

If you go to the main WDW website and search "pin trading" it will take you to their official site, where you can download a guide. It is helpful! It will specify exactly what is/what is not/and how!

 

[zoemurr]

and LOVED it. I had gotten a lot of pins for $1 each on a trading board. It is hard after the first few days when they don't have any they want to trade anymore. (3 times my son wanted one and couldn't give one up so the CM just gave it to him.. the first time was cute, but then he was just working it.) He is very shy and we loved how it got him talking to people.

Anyway, someone asked if people say no. CMs aren't allowed to say no. We got some of the "cuties" (small pins) and traded for huge, cool ones no problem. We never asked any guests to trade.

Have fun! This year I am taking my own as I was unhappy with some of their trades last year and it was very hard for me.

 

[angiepangie8]

Hurray you all convinced me to buy the grab bag at http://www.mousepinsonline.com/tp40/Default.asp?ID=18157

I haven't decided if this will be an Easter Basket Stuffer or BDay PResent to be given to each of them once we are there as we are celebrating their BDays there ~I'll probably want to give it to them sooner.

Now I just need a couple cool Lanyards to put them on.

Looks like today may be the last day of mousepinsonline's sale!

Thanks everyone