Questions regarding kids club and 4 year olds...

[yellowfish78]

I'm debating between two cruises next year - July vs October. In July my youngest will be 3, October would make him 4. I've had an older kid in the kids club so I know what they do for them, but how does the club work with the 4 year olds? What ages would the 4 year old be with? Is it more structured with the younger groups?

 

[yellowfish78]

Though now that i'm researching more, I think he can qualify for both at age 3?

 

[cruisecrasher]

If he's potty trained and between age 3-12, he's welcome in the Oceaneer Club or the Oceaneer Lab depending which he's more interested in. The kids generally self sort based on which activities they like.

 

[TestingH2O]

I will say that DD wanted no part in the clubs when she was 3 and a couple months. When she was almost 4, she loved them. So, while 3 year olds are technically allowed, in my experience, it is better when they are a bit older.

 

[yellowfish78]

The July cruise keeps looking better and better - just for the option of either location. We can put him in the club with his brother or put him in the nursery for naps if necessary.

 

[MunFam]

So, while 3 year olds are technically allowed, in my experience, it is better when they are a bit older.

I agree with this. Our very outgoing 4.75 year old (who had years of preschool under her belt) only liked the OC. She was not a fan of the Lab. She would stay in the OC Club all day long, but when they moved secure programming to OL, we would get a call instantly. She just felt intimidated by the older kids and all of the electronics. She usually waited for us by coloring in the corner. On our cruise, the littler ones gravitated towards OC while the olders headed to the Lab.

 

[yellowfish78]

This is really helpful everyone! Thank you! But I'm seeing opening day prices for July and it's rough.

 

[Dugette]

We just cruised on the Wonder with our 4 year old DD last week. She LOVED the club/lab and cried upon leaving a couple times. We mostly found her playing iPad games with other similar-aged kids when we picked her up, but she was also building with blocks at a table with a CM once too. And she loved the Toy Story play structure. On the Wonder, they do some special Disney Junior activities and she enjoyed those a lot too (some during open house so we were able to watch character meets, etc). She's already told us we need to go back on the Wonder so she can spend more time in the kids club.

 

[bumbershoot]

What ages would the 4 year old be with? Is it more structured with the younger groups?

It is all open to 3 through 12 year olds (meaning the day before the 13th birthday). The Club is more geared to the younger ages and the Lab is more for the older, but all kids can roam throughout.

 

[dani24]

We just cruised on the Wonder with our 4 year old DD last week. She LOVED the club/lab and cried upon leaving a couple times. We mostly found her playing iPad games with other similar-aged kids when we picked her up, but she was also building with blocks at a table with a CM once too. And she loved the Toy Story play structure. On the Wonder, they do some special Disney Junior activities and she enjoyed those a lot too (some during open house so we were able to watch character meets, etc). She's already told us we need to go back on the Wonder so she can spend more time in the kids club.

Do you know what kind of games they have on the Wonder? My daughter will be almost 5 when we cruise, but she currently gets very, very little screen time (like an hour a week). And we're very selective about content. I am already figuring we'll have to loosen the reigns a little on the cruise, but it would be helpful to know what to expect.

 

[bbel]

Do you know what kind of games they have on the Wonder? My daughter will be almost 5 when we cruise, but she currently gets very, very little screen time (like an hour a week). And we're very selective about content. I am already figuring we'll have to loosen the reigns a little on the cruise, but it would be helpful to know what to expect.

They're all (and only) the Disney games that are age appropriate that you can get on a certain App Store.
Doc Mcstuffins, marvel, where's my water, princess pets, planes, frozen sing along.... there's probably a mix of over 30 games altogether.

 

[Dugette]

Do you know what kind of games they have on the Wonder? My daughter will be almost 5 when we cruise, but she currently gets very, very little screen time (like an hour a week). And we're very selective about content. I am already figuring we'll have to loosen the reigns a little on the cruise, but it would be helpful to know what to expect.

I just asked DD and she doesn't remember too much detail - there was some sort of Frozen food-prep game I saw her doing. And I thought I saw a Toy Story one too. All Disney stuff.

 

[bbel]

Do you know what kind of games they have on the Wonder? My daughter will be almost 5 when we cruise, but she currently gets very, very little screen time (like an hour a week). And we're very selective about content. I am already figuring we'll have to loosen the reigns a little on the cruise, but it would be helpful to know what to expect.

Also, you can check them out beforehand during open house.
If anyone doesn't want their kids on too much, then can always let a counsellor know and they can put a note in the system to encourage them to do other activities, they cant make them then not go on them, but they can try and re-direct. Its quite normal for parents to request that their kids don't sit at the iPads the whole time.

 

[Footnotegirl]

We took our daughter when she was just a little over 3 (cruise in April she had turned 3 in February) and had to drag her nearly kicking and screaming out of the kids club every night because she wanted to stay. We couldn't even walk on the same floor as the club as she would immediately assume that was where we were going and make a run for the doors. So, really, it's up to the kid. She wasn't even that much into doing the organized play, she just liked the attention she got from the cast members (as one of the youngest there, they kind of fawned on her) and the near unlimited cartoon watching and computer playing time, which she doesn't get much of at home. Now she's 5 and can't wait to go back.

 

[5Texans]

My 3 y/o daughter did great in the kids clubs. She turned 3 in July and we cruised in October. She had her big sister there, but I often found her doing her own thing w a counsellor. I was VERY nervous about it prior because she is very small for her age and big kids seem to either bowl her over or want to carry her like a baby doll. This never happened. It's like the kids "know" where their age group is supposed to be and they self sort.

We also limit screen time and I never found my kids on screens- maybe because they couldn't figure out the games? I never thought of asking that the counsellors encourage them away from the computers, but that's a great tip bbel!

 

[Dugette]

One more tip I just remembered reading on here - especially for the younger kids: go to the open house on your first day and make sure to show your child the restrooms in the club. Walk through everything they'll need to do, as they will need to be independent and know how to get the soap, etc.

Also, for those concerned about what your child spends their club time doing, I'd recommend checking your Navigators for activities and bringing your child to the ones you/they are interested in, making sure both your child and the check-in CM know that they are going to participate in the activity. We generally did this, so I wasn't worried about DD on iPads later, as I knew she'd been engaged in an art project, etc. first. (Also, just to clarify, both times she was on an iPad at pick-up, she was playing together with 1-2 other girls on the same iPad and all the nearby ones were empty - I was happy to see them working together, not sure if CMs encouraged that or if that's just what they did, but it wasn't a solo activity for her).

 

[cheermom2four]

my dd had just turned 5 when we took her on her first disney cruise this past Sept. She loved the club the first half of cruise but hated the lab side (older kids are drawn to it more due to the type of activities over on that side). Half way thru though she wanted nothing of either one as the older kids (ok I'm talking 8 on up) were usually running around on both sides and would "accidentally" plow the little kids over. I say accidentally as I saw one stop and pick up the child they plowed over and profusely apologize. But then went back to running around playing tag or whatever they were playing. We ended up just not utilizing the club/lab after that as she just hated it. We would utilize it during open house though. I'm hoping she will try once again this coming September since she will be a year older.

 

[cheermom2four]

go to the open house on your first day and make sure to show your child the restrooms in the club. Walk through everything they'll need to do, as they will need to be independent and know how to get the soap, etc.

This....definitely do.