should kids carry backpacks

[2girlsR2good]

Fanny packs! We started these when my girls were 5. I put in a mini water bottle (that we refill at water fountains) and a few snacks that I find acceptable, but are still "treaty" enough for a vacation (individual packages of trail mix w/m&m's, goldfish, cheese sticks). My kids do better with frequent snacks rather than big meals--they'll often split one kids meal when we eat. I still carry the autograph book/pen in my purse/backpack. We use the Disney Encyclopedia someone here recommended and that is really fun to have autographed.

The kids love that they are in charge of their snacks and water. No need to ask mom for a drink or a snack. I LOVE not carrying their water. No worries with losing the packs since they are fastened around their waists. But, if they did lose a pack, it wouldn't have been a crisis at all, just annoying (I'll tell the lost lanyard story elsewhere).

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

The chance that all of my kids would go a whole day without losing a bag is slim to none. We travel light, and we only needed one backpack. I can't imagine trying to make sure that each kid had his or her backpack after every ride, bathroom break, meal, etc.

MTE!

We have one backpack. Its not very big. Its a small Mickey backpack my mom found at TJ Maxx for me on clearance for $5.00. It has gone on every Disney trip for the past 3 years (as long as DD has been out of a stroller). If it doesn't fit in the backpack it doesn't go to the parks.

 

[ireland_nicole]

My DD has HFA as well and I can't imagine her sensory wise carrying around a backpack all day when her back is all sweaty and it's hotter than the surface of the sun. What we have done w/ both our kids is a fanny pack that I call their tool kit- it has ear plugs, sunglasses, hat(attached) a ds or iPod, small sunscreen, chapstick, emergency poncho, small notebook and pen, fidget and snack; their small water bottle is also attached on a carebiner. Dd for our upcoming trip also has a small camera that she will wear on a neckstrap or if it starts to bug her I will just carry in my bag.

 

[skitt]

I think it's a great idea! Cheap string ones, nothing you'd mind getting lost. I wouldn't even hound them about making sure they have them. I think losing something that was important to them, like an autograph book, would be a great life lesson. Teaching personal responsibility is so important.

 

[brockash]

i have never been to Disney and we are going for the first time in June. we are thinking about letting the kids carry small backpacks for their poncho and autograph books. my dh thinks this is a bad idea. please help. is is it really a bad idea or should i just put it in mine?

Personally, unless I wanted to guarantee lost items; no I wouldn't let my kids at 8/9 carry their own stuff. If I could get them to wear a fanny pack, I'd be fine with it, because it'd be on them, but my 9 year old ds is too irresponsible to be in charge of a backpack. We're working on thinking, but I'm sure he'd leave it somewhere, and I'm not one to be able to check everyone's stuff all the time if I'm not really in charge of it, so I'm sure we'd lose it.

One year, my ds-7 at the time, was holding the little cooler with the bottles for dd on the bus, and he left them on the bus. I didn't think to double check that he had them (too busy getting stroller and dd off,) and didn't even notice until we got back to the room. We had helpful CM's, that let us ride to the lost and found spot and they were there (thank goodness,) but that's just an example of the forgetfulness.

ETA: If it was stuff that you didn't care about losing, and you were okay with dealing with the problems/disappointment that may come of losing it, than I'd be fine with it, because like a pp mentioned, they have to learn sometime...although for me personally, I don't want to have to deal with it at Disney.

 

[brockash]

I've read a few of the posts and it sounds like some people bring video games into the parks with them? Is it really to play games? Just curious. I've never heard of ppl. bringing ds's into the parks. My DS has one, but I'd be way too worried about it getting lost to bring into a park (plus I don't know when he'd ever use it.) Maybe to take pic's?

 

[ireland_nicole]

I've read a few of the posts and it sounds like some people bring video games into the parks with them? Is it really to play games? Just curious. I've never heard of ppl. bringing ds's into the parks. My DS has one, but I'd be way too worried about it getting lost to bring into a park (plus I don't know when he'd ever use it.) Maybe to take pic's?

I can't speak for others, but my dd has high functioning autism and my DS has severe ADHD and sensory processing disorder. Having a game system especially in lines is very helpful for them. It gives them a chance to zone out mentally and relax a little because the parks and all the people can be very overstimulating. It also comes in handy when they are hungry and we're waiting for a table at a ts rest. We avd it whoever we can, but even with an early seating sometimes there is a long wait.

 

[Cinderella94]

Bad idea unless you're willing to let them lose things.

Do they have to learn the lesson of keeping track of their stuff? Of course. (I'm as "pro" 'personal responsibility!!!' as you can get). But I wouldn't try teaching that lesson on what's supposed to be a fun vacation.

(Can you imagine the sadness and whining that would come from losing an autograph book? "Look, mom! There's a 20 person line for Mickey! I know we already met him but I need his autograph again! Come on, pleeeeeeeeeeease!")

 

[MommaSnowwhite]

Our DD's have been bringing their own bags for a few years. We don't like backpacks, we prefer crossbody bags. Your back doesn't get as hot and you can always reach what you need. You also don't really ever need to take them off.

 

[kirstenb1]

If you're carrying a backpack anyway, I don't understand the point of them carrying one too. I always carry one with the camera, water bottle, sunblock, anyway.

 

[disneylandkitkat]

carry what u need in a fanny pack bring a back pack for extra clothes or whatever leave it in a locker. Lockers are roughly 9.00 except cash or credit and u can go in and out as many times in a day for the same price... i know some might say that it's alot of money but the locker will be a life saver and if u run out of snacks or whatever in ur fanny pack u can go back to the locker and refill.

 

[kmedina]

I am lucky in that my husband always carries the backpack. He says he wants to. Chivalry is not dead. If your husband does not want them to carry their own bags, maybe he will carry a few things in one family bag for them. It is safer as kids are more likely to lose a bag than an adult. Backpacks could be a little much for a younger kid as well.

If the kids are older and willing to carry them for any extras they want, than maybe you can allow it.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

We don't bring stuff to the parks. 2 KTTW cards and sunglasses (which we wear), and literally nothing else. We also don't buy stuff in the park unless it's edible. I'd rather get wet if it rains (DS wears a swim suit and a swim shirt, so it dries quickly), pay a few extra bucks for water, and use photopass than lug stuff around.

So, since clearly I think carrying a backpack is a pain in the neck, I wouldn't ask my kid to do so either.

 

[3boys4me]

If you're carrying a backpack anyway, I don't understand the point of them carrying one too. I always carry one with the camera, water bottle, sunblock, anyway.

I agree with this. As a family we have a bag with above mentioned items. I think one back pack per family is plenty.

 

[badblackpug]

Depends on your kids. My 13 year old? yes... no problem. My 10 year old would probably lose it.

 

[homedad]

my ds10 and dd8 would leave them behind and I'd spend the day chasing down thier stuff

 

[karliebug]

when my kids were small they each had a fannypack for sunglasses, small snack, poncho. Now they wear lightweight backpacks and put very few things in it. works greatIf you are older than 6 you carry your own stuff.

 

[cnetbuild]

I am the family pack mule and have turned it into a science with a backpack with easy to access pockets and cargo shorts with many large and deep pockets. My wife and teenager swap off on a smaller second back pack. My yonger ones don't carry anything, but I think they could handle a fanny pack.

 

[Sundancer UK]

Wow, I am honestly surprised at how many people's children lose their stuff! We've never been to Disney, but we've done lots of days out all over the place, on hot and cold days.
We've never had a car so relied on public transport, we've always been on a budget so always take packed lunch with us.

My children have been carrying their own backpacks since they were three. I'd adjust the content to each of course, but they sure carried them!
My second youngest carried a backpack from when he was 2 - and this same pack will be coming to Disney for my youngest who will be almost 2, as it fits perfectly, clasps on the front and has a wrist strap so that I don't lose hold of him. He probably wont carry much at all in it, but I know he will want something, to be like his siblings.

I don't know what we will be taking in to the parks yet, but I sure know that I wont be carrying autograph books and pens, drinks, snacks, sunblock, ponchos and goodness knows what else - all times 3 or 4 around on me all day! Plus nappies for the baby, plus the baby in his sling lol

We do intend to travel as light as possible, but even the basics amount up when there are 6 of you. I might not want us to carry much at all in to the parks, but going by history I know it works for us. My children have almost never lost anything they've carried around, because it stays in their bags, and their bags stay on their backs. I think it's a good thing for them to learn.

 

[Flowers4]

i have never been to Disney and we are going for the first time in June. we are thinking about letting the kids carry small backpacks for their poncho and autograph books. my dh thinks this is a bad idea. please help. is is it really a bad idea or should i just put it in mine?

I want to start out by saying that we are just taking our first trip to Disney this year in Aug so I do not talk from personal Disney experience...however, we do live in the suburbs of Chicago so we do take plenty of very crowded trips to the city...

I think this really comes down to how responsible you feel your kids are. My boys are 7 and 9 and they always carry a pack and the worst thing we have lost is a bottle of water. I purchased smaller sized backpacks that I found in the luggage section of walmart for our trip and will be including them in their "suprise we are going to disney" package....they will carry their autograph book, 1st bottle of water, poncho , snacks and sunglasses.

If you don't feel your children are ready then probably not a good idea. I do know however that my kids do not like the string backpacks because the strings become irritating for them, they prefer an actual backpack strap.

Hope this helps a little