tell me about rides w/ 19mo

[camdensmom]

We are leaving Tuesday and I can't wait to see my son experience everything. When we last went he was 8 months old and sat on our laps for everything. Now he is 19 months and very much a toddler. I'm looking forward to the rides with him since he loves going fast and on hills in his stroller/wagon. However, I'm concerned about keeping him seated on rides like Dumbo, Magic Carpets, etc. Would he sit on the seat and be belted in himself or is he still a lap sitter? (FYI he's 34 inches and 27.5 pounds).

 

[CraftyCrissy]

The last time we went my younger son was 21 months old and had a ball. He sat alone on everything. I don't think he would have been allowed to be a lap-sitter. He LOVED all the rides - Goofy's Barnstormer, Teacups, etc. He really loved anything fast and high! He didn't have any real problems sitting still or staying sitting on anything (and believe me, he is a Houdini and has some sensory issues and will not allow anything restrictive on himself!) We would remind him when we sta on each ride what he needed to do - turn the steering wheel on the cars, pull the center on the teacups, how to shoot the blaster on the Buzz ride, etc. And we'd always add in, 'And you stay on your bottom!' and/or 'No belt, you're off!' He got it and never complained and we had no problems at all. My older son (4 1/2 at the time) tried to escape off of Pirates of the Carribbean (he was terrified of the dark and kept yelling, "I want to go home to Boonton, NJ!") and my DH actually caught him by the knees as he almost dove into the water!

So my advice is to tell him the behavior you expect out of him and then remind him often. By the way, I'm a Behaviorist and work extensively with autistic children and their families. This does not make my children well-behaved (the Cobbler's kids have no shoes and the Behavorist's kids have terrible behavior!) - it just makes my children understand that when I say something - I mean it!

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

We took DS when he was 22 months and again at 29 months and had so much fun. He's just a hair bigger than your little boy is. He sat independently on most of the rides. He sat on DH's lap on things like Haunted Mansion, Small World, etc. Things that were slow, so that he could see better. He's pretty well behaved, so we had no trouble keeping him on his bottom for things like Goofy's Barnstormer or TTA.

Have a terrific time!