What did your child bring that was a good idea?

[brownhaired_girl]

I will be heading to Disney in early September with a friend and her twin 8 year old grandsons. It will be their birthday soon and she will be telling them about their trip. The trip will be 12 days after their birthday. She was thinking of countdown type gifts. I was thinking, their own cameras, goggles for the pools, autograph books, and life jackets for the ocean day. Some of the best ideas I've seen have come from the Disboards so here I am asking for help.

 

[DVCmom4]

GIFT CARDS!!! My kids love them! This way they can get the things they want to remember their special trip.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

sunglasses and/or hats
beach towels
swimsuits
flip flops/crocs/sandals
will they carry their own backpacks in the parks? if so, maybe a lightweight one for each boy.
rain ponchos
glow sticks
activity books for their car/plane ride
light up toys for the park at night (instead of buying them there)
mister fans or frogg toggs



Depending on how much she's looking at spending she could also get them their own luggage/small bags for the trip.

 

[roannamb]

Everyone else has really good ideas, so I don't have much to add, but here are a couple:

A lanyard and pin set for trading
A mini M&M container filled with quarters and shiny pennies for pressing
Kool Aid flavor packs to add to the yucky tasting water in Disney

 

[midgetpepper]

Disney shirts (Children's Place and WalMart have cheap ones right now)
Disposable camera?

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Disposable WATER camera... for the pool and ocean

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Autograph book and a thick sharpie (retractable ones are great)

 

[Taylor'sMom]

Something for them to use at the pool.. a beach ball, water balls they can toss/catch, goggles, etc.

 

[brownhaired_girl]

Great list!!! Keep the ideas coming. I'm sending her texts.

 

[RoseRoni2]

Just got back my DD 14 took a roll of quarters and a roll of pennies for all the penny presses! She loved all the different pennies she got, she didn't use all of her change but she could have I only let her do one penny per machine. Cheap and fun memories!

 

[sunfun94]

.... She was thinking of countdown type gifts. I was thinking, their own cameras, goggles for the pools, autograph books, and life jackets for the ocean day. Some of the best ideas I've seen have come from the Disboards so here I am asking for help.

As you can tell from my post count I am new to the boards and still getting my bearings... so Brownhaired_girl, thanks so much for asking this question!! And thank you all for the awesome ideas too!!

 

[PinkiexLi]

I usually bring a mini battery operated lantern for late night shows or fireworks so my DD can still enjoy her activity books at night

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

Oh, the quarters/pennies idea is Golden! We always take rolls of change with us so we're prepared for the pressed coin machines & it is SO NICE not having to dig around for correct change.

You can also print the pressed penny checklist to help them keep track of the ones they've gotten. www.presscoins.com/listings/

Before our last trip I bought a bunch of pins off ebay (DD doesn't really get into trading so I wasn't concerned much with real vs fake ones) and I doled them out as daily surprises for the 30 days prior to our trip. I separated the lot so that I held all of the ones I knew she'd love the most for the very last & her excitement grew with each pin she found. I left/hid them on her alarm clock, next to her toothbrush, in her lunchbox, her shoes... it was a lot of fun!

 

[luvallprincesses]

Oh, the quarters/pennies idea is Golden! We always take rolls of change with us so we're prepared for the pressed coin machines & it is SO NICE not having to dig around for correct change.

You can also print the pressed penny checklist to help them keep track of the ones they've gotten. www.presscoins.com/listings/

Before our last trip I bought a bunch of pins off ebay (DD doesn't really get into trading so I wasn't concerned much with real vs fake ones) and I doled them out as daily surprises for the 30 days prior to our trip. I separated the lot so that I held all of the ones I knew she'd love the most for the very last & her excitement grew with each pin she found. I left/hid them on her alarm clock, next to her toothbrush, in her lunchbox, her shoes... it was a lot of fun!

For our last trip, we organized them in the containers (was it mini m and ms or mentors?) by alternating 2 quarters and a penny, 2 quarters and a penny, etc. it was so much easier to get out what was needed!

 

[Jennybump]

For our last trip, we organized them in the containers (was it mini m and ms or mentors?) by alternating 2 quarters and a penny, 2 quarters and a penny, etc. it was so much easier to get out what was needed!

I've never done it before myself, but I understand from other threads that the round mini m&ms containers are good for the coins per-pressing, while the Mentos gum containers are oblong and therefor perfect for pennies after pressing. Hope that helps!

 

[luvmy3]

Pins for trading

 

[traumaqueen]

Does anyone know, is 4 years old too young for Pin trading? We are going in January as a Christmas present and I LOVE the idea of leaving pins around the house to get her excited. Super cute!!!

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

Does anyone know, is 4 years old too young for Pin trading? We are going in January as a Christmas present and I LOVE the idea of leaving pins around the house to get her excited. Super cute!!!

No age is too young IMO so long as they are interested in doing the trading. DD likes the "idea" but didn't want to slow down long enough from the rides or wear her lanyard this time around, lol. It can make for some great conversations with CM's too!

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

I've never done it before myself, but I understand from other threads that the round mini m&ms containers are good for the coins per-pressing, while the Mentos gum containers are oblong and therefor perfect for pennies after pressing. Hope that helps!

Yes! I always forget & end up digging a ziploc bag out of the backpack to put the pressed coins in. Thanks!

 

[roannamb]

Does anyone know, is 4 years old too young for Pin trading? We are going in January as a Christmas present and I LOVE the idea of leaving pins around the house to get her excited. Super cute!!!

Not too young at all! Both of my kids started trading around that age. My daughter was four last year when we went. Whenever we stopped to trade, she would be so excited and would start to unfasten one of her pins to trade BEFORE she even looked at the CM's lanyard. She just wanted to trade!