where do you put phone number for kids?

[tttessa]

Hiya,

we will be going to Disney in April and taking our mobile phone - I was wondering if anyone can suggest where we should put our phone number so the kids can give it to a CM if they get separated (heaven forbid). the kids are 5 and 7 so would not be able to remember it with any certainty - especially if stressed out....

I've heard some people put it on a dogtag on a necklace -but wondered if that would get too hot ?? I suppose I could pin it inside a pocket or something -any ideas from you experts out there???

Thanks,
Tessa

 

[clairemolly]

When we went. DD was 3. We bought a heart shaped dog tag from the little machine at pet smart. It says Name I'm lost...please call Daddy xxx-xxx-xxxx. We pinned it inside her pocket everyday. She is now 4.5 and still takes her "heart penny" with her when we go to an amusement park or the zoo. She knows if she can't find us to find someone with a naetag or another mommy and show it to them.

 

[maxtomsmom]

We use the name tag stickers and place it inside their shirts on the back. We put their first names, hotel and our phone numbers. We do not put last names and they know our names and their last name. This is just to help them. Just write in pen so it won't smear. You can print them up at home prior to going and make many extra just in case you change clothing. We bring them with us to the park. Thankfully, we haven't had to use them just wear them.

Also, bring a recent photo of your children and bring it to the park. It makes it easier to locate the child and other people can help you. I helped a mom find her son, but she didn't have a photo so it was difficult. Luckily he was still nearby. It only took one second for him "I was just looking at something" and he was gone. He was about 7.

 

[Rylee]

Thin luggage tags work well, too. (Buy extras at a discount store... Walmart, etc.)

You can loop it through a belt loop and/or tuck into a pocket.

If you do use something such as a necklace, make sure it's not too long... I'm always afraid of it becoming entangled on some part of a ride and choking them.

 

[creativeamanda]

We are getting out kids the pin lanyards and I am printing up labels with everything, laminating it, and attaching it to the lanyard. Last year we had nothing identifying our youngest and one the very first day in Magic Kingdom, she was separated from us between Mickey's Philharmagic and Peter Pan's Flight. We found her quickly, but that was the worst 2 minutes of my life!

 

[disneyworldmom2]

I make a new ID card for DD every time we go. I include her name, our hotel, and parent names and cell phone numbers. I put a picture on it before I laminate it. She carries it in her fanny pack, and knows to give it to a CM if she gets lost. The mouseforless.com has some cute templates, but I customize them with the info I want. It also makes a great keepsake of your trip, too.

 

[mommy-on-the-move]

We use wristbands (you can buy pre-printed paper ones, even voice recordable ones) for our girls- eldest son however is a "fiddler" (and wanderer) and removes them, he'd lose a card so he's luggage tagged with a laminated card & a cable tie to his jeans/shorts when we travel- especially as he's my one most likely to panick & get over emotional if he had to talk to a stranger.

Is everyone else coaching their kids on "what to do if..." stuff for the parks? I have been showing my kids picks of CMs in uniform to familiarise them with who they should approach if lost.

 

[mom2aredhead]

Thin luggage tags work well, too. (Buy extras at a discount store... Walmart, etc.)

You can loop it through a belt loop and/or tuck into a pocket.

I kind of made my own like this - took a few Mickey Heads (thank you Home Depot) wrote our info on it w/a sharpie and laminated them, punched a hole and put an elastic through it. I looped it through my sons belt loops (iof he had them) or stuck it in his pocket every day. He just turned 4.

I also quizzed him every morning what he was supposed to do if he got lost - he knew to look for a "Mommy with a baby or stroller" and show her the "Mickey Card"

 

[DevilDuckie]

When we went. DD was 3. We bought a heart shaped dog tag from the little machine at pet smart. It says Name I'm lost...please call Daddy xxx-xxx-xxxx. We pinned it inside her pocket everyday. She is now 4.5 and still takes her "heart penny" with her when we go to an amusement park or the zoo. She knows if she can't find us to find someone with a naetag or another mommy and show it to them.

That is a fabulous idea!

5 and 7 are old enough to learn a phone number. Make it a game- sing it as a song and they'll be more likely to remember it in times of stress. Think of how easily kids pick up and retain jingles from commercials on tv.

We always had our kid drilled in "what to do if we get separated". He was to find a Cast Member and ask to go to the lost children area. If we were separated more than five minutes one of us would be heading there to meet him.

My absolute worst Disney moment ever (one of two- the other involved my friggin boss calling me while I was on the balcony at Club 33! Talk about killing the magic.) was letting him into the caves on TS Island and telling him we'd meet him at the other opening... not realizing there were more than two. [shudder] It was about 2 minutes but it was awful.

 

[Not so Dumbo]

We did the phone number song too. Our went something like XXX XXXX all the way home. Simple but it works.
We have also done the name tag thing but we found that if you pin it to their clothes or pin lanyard, you have to remember it everytime they change clothes or decide not to wear the lanyard. I would recommend putting it on a necklace or bracelet.

 

[sherryrae]

Another idea that we used for our trip this past Dec. was ordering customized silicone bracelets from Shanrene. We had our last name, the name of our resort and both my husband and I's cell phone numbers printed on them. They come in a youth size and the engraving can be small enough so that you can't see it just in passing. My 7 year old son got one in blue and wore it on his wrist while my 3 year old daughter got a pink one and wore it on her ankle. They were really cheap to order (I think 1.99 each) and held up wonderfully.

 

[disneyworldmom2]

We coach our DD on what to do if lost. Since the uniforms for CM's vary so much depending on where you are, we have taught our DD to look for the CM nametag. We have also had 'practice' sessions with CM's who were extremely helpful. Try your hotel gift shop, or any other place that isn't busy. The CM's at the shop at the back entrance to Epcot, which is where we usually go in, have been great in the past!

 

[jcc0621]

We got a silicone bracelet made that says "I am lost please call" and has mine and Dh's cell phone numbers on it. If you do an internet search on silicone bracelets a ton of options come up. The cost was $3.95 plus tax and shipping

 

[Metsoskil]

We have guest of honor badges with the kids names on them, and on the back is written "If I'm lost, please call my Dad at XXX-XXX-XXXX." When we get into the parks we remind them that they should seek out a cast member and show them the back if they lose Mommy or Daddy.

 

[MiniGirl]

My kids don't keep the bracelets, lanyards, etc on, so we took a different route. We simply took a roll of scotch tape and wrote my cell # on it and taped it to the inside hem of their shirt. That way if lost all they had to do was turn up just the hem and there was our number.

I also would periodically ask them if they couldn't find me right now. What would they do? Who would they go to for help? I didn't accept answers like an employee or a CM. I actually made them point to a person. I'd ask why they picked that person out. Then I could offer praise for a great choice or offer a better suggestion. BTW, I did this a lot around home. Not just at WDW.

 

[Melissa_E]

I got the LGMHPC and I'm going to write my name and cell phone number on them, laminate them and have her hold it in her pocket. Plus, I got some foam necklace stuff and I will write the phone number on the back of those too.

 

[Mililani Mom]

We use Kidtagz on our kids. Kidtagz are these little plastic clip things that you can write your phone number down on the inside (where it's hidden) and clip it to the kids' shoes. It was pretty cheap and I love it for these two reasons... kids don't fiddle with it (since it's on their shoe), I put it on the shoe at the beginning of the trip and take it off at when we return home (not something I have to think about daily). My only thing is that my kids are getting older and the design is a bit babyish for the older one (he'll still wear it though).

Hope this helps.

 

[Vanryan]

I took a simpler approach: I wrote it with a sharpie on the bottom of their foot! A quick touch up every morning and away we went!

 

[Phibbles]

I took a simpler approach: I wrote it with a sharpie on the bottom of their foot! A quick touch up every morning and away we went!

That's some pretty hardcore parenting.

 

[ellenmiele]

My friend wrote her cellphone number right on her kids skin (near the wrist I think) with a permanent marker - it faded a little during their trip but she just touched it up again w/the sharpie pen and when they got home within a week it had completely worn off. Anyone who found them could easily see it and it didn't matter what clothes (or bathing suits at TL!) they were wearing.