Putting Identification on Children

[mommomtoJoseph]

Does anyone have any creative ideas of how to put identification and a contact number on children? I have a 5 year old that likes to hide and a 2 year old that likes to run from me. I am terrified one will get lost in the crowds at the parks. Most days they will be wearing shorts without belt loops and velcro tabbed shoes, so a luggage tag is almost out of the question. Thanks in advance for everyone's input!

 

[Elonwy]

I assume you're against having their foreheads tattoo'd.

What about a lanyard so they can pin collect and have the ID attached to it? I don't know if the 2 year old would be OK with a lanyard but my 5 year old neice wore her pins with pride.

 

[tigsmom]

They have things to put on shoes, but I'm not sure if they work with velcro. You can make dogtags, many places have the machine by the video games. How about an ID bracelet?

 

[johnralow]

Plastic ID bracelet

What about one of those ID bracelets you get at concerts/events that form fits to wrist? Snap on and can only cut off with a scissors?

 

[shari71]

I have used Who's Shoes for my kids (http://www.whosshoesid.com/). Also I give them the bracelets (like the Lance Armstrong ones), that I put my cell phone number on in the inside. Also I put ID cards in their back pocket and I keep a copy with me as well. These were just a few of the things I did when mine were really young. Now they have the fear of God in them not to leave us But I still do these things because you never know what can happen in a crowd around parades or fireworks. Also talk to them on who to contact if they get separated from you. Go into a shop and let them know - don't approach people on the street because it is hard to tell who works there or not. Hope this helps. I haven't been separated from my kids, but I try to be prepared.

 

[wdwmomof3]

I would do the ID bracelets for sure. When my little boy was two and we took him to Disney, I had a safety first harness for him. I just didn't want to take a chance of him running off. It worked great, and I see people with them every time we go. I did get some funny looks, but it was worth it to me to know that he was safe. :animwink:

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

We use the Who's Shoes. My son loves to tell us that his name and my cell phone # are on his shoe. Even my 10 year old used them when we were in another park a couple weeks ago. They do work with Velcro shoes. My son's shoes are just slip on ones now and they still work since there are elastic strapes across the front of them.

I also explained who they were to go to if "Mom got lost". I agree with going into a shop since they know that if someone is by the cash register chances are they work there.

 

[Master Yoda]

The who's shoes tags seem to work the best simply because the average child will not complain about it or remove it like a necklace or bracelet.

 

[wdwmomof3]

The who's shoes tags seem to work the best simply because the average child will not complain about it or remove it like a necklace or bracelet.

This is a great idea. They didn't have these, that I know of, a few years ago when I needed something like that. What a neat idea.

 

[jennc2001]

everyone all has great ideas and i'll have to keep them in mind for september! WDW is the happiest place on earth, but you never know about people anymore. my boyfriend got pickpocketed the first night we were there last year. and 2 years ago, my DS was just starting to walk really well and his aunt said "just let his hand go and let him walk around!" haha....i love disney, but let's be honest, it's a breeding ground for kidnappers and child molesters....you can just never be too careful!!!

 

[Master Yoda]

everyone all has great ideas and i'll have to keep them in mind for september! WDW is the happiest place on earth, but you never know about people anymore. my boyfriend got pickpocketed the first night we were there last year. and 2 years ago, my DS was just starting to walk really well and his aunt said "just let his hand go and let him walk around!" haha....i love disney, but let's be honest, it's a breeding ground for kidnappers and child molesters....you can just never be too careful!!!

As a general rule Disney is about as safe as it gets but you still have to keep your eyes open. The big reality is that it is incredibly easy to get separated from your child at WDW. Between the crowds, distractions, etc it can happen to the best parent. The visible ID with name's, cell phone numbers, etc will make it much easier for CM's to reunite kids with lost parents.

 

[Minnietoo]

All great ideas which I really want to look into but when my sil's took my kids a few months ago with out me I didn't even think of id tags at all until the last minute. So I told my sister in laws to grab a bunch of luggage tags and write all their info on them then hook them to the kids belt loops or what ever they could hook them too that the ids where wearing that day. then tuck them away in a pocket so they wouldn't rip and if they did it would stay in the kids pocket. i figured that was a cheap way of making sure my kids had the right info incase they got separated from their aunts.

 

[TwoTigersMom]

My boys each have one of those small pin trading bags. There's a zippered pocken in the back of them. I put my business card in there and they both know to give it to a CM if they get seperated from me. I'm happy to report, I didn't lose either child this last trip :ROFLOL:

 

[figmentmom]

everyone all has great ideas and i'll have to keep them in mind for september! WDW is the happiest place on earth, but you never know about people anymore. my boyfriend got pickpocketed the first night we were there last year. and 2 years ago, my DS was just starting to walk really well and his aunt said "just let his hand go and let him walk around!" haha....i love disney, but let's be honest, it's a breeding ground for kidnappers and child molesters....you can just never be too careful!!!

As a general rule Disney is about as safe as it gets but you still have to keep your eyes open. The big reality is that it is incredibly easy to get separated from your child at WDW. Between the crowds, distractions, etc it can happen to the best parent. The visible ID with name's, cell phone numbers, etc will make it much easier for CM's to reunite kids with lost parents.

I've worked as a seasonal CM the last three summers in the Magic Kingdom, and I can assure you from experience that the overwhelming majority of children who get separated from their parents do it either entering/exiting a restroom, or during parades and fireworks, when there is mass confusion. In addition to the excellent suggestions already mentioned here, I would also make sure your children know they can ask a Cast Member for help - we are trained to assist lost children (or "lost parents" :lol. Make SURE your child looks for an official Disney nametag - in fact, LOTS of parents bring their child to a Cast Member as soon as they enter the park, so they know what to look for!

 

[MaeMaesMagic]

THIS WAS A VERY HUGE DEAL TO ME, AS I WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY NIECE 9 & NEPHEW 5 ON THEIR FIRST HUGE VACATION!! MY MOM AND I SPEND EACH WEEKEND WIH THE KIDS AND SO AT THE FIRST MENTION OF DISNEY I BEGAN QUIZZING THEM. EVERYTHING FROM LEARNING EVERYONES GROWNUP NAME. NANA & AUNT MAE MAE WONT CUT IT IF LOST. WE ALSO DRILLED THEM ON WHAT CAST MEMBERS LOOK LIKE AND WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM, WE WENT OVER OUR HOTEL NAME WHERE WE ARE FROM ETC. ALL OF THIS INFO WAS EASY FOR MY NEICE BUT GOOD FOR A REVIEW, MY NEPHEW LEARNED LOTS AS HE WAS ONLY 4 WHEN WE STARTED!! ALSO EACH MORNING WHILE IN DISNEY I TOOK "MUG" SHOTS OF EACH KID IN THE ROOM SO WE COULD SHOW PICS OF THEM IF THEY DID GET LOST!! ALL WENT WELL IN DISNEY AND NO ONE GOT LOST BUT RECENTLY THIS INFO CAME IN VERY HANDY WHILE OUT
SHOPPING AND MY NEPHEW GOT LOST, HE NEW OUR GROWNUP NAMES AND EVEN REMEMBERED THE COLOR OF OUR SHIRTS, WHICH HE TOLD THE CASHIER AT THE STORE!! WE MAINLY REVIEWED THIS INFO OVER MEALS AND WHILE DRIVING IN THE CAR, CAUSE I HAD MOST OF THEIR ATTENTION! HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP!!:king:

 

[figmentmom]

THIS WAS A VERY HUGE DEAL TO ME, AS I WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY NIECE 9 & NEPHEW 5 ON THEIR FIRST HUGE VACATION!! MY MOM AND I SPEND EACH WEEKEND WIH THE KIDS AND SO AT THE FIRST MENTION OF DISNEY I BEGAN QUIZZING THEM. EVERYTHING FROM LEARNING EVERYONES GROWNUP NAME. NANA & AUNT MAE MAE WONT CUT IT IF LOST. WE ALSO DRILLED THEM ON WHAT CAST MEMBERS LOOK LIKE AND WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM, WE WENT OVER OUR HOTEL NAME WHERE WE ARE FROM ETC. ALL OF THIS INFO WAS EASY FOR MY NEICE BUT GOOD FOR A REVIEW, MY NEPHEW LEARNED LOTS AS HE WAS ONLY 4 WHEN WE STARTED!! ALSO EACH MORNING WHILE IN DISNEY I TOOK "MUG" SHOTS OF EACH KID IN THE ROOM SO WE COULD SHOW PICS OF THEM IF THEY DID GET LOST!! ALL WENT WELL IN DISNEY AND NO ONE GOT LOST BUT RECENTLY THIS INFO CAME IN VERY HANDY WHILE OUT
SHOPPING AND MY NEPHEW GOT LOST, HE NEW OUR GROWNUP NAMES AND EVEN REMEMBERED THE COLOR OF OUR SHIRTS, WHICH HE TOLD THE CASHIER AT THE STORE!! WE MAINLY REVIEWED THIS INFO OVER MEALS AND WHILE DRIVING IN THE CAR, CAUSE I HAD MOST OF THEIR ATTENTION! HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP!!:king:

Please don't yell! Your information is helpful, but very hard to read.

 

[Nemo14]

Not to sound a general alarm, but I always thought that putting a nametag on your child was just making it easier for someone to abduct them. I would think that a child would be more willing to talk to or go with a person who knew their name. With the abundance of digital cameras and camera phones, I think you're better off just snapping a picture of your child each day you're there so you'll have an accurate description to give a CM. :shrug:

 

[progroupie]

Not to sound a general alarm, but I always thought that putting a nametag on your child was just making it easier for someone to abduct them. I would think that a child would be more willing to talk to or go with a person who knew their name. With the abundance of digital cameras and camera phones, I think you're better off just snapping a picture of your child each day you're there so you'll have an accurate description to give a CM. :shrug:

Agreed, nametags are generally frowned upon. Someone can easily go up to your child and call them by their first name which makes the kid think they should trust the person and that they should go with them or do what they ask. It's better to just stick with a phone number that the CM can call if they find the child. Lost children are taken to the baby care center after about ten minutes of looking for the parents in the location they were found so it's best to head straight to babycare after just a few minutes of looking.

 

[BigB911]

Not to sound a general alarm, but I always thought that putting a nametag on your child was just making it easier for someone to abduct them. I would think that a child would be more willing to talk to or go with a person who knew their name. With the abundance of digital cameras and camera phones, I think you're better off just snapping a picture of your child each day you're there so you'll have an accurate description to give a CM. :shrug:

Yep. I read a tip somewhere that said you should put some form of ID in the child's shoe, and tell the child where it is, as well as the aforementioned info about finding a CM. I plan to print out business-sized cards with my DD's name, our names, our resort, and our cell phone numbers, and put one in her shoe each day. I'm guessing I'll have to, that after one day, the card will be all soggy and sweaty!:lol:

 

[princessmommy]

I just found these tattoos in PArents mag yesterday. They say "If lost please call xxx-xxx-xxxx." (Cell phone number.)
I think this is a great idea you could tell you child if they get lost to show the cast member their tattoo. You can order them at safetytat.com for 20 to 30 dollars.