Best way to put your contact info on a toddler?

[Princesca]

What's the best way to put your contact info on a toddler? He won't have a MagicBand and is only 2, so he's not even got a ticket. I don't want to Sharpie on him and he's a sweater, so I don't trust Crayola markers to hold out all day. He usually wears Velcro shoes or sandals, so the shoelace tags won't work, and we don't have iPhones so AirTags are a no-go. I did look into SmartTags by Samsung but there aren't many options for how to affix it to him. Does anyone have any tips?

He's young enough that if he gets lost he won't even know he's lost, and he's got a speech delay so is only just now starting to talk much and it's one of those 'can only really understand if you're his parent' things.

 

[Princesca]

Oooh I just saw someone suggested those TyVek wristbands. I might give those and a Sharpie a try.

 

[nw6675]

It's been awhile, but we used these

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Oooh I just saw someone suggested those TyVek wristbands. I might give those and a Sharpie a try.

Just so you know sometimes sunscreen can smudge/remove sharpie so I would keep an eye on that.

Inchbug sells sticker that stick to clothes, they also sell bag tags which you could put through a beltloop and then into a pocket? Or a luggage tag could work for that too. I've also seen temporary tattoos on etsy.

Or maybe something like this?
https://www.etsy.com/listing/138550...-1-3&frs=1&bes=1&sts=1&organic_search_click=1

 

[Betty Rohrer]

What's the best way to put your contact info on a toddler? He won't have a MagicBand and is only 2, so he's not even got a ticket. I don't want to Sharpie on him and he's a sweater, so I don't trust Crayola markers to hold out all day. He usually wears Velcro shoes or sandals, so the shoelace tags won't work, and we don't have iPhones so AirTags are a no-go. I did look into SmartTags by Samsung but there aren't many options for how to affix it to him. Does anyone have any tips?

He's young enough that if he gets lost he won't even know he's lost, and he's got a speech delay so is only just now starting to talk much and it's one of those 'can only really understand if you're his parent' things.

not directly your question but make sure you have a picture of child each day or change of clothes during the day on your phone. that way you know for sure what he has on. that way you do not have to try and remember what he has on in the scare of the moment. his age is hard because CMs are not allowed to check for ids if child does not hand to them. also not sure how you cell phone number is going help until child gets taken to lost and found. most will not be able to have phone on them. store phones will need to be local number if it has an outside line. if there are more than one in your group send someone to lost children office while one stays where you are.

 

[lanejudy]

I second the idea to take a picture each morning. We did that for years on vacations (WDW or otherwise).
Also PP is correct that CMs will not search the child for contact information -- it needs to be obvious or the child needs to share it (or point it out).
The vast majority of "lost parents" are located quickly within the same location. Teach your child to always hold hands with someone in your party, and communicate among the adults who has hands on each child. If lost, return to the last place you saw the child. CMs will look in the area where a child is found before taking them elsewhere for more involvement to find their adult.

 

[DLgal]

I never did anything special for my toddlers, and both were autistic with speech delays.

Kids don't just get lost. People lose them. Remain vigilant and there is no need to label your child with his contact info. Plus, if a child gets lost, a Cast Member will end up with them and follow the lost child protocol, which doesn't include calling your phone.

Make a plan in advance with any other adult in your party and always be in constant communication about who has the child.

 

[robinb]

I also never put any contract on my DD when she was little 20 years ago. There were solutions at the time, but we didn't feel we needed to use them. These days I would probably take a photo of her so I could be reminded what clothing she was wearing but I wouldn't worry about doing anything else. It just gives a false sense of security.

 

[Princesca]

I never did anything special for my toddlers, and both were autistic with speech delays.

Kids don't just get lost. People lose them. Remain vigilant and there is no need to label your child with his contact info. Plus, if a child gets lost, a Cast Member will end up with them and follow the lost child protocol, which doesn't include calling your phone.

Make a plan in advance with any other adult in your party and always be in constant communication about who has the child.

I don't rely on 'they just don't'. I am a 'have multiple redundant layers of security' person.

 

[DLgal]

I don't rely on 'they just don't'. I am a 'have multiple redundant layers of security' person.

I have found a few lost kids at Disneyland. I always hand them over to a cast member immediately. No one is going to call your phone. It's an unnecessary piece of info to put on your child. The cast members don't have phones. They will use a radio and notify Guest Relations, where you should go to be reunited with your child. They will often take them into a shop or backstage to get there.

If you are worried about the speech delay part, pin a little badge to them that has their first name and says they may not be able to communicate if lost.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I have found a few lost kids at Disneyland. I always hand them over to a cast member immediately. No one is going to call your phone. It's an unnecessary piece of info to put on your child. The cast members don't have phones. They will use a radio and notify Guest Relations, where you should go to be reunited with your child. They will often take them into a shop or backstage to get there.

If you are worried about the speech delay part, pin a little badge to them that has their first name and says they may not be able to communicate if lost.

or on his back if he will not leave on front of shirt

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I don't rely on 'they just don't'. I am a 'have multiple redundant layers of security' person.

what good is a phone number to call if CM does not have a phone to call you? lost child rules will be followed not matter you have on him. best bet is head to Guest Services or Lost Kids area which ever is used. if you see a security person on your way let them know and do not be surprised if they already have your child found and headed there. this happened at small park I work at few years ago. child had been missing for 15 minutes by time mom finally said something a CM working with me and was told to stay with her. she wanted to go back looking for her child. security was looking for her and I got to keep her there. when security got there she was sure child had one color of shirt but he had another color on. security would not take her to the child until her husband came back to find why she had not meet him. he had the phone with picture of child. finally about 20 minutes after she first arrived to me, security was able to know she was the real mother and took them to be with their child . security had the child less than 5 minutes from when parents missed child but because of mix up with shirt color it look twice as long for them to be taken to him. so having the picture is way more important and him having your number

 

[ktlm]

It has been a while, but we used child sized silicone personalized bracelets with the name and phone number on them in DD's favorite color. There are places that don't have a minimum order where you can get just one or a few. They may even have them on amazon now.

 

[sponica]

In all my trips, I've lost more people over 60 than under 5.
We brought a leash for our runner...never ending up using it, turns out her overall stranger danger kept her glued to me.

 

[Maria_Ohana]

RoadID for kids. It's a bracelet https://www.roadid.com/collections/...OMESWE-eYxQflb3B7k3oxib2gWFX-cQRoCmuAQAvD_BwE

 

[mjkacmom]

In all my trips, I've lost more people over 60 than under 5.
We brought a leash for our runner...never ending up using it, turns out her overall stranger danger kept her glued to me.

I got dog tags for my kids when they were little (and we’ve lost kids before, always when we had other adults with us), at WDW we only lost my dad who was riding a scooter. Wait, I lied, lost a 6 year old for a few minutes exiting turtle talk.

 

[sponica]

I got dog tags for my kids when they were little (and we’ve lost kids before, always when we had other adults with us), at WDW we only lost my dad who was riding a scooter. Wait, I lied, lost a 6 year old for a few minutes exiting turtle talk.

Apparently all the adults who should know better don't remember the rule, stay right here and I'll be right back. In my 20s, I went to go ride dinosaur and said I'd be right back as my Pop took a billion pictures of the tree of life. Yeah, I went right back and poof, gone. Didn't see him or my Nana for hours until the park closed.

Last year my step dad wasn't paying attention to the group and just kept walking while we stopped in a shop, at least he was heading in the right direction to get to Tiffins.

My husband and I rode Expedition Everest while my in laws waited with the kids, got off and they were nowhere to be found and they had their ringers off .

Maybe Animal Kingdom is cursed for me, I only lose people there.

 

[JaxDad]

We had our kids tattooed with our contact information. We moved a lot, so it got to be pretty rough for them.


Seriously though, we had dog tag-like lanyards. I can’t remember where we got them.

 

[RogueX]

I've used preprinted bracelets (think hospital type material) that had contact information on it. My daughter was extremely shy so we had to go over what to do if she got separated from us at the parks. Each day we also took a picture of what she was wearing.

 

[Marrila]

Disney CM's don't search children and they aren't calling cell phone numbers that may appear on clothing. They are very firm about this. They have been reuniting lost parents with their kids for many years. They have their own protocol.
Taking a photo every day before walking out the door seems the most efficient way to go.
If bracelets, necklaces and pinned on notes help the parents feel better, it's ok.