Souvenir Planning/Strategies with Kids

matt1979

Mouseketeer
Joined
Jan 3, 2014
Looking for creative ways of handling souvenir planning, expectation, purchases with the kids (ours are 5, 8 & 11). On our last trip 3 years ago...I think we essentially told them they could get 1 "big" souvenir for the trip (i.e. $25-30)...but we allowed them something else small (<$5) each day. That seemed to work out okay...but of course I always hate how for one of them the first thing they see ends up being their "big" souvenir for the trip. This trip I thought about just giving them each a $50 dollar budget to spend as they want...it teaches them a lesson on budgeting but doesn't do anything to help discourage them from blowing it all on day 1. That also makes it a bit tougher to track purchases and keep them in the loop about how much they have left to spend.

So how does everyone else handle souvenirs with kids to keep expectations in check, not break the bank and avoid any meltdowns?

FWIW...we plan to do some penny pressing which we like because they are a nice inexpensive souvenir that the kids enjoy making.
 
We give our kids a $50 at the beginning of the week, and remind them that if they spend it the first day, they won't be able to get something else later. Works really well with a kid that's old enough to understand budgeting. We just make sure we have a way to get back if there is something they are really interested in at the beginning of the trip. I usually tie the money itself to some task they have to do to get ready for the trip, like detailing the inside of my car (we drive from KY). It makes them appreciate what they do get to spend. I also found that it cut way back on them asking for this and this and this. They look at the prices and decide if it is really worth their budget money.

And we make sure to plan for a few things that don't fit into that budget - ie, we will buy each of them a t-shirt and/or lanyard, they do not have to use that money for snacks and drinks, etc.
 
My daughter has always brought her own money and she's allowed to spend it however she likes.
 
My kids start earning money for the trip as soon as we decide to go. They earn for their report cards, doing chores, etc. I carry two envelopes with their money and they decide each day how much they want to spend that day, maximum. Then I only carry that much to the parks for them. They have the chance to earn an extra five dollars each day for GREAT behavior! But I mean GREAT behavior! That really helps with the whining and complaining! They don't earn it every day, but typically will manage to earn it about eighty percent of the time!
I think this strategy works great because I'm not getting asked constantly for different toys, they learn how to manage money, and they are positively reinforced for good behavior! Also, the rule is they do their shopping last thing of the day!
 
My children 5 and 3 have been three times. Our first strategy my wife and I used the first two times is, ITS DISNEY WHO CARES. Plus we had a large amount of gift cards given to the girls before our trip due to their birthdays being before our trip. WE HATED IT. "i want this, I want that" but they were young. The first two times with the large gift cards and realizing what was happening while we were there, I decided to get my daughter into collecting pins. They are expensive, but they are collectible. I decided that 5 kitchen magnets and little key chains had little longstanding play or care from the children. The pins were choosen by her and then when we got home we displayed them inside a shadow box on her wall.
The past three times though we adjusted. My wife and I decided, yes they can get a few pins, but they can also get one medium size souvenir. We then judge whether the toy/hat/dress whatever has a longlasting play or care from the child. no little trinkets that get vacuumed up three after we get home.

I love your idea of giving your kids a budget to not only dampen the impact on your wallet but also to teach them valuable lessons.
 
We give them a budget but we will buy certain things-like one tshirt each and the pearls in Japan. But we encourage them not to buy early in the trip. We usually spend at least two full days in MK and Epcot with the second days being at the end. So unless they REALLY want something from AK or HS where we only spend one day they wait until those last two days. Last time my oldest daughter decided she wanted a souvenir from each country in World Showcase. She budgeted how much she could spend in each country (using some of her own money as well) and came out with some really cute things!
 


Make a "list" of everything they see and like all week using your phone to take pics of the desired souvenirs. Tell the kids that before the last day of the trip, they can look through their list and decide what item they must have and then go buy it the next day. It may require hoppers if the kids somehow want items in different parks, but it will bring your souvenir budget down under $100 for 3 kids and you'll know they really wanted the item vs just wanting it before they passed it.
 
Our boys have saved money (sent from grandparents for Christmas) and their chore money.
We have taken $50 out of each of their savings accounts too (at their request) and they can spend it on whatever they want but once it's gone, it's gone.

We've done this every trip and on the last trip DS1 'needed' a huge amount of candy - we tried to dissuade him but at the end of the day it was his money - he learned his lesson pretty quick when we went to the Lego store and DS2 bought a great set but he could only get a tiny one with the money he had left!!
 
My kids will have $75 in Disney gift cards to spend how they wish. We have already bought them lanyards and some pins so they can trade. We will pay for all meals and one snack each day. Beyond that, they have to use their money. My three are 11, 11, and 12.
 
Just say no! LOL

I am not big on souvineers but we always let the kids get something or a few things. Last trip they all came home with pillow pets!

We don't linger in the gift shops at the parks, they will look but just look. They look at the resort gift shop too. But they don't buy (I'm the mom that says you can't get that cereal because it's not on sale and I don't have a coupon).

We always spend time at Disney springs, ok it was DTD when I went and they look in the WOD and buy what they have been eyeing for a few days there. This way it gives them time to change their mind and they aren't coming home with a bunch of trinkets. Then it's done.

They also have their own money to spend and we help out as needed. Let's just say I went to the WOD with a bunch of change to check out for one of my kids.
 
With my boys (4 and 7), we told them to window shop for the trip and we bought on the last day. We had an off day between Disney and Legoland so we went to Disney Springs and let them get what they wanted from the huge store there. I bought a couple of small things for them in the parks throughout the trip, but those were held onto for birthdays (or this past Christmas as one got lost in my closet). They both ended up wanting two things in the end, but my mom was with us and agreed to get them each a souvenir for their birthdays so it worked out.

Another thing to remember is that with the Disney Shop Parks app, you can order a lot of things from your phone so you don't have to actually be in the store where they are to buy them. Also, it lets you know which stores items are for sale at.
 
They can get a shirt and one souvenir of choice. The other little things add up.
 
This year, my son had $50 to spend as a Disney gift card from Grandma. Over the course of the week, we kept track every time he said he wanted something. The last couple of days of the trip, we looked at the list and he picked the things he most wanted. It worked out well because there were less "impulse buy" and the response every time he wanted something was "we'll put it on the list" which got us out of having to keep saying no.
 
My dad's policy was that he'd always get me a shirt and then anything else I had to save and bring my own money for, which I could spend at me leisure. But he was always willing to buy me little treats and snacks and such, and if he knew I really wanted something he'd buy it for me a treat if I was behaving well (obviously that was when I was younger). But souvenir money has always been my own responsibility, ever since I can remember.
 
So my girls get gift cards and can spend how they want, HOWEVER the rule is you do no to buy any souvenirs on the first day.
 
Looking for creative ways of handling souvenir planning, expectation, purchases with the kids (ours are 5, 8 & 11). On our last trip 3 years ago...I think we essentially told them they could get 1 "big" souvenir for the trip (i.e. $25-30)...but we allowed them something else small (<$5) each day. That seemed to work out okay...but of course I always hate how for one of them the first thing they see ends up being their "big" souvenir for the trip. This trip I thought about just giving them each a $50 dollar budget to spend as they want...it teaches them a lesson on budgeting but doesn't do anything to help discourage them from blowing it all on day 1. That also makes it a bit tougher to track purchases and keep them in the loop about how much they have left to spend.

So how does everyone else handle souvenirs with kids to keep expectations in check, not break the bank and avoid any meltdowns?

FWIW...we plan to do some penny pressing which we like because they are a nice inexpensive souvenir that the kids enjoy making.


My kids are grown now but we always gave them a 50$ budget for the entire trip (usually a gift from Grandparents before we left) We would but them a sweatshirt or t shirt and they were on their own for anything else. It worked out well since once the 50$ was gone that was it for souvenirs. We took care of snack and treats and things like that.
 
We get 1 souvenir the last day. Usually something small. I tell them if they ask for something during the trip, to remember it for that last day. They would change their minds every day, honestly.
 
We are pretty lax with the souvenir buying. My only real no is balloons. No balloons! lol. My kids have been really good about it and haven't *fingers crossed* taken advantage of it. Our first time with our oldest DD was hilarious. It was our last day, she had only asked (and gotten) a double plush Disney princess doll, so we said you can pick anything out to bring home. She picked an Alice in Wonderland doll set, retail: $14. Worked for us!

Last trip we did the same thing and we barely bought any souvenirs. My DDs favorite souvenirs are the pennies and the sorcerer cards (free). I'm sure as we get closer to the teenage years, our strategy will have to change. :-)
 
We would give a $50 budget and they were really good about sticking to it. Souvenirs included sweatshirt, hats and of course some stuffed animals.
 

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