If you still have some traveling or outings in your plans for this summer, we’ve got some great tips to keep your children safe in crowds, especially when you are visiting a highly crowded place, like an amusement park, aquarium or zoo. Anywhere you are bound to find large crowds can be a stressful outing if you don’t take the time beforehand to prepare your kids to stay safe.
We just recently came back from the aquarium with our four children and it was a ton of fun but it was also a little stressful because there were huge crowds! Of course we talked to the kids about staying close, but in excitement of everything to see there, it can become a little too much for them and they tend to wander a little bit.
I share my tips in this video and you can read about them below. I also share a few extra tips so make sure to check them out as well!
Dress them to stand out!
Our first tip for safe traveling in crowds is the way they dress. Put them in fluorescent clothes! It works so well to keep track of them especially in dark places like the aquarium was. We just grabbed what our kids had in their closets- but if you are really organized, buy them matching fluorescent yellow shirts! In fact, I would go one step further and buy us all matching shirts so that us parents are easy for the kids to find too.
Write your cell number on their arm
Anytime you’re out and about in a crowd, chances are pretty good you will have your cell phone. For a young child especially, this tip can be a lifesaver and can save time finding them should they wander off.
They don’t have to keep track of a piece of paper with your phone number on it. Even if they are old enough to remember your phone number, they may be too emotional or scared to remember those details if they get lost.
I just used a pen, but you could also use a Sharpie marker or tattoo marker. You can also get Liquid Band-Aid to put on top of it so that it doesn’t smear off if they are going to be getting wet- so I would suggest using that if you are going to a water park. Since we were just at the aquarium the pen worked. Write it nice and big like you want it to be seen so that if child is upset crying you know they lift their arms there’s a phone number right there.
I just wrote, ‘If lost, please call: xxx-xxx-xxxx’ and put my cell phone number.
Show them what to look for if they do get lost
This is my biggest tip and I’ve been working with my children on this for quite some time now. If you get lost find another mom. A mom who is there with her children will always help a lost child so if you are standing there and you can’t see mommy or daddy you look around and you find other kids and you find their mom. Go to their mom and you say “I’m lost, I need help” and I can guarantee that that mom will help. We have done that at grocery stores, movies and busy malls.
The other one that we work on too is to look for uniforms. For instance, the aquarium employees had the blue shirts with the emblem so when we walked into the aquarium I found an attendant and I told my guys, my younger one especially, if you get lost this is who you look for. If you can’t find another mom in the area then look for somebody who’s wearing this shirt whether it’s a safety vest, lab coats or whatever it may be.
They can also be taught to look for a desk or counter area where the employees could be found.
A few other tips to keep your children safe in crowds:
- Take a photo of each child that morning with your cell phone so you each have a photo with you. Should they get lost, you have a recent photo and more importantly, a photo of what they are wearing that day so others can keep their eyes out too if needed.
- Come up with a landmark as a meeting spot where they easily find their way back to if they get separated. For instance at the amusement park, have them meet you at the ferris wheel if it’s the tallest and easiest to find spot. This is a good tip so they don’t keep wandering in circles to look for you.
Don’t forget to have fun!
Sometimes we get wrapped up in the worry of keeping our kids safe that we forget to enjoy the time and have fun with our kids! So have fun moms! (& dads!)
We hope these tips to keep your children safe in crowds will allow you to enjoy your outings! If you have any other tips to share, we’d love to see them in the comments.
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