I love going out with my family, but I will be honest. Large groups of people make me really uneasy. Crowded spaces can quickly go from just crowded to overwhelming. Since I know that these situations can be stressful for me and my husband, we usually try to plan ahead to make sure we have a safe and successful outing with the family.
Places like Disneyland are a perfect example. Last week my family took a week long vacation to Disneyland. Given it was Halloween time at Disneyland, there were MANY people in the park! There are so many different ways big crowded places can go from fun to scary in an instant. Wandering child, miscommunications, or even being separated from the rest of the group by the crowd can be stressful.
By following a few simple steps, my family makes sure we are safe when we are out and about enjoying crowded locations!
- Plan a Meeting Place
The first thing we always do is plan a meeting spot. If we were to get separated, by having one main meeting spot we know we can find each other. - Teach Kids How to Find Help
The only exception to our first rule is our little man. We have told him that if he was to get lost that he is to stay exactly where he is until we find him. He is too young to understand a meeting spot, and a wandering toddler can even get more scary. We also let him know how to spot the people who work either at Disneyland or security, and to approach them instead of random strangers. Do remind your children not to talk to strangers again. - Know your Exits
When in really crowded locations your family should always know where the exits are. This will help in case you need to leave quickly, and also make a good meeting spot for family. - Pay Attention
Pay attention to your surroundings, the people around you, your belongings, and the weather. All of these will help you avoid unwanted situations, lost items, and possible dangerous encounters. - Charge Your Cell Phones
Make sure everyone has a full charge on your cell phones before going to busy locations. Also if possible have an “In Case Of Emergency” section where strangers can find important contacts if they need to.
Crowd control can be tricky, but manageable if you take the time to plan prior to day trips or long vacations!
What do you do to keep your family safe in crowds?
Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by the Home Security Store. All words and opinions in this post are my own.
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These a great tips… love the baby bump.
We just dealt with this at Disney World when we got separated during the after parade rush. We were not prepared, and thankfully managed to find each other quickly…but on our next Disney trip we will be taking walkie talkies with us (our cell phones are useless in the States).
Being the mom of a child with autism crowds hold even more issues for us. Often my son has a fear of crowds an can get over stimulated with them. The noise, the excitement can all be cause for a big meltdown. Things have gotten better over the years, but we are always vigilant just in case.
Great advice. After almost having my son take off on a NY subway by himself I realize how important this type of information is needed.
Great tips, Emily! My boys are 10 & 16 now so the older one is fine & with cell phone, but I still do one thing with the younger one that I have been doing since they were little. Every morning when on vacation at places like Disneyland I put a piece of paper in my son’s pocket with my & hubby’s cell number & hotel we are staying at. Also we taught them when separated always look for person in uniform and ask for help.
My older two are 8 and 12, so they know how to be reasonably safe, but my 5 year old is a silly little boy! He tends to run off and not pay attention, much to my dismay. I want to put a bungee cord on him when he go out.
Great tips! I hate crowds and with my son, I am so paranoid about losing him.
Jake’s almost 16 so we’re better at crowds now. We always plan a rendezvous point for a specific time.
Those are some really great tips for keeping your family safe in case of separation. Thanks for sharing.
I always make a plan with my daughter when we are out somewhere – we choose a place when we go in that we will meet at if we get separated and it’s worked well so far!
Wonderful tips especially the cell phones being fully charged! I’m anal when it comes to my phone having enough battery life when out and about.
I am always worried about losing my kids — I need to do make a plan and start teaching them what to do if we’re ever separated in a crowd.
I’m extremely paranoid about being in crowded places with my kids, so when we are, my husband and I are always carrying them.
You shared some really great tips.
When we went to Disneyland I had my phone number in sharpie on my toddlers upper arm under his t-shirt. I told him to show it to a disney worker if he gets lost. The first thing we did when we went to the park was go and talk to a cast member so he could see that they were nice an what they were wearing. I get very nervous and anxious in big crowds!
Thanks for these great tips.
Thanks for the great tips!
Great tips! We are headed back to Disney World next weekend and I am using a lot of these.
Great tips!
Great tips! You all look great!
Great tips! I panic about this type of thing..
Those are great tips. It is so hard not to panic!