Any other paranoid moms out there? We are heading to Disney in a few days and the thought of my children wandering off or being “snatched” is definitely something that terrifies me! Unfortunately, we live in a world where we have to think about all of these things… but not only that, we also have some awesome technology/products to protect our kids. So, I have researched (Dani and I love some good research) and have come up with the top 3 theme park kids safety devices!
Kid Safety Device 1 – Child Leash
Okay, not going to lie, I used to totally judge the people who had these for these kids. Well, now I have my own boisterous toddler and I totally get it. Both my girls are fighting the stroller and want to be independent. I totally get it. However, they are FAST and love to run off. I think the child lease could be an awesome balance between independence and staying safe in crowds.
One of the versions that I have seen a lot is the backpack version. HERE is a great example of one on Amazon with thousands of reviews and 4.5 stars. I think this product would work great if your kid likes wearing backpacks. My daughter sometimes loves having her backpack and other times she hates it. I also love this option because it comes with a wrist lock for your wrist. There is no way somebody is snatching it out of your hand or you accidentally letting go. It also frees up your hands!
Here is my favorite review on Amazon. I definitely laughed out loud at the description, but I think it gives some perfect insight of the pros and cons!
“The backpack is adorable and everything worked. The only issue is that my 11 month old likes to run off…why I got it…and if I am using the bungee rope it kind of sling shots him back towards me if he gets too far. With the regular strap he usually just falls backwards. Hopefully it will get better as he gets older and gains weight.”
If you want to skip the backpack, there is also a harness option HERE. This specific option has over four thousand reviews and 4.5 stars on Amazon. It has a lot of the same pros as the backpack, including the wrist lock. The only con I consistently saw was sizing, as a lot of people said it ran large.
Kid Safety Device 2 – Wrist Hand-Cuffs
Next, on the top 3 theme park kids safety devices are the wrist hand-cuffs. I actually ended up buying a two pack for my kids! These are the ones that I purchased with over three thousand reviews and 4.5 stars. I feel like my oldest daughter is going to see it as more of a bracelet, and I have really tired to sell her on these. We wore them for a little while the other day and she seemed tolerant. I feel like I am pretty much going to have to tell her that if she wants to walk, she has to wear these or ride in the stroller.
Something super cool about the cuffs is that they can’t be take off easily. The parent side has a magnet that unlocks the child side. So, unless you actually touch yours to theirs, they are not getting it off. Now, can I imagine dragging my crying toddler… ABSOLUTELY. However, time will tell.
This is one of the reviews that pretty much echos all the other reviews: “We went to a crowded fall festival and used these on our 2 year old twins and it was so nice giving them the freedom to run around without having to worry about them going to far! Very sturdy for the price and the lock on them is very durable!”
Kid Safety Device 3 – Apple Air Tag
This was probably the item I researched the most. If you are not familiar with the Apple Air Tag, it is essentially a little disk that tracks location using your phone. If someone snatched your kid or they ran off, the idea is that you could use this to locate them quickly. I think this is a great option for older kids all the way to your youngest ones.
You can also purchase handy little holders for your air tag. There are ones that go on their wrist like a watch, around the neck like a necklace, or they can be clipped on a belt buckle. A lot of these holders come in super cute styles and themes, which I am sure entices your child to want to wear them even more.
However, based on research, there is the fear that if your child was abducted, an abductor would immediately take the device off. So, there are some nifty HIDDEN holders. For example, this one clips on the inside of your child’s pants, shirt, or jacket. Another idea I read about was hiding the air tag inside your child’s shoes. I think this depends on the type of shoe they are wearing, however, this could be a good option if you want a younger child to leave it alone or not even know it is there!
There are other devices on Amazon that are very similar. However, I feel like the Apple Air Tag was the cheapest version. You can also get multipacks if you have more than one child.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it. My top 3 theme park kids safety devices. A few final things to remember!
- You know your child best, not every device is going to work! Read those amazon reviews and see if other people have similar tempered children.
- The independence phase is REAL and having something that gives them the ability to be independent can decrease a ton of tantrums.
- All of these devices are $30 or less, so even if they don’t work, they’re still totally worth trying or returning!
Happy traveling! Make sure to share any tips you may have for safety measures!