Take a digital picture of the kids before entering an amusement park in case they get lost

Bridget (author of The Unauthorized Legoland Guidebook) offers this common-sense travel tip:

This is an oldie-but-goodie so you may already know about it, but I thought it might help someone. Take a picture of your kids with a digital camera BEFORE entering an amusement park [...or sporting event, or zoo, or any other crowded place -- Ed]. That way if your child gets lost, you can show theme park personnel EXACTLY what he or she looks like including hair color, eye color, and clothing. With two preschoolers who sometimes go in different directions, these pictures have come in handy. You also have a fun “on our way” picture to add to the scrapbook.

Related: The now-famous travel ID hack: Sharpie your cell phone number on your kid's belly

Comments

[Sarah]

I do this also for the airport, childrens museum, etc. with my phone camera. And I also like to write my cell phone number on his arm under his sleeve with ball point pen and tell him what it's for (if you can't find me, find a police officer or a mommy with a baby and tell her this is your mom's phone number). Never had to use the cell phone photo or arm phone number yet, but it seems like a good just-in-case measure!

[Jen]

What a great idea! I'll be sure to pass this one around!

Jen
www.afterthealter.com

[Wendy]

This is one from Baltimore's Camden Yards -- pin a ticket stub to your child's clothing. That way if they get lost, they'll have their seat location with them.

[RobMonroe]

If you take it with your cell phone and your child gets really lost (or heaven forbid taken) you can get the pictures to the authorities with a quick text message rather than finding equipment to download your pictures and then send them out.

We probably do this WAY too often, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

[MamaZen]

Love your idea;so smart! My kids photos are loaded on my blackberry, but will now remember to pull it out if they ever get lost.

We use a family tune that we whistle if one of us gets lost, that way we can track each other down in a crowded room or store before someone actually gets really really lost.

[Kate]

we do the family call too - not too obnoxious just a "whoo whoo" call that the kids can do without feeling too wierd but is easy to pick out in a crowd. It's worked hiking when we get seperated and in any big crowds.

[Native_Momma]

This is a great idea. I heard that at the water park owned by Dolly Pardon in TN they give you GPS things so you can go to the hot tubs and have a drink and still know your kid is alive.

[Janice]

I've been doing this for years.. I have a 7 year old and we love amusement parks. I always take a digital picture of him, both on my still camera and my cell phone, right after we get out of the car in the parking lot.

[Trish]

I do this too, only I take the picture in front of the sign where we've parked (we did Disney & Universal this way), so I have a picture of the kids & I can find the car too!

[Asha Dornfest]

So smart! I need to promote this to full hack status, because some of us lose our cars in the parking lot of the grocery store, let alone an amusement park. :)