Tip Sheet: Crowd Safety

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1. I was a lifeguard for many years in Vero Beach, Florida. Whenever a young child got separated from his or her family on the beach, we always looked down wind. Why? Because nine times out of ten a little kid will follow the path of least resistance and walk with the wind. So if your preschooler goes missing on the beach, try following the wind. –Becca from Jacksonville, FL-

2. I took my younger daughter to Washington, DC, when she was just shy of 8 years old. We drove to DC, but walked or took the metro for all of our touring. I bought my daughter an under-the-clothing belt pack that lays flat against the skin and is not visible below regular clothing. In it I put a typewritten sheet starting with “This bag belongs to ” and filled in her name, DOB, height, weight, blood type, etc. Another section began, “Is traveling with..”, which included our hotel, my name and cell phone and dates of our stay. Since my husband wasn’t traveling with us, I included our home, his cell phone, and my mom’s info, in case we were both incapacitated. My daughter had to put it on in the morning and was not allowed to take it off until we were back in the hotel. I keep the info on my computer and update it as needed for future trips. I also make a page for her fanny pack. If you’re likely to get wet, (rain or a waterpark), put the sheet in a Ziploc bag. I am a firm believer in being overprepared. I hope it’s never necessary, but it sets my mind at ease. –Mary from South River, NJ-

3. We write our cell phone number on our children’s arms with a Sharpie. It will not wash off for several days. Don’t worry—it’s not a tattoo and will eventually wear off! Not only do our kids have the number handy in case they get lost, but we feel that a child predator is unlikely to snatch a child so obviously marked. Our children also know to stay put if we get separated. They know they can ask a mom with children to wait with them, but they are to stay in one place and we will find them. –Harvard from Dallas, TX-

4. Every member of the family should carry a current photo of the entire family to keep in their pocket or backpack. If anyone gets separated, the authorities can use the photo to help spot other family members in a crowd. –Mindy from North Brunswick, NJ-

5. Take a few of your hotel’s business cards from the front desk (you also often find them on the nightstand in your room) and tuck them into your kids’ pockets. If one of them ever got lost, he’d be able to tell someone the name of the hotel, as well as its address and phone number. –Angela from San Diego, CA-

6. When we go away in the summer, I always pack glowstick necklaces and bracelets for the kids. I buy them online for around $10 per pack of 50. In the summertime, no matter whether we’re in a city, at a theme park, or on a camping trip, we inevitably wind up staying outside after nightfall. My kids love wearing glowstick jewelry, and I love that it makes them easy to spot in the dark! –Rachel from Wells, ME-

7. On a recent trip to New York City, we went over various “what if we get separated” scenarios with my 12-year-old son. One of the most important was “What to do if we get separated in the subway.” The subways can get so crowded that my nightmare was that two of us would get on a train and the third would be crowded out and left on the platform. We told our son to always go to where he’d find an employee—in this case, the ticket window in the station. So if my son was left on the platform as the train pulled away, he was to go to the ticket window and wait. We would have hopped off at the next station and returned for him. If my son ended up on the train and we somehow got stuck on the platform, he was to get off at the next station and wait at the ticket window for us. –Sandra from Manchester, VT-

8. We bought a box of hospital ID bracelets. When we know we’re going to a crowded location, we write our last name and cell phone numbers on them and put one on each of our children. We use them all the time, not just on vacation. I keep a few in my purse for when we visit any crowded place, like a shopping mall. –Chris from Grand Rapids, MI-

9. I bought my son a metal ID bracelet ($10 on eBay) with his name and our cell phone numbers engraved in it. Since he can’t speak yet, this would be a big help if we were ever separated. –Julia from Arroyo Grande, CA- (Editor’s Note: You can check out similar wearable ID products for kids at My Precious Kid.)

10. My young kids and I practice looking for other moms with kids in tow who they could ask for help in case they get lost. It seems far easier and safer for small children to identify a mom in action and steer away from guessing who else could be helpful. There are not too many moms who would be unwilling to help a lost child! –Kristin from Williamsburg, VA-

11. Role play to reinforce who are the best people to ask for help. Tell your preschooler or school-age child to look for a mommy with children. As he gets older, teach him to recognize uniforms and name badges, since security guards and park employees are also safe helpers. Make it clear that he is not to approach unfamiliar men. (Statistics show that the vast majority of child predators are male.)*

12. My family plays the “What Am I Wearing?” game before we go to an amusement park, fairground, or any crowded place. I tell my kids to take a good look at me, then close their eyes and tell me what I’m wearing. If we ever get separated, it might help them locate me in a crowd. And they’d be able to describe me to a park employee or other helpful adult. –Angie from Dayton, OH-

13. When our family visits a theme park, the last thing we do before leaving the hotel is to take a digital picture of each of our kids. If one of them ever got lost, we could show the park authorities a current photo of the child in that day’s clothes. –Ellen from Celina, TX-

14. Tell your under-10 child that if she gets separated from Mom or Dad, she is to stay put and let you find her. Remind her never to exit a theme park or go to a venue’s parking lot, which provides an easy getaway to predators.*

15. Shortly after you enter a theme park or beach area, get oriented by identifying landmarks together. If you feel that your child is mature enough (perhaps a savvy 10-year-old), agree on a designated meeting place in case you get separated. Have her repeat it aloud so it sticks. Never choose the entrance or parking lot. The ideal meeting place is an information center or lifeguard station, since staff are used to dealing with lost kids.*

16. Dress kids in bright tops so they’re easily spotted in a crowd, but avoid clothing and accessories emblazoned with their first names. A worried child is more likely to trust someone who calls him by name.*

17. Have your children carry identification, hidden in a pocket or affixed to the inside of a garment, that notes your cell phone number. Teach older kids how to use cell and pay phones, and provide coins for emergencies. Two-way radios are also very useful for keeping in touch.*

18. As soon as you realize that your child is missing, report it. Minutes can count.*

Note: Tips denoted with an asterisk (*) were compiled with help from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.-