How To Keep Kids Safe at Theme Parks: Part 2-My Secret Weapon for Nighttime Safety

Keeping kids safe at a festival or theme park can be a big worry, especially when those places are so crowded! In this 3 part series, I’ve put together my favorite simple solutions to keep the whole family safe and ready for an awesome time! In Part 2, I’m sharing my secret weapon to keep kids safe at night.  It literally was a life saver for us!

Editors Note:  This is the second article in a three part series about Keeping Kids Safe at Theme Parks.  If you missed yesterday’s article about “Preparing for Crowds,” click here.

How To Keep Kids Safe at Night

Several years ago, we were visiting Sesame Place with our cousins. In total, we had 5 kids all under the age of 5.  That’s a lot of wiggly, squirmy, easily distracted youngsters.  We had all done a very good job of holding hands and keeping track of one another throughout the day but…

Then night came and things got dark.

And that’s when my older daughter (who was 3 ½ at the time) got lost.  We stopped to take a picture with Bert and Ernie, and I turned around to position her next to her baby sister when I realized …she was gone!  My heart sank deep into my stomach and adrenaline started racing through my body. We immediately went into rescue mode, calling her name, and jumping on benches to get a better view of the area.

We couldn’t find her anywhere.

Everything was SO DARK. 

Up until this point, I hadn’t ever thought about what I would do if my child went missing at night  Would I be able to find her easily in the dark?

I had NOT prepared for this.  I tried to stay calm but was about to panic when…

…my cousin yelled out “I see her! I see her glow stick!” 

OMG! Thank God for Glow Sticks! 

And she raced through the crowd, scooped her up and brought her back to me where she stayed in my arms for the rest of night. We all breathed the deepest sigh of relief and were so grateful that the kids had glow sticks.

Now, I always carry a tube of glow sticks with me if I know we’re going to be somewhere at night. My kids love having the glow sticks, and I love having that peace of mind.

My Tips for Choosing the Right Glow Stick To keep your kids safe at night

Tip #1:  The Bigger The Better

The ideal glow stick is one that’s larger and can be worn or carried.  They’re bigger and can be seen easily from a distance.  When my daughter was lost, she happened to be holding a glow stick wand, and since it was so large my cousin was able to spot it quickly.

Perfect example–notice this picture of my younger daughter. You can barely see her…but you can certainly see the glow stick wand!

Glow stick glasses and Glow stick tiaras are a great option! As you can see, they’re very visible at night.

Tip #2:  Classic Necklaces are Classic for a Reason

Classic glow stick necklaces are also a great option because they’re less likely to come off.  And since they come in a wide variety of colors, boys and girls alike enjoy wearing them.

So, before you head out on your next vacation or visit a local festival at night, pick up a pack of glow sticks. You can get them anywhere quite easily (Dollar Tree, Target’s Dollar Spot, etc) for usually a dollar. Plus, it’s much cheaper to buy them ahead of time instead of getting sucked in to buying an overpriced light-up toy at the theme park or festival.  And remember…

They might just save your child’s life.

Be sure to come back tomorrow; I’ll be sharing the one photo that you need to take at a theme park!

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HI! I’m a Shana, self-proclaimed Media Mixologist, wife, and mom to two little girls. I love to mix up cocktails of crafts, recipes, wellness, family and business with just the right amount of sparkle to help you shine everyday. So, grab a glass, and let’s celebrate the cocktail of life!