One of the best ways to enjoy a sunny day is a family visit to a local amusement park or theme park while on vacation. If you don’t take certain precautions to keep your kids safe during this experience, the fun that you anticipate experiencing can quickly disappear.
Most accidents that happen involve motion sickness, skinned knees, or the occasional scrape. Rides and crowds can also present safety issues for which you will want to plan. If you walk into the amusement park with a strategy to address these concerns, then everyone can have an a fun and exciting day.
How to Stay Safe at Your Local Park
Many incidents happen at theme parks because the rules of the establishment were ignored for some reason. Climbing over fences, putting too many people onto a ride, or ignoring the directions of staff can lead to dangerous situations.
Always encourage your kids to read the signs and follow instructions given so that everyone can have a fun and safe time. If children are too young to read the signs themselves, stop before each ride and read the signs for them and make sure they understand the safety rules before boarding any ride. Most park rides have a waiting line and that provides ample time to read and discuss safety while waiting in line.
Then you can follow these additional ideas to keep everyone safe during your next visit to your local amusement park.
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Observe all of the rides first before getting on them.
When children can see how a ride sways, dips, or swings, then they can have a better idea of what to expect. Some kids don’t like sudden drops or going to high. If you use this opportunity to talk about your child’s preferences, then you can create a safer, more comfortable experience for everyone. Walk your child through the visual aspects and point out the major thrill experiences of the ride so they can be mentally prepared for what they are about to experience.
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Don’t force anyone to ride something that seems too scary for them.
Amusement parks generate a little bit of fear with the movement of its rides. That’s part of the fun! When a ride seems too scary, then don’t force kids to go on them. More injuries occur when kids try to get off of rides that they don’t want to be on when compared to the incidents that happen during its operation.
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Establish a meeting place at the amusement park.
Amusement parks can get quite crowded on a beautiful day, an parks that are open during night time hours can become a confusing situation. The large crowds may inadvertently cause kids to become separated from their parents or guardians. When you first arrive at the facility, choose a place that’s easy to see, then walk there with your children to show them the exact spot where you plan to reunite. This moment is a fantastic time to discuss how to interact with strangers safely and how to find a security officer or staff member who can assist. If a staff member is not immediately available, have them approach another parent that has kids to ask for help or directions. Make your meeting place a prominent monument within the park like a tall building that is easily seen throughout the park and centrally located.
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Pay attention to the height and weight guidelines of each ride.
Use common sense when picking the rides to enjoy with your family. Most amusement parks have signs that display minimum height and weight standards and staff are diligent to check this as part of their insurance and safety requirements. Some of them may have age restrictions to follow. These guidelines are in place to ensure that everyone can stay safe while having some fun. Trying to cheat in this area can quickly lead to unwanted outcomes. If a staff member determines the child is too young or small to ride, encourage positive reactions to this disappointing news by offering an alternative option for rides.
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Double-check the safety equipment before the ride starts.
Many amusement parks hire teens and young adults to manage their rides. When things get busy, then a small issue with the safety equipment can get missed or tightened appropriately . If you take a few moments to ensure that your kids are correctly positioned, strapped, or latched, then they learn that is something important to consider and to abide by. It helps to remind children to keep all of their body parts inside of the ride. You might want to make sure pockets are buttoned or zippered closed to stop items from falling out while moving.
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Give your children identification materials.
Young children may struggle to provide identification information to park staff or security officers. It can be a challenge to remember a phone number when dealing with the stresses of being separated! An identification bracelet that provides customized content can help other adults get into contact with you immediately. WristBandy offers a custom, engraved silicone wristband that displays your critical contact information to ensure a quick reunification occurs. There is nothing more stressful than losing a child in a sea of people. Teach your child to show their wristband or child ID bracelet to a staff member in the unfortunate event they get lost.
What to Do if You Have an Emergency
If your child experiences a severe headache, significant nausea, or feelings of tingling or numbness in their extremities, then there might be an injury that requires evaluation. Some symptoms can resolve themselves in a couple of minutes, but everyone is different. If a child is not paying attention or knows what to expect of a ride, their body can be thrown around and cause whiplash or head bumps against the ride.
Parents typically know their children the best, so if something doesn’t seem right, then keep them off of the rides. Trust your parental instincts if you are overly concerned about a certain ride.
You will also want to discuss what to do if you need to leave the amusement part immediately. Accidents, sudden weather situations, or dangerous situations can require everyone to follow an exit strategy. Use positive reinforcement and don’t panic. If your child sees you panic their fear level escalates which only feeds your anxiety level even more.
About WristBandy
We are two dads with 9 children between our families. We both have experienced the stressful event of losing a child at an amusement park. Although our events were brief instances, the fear and panic that sets in is one of the most stressful experiences we have ever experienced. One day at lunch we were discussing our experiences and sharing ideas how we kept track of our children. Ideas like writing a phone number on their wrist and putting a business card in their pocket where what we used. However, the numbers would eventually wear off and the business cards would get lost. We came up with an idea for a wristband that was simple to use, but highly visible in the event of a lost child. Our process is unique in that we use a two tone wristband that is laser engraved which allows for the lettering to be clearly visible once engraved. Our mission is to offer a product that is as affordable as possible, easy to use, and something kids enjoy wearing. Using a child identification bracelet from WristBandy can help you and your child reunite quicker in the unexpected event your child becomes separated.
