Taking young children to crowded public places can be very stressful, especially if you are outnumbered or you have kids who tend to wander off. I will never forget the feeling of realizing my child was gone while we were on a fun family outing. She was standing next to me one moment and I looked away,looked back and she was gone. I was torn between staying with my remaining children and running off to search for her. Luckily, my older son spotted her and was able to quickly bring her back to our group. She was safe but that feeling of my heart dropping will never be forgotten. After that experience, I knew we needed to come up with a plan to keep the kids safe when we venture out to public places.

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Prepare

The best way to prevent your child getting lost in a public place is to prepare for the possibility like it will definitely happen in the future. In an age-appropriate way, start by talking to your kids about the dangers of strangers and getting lost. While you don’t want to scare your child, you do want them to have a healthy fear of getting separated from those they trust and give them the tools to help them if it does happen.

Role play

After you have discussed the dangers of getting separated, role play some of the possible scenarios. What would they do if they were lost, who would they ask for help, what would they do if a stranger asked them to come with them? Acting out these scenarios will help your child respond quicker and more confidently if the time arrives.

Memorize contact info

If your child is four or older you can start to teach them important contact information such as their parents names and phone numbers. If your child is too young to memorize this information consider writing it on their wrist or using a bracelet or necklace that has your contact information so they can contact you in an emergency.