Mask wearing can be difficult at times even for adults, so when Disney announced that masks would be required for children ages 2 and up I was really concerned. I had no idea how we were going to be able to keep masks on our kids. My concern reached the point of me almost cancelling our passes because the idea just sounded impossible. The even harder part was that I didn’t just have one two-year-old to worry about. I have two two-year-olds. I was overwhelmed, nervous, and basically determined for it not to work.
But they I got a perspective change. As an adult who really did not like the notion of the mask, I went to Disney springs and wore my mask for the day. I was determined to keep an open mind. If I could do it, why couldn’t the rest of my family? Of course I saw children struggling with their masks. I saw adults struggling with their masks, but I am now to the point where I feel I can comfortably wear my mask and not be miserable. I know masks and Disney can seem like a scary combination, especially for kiddos, but here are all our tips for making masks bearable for your little ones!
1. LEAD BY EXAMPLE: for Grayson this one was huge. He idolizes his daddy, so we use that to our advantage. Whenever we leave our house James makes sure he is properly wearing his mask so Grayson can see it is what we are supposed to do.
2. GET MATCHING MASKS: This was another trip we used for Grayson. Since he looks up to James so much, I bought them the same mask so Grayson could be excited to match his daddy. I am not going to say Grayson was a superstar with his mask using this trick alone, but he kept it on much better when James was around compared to when he was just with me.
3. MAKE PICKING AND WEARING A MASK AN EXCITING EVENT: We purchased our masks from Disney Springs and majorly hyped up for the kids how exciting it was. We then allowed them to pick which mask they wanted. The Disney masks helped my kids to be excited about the masks. Amelia chose the princesses, while Grayson chose Star Wars. We made it seem like the mask was a huge prize that they were getting.
4. REWARD KEEPING THE MASK ON: We do a reward system for my kids when they keep their mask on the way they are supposed to. This doesn’t have to be anything big. We keep the prizes to under $5 for keeping the mask on, but it helps reinforce the idea that our kids have done a really great thing.
5. SING THEIR PRAISES: If you see me in the parks or at Disney springs soon, you will probably find me super annoying. Why? Because I will be gushing over my children like they have just cured cancer. Amelia is especially motivated by praise, so when she keeps her mask on we tell her how great she is doing. Cast members are wonderful about this too. The Cast Members at Disney springs will praise your little ones for keeping their mask on and I know for Amelia it means a lot more coming from them.
6. WHEN YOUR KID HAS HAD ENOUGH, GIVE THEM A BREAK: I can’t stress this one enough. You don’t want the mask to become a negative or traumatic thing. If your kid is melting down, or not having it, do not force them. Disney is super compassionate and gracious towards children and will not expect you to keep it on them the entire time. They know all you can do is try your best with little ones.
7. KEEP THEM COOL AND TAKE DRINK BREAKS: The Florida heat is really intense. Between the humidity and the actual temperature, I would be lying if I said the mask didn’t get warm. I am a big fan of cooking rags for keeping my kids cooled off and I also make sure they are in the coolest clothes I can find for them. If it will make them hot, I don’t let them wear it since the mask makes things warmer. We stick to light fabrics, shorts, and light weight clothing.
8. WORK TO YOUR CHILD’S SPECIFIC PERSONALITY: Here is an example. Amelia HATES her stroller. She never wants to sit in it. We use this to our advantage. If she wants to walk, she has to wear her mask. If she doesn’t want to wear her mask, she has to sit in the stroller. Amelia is a rockstar with her mask and working specifically to her personality has worked best for us.
My final piece of advice is be patient. There are grown adults who struggle with masks, so don’t expect your child to be perfect right out the gate. Even though Amelia is fantastic with her mask, we are definitely still working with Grayson. Like Cinderella said, have courage and be kind. Take it one day at a time and start slow. My kids have gotten better each time they have worn the mask. We are slowly working our way up to longer amounts of time. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to message me!
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Marvelous Mrs. Morin 