When did your toddler start wearing a mask consistently?

K

Kerr84

DIS Veteran
Joined
Jan 1, 2020
At what age did your toddler start wearing a mask consistently that you felt confident enough to go to Disney? In my opinion, there is a huge difference between just turned 2 and almost 3. My daughter is 2 1/2 and will not wear a mask for a single second. She has sensory issues and a speech/receptive language delay so explaining that Mickey requires it will mean nothing to her. I have read lots of threads with tips, but they haven’t worked because I can’t get her to wear it even for a short time. Did it just click for your toddler at some point? I’m feeling defeated and thinking that we won’t be able to go again for a looooooong time. Hoping for some encouraging stories and hating that we will be missing out when she is still free.
 
Following along. My middle daughter was first asked to wear one when she was 3. She did it perfectly from the beginning, but she wouldn't know what to do when she had to sneeze so we were always swapping a boogery mask for a clean one. But her brother turns 2 in March, with a cruise scheduled for April, and we're getting anxious about whether we have any hope of keeping a mask on him.
 
CaptainAmerica said:
Following along. My middle daughter was first asked to wear one when she was 3. She did it perfectly from the beginning, but she wouldn't know what to do when she had to sneeze so we were always swapping a boogery mask for a clean one. But her brother turns 2 in March, with a cruise scheduled for April, and we're getting anxious about whether we have any hope of keeping a mask on him.
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My sister’s family is going in March and I booked just in case we could go with them. Then I tried the masks. 😞 I have to cancel by February 17th, but wondering if maybe by Summer she will get it. The cruise would be hard! What would they do? Kick you off the ship? Confine you to your room?
 
Our middle child was 3.5 when he started wearing a mask. Our youngest turned 2 in Nov and we have a trip booked for end of March. I started looking up toddlers and flights and stressed myself out. Yesterday we got her to wear a mask for 45 mins at home while watching a video. I also showed her some videos of kids wearing masks in flight and that she will get to go to Mickey’s House again if she does. I bought the gap countour Masks (cotton and breathable) and put adjusters at the end and then bought a lanyard for sunglasses so the straps don’t pull on her ears. In the past she’s worn a cub coats (really Soft mask) mask at the Dr’s office for upto an hour. I bought a mask that has a pacifier attached but she never uses a pacifier (started chewing it) but I like the design of the mask (most masks go up to her eyes). There are tips online to sew a mask under a hoodie. we were discussing this on another thread:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/toddler-mask-wearing-tips.3866822/
 
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Kerr84 said:
At what age did your toddler start wearing a mask consistently that you felt confident enough to go to Disney? In my opinion, there is a huge difference between just turned 2 and almost 3. My daughter is 2 1/2 and will not wear a mask for a single second. She has sensory issues and a speech/receptive language delay so explaining that Mickey requires it will mean nothing to her. I have read lots of threads with tips, but they haven’t worked because I can’t get her to wear it even for a short time. Did it just click for your toddler at some point? I’m feeling defeated and thinking that we won’t be able to go again for a looooooong time. Hoping for some encouraging stories and hating that we will be missing out when she is still free.
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I'm just thinking out loud here...have you tried different fabrics, different textures? Putting masks on all the toys?

My friend was absolutely shocked her 2 year old accepted it, but they started working on it before he turned 2.
 
Kerr84 said:
At what age did your toddler start wearing a mask consistently that you felt confident enough to go to Disney? In my opinion, there is a huge difference between just turned 2 and almost 3. My daughter is 2 1/2 and will not wear a mask for a single second. She has sensory issues and a speech/receptive language delay so explaining that Mickey requires it will mean nothing to her. I have read lots of threads with tips, but they haven’t worked because I can’t get her to wear it even for a short time. Did it just click for your toddler at some point? I’m feeling defeated and thinking that we won’t be able to go again for a looooooong time. Hoping for some encouraging stories and hating that we will be missing out when she is still free.
Click to expand...
OP, What have you tried already that isn't working?

Do you and other members of your household frequently wear masks? I think modeling mask wearing goes a long way to helping kids get used to it.

Edited to answer your question: DD started wearing a mask at 2 and 10 months. So I sympathize with you about the difference in development between 2.5 and closer to 3 that you mentioned.
 
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Kerr84 said:
My sister’s family is going in March and I booked just in case we could go with them. Then I tried the masks. 😞 I have to cancel by February 17th, but wondering if maybe by Summer she will get it. The cruise would be hard! What would they do? Kick you off the ship? Confine you to your room?
Click to expand...
Thankfully, once you're actually on the ship, you can get away with being outside pretty much the entire time. Clamp a mask over their face while you make your way through the hallways and elevators, then spend the whole trip outside.
 
We live in South Florida and have been going to Disney throughout the pandemic. Our son (4) is really good about wearing his mask but I'm crazy about it. We wear it anytime we are indoors in public so he is pretty well trained.
 
We wear masks and she likes putting them on me. We’ve tried a few different ones, putting them on stuffed animals, during screen time, etc. We haven’t tried a pacifier mask, but it took us forever to drop the pacifier and don’t want to reintroduce it. Just hoping she will be more open to it one day.

Editing to add: She immediately rips it off every time. There isn’t any practicing because she won’t try it. (lots of language and developmental delays)
 
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Kerr84 said:
We wear masks and she likes putting them on me. We’ve tried a few different ones, putting them on stuffed animals, during screen time, etc. We haven’t tried a pacifier mask, but it took us forever to drop the pacifier and don’t want to reintroduce it. Just hoping she will be more open to it one day.

Editing to add: She immediately rips it off every time. There isn’t any practicing because she won’t try it. (lots of language and developmental delays)
Click to expand...

Don’t be discouraged. All kids rip them off initially. Watch some Sesame Street videos on masks. Watch toddlers wearing a mask and riding on planes. Then put on her favorite video and turn it in only if she wears the mask, she will slowly get the idea. I’m pretty sure we won’t use the pacifier feature (I tried a pacifier alone, mask hasn’t arrived yet) but the way this mask fits on the face looks great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09HHRKZKD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1
 
Kerr84 said:
We wear masks and she likes putting them on me. We’ve tried a few different ones, putting them on stuffed animals, during screen time, etc. We haven’t tried a pacifier mask, but it took us forever to drop the pacifier and don’t want to reintroduce it. Just hoping she will be more open to it one day.
Click to expand...

I know my 5 year old doesn't really like the earloops on her ears, so I got some extenders and lanyards because they changed how they felt. It really is about finding the right fit, some are too big and some are too small and others are just right. My daughter likes hers just a tad loose, not swimmingly loose but if it's TOO tight, she doesn't like them.

Her fave cloth masks were from old navy. https://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/prod...=meganav:Girls:Shoes & Accessories:Face Masks

I bought some sort of unicorn disposable mask on amazon, which she likes the design of but I think they're too small.
 
I had to keep her hands occupied with a toy after about 30 mins (used a dinosaur bubble popping toy); she pulled her mask down 4 times (I paused it and she actually repeated ‘put on your mask’ from the video and pulled her mask up on the third try; 4th time she just had to suck on her two fingers so I just took the mask off and stopped her favorite program (cocomelon).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B098J2LCG7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
So far 40 mins with distractions at home; 45 mins-1 hr in a stroller.
 
Yesterday was not great. We got up to 25 mins and then had to take a break and did 20 mins after dinner. I also noticed her breathing fast when the mask is above her nose. She’s in the 18th percentile so a bit small and has a small nose and even a kids mask goes up to her eyes.

There is no other country that is doing this and it quacks like a duck. My opinion matters very little and I’m pro vaccine and extremely pro mask (we wore them even before they were required; kept them on even when the rules were relaxed outdoors in crowds).
 
Disturbia said:
Yesterday was not great. We got up to 25 mins and then had to take a break and did 20 mins after dinner. I also noticed her breathing fast when the mask is above her nose. She’s in the 18th percentile so a bit small and has a small nose and even a kids mask goes up to her eyes.

There is no other country that is doing this and it quacks like a duck. My opinion matters very little and I’m pro vaccine and extremely pro mask (we wore them even before they were required; kept them on even when the rules were relaxed outdoors in crowds).
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I agree 100%. I am not against masks, but I definitely wish we would listen to WHO’s recommendation of 5 years old like most other countries.
 
Kerr84 said:
At what age did your toddler start wearing a mask consistently that you felt confident enough to go to Disney? In my opinion, there is a huge difference between just turned 2 and almost 3. My daughter is 2 1/2 and will not wear a mask for a single second. She has sensory issues and a speech/receptive language delay so explaining that Mickey requires it will mean nothing to her. I have read lots of threads with tips, but they haven’t worked because I can’t get her to wear it even for a short time. Did it just click for your toddler at some point? I’m feeling defeated and thinking that we won’t be able to go again for a looooooong time. Hoping for some encouraging stories and hating that we will be missing out when she is still free.
Click to expand...
I just found a mask for sensory issues. I think it checks the parrot beak and pulling on the ears (2 major issues for younger kids); It’s sold out as well

https://rafinova.com/products/sensory-friendly-mask?sscid=21k6_6tw63&variant=39632580182064
https://www.autism-products.com/product/sensory-friendly-protective-fabric-mask/
 
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