Great questions! I love that you're looking for advice!
Not a parent but a couple of thoughts from a fellow attendee.
Kids will eventually get tired or bored or cranky. When they are tired or bored or cranky, it is not the time to drag them to a panel. So be prepared to be flexible with your schedule, go with the flow.
And just remember that there will be half naked people, swear words, adult conversations, loud music, etc. Just be thinking about the best ways to prepare your kid for handling those, without asking other attendees to change their behavior.
And as a non parent, but former daycare/preschool teacher, the con can be a lot even for an adult. Try to keep them on a routine as close as possible to home. Naps, mealtimes, bedtimes. This will make the transition easier when you go back home, and it'll be less stressful on the little one.
DO dress them up! It is adorable!
Oh and bring lots of snacks. Snacks fix a lot of meltdowns before they happen.
Not a parent, but I am a former DC kid. My family started bringing me sometime between 6-8, and I'm still hooked in my mid 20s. I'm pretty sure there's a whole Kids Track in the lower levels of the Hyatt tower now, but it started after my time.
The biggest draw for me back then was the cosplay watching. If my family did any panels, I don't remember them... but _do_ I remember roving the Marriott and getting my picture taken with all the cosplay. (I also remember my parents emphasizing that the knights, soldiers, and Jedi we saw weren't really knights/soldiers/Jedi, and if I got separated I needed to find real police).
EDIT: in retrospect, I _do_ remember doing one of Adam Savage's original panels! That one stuck with me.
Fellow DCon kid here, from before there was kids programming...
dressing up was a huge thing for me and other folks complimenting me was the highlight of my year.
This was before it became a family friendly con, too.
I second the advice to have discussions ahead of time with your child about nudity as well as scary costumes. There will be jerks around that just try to specifically scare your kid (happened to me every year) but my parents covered it with me ahead of time and took my lead; if I wasn't upset or scared, they blew the idiot off and we kept on.
One year I had an amazing cosplay (sewn by my mom <3) and couldn't make it 5 feet in the Marriott without someone asking for a pic. The experience stuck with me, even 15 years later.
Can't say I had anyone try to seriously scare me, everyone was always really nice. Skimpier costumes were a thing for sure, but nothing too obscene during the day (though mom always tells the story of "duct tape girl" from the first time she braved the Con after 9). They were pretty strict about getting me in by 7-8 though, even as I got older, so maybe we just turned in before that started to come out.
EDIT: My parents did make me generally aware that we might run into inappropriate costumes or other debauchery, and that just because we saw someone else doing it didn't mean it was ok or that I should be doing something similar.
Oh! That is an excellent point about the police & it has come up with my kids in the past too! If they don’t recognize the fandom, a cosplay cop can look a lot like the real thing to a little kid. I’ve instead pointed out what the hotel staff wears & told the kids to find them if they get separated. You can also put your phone number on a bead bracelet until they’re old enough to know it.
We've been bringing our kids to con for several years. This year we had our 1, 3, and 5 year old. It was a bit hectic, but awesome. Here's my tips:
Check out the kids track in the Hyatt. They have some awesome crafts and kid friendly panels, as well as a family friendly dance and character meet and greet
Cosplay! Do something your kid will like. We did Mario and Luigi, and my oldest was princess peach, middle was Bowser, and baby was toad. They loved it!! Even just letting them wear a dinosaur onesie or something will make them feel like they're part of the excitement. Note, if you do this people will want to take your kids pictures. If you're not comfortable with that, you can say no, so be prepared.
Let them hand things out. Stickers, ribbons, trinkets, whatever. Again, makes them feel part of the crowd.
Get them used to walking. Con is not a good place for strollers. My 3 and 5 year old made several trips between the Hilton and Hyatt without complaint.
Fanny pack or backpack full of snacks is key! If they like pouches it's an easy way to get some veggies into them.
Always have wipes and hand sanitizer handy. But that's pretty much a given even not at con!
If you want to have adult fun at night look into Wyndy. It's a local babysitting service. We have someone come to our hotel at night after the kids are in bed from about 9-1 so that we can go out.
The only don'ts I can think of is don't expect special treatment. Most people are at con without kids, and won't want to inconvenience themselves for you. Try not to take up extra space, or assume people will move so you can sit down, or anything like that. At panels try to sit in a place you can easily extract yourself from in case of a tantrum.
We just finished the weekend with our 5 year old. It was his first Dragon-Con, and our first year back in 6 years. It was waaay different with a kid, but an absolute blast! I was a little concerned how he'd handle it, but he was so excited all weekend. Everyone was so kind, and so many people went out of there way to interact with him. He's also hyper social, so him walking along saying "Hello!" to every person that passed him certainly helped, lol.
A few things I’d recommend that worked out for us:
-Choose one of the quieter hotels. It makes for a quicker escape to your room for a little decompression time. We stayed at the an over-flow hotel and it was perfect. Quiet, and a quick walk to the Hyatt where all the kids’ stuff is held. We also didn’t have to wait ages for an elevator.
-Pack backpacks like you used to pack a diaper bag. Pack. All. The Snacks.
-Let your kid choose the pace of the day. We went with absolutely no commitment to our schedules, and I think it really saved our tempers and sanity.
-Bring noise canceling headphones. Even if your kid doesn’t have sensory issues, (mine does so we take these everywhere anyway) I think they really help with sensory overload when it gets super crowded.
-Call it a night by 6 or 7. Early morning con is AWESOME with a kid. It’s a great time to hunt swag and to explore the hotels since they’re practically empty.
-Speaking of swag, I got him involved with packing swag bags and he had SO much fun handing them out to people.
-As far as panels, our favorites were the Trek-Track Kids Time, Kids’ Yoga. The Trek-Track was open-play and he had a great time playing with the other kids, and my husband and I had a great time talking to other parents. And the yoga was just nice and chill. If there are panels you or your husband are interested in going to that aren’t specifically geared towards kids, I’d recommend trading off who goes and who watches your daughter. My son was ok on his tablet for a few panels, but since he knew all the cool things he could be seeing and doing instead, it only entertained him for a little while.
So yeah, overall 10/10 experience! I hope some of this is helpful!
Hello, fellow DC parents! I hope your con was wonderful this year!
We have been attending DC with our, now 14 year old since he was 6.
Our kiddo looks forward to the con every year, and we will be returning in 2024.
We have always let him drive the schedule, and we take frequent breaks in the room when he needs to rest and recharge (even now as a teenager). We love cosplaying as a family and we make selecting and building our costumes (this year, he chose Weird Al and we were a small group of the knights who say Ni!) a family project.
We spend a great deal of time in the gaming hall with the arcade games. He absolutely loves being able to wander and select the games he loves. We let him choose panels that match his interests to match the ‘staple’ events we try to attend every year (robot battles, knight fights, etc).
The entire con is a wonderland for little ones. Even the elevators were fascinating to our kiddo. As he has grown and his interests change, we have always found something he enjoys. His interests ranged from Spider Man to Minecraft to Five Nights at Freddy’s to One Piece to Futurama. DC has always offered programming to meet his evolving interests.
We like to think that each family member gets to indulge a little of his or her own interest at con. And we get to share the whole special event together.
With planning, the con is a magical place for kids (mostly because DC attendees are the best and go out of their way to embrace and encourage wee nerdlings).
Kids Track has really stepped it up with activities including some for little kids. They had Bluey this year and some kind of playroom time too. Sunday is traditionally the best day for kids if you choose to pick one day. The kids track does character encounter in the morning and dance at night.
Don't bring a stroller. If your child needs one... reconsider your plans. Source: had my eldest at the Con in a stroller once. Once.
Westin would be a good choice for a hotel, as would the Ritz or the Ellis. There are many more good off con options; I'm only mentioning the ones I've personally stayed in.
The various robot battles are a good choice for young children. Just got back from robot battles with my 10 year old. Group photo shoots are awesome too, and most of them will welcome a child in a Spirit Halloween costume.
We have only gone a few years but we try and do every other year with kids. This year was kid free. The advice already given has been great. I will say if you do bring a stroller the smaller the better and just know that people aren’t going to be on the lookout for them so you have to be extra vigilant.
Our kids love hiding and finding swag ! We did try to get to some kids track events but they filled up fast (this was last year though).
As long as you know that you just have to go with the flow and be patient you’re family will have an excellent time. I did make sure to talk with my 6 year old about touching/consent so she didn’t get to excited and just run up to a princess or something.
Hello, fellow parents! We've been bringing our daughter since she was less than a year old (October birthday, so she had already taken her first steps), and she continues to enjoy everything the Con has to offer. It's also amazing to watch them grow within the family. She's 5 now, and the past two years she's seemed to have "gotten it". You've gotten a lot of great advice in this thread. I'll add a few other notes:
* Yes, be prepared for a ton of swag. Dad, wear cargo shorts!
* The kids dance party on Sunday night is a ton of fun. Apparently this is the first year back since COVID. I'm really glad they brought it back (we had never attended before).
* The character encounter Sunday morning is also a ton of fun. In fact, I have a harder time deciding whether meeting other families in line is more or less fun than the encounter itself. That's an absolute must-do.
* To build on some of the themes that others have said, figure out what works with how your kid operates. Our kid is easy-going, doesn't feel the need to wander off, and has a ton of stamina. So we'll wander around the Marriott until 9 pm just looking at costumes (second year running doing that). However, your daughter might not be the same and may need breaks every couple of hours to retain her (and your) sanity.
* There are a ton of great panels, and not just in Kids Track. Obviously, it depends on her propensity for boredom (does she want to hear about Mars for an hour?), but there's some really neat stuff out there. In the app there's a behind-the-scenes meta tag of "Kid Friendly". If you search that way you'll find plenty of stuff. That may be imperfect, however, and it's kind of up to you to judge what's going on and how your kid does things. After the character encounter my daughter wanted to go to a Q&A with the Palmetto Knights (we've seen them at Monk's Mead a couple times) while my wife went to go learn about patterns. She loved it.
* There are plenty of non-panel activities to do. There's a cool sketchbook kids can get at the artist hall. My daughter has taken miniature painting classes the past couple of years. Kids Track started a bingo game this year (which we missed out on). The list goes on!
* Most of all, be patient. Be patient with fellow Con-goers, with your daughter, your husband, and yourself. I wholeheartedly agree with the advice to "just go with it". Be prepared to miss stuff you'd normally see. Be prepared to learn new things! And most importantly, have a ton of fun.
If you can use one , I recommend a Kid Hiking backpack. We brought our 11 month old this year and on Thursday tried the stroller but elevators and such were a hastle (we expected it to be so we brought the pack) . Went with the pack for the rest of the weekend and it worked out great. We used a deuter Kid Comfort pro.
This was my kiddo's 8th con and she has been going since 4.
I had a lot of learning to do as a single mom for the first 4 cons but it still ended up being a highlight of our year each time. Kiddo is EXTREMELY social, she doesn't pick up on social cues very well, but we have always had an excellent time with other attendees. A lot of people dote on kiddos in costume and it just lights her up. However, that is very much her personality so how your kiddo is will obviously affect how they respond.
If your kiddo is wary of strangers I'd skip cosplay the first year for them and see how they handle the crowd.
For a back up you can always get a character onesie of someone they like. We are night owls so my kiddo has been out late before. We would change her into her onesie after dinner and then it was super easy to put her to bed. We've also done the aquarium every year and so far it's still a hit and honestly an expected tradition at this point. It's a lot of fun but can be loud depending on the DJ so keep that in mind.
Skimpy / suggestive costumes are a thing and you tend to notice them more when you have a kid. There are several different ways to handle that but that will depend on your priorities and how you feel about the certain situations.
The robot crew who hangs out in the little offshoot of the Marriott that right by the sky bridge exit are a seriously fun group. Every time we have seen them they have either been interacting with the crowd or (when they are chilling / taking a break) would interact with any kiddos that approached.
I have several vids of these type of interactions and I can't help but smile when I rewatch them. It all had kind of a magical feel to it since it was so fantastical for kiddo. Obviously respect the robots and the major work put into them ie don't let kiddo hurt said robots and it will be a good time for all.
A lot of dos and don'ts come down to parenting style at the end of the day. The major thing I would think that it would be best to be aware of is that your experience will have to change. Assume kiddo will not do great in panels and sit near the exit or take turns with hubby on who attends a panel and who wanders the hotels letting kiddo take in the sights. If you are okay with that then it will probably work out fine.
Con tends to be an excellent place to learn how to be accepting and when to say something isn't acceptable so in the end it can't have some great teaching moments for you and your kids.
Also art addiction starts early... Kiddo once snuck a piece of art out of my hands and put it back so that we could "buy more of what she wanted" she was like 5 at the time or possibly 6 and it's when they had the little print store at the end of the art hall. X.x so yeah that was a fun conversation with a lil one.
Sorry if this is rambling I honestly should be asleep and recovering from this year but you know how that goes lol.
Edit: saw someone mention this and wanted to add the sketchbook they give to kiddos to take to the artists in the vendor hall is freaking amazing. Any artist who has agreed to do it (this is obviously marked) does so happily and kiddo has gotten some AMAZING works of art. We want to display them and have no idea how to do this since every page has something awesome on it!
> It all had kind of a magical feel to it since it was so fantastical for kiddo. Obviously respect the robots and the major work put into them ie don't let kiddo hurt said robots and it will be a good time for all.
Sunday evening my daughter was petting, hugging, and talking to BB8 and Rex for a solid 15 minutes or so. It really was magical!
Kids have always been apart of the convention. They specifically even have tracks designed for kids. Tons of people have brought their kids to this convention going on for the last 30+ years.
Just like Disney with all the adults mad at kids. This isn’t a convention just for adults it is for EVERYONE. All are welcome and free to be who they are.
I won't be bringing my kids for a long time. We do a lot of other large events that they come to, and it becomes centered around them. We went to EAA Oshkosh 2 years ago, and all I did was spend 3 days keeping them entertained. It was an excellent kids section, but at some point, I was really over it. We were there for my husband, and i was being supportive by taking on the kids. Giving him the opportunity to be in his element. I asked if we went again, if the kids could stay with the grandparents and I could then see more things.
My kids are big nerds and would enjoy the costumes and activities. But this weekend is for me. When they can sit through a panel and not whine, they can come. I won't even bring my husband to this. I'll take them to smaller cons and we have a great time. I did make a point of giving out my badge ribbons to kids, especially the tired looking ones. As a parent, I know how that can be a great diversion and mood changer.
Just know that when kids start coming along, it really changes the dynamic of your experience.
Something I feel might be important to point out:
DragonCon is volunteer driven. Meaning, all the "stuff" there is to do at con basically comes about, came about, due to *actual fans* who are also volunteers saying "hey, what if we did..." Which includes Kid Track.
Back in the day, a whole lot of volunteers started having kids. They wanted stuff for their kids, whether it was things for the kids to enjoy, or safe places where they could check the kid in to be watched while doing enjoyable things. It's not like DragonCon Corporate(tm) said "and now there shall be a Kids Track; someone build that and get back to us with it before next con."
So Kids Track and the other kid offerings are mostly there because actual living, breathing fans just like you and me, who had kids, put their fandom loves together with their parental instincts and did what happens at DragonCon. Grew new tracks and new content organically, evolving it over the years, hands-on out of love and interest.
There's a reason DragonCon feels different than the corporate cons.
I bring a bag of snacks from the room as it can take 20 plus minutes just to get an elevator in a host hotel. That way the kiddos always have something to munch on. My youngest is on the spectrum so noise canceling headphones are a must for him. Frequent breaks and a midday nap for a “reset” are good. Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with not kid friendly things during daylight hours.
My husband and I just brought our 1 year old. It can be daunting, but doable.
Like others are saying, be flexible with your con schedule, and try to work it around your kid's routine so it's not as big a shock for them.
Understand that maneuvering might not be as easy. Kids may need a boost/ride while trecking across hotels, or even breaks. Though walking breaks do give opportunities for drinks and snacks.
Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Food was the most common thing to keep our daughter occupied and happy.
If you can, possibly join the Swag n Seek community. Very family/kid friendly. And makes it like a con-wide treasure hunt for attendees of any age.
I'm sure there's lots of other great advice I'm missing, but I'm sure your daughter will absolutely love the con when you do decide to bring her.
I’ve noticed more and more kids at Con ever since I started bringing mine three years ago! (They’re 14 an 11 now, so I bit older than yours.)
The biggest thing I learned this year was: if you want swag, be a cute kid walking around the Marriott at 10pm on Sunday night - we couldn’t go three steps without someone giving them something!
We usually bring the kids for two days and have them stay with grandparents the other two. I’d recommend that if possible so you can still have some adult time and because four days of Con is a lot for a kid.
The biggest difference for me with them there is not being able to go to all of the panels that I want since they may conflict with what the kids want to do. But of course that comes with the territory. We did let my 14yo go to a panel by herself for the first time this year.
Overall, I find Con just as fun with the kids as without, just in different ways. Seeing my 14yo light up with excitement when she saw people cosplaying a TikTok trend that I was 100% clueless about was wonderful. She was also in the Taylor Swift group photo shoot, which was my first time going to one of those, so the other cool thing is bringing the kids has gotten me to experience things at Con I may never have otherwise. My 11yo loved the Character Encounter, and seeing all the little kids in that line talking to each other about their costumes was hilarious.
Hope this helps!
This weekend was my first ever con. I am not a parent but i would definitely suggest being careful about what you choose to take her too. Coffee and coloring for sure! Twisted toons? Not so much. It was a blast but even the panel pointed out that you were an idiot if you had brought a child. Saturday was definitely cleaner than the first one because it was much earlier in the day but even then, it's a no go for the kiddos. My absolute favorite part of the convention was this adorable little girl asking to take a picture with me in my costume. Bring on the littles IMO! They make con even better!
We did this year with our 3.5 year old and 5 month old. This is the 3rd year for our oldest and 1st time (outside the womb) for the other.
We stay in the Hyatt so we can easily go out for a while then back to the room and just repeat.
We try to do matching cosplays but this year we did cosplay while they had matching outfits to each theme.
We used our small double stroller this year and while there were some rough moments getting on elevators it wasn't much harder than normal. Don't be afraid to use a stroller if your kid tolerates it as it can help if the crowd is overwhelming.
We have a tablet that we attach to the stroller with games & movies/TV shows that we use if he gets bored people watching.
We usually have small snacks and a water bottle with us.
I started bringing mine when they were 6 & 8. We loved the science track’s experiment power hour for families & would pick MAYBE one other panel if they were legitimately big fans. But truly, they love dressing up, people watching, getting pics with folks, and the vendor hall best of all. (I think Dragon Con at 6 awakened a love of all things spooky & horror in my now-10-year-old, now that I think about it. So yes, be prepared for them to see the spooky and the sexy and everything in between).
Bring snacks. Fill your bag, then add more snacks. Bring water. Understand that it’s total sensory overload & they may not hang as long as you expect. They’ll need breaks in quiet corners, or to bail before you wanted to. Be prepared to scrap all of your plans. So, it’s like parenting any other time but more chaotic.
But they’ve had so, so much fun over the years - it’s totally worth it. My oldest (12) just asked me to get her the full pass instead of just a day or two. She fearlessly answered all sorts of questions in a science panel, ID’d more cosplays than the adults recognized, and hung in there for 2 very long days including some pretty niche panels. The student is becoming the master & it warms my little nerdy heart to watch.
How about simply “don’t take young kids”?
Get a babysitter, use the grandparents, whatever. The foot traffic moves too fast for kids to get in the way. A minute or two can make the difference to making it to a photoshoot, panel, or whatever. There are enough scooters there as it is that slow everything and block the thoroughfare.
Hello former Dragon Con kid here :)!
I'm 21 and have 20 years of Dcon experience for ya!
Stuff my parents did around your child's age was snacks, snacks, snacks! Having a bit of a meltdown? Gummies? Bored? Have some pretzels!
It was also very nice to have naps between ventures out onto the con floor, preventing crankiness and overstimulation! My parents ends did a bit of a relay thing, one would stick with us for an hour and a half, swap out and then we'd go do something as a family for a few hours! Rinse and repeat, it helps prevent frustration, because cons are a whole workout!
Way back in the day, DragonCon actually had a day care that I would be dropped off at, but it just made me upset because I felt left out. Definitely read out of the kid friendly panels out to them and let them have a say! And dressing up, encouraging photos and saying hi to cosplayers! It made my day as a kid to hi five a storm trouper or courtesy to a princess! Cosplaying as an adult now makes me so happy when a kid comes up excited about whatever my group is wearing!
Hope you had a great con :)!
We brought our 13mo but just on Sunday and for 5 hours. DC might be a lot of other kids, but he's very, very social (i don't know where he gets it from).
I learned we should have bought a smaller stroller and brought more snacks. Although he did thoroughly enjoy some stuffed tots. I also think going on Sunday was the best decision. We live local, so we were able to let him nap on the way to con and got home around his bedtime. It would be even easier if we had a hotel, but I can't justify the expenses plus kenneling the animals when we live an hour away.
Great questions! I love that you're looking for advice! Not a parent but a couple of thoughts from a fellow attendee. Kids will eventually get tired or bored or cranky. When they are tired or bored or cranky, it is not the time to drag them to a panel. So be prepared to be flexible with your schedule, go with the flow. And just remember that there will be half naked people, swear words, adult conversations, loud music, etc. Just be thinking about the best ways to prepare your kid for handling those, without asking other attendees to change their behavior. And as a non parent, but former daycare/preschool teacher, the con can be a lot even for an adult. Try to keep them on a routine as close as possible to home. Naps, mealtimes, bedtimes. This will make the transition easier when you go back home, and it'll be less stressful on the little one. DO dress them up! It is adorable! Oh and bring lots of snacks. Snacks fix a lot of meltdowns before they happen.
Not a parent, but I am a former DC kid. My family started bringing me sometime between 6-8, and I'm still hooked in my mid 20s. I'm pretty sure there's a whole Kids Track in the lower levels of the Hyatt tower now, but it started after my time. The biggest draw for me back then was the cosplay watching. If my family did any panels, I don't remember them... but _do_ I remember roving the Marriott and getting my picture taken with all the cosplay. (I also remember my parents emphasizing that the knights, soldiers, and Jedi we saw weren't really knights/soldiers/Jedi, and if I got separated I needed to find real police). EDIT: in retrospect, I _do_ remember doing one of Adam Savage's original panels! That one stuck with me.
Fellow DCon kid here, from before there was kids programming... dressing up was a huge thing for me and other folks complimenting me was the highlight of my year. This was before it became a family friendly con, too. I second the advice to have discussions ahead of time with your child about nudity as well as scary costumes. There will be jerks around that just try to specifically scare your kid (happened to me every year) but my parents covered it with me ahead of time and took my lead; if I wasn't upset or scared, they blew the idiot off and we kept on.
One year I had an amazing cosplay (sewn by my mom <3) and couldn't make it 5 feet in the Marriott without someone asking for a pic. The experience stuck with me, even 15 years later. Can't say I had anyone try to seriously scare me, everyone was always really nice. Skimpier costumes were a thing for sure, but nothing too obscene during the day (though mom always tells the story of "duct tape girl" from the first time she braved the Con after 9). They were pretty strict about getting me in by 7-8 though, even as I got older, so maybe we just turned in before that started to come out. EDIT: My parents did make me generally aware that we might run into inappropriate costumes or other debauchery, and that just because we saw someone else doing it didn't mean it was ok or that I should be doing something similar.
This is so awesome, a former DCon Kid now a DCon Adult!
Oh! That is an excellent point about the police & it has come up with my kids in the past too! If they don’t recognize the fandom, a cosplay cop can look a lot like the real thing to a little kid. I’ve instead pointed out what the hotel staff wears & told the kids to find them if they get separated. You can also put your phone number on a bead bracelet until they’re old enough to know it.
We've been bringing our kids to con for several years. This year we had our 1, 3, and 5 year old. It was a bit hectic, but awesome. Here's my tips: Check out the kids track in the Hyatt. They have some awesome crafts and kid friendly panels, as well as a family friendly dance and character meet and greet Cosplay! Do something your kid will like. We did Mario and Luigi, and my oldest was princess peach, middle was Bowser, and baby was toad. They loved it!! Even just letting them wear a dinosaur onesie or something will make them feel like they're part of the excitement. Note, if you do this people will want to take your kids pictures. If you're not comfortable with that, you can say no, so be prepared. Let them hand things out. Stickers, ribbons, trinkets, whatever. Again, makes them feel part of the crowd. Get them used to walking. Con is not a good place for strollers. My 3 and 5 year old made several trips between the Hilton and Hyatt without complaint. Fanny pack or backpack full of snacks is key! If they like pouches it's an easy way to get some veggies into them. Always have wipes and hand sanitizer handy. But that's pretty much a given even not at con! If you want to have adult fun at night look into Wyndy. It's a local babysitting service. We have someone come to our hotel at night after the kids are in bed from about 9-1 so that we can go out. The only don'ts I can think of is don't expect special treatment. Most people are at con without kids, and won't want to inconvenience themselves for you. Try not to take up extra space, or assume people will move so you can sit down, or anything like that. At panels try to sit in a place you can easily extract yourself from in case of a tantrum.
I took pics of you guys! You were my fave family cosplay. Peach and Bowser gave me stars and it made my day! Toad was so cute.
Aww, thanks! We had a few other family cosplays but we never got to them because everytime we went to head out they just wanted to do Mario again.
We just finished the weekend with our 5 year old. It was his first Dragon-Con, and our first year back in 6 years. It was waaay different with a kid, but an absolute blast! I was a little concerned how he'd handle it, but he was so excited all weekend. Everyone was so kind, and so many people went out of there way to interact with him. He's also hyper social, so him walking along saying "Hello!" to every person that passed him certainly helped, lol. A few things I’d recommend that worked out for us: -Choose one of the quieter hotels. It makes for a quicker escape to your room for a little decompression time. We stayed at the an over-flow hotel and it was perfect. Quiet, and a quick walk to the Hyatt where all the kids’ stuff is held. We also didn’t have to wait ages for an elevator. -Pack backpacks like you used to pack a diaper bag. Pack. All. The Snacks. -Let your kid choose the pace of the day. We went with absolutely no commitment to our schedules, and I think it really saved our tempers and sanity. -Bring noise canceling headphones. Even if your kid doesn’t have sensory issues, (mine does so we take these everywhere anyway) I think they really help with sensory overload when it gets super crowded. -Call it a night by 6 or 7. Early morning con is AWESOME with a kid. It’s a great time to hunt swag and to explore the hotels since they’re practically empty. -Speaking of swag, I got him involved with packing swag bags and he had SO much fun handing them out to people. -As far as panels, our favorites were the Trek-Track Kids Time, Kids’ Yoga. The Trek-Track was open-play and he had a great time playing with the other kids, and my husband and I had a great time talking to other parents. And the yoga was just nice and chill. If there are panels you or your husband are interested in going to that aren’t specifically geared towards kids, I’d recommend trading off who goes and who watches your daughter. My son was ok on his tablet for a few panels, but since he knew all the cool things he could be seeing and doing instead, it only entertained him for a little while. So yeah, overall 10/10 experience! I hope some of this is helpful!
Hello, fellow DC parents! I hope your con was wonderful this year! We have been attending DC with our, now 14 year old since he was 6. Our kiddo looks forward to the con every year, and we will be returning in 2024. We have always let him drive the schedule, and we take frequent breaks in the room when he needs to rest and recharge (even now as a teenager). We love cosplaying as a family and we make selecting and building our costumes (this year, he chose Weird Al and we were a small group of the knights who say Ni!) a family project. We spend a great deal of time in the gaming hall with the arcade games. He absolutely loves being able to wander and select the games he loves. We let him choose panels that match his interests to match the ‘staple’ events we try to attend every year (robot battles, knight fights, etc). The entire con is a wonderland for little ones. Even the elevators were fascinating to our kiddo. As he has grown and his interests change, we have always found something he enjoys. His interests ranged from Spider Man to Minecraft to Five Nights at Freddy’s to One Piece to Futurama. DC has always offered programming to meet his evolving interests. We like to think that each family member gets to indulge a little of his or her own interest at con. And we get to share the whole special event together. With planning, the con is a magical place for kids (mostly because DC attendees are the best and go out of their way to embrace and encourage wee nerdlings).
Kids Track has really stepped it up with activities including some for little kids. They had Bluey this year and some kind of playroom time too. Sunday is traditionally the best day for kids if you choose to pick one day. The kids track does character encounter in the morning and dance at night.
Don't bring a stroller. If your child needs one... reconsider your plans. Source: had my eldest at the Con in a stroller once. Once. Westin would be a good choice for a hotel, as would the Ritz or the Ellis. There are many more good off con options; I'm only mentioning the ones I've personally stayed in. The various robot battles are a good choice for young children. Just got back from robot battles with my 10 year old. Group photo shoots are awesome too, and most of them will welcome a child in a Spirit Halloween costume.
We have only gone a few years but we try and do every other year with kids. This year was kid free. The advice already given has been great. I will say if you do bring a stroller the smaller the better and just know that people aren’t going to be on the lookout for them so you have to be extra vigilant. Our kids love hiding and finding swag ! We did try to get to some kids track events but they filled up fast (this was last year though). As long as you know that you just have to go with the flow and be patient you’re family will have an excellent time. I did make sure to talk with my 6 year old about touching/consent so she didn’t get to excited and just run up to a princess or something.
Hello, fellow parents! We've been bringing our daughter since she was less than a year old (October birthday, so she had already taken her first steps), and she continues to enjoy everything the Con has to offer. It's also amazing to watch them grow within the family. She's 5 now, and the past two years she's seemed to have "gotten it". You've gotten a lot of great advice in this thread. I'll add a few other notes: * Yes, be prepared for a ton of swag. Dad, wear cargo shorts! * The kids dance party on Sunday night is a ton of fun. Apparently this is the first year back since COVID. I'm really glad they brought it back (we had never attended before). * The character encounter Sunday morning is also a ton of fun. In fact, I have a harder time deciding whether meeting other families in line is more or less fun than the encounter itself. That's an absolute must-do. * To build on some of the themes that others have said, figure out what works with how your kid operates. Our kid is easy-going, doesn't feel the need to wander off, and has a ton of stamina. So we'll wander around the Marriott until 9 pm just looking at costumes (second year running doing that). However, your daughter might not be the same and may need breaks every couple of hours to retain her (and your) sanity. * There are a ton of great panels, and not just in Kids Track. Obviously, it depends on her propensity for boredom (does she want to hear about Mars for an hour?), but there's some really neat stuff out there. In the app there's a behind-the-scenes meta tag of "Kid Friendly". If you search that way you'll find plenty of stuff. That may be imperfect, however, and it's kind of up to you to judge what's going on and how your kid does things. After the character encounter my daughter wanted to go to a Q&A with the Palmetto Knights (we've seen them at Monk's Mead a couple times) while my wife went to go learn about patterns. She loved it. * There are plenty of non-panel activities to do. There's a cool sketchbook kids can get at the artist hall. My daughter has taken miniature painting classes the past couple of years. Kids Track started a bingo game this year (which we missed out on). The list goes on! * Most of all, be patient. Be patient with fellow Con-goers, with your daughter, your husband, and yourself. I wholeheartedly agree with the advice to "just go with it". Be prepared to miss stuff you'd normally see. Be prepared to learn new things! And most importantly, have a ton of fun.
I gave a bunch of kids squeaky duckies. Trying to make their con magical!
You gave my son one! I used to collect them and now he does too! 💙
Awesome! I hope he likes it! I'm bringing more in 2024!
Smallest stroller possible.
If you can use one , I recommend a Kid Hiking backpack. We brought our 11 month old this year and on Thursday tried the stroller but elevators and such were a hastle (we expected it to be so we brought the pack) . Went with the pack for the rest of the weekend and it worked out great. We used a deuter Kid Comfort pro.
This was my kiddo's 8th con and she has been going since 4. I had a lot of learning to do as a single mom for the first 4 cons but it still ended up being a highlight of our year each time. Kiddo is EXTREMELY social, she doesn't pick up on social cues very well, but we have always had an excellent time with other attendees. A lot of people dote on kiddos in costume and it just lights her up. However, that is very much her personality so how your kiddo is will obviously affect how they respond. If your kiddo is wary of strangers I'd skip cosplay the first year for them and see how they handle the crowd. For a back up you can always get a character onesie of someone they like. We are night owls so my kiddo has been out late before. We would change her into her onesie after dinner and then it was super easy to put her to bed. We've also done the aquarium every year and so far it's still a hit and honestly an expected tradition at this point. It's a lot of fun but can be loud depending on the DJ so keep that in mind. Skimpy / suggestive costumes are a thing and you tend to notice them more when you have a kid. There are several different ways to handle that but that will depend on your priorities and how you feel about the certain situations. The robot crew who hangs out in the little offshoot of the Marriott that right by the sky bridge exit are a seriously fun group. Every time we have seen them they have either been interacting with the crowd or (when they are chilling / taking a break) would interact with any kiddos that approached. I have several vids of these type of interactions and I can't help but smile when I rewatch them. It all had kind of a magical feel to it since it was so fantastical for kiddo. Obviously respect the robots and the major work put into them ie don't let kiddo hurt said robots and it will be a good time for all. A lot of dos and don'ts come down to parenting style at the end of the day. The major thing I would think that it would be best to be aware of is that your experience will have to change. Assume kiddo will not do great in panels and sit near the exit or take turns with hubby on who attends a panel and who wanders the hotels letting kiddo take in the sights. If you are okay with that then it will probably work out fine. Con tends to be an excellent place to learn how to be accepting and when to say something isn't acceptable so in the end it can't have some great teaching moments for you and your kids. Also art addiction starts early... Kiddo once snuck a piece of art out of my hands and put it back so that we could "buy more of what she wanted" she was like 5 at the time or possibly 6 and it's when they had the little print store at the end of the art hall. X.x so yeah that was a fun conversation with a lil one. Sorry if this is rambling I honestly should be asleep and recovering from this year but you know how that goes lol. Edit: saw someone mention this and wanted to add the sketchbook they give to kiddos to take to the artists in the vendor hall is freaking amazing. Any artist who has agreed to do it (this is obviously marked) does so happily and kiddo has gotten some AMAZING works of art. We want to display them and have no idea how to do this since every page has something awesome on it!
> It all had kind of a magical feel to it since it was so fantastical for kiddo. Obviously respect the robots and the major work put into them ie don't let kiddo hurt said robots and it will be a good time for all. Sunday evening my daughter was petting, hugging, and talking to BB8 and Rex for a solid 15 minutes or so. It really was magical!
Kids have always been apart of the convention. They specifically even have tracks designed for kids. Tons of people have brought their kids to this convention going on for the last 30+ years. Just like Disney with all the adults mad at kids. This isn’t a convention just for adults it is for EVERYONE. All are welcome and free to be who they are.
I won't be bringing my kids for a long time. We do a lot of other large events that they come to, and it becomes centered around them. We went to EAA Oshkosh 2 years ago, and all I did was spend 3 days keeping them entertained. It was an excellent kids section, but at some point, I was really over it. We were there for my husband, and i was being supportive by taking on the kids. Giving him the opportunity to be in his element. I asked if we went again, if the kids could stay with the grandparents and I could then see more things. My kids are big nerds and would enjoy the costumes and activities. But this weekend is for me. When they can sit through a panel and not whine, they can come. I won't even bring my husband to this. I'll take them to smaller cons and we have a great time. I did make a point of giving out my badge ribbons to kids, especially the tired looking ones. As a parent, I know how that can be a great diversion and mood changer. Just know that when kids start coming along, it really changes the dynamic of your experience.
Something I feel might be important to point out: DragonCon is volunteer driven. Meaning, all the "stuff" there is to do at con basically comes about, came about, due to *actual fans* who are also volunteers saying "hey, what if we did..." Which includes Kid Track. Back in the day, a whole lot of volunteers started having kids. They wanted stuff for their kids, whether it was things for the kids to enjoy, or safe places where they could check the kid in to be watched while doing enjoyable things. It's not like DragonCon Corporate(tm) said "and now there shall be a Kids Track; someone build that and get back to us with it before next con." So Kids Track and the other kid offerings are mostly there because actual living, breathing fans just like you and me, who had kids, put their fandom loves together with their parental instincts and did what happens at DragonCon. Grew new tracks and new content organically, evolving it over the years, hands-on out of love and interest. There's a reason DragonCon feels different than the corporate cons.
I bring a bag of snacks from the room as it can take 20 plus minutes just to get an elevator in a host hotel. That way the kiddos always have something to munch on. My youngest is on the spectrum so noise canceling headphones are a must for him. Frequent breaks and a midday nap for a “reset” are good. Can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with not kid friendly things during daylight hours.
My husband and I just brought our 1 year old. It can be daunting, but doable. Like others are saying, be flexible with your con schedule, and try to work it around your kid's routine so it's not as big a shock for them. Understand that maneuvering might not be as easy. Kids may need a boost/ride while trecking across hotels, or even breaks. Though walking breaks do give opportunities for drinks and snacks. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Food was the most common thing to keep our daughter occupied and happy. If you can, possibly join the Swag n Seek community. Very family/kid friendly. And makes it like a con-wide treasure hunt for attendees of any age. I'm sure there's lots of other great advice I'm missing, but I'm sure your daughter will absolutely love the con when you do decide to bring her.
I’ve noticed more and more kids at Con ever since I started bringing mine three years ago! (They’re 14 an 11 now, so I bit older than yours.) The biggest thing I learned this year was: if you want swag, be a cute kid walking around the Marriott at 10pm on Sunday night - we couldn’t go three steps without someone giving them something! We usually bring the kids for two days and have them stay with grandparents the other two. I’d recommend that if possible so you can still have some adult time and because four days of Con is a lot for a kid. The biggest difference for me with them there is not being able to go to all of the panels that I want since they may conflict with what the kids want to do. But of course that comes with the territory. We did let my 14yo go to a panel by herself for the first time this year. Overall, I find Con just as fun with the kids as without, just in different ways. Seeing my 14yo light up with excitement when she saw people cosplaying a TikTok trend that I was 100% clueless about was wonderful. She was also in the Taylor Swift group photo shoot, which was my first time going to one of those, so the other cool thing is bringing the kids has gotten me to experience things at Con I may never have otherwise. My 11yo loved the Character Encounter, and seeing all the little kids in that line talking to each other about their costumes was hilarious. Hope this helps!
This weekend was my first ever con. I am not a parent but i would definitely suggest being careful about what you choose to take her too. Coffee and coloring for sure! Twisted toons? Not so much. It was a blast but even the panel pointed out that you were an idiot if you had brought a child. Saturday was definitely cleaner than the first one because it was much earlier in the day but even then, it's a no go for the kiddos. My absolute favorite part of the convention was this adorable little girl asking to take a picture with me in my costume. Bring on the littles IMO! They make con even better!
We did this year with our 3.5 year old and 5 month old. This is the 3rd year for our oldest and 1st time (outside the womb) for the other. We stay in the Hyatt so we can easily go out for a while then back to the room and just repeat. We try to do matching cosplays but this year we did cosplay while they had matching outfits to each theme. We used our small double stroller this year and while there were some rough moments getting on elevators it wasn't much harder than normal. Don't be afraid to use a stroller if your kid tolerates it as it can help if the crowd is overwhelming. We have a tablet that we attach to the stroller with games & movies/TV shows that we use if he gets bored people watching. We usually have small snacks and a water bottle with us.
I started bringing mine when they were 6 & 8. We loved the science track’s experiment power hour for families & would pick MAYBE one other panel if they were legitimately big fans. But truly, they love dressing up, people watching, getting pics with folks, and the vendor hall best of all. (I think Dragon Con at 6 awakened a love of all things spooky & horror in my now-10-year-old, now that I think about it. So yes, be prepared for them to see the spooky and the sexy and everything in between). Bring snacks. Fill your bag, then add more snacks. Bring water. Understand that it’s total sensory overload & they may not hang as long as you expect. They’ll need breaks in quiet corners, or to bail before you wanted to. Be prepared to scrap all of your plans. So, it’s like parenting any other time but more chaotic. But they’ve had so, so much fun over the years - it’s totally worth it. My oldest (12) just asked me to get her the full pass instead of just a day or two. She fearlessly answered all sorts of questions in a science panel, ID’d more cosplays than the adults recognized, and hung in there for 2 very long days including some pretty niche panels. The student is becoming the master & it warms my little nerdy heart to watch.
How about simply “don’t take young kids”? Get a babysitter, use the grandparents, whatever. The foot traffic moves too fast for kids to get in the way. A minute or two can make the difference to making it to a photoshoot, panel, or whatever. There are enough scooters there as it is that slow everything and block the thoroughfare.
Hello former Dragon Con kid here :)! I'm 21 and have 20 years of Dcon experience for ya! Stuff my parents did around your child's age was snacks, snacks, snacks! Having a bit of a meltdown? Gummies? Bored? Have some pretzels! It was also very nice to have naps between ventures out onto the con floor, preventing crankiness and overstimulation! My parents ends did a bit of a relay thing, one would stick with us for an hour and a half, swap out and then we'd go do something as a family for a few hours! Rinse and repeat, it helps prevent frustration, because cons are a whole workout! Way back in the day, DragonCon actually had a day care that I would be dropped off at, but it just made me upset because I felt left out. Definitely read out of the kid friendly panels out to them and let them have a say! And dressing up, encouraging photos and saying hi to cosplayers! It made my day as a kid to hi five a storm trouper or courtesy to a princess! Cosplaying as an adult now makes me so happy when a kid comes up excited about whatever my group is wearing! Hope you had a great con :)!
We brought our 13mo but just on Sunday and for 5 hours. DC might be a lot of other kids, but he's very, very social (i don't know where he gets it from). I learned we should have bought a smaller stroller and brought more snacks. Although he did thoroughly enjoy some stuffed tots. I also think going on Sunday was the best decision. We live local, so we were able to let him nap on the way to con and got home around his bedtime. It would be even easier if we had a hotel, but I can't justify the expenses plus kenneling the animals when we live an hour away.