Souvenirs are a huge part of visiting Disneyland, you can find them literally around every corner. Here are the 5 most important souvenirs that every kid should have on their first trip (or at some point in their childhood):

 1. Mickey Ears hat – This will make for the cutest pictures and will make your child feel like they are part of the magic.

2. Lanyard and pin(s) – Even if your child is very little, or doesn’t care about pins or pin trading yet, you will be starting a collection for them that they will treasure later on. Pick a pin for your child that represents a memorable moment from your trip – like the “My First Visit” pin or a Winnie-the-Pooh pin if that was their favorite ride.

Learn more about pin trading basics and the pin trading etiquette.

3. Silhouette – This souvenir is more for the parents than the kids, but luckily you get two! You can frame one for yourself and put the other in your child’s memory box or book so they can have it later. (Fun fact: My husband and I both have one of ourselves when we were very small, and now we have our own kids silhouettes to add to the collection.)

4. Pressed penny book – Since kids love collecting things (and pennies are less expensive than pins), pressed pennies are fun because there seem to be machines in almost every nook and cranny, each with a different design. I’ve also found that many places outside Disneyland (zoos, memorials, etc.) have pressed penny machines — which means they can work on their collection even after leaving the Disneyland Resort! Learn more about the special pressed coins available throughout the Disneyland Resort by clicking here.

5. Something that they want – Skip the practicality and let your kid pick something that they truly want (no matter if it will break in two days, or lose their interest in a week). What I have found to work for little kids is to let them pick something right away that they can play with and focus on throughout the trip that will also distract them during waits, etc. For older kids, tell them they can look and think about what they want, but nothing will be purchased until the last day – this keeps them from begging for everything throughout the trip and from regretting a decision made too early.