Masks for 2 year olds

[Xahm]

My youngest is about to turn 2, so he'll need to start wearing a mask in public. Not looking for a discussion on that, just ideas for how to make it work. We've gotten him to wear a child size mask for about 10 minutes tops before he's done, and usually much less than that. Our current strategy is to treat it like a "big boy" thing and give lots of praise. No place we go (and we don't go too many places) will be checking birth certificates, but we do want to do our part.

Any ideas? Anything that's worked for you (besides just staying home, which isn't always an option.)

[Drama Llama]

Here is my go to strategy for teaching a toddler, or an older child with a disability, to keep a mask on.  

I pick some kind of really reinforcing activity that I had the power to stop.  For my oldest kid who needed to wear a nebulizer mask it was TV, for my middle kid who needed to wear a face mask, it was being read to, for my youngest it would have been some kind of rough and tumble play (youngest didn't have a need to wear a mask at 2).  Ideally pick something that the kid gets less frequently than they would like.  We restricted TV, so that was motivating, and my younger kids basically always wanted to read or roughhouse.

Tell the kid "we're going to put on a mask so we can . . . . ", put on the mask and immediately start the activity.  When the kid touches the mask, or takes it off, or whatever you don't want them to do, stop the activity.  Turn off the TV, close the book, stand up so that the wrestling stops, whatever.  Don't say anything, just wait.  When the kid tries to initiate the activity say "You need to wear your mask if you want to . . . " and help them put it back on.  Don't scold or lecture or say "I stopped because you took it off".  Just help them put it on, and immediately restart the fun activity.  Kids quickly get the connection between mask and fun, and build up their tolerance and soon they're just ignoring it.  

In addition to my own kids, I used this technique remotely this summer with several of my students with intellectual disability whose parents were sure they wouldn't be able to wear a mask.  I'd pull up something like a youtube video that they loved, play it on my computer, and then I'd watch their face while they watched the video and hit pause when they took it off.  All the kids got it quickly.  

[Pen]

I don’t have a child that age, but people I know who do said they used wanting to be like mommy daddy or big kids enticements

and Happy Mask Taiwan made type not German is very lightweight and sits away from nose mouth so it doesn’t feel especially bad - seems week tolerated by kids

[Pen]

Well tolerated

[wendyroo]

5 minutes ago, kand said:

Do make sure you have a mask that stays in place nicely and doesn’t slide down the face or pull on the ears. A nose wire piece is essential in my opinion to keep a mask up on a tiny face. 

Absolutely. At this point my kiddos can all tolerate around-the-ear masks, but they play with them a lot more than behind-the-head tie masks. With my youngest, I have the best luck with top and bottom straps fed through snug beads so I can quickly get it adjusted just perfectly on the top and bottom - not too tight, but not loose enough that it moves around, falls off her nose and draws her attention.

[73349]

If you're able to make a mask or get one custom-made, consider a fabric that the child will like, and then admire him in it and/or set other people up so they probably will. "A Spiderman mask--wow, look how handsome!" "Oh, I see you have a yellow mask to match your yellow shirt--is that your favorite color?" "You have your own dinosaur mask? That's the coolest!"

[Xahm]

These are all good suggestions. I'll be trying them in the coming days. I'll have to try a better fitting mask. I'd been going for loose to start with, figuring that would feel less constricting and easier to start with, but I can see that if it stays in place better, it might be easier to ignore.

[medawyn]

25 minutes ago, Xahm said:

These are all good suggestions. I'll be trying them in the coming days. I'll have to try a better fitting mask. I'd been going for loose to start with, figuring that would feel less constricting and easier to start with, but I can see that if it stays in place better, it might be easier to ignore.

Yes, I've found that all my kids, but most definitely my toddler and sensory kid, do better with a tight mask.  If it doesn't slip or need adjusting they are able to ignore it more easily.

I don't know how much your little guy has been out, but I do think it has helped that mine has been in a mask since the beginning.  She hasn't had to change behaviors since March. She's two but almost three.

Once we found a style that fit well, the kids have several masks.  They just got Christmas masks in their advent calendar and have been begging to run errands with me (they don't get to).  We are getting a Christmas tree this weekend, so they will have a chance to show off their Christmas masks.

[Pintosrock]

Mine, who is 6, had a huge adversion to masks when this started. Play lots of cowboys/pirates with bandana masks, to get used to the idea of face coverings. I sewed a couple of masks and let her pick out the fabric. I made a matching one for her best stuffed animal friend. Finally, told her that it's like wearing pants. When we go out, you have to wear pants, it's not optional. Now, we have to wear masks, not optional.

[Xahm]

18 minutes ago, Pintosrock said:

Mine, who is 6, had a huge adversion to masks when this started. Play lots of cowboys/pirates with bandana masks, to get used to the idea of face coverings. I sewed a couple of masks and let her pick out the fabric. I made a matching one for her best stuffed animal friend. Finally, told her that it's like wearing pants. When we go out, you have to wear pants, it's not optional. Now, we have to wear masks, not optional.

My then 3 year old was like that at the beginning and is a mask ace now, but my almost 24 month old is completely different. He won't wear any sort of hat or costume, and he's actually known for avoiding pants wherever possible. 

[Pen]

I’d probably try to add to positive experience by letting a child choose own favorite color or pattern of currently available Happymask 

https://www.happymasks.com/

one might assume tiger pattern or narwhals but it might be all black or blue or whatever might appeal more, and maybe choosing and making a big exciting deal out of its arrival would help

[SoCal_Bear]

My (at the time 3 year old) will use the Happy Mask for hours with very little fiddling with it. The only time she needs help was because it fell off her ear. We are in the optometrist's office for several hours because of some needed tests and evaluations. 

It's honestly the only mask I can stand wearing because it doesn't touch the nose or mouth and sits so lightly on my face.

The ear loops are adjustable to achieve a better fit as well. That being said, I really try to avoid putting my little in the position of having to wear a mask unless I really need to. Honestly practice helps and I'm not above bribery at this point either.

Edited December 5, 2020 by calbear