Summer means one thing for parents: summer vacation. Keeping the kids entertained between June and August can be the ultimate struggle – but luckily, there are fun activities like parks, aquariums, and zoos to keep the kids having fun (and staying preoccupied) when they’re not in school.

The downside to those solutions? Most of those fun things involve big crowds, which for a parent, can be a nightmare.

Losing your kid in an overwhelming crowd can be easier than we’d like to think – especially with those toddler-age kids who are just rearing to walk around. And although we don’t like to think of the possibility of getting separated from our kids, we have to be prepared just in case the unthinkable happens.

In Clovis, California, the Clovis Police Department released this helpful trick last September on social media, to prep parents for an upcoming festival in the area. It was so popular on social media, they just re-posted the tip as a friendly reminder for summer – and now we’re sharing it with you.

The Clovis Police Department suggests this clever tip: try writing your phone number on your child’s wrist and covering it with a liquid band aid to keep it from smudging or wiping off. That way they’ll know who to call if they approach a police officer or employee for help.

And a bonus tip from the officers: take a picture of your child the morning before you go out into a big crowd so you can get their clothes, hair style, and basically exactly what they looked like the morning of. Frightening to think about, but it’s crucial for your child’s safety that you be prepared!

Do you have any tips in case you’re separated from your child in a crowd? What do you think of these tips? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.