Looking for a way to offset the cost of your ID cards?           Why not approach local businesses to help and include an incentive for your kids to remember their cards. This is exactly what one youth-serving community center did with a local McDonald’s franchise owner. McDonald’s agreed to help pay for the materials required to print the ID cards in exchange for having their logo printed on the back of the card. In addition to allowing the youth to gain access to the programs and activities offered, the card also allowed the children to receive a free small soda or ice cream every time they went to a participating restaurant. Not only did the youth center benefit by saving on the cost of card production, McDonald’s gained positive press by giving back to the community. In addition, the kids associated a value with the cards and were less likely to misplace them.

Did you know scanning ID cards can save lives?                 The TraxSolutions scanning system, when used to scan members in and out, can effectively support an emergency response strategy. In the event of an emergency, the Trax Attendance Manager can provide, with one key stroke, a printed fire drill report. The fire drill report will show who scanned in that day, who was in the facility when the alarm sounded. In addition, if scanners are present at each program entry point, staff personnel can quickly locate where a child is.

Having problems with kids forgetting their ID cards?              Here are some positive ways to reward your card-carrying kids and prompt kids who frequently forget their cards to remember:

• Reward members who bring their cards with a sticker. It will show other kids as well as their parents that they remembered.

• Allow members with cards to have first choice of snacks.

• Allow members with cards to use the game room.

• Reward card-carrying members with candy or other treats from a bowl positioned next to the scanner.

• Create a points-based reward system.