My new family travel obsession: SafetyTat

SafetyTat. In action.

I might as well just come out and say it: I’m a sucker for a good temporary tattoo.

This means I’ve become a huge fan of Tattly for everyday designs. It also means that one of my new family travel must-haves is the flagship (and eponymous) product from a company called SafetyTat.

The product is exactly what it sounds like it would be—a temporary tattoo that helps keep kids safe. The concept is perfect in its simplicity, blending the fun of a temporary tattoo with important identifying information that can help authorities reunite you with your child in the event that he or she gets lost.

SafetyTat tattoos either come customized with your mobile phone number or blank so you can write in your cell phone number on them. When applied to the arm of your child or loved one, the SafetyTat provides an immediate, highly visible form of child identification that stays in place—even after it gets wet.

The product was invented by Michele Welsh, a Baltimore mom of three kids who felt overwhelmed when she took her youngsters to a crowded amusement park.

As the story goes, Welsh wrote her mobile phone number on each of the kids’ arms with a ballpoint pen. Throughout the day, she had to rewrite the numbers several times. That’s when it occurred to her there had to be an easier way.

I’m not going to lie—the SafetyTat tattoos are spendy. Original SafetyTats (the ones that you can customize to come printed with your number) are $20.99 for a pack of 24. This price doesn’t include shipping, which starts at about $3.30 per order (and goes up to $22.50 for overnight delivery, if you’re really in a hurry.)

Still, especially for summer trips to theme parks, this tool can prove to be invaluable. Check it out.