Taking a baby to a football game requires preparation and realistic expectations
Having a baby can sometimes make you feel chained to the house where everything is easier to handle and more comfortable. After a while though, everyone wants to get back out to their normal routine, and, for sports fans, there is usually a ticking clock counting down until the first game of the season that makes taking a baby to a sporting event an urgent situation.
Luckily, taking a baby to a football game can be fun for both the parents and the baby with the proper preparation and expectations. You’ll need to know ticket information and rules for the stadium, bring essential accessories, gather the necessary food and entertainment, and plan ahead for the weather.
I took my twin girls to several sporting events when they were babies and we’ve already taken our son to a couple before his first birthday. We’ve learned a lot along the way about what’s important and what’s not important and I’m happy to share with you what worked so you don’t have to figure it out for yourself!
Taking a baby to a football game requires preparation and realistic expectations
Before the baby came along, you could just throw a bag together, jump in the car, and pick up some snacks on the way to the game at a moment’s notice. Typically, the biggest part of planning was how much you wanted to spend on a ticket or who was driving.
lash forward to parenthood and now you have a whole other person to plan for and spur-of-the-moment is never a good thing with babies.
My best advice in general when planning to take babies to a public place or event is to break down the event into as many pieces as possible so that you can anticipate what you need. How many times have you said to yourself “Wow, I can’t believe we forgot THAT!?” My wife and I have said it many times over the years and, unfortunately, that usually meant that we left it at the house which is now hours away from our current location. That means either doing without or forking over extra money to buy it near the venue.
By the way, our family’s sport of choice is almost always college football (War Eagle!) so that’s where we’ve ended up on many of our trips. We’ve also been to a baseball game, a hockey game, and lots of local outdoor events. By and large, my advice will be the same no matter where you are going – the biggest differences are usually how far away the game is and how long it’s going to last