| Thoughts on taking young children to matches 09:18 - Apr 12 with 1949 views | NeedhamChris |
Me and the OH are both season ticket holders in SBRL, and we now have a two week old little one. Our plan for next year was to keep the two seats and she will come when we can get family to sit etc and when she can't I'll give it away or sell (not for profit) as it seems like the chances of getting a seat in that stand would be non-existent otherwise.
However, Hoppy shared in another post that they'd been taking their little one from infancy so has got us debating the two options as we hadn't really considered that.
How early did you start taking your little ones? Admittedly would be more for us than him at this point but interested to know how it went for anyone that has? |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:22 - Apr 12 with 1898 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
Started taking Junior aged about 5. Most of the first game was spent in the park at the back of the North stand but she got there in the end!! |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:23 - Apr 12 with 1886 views | CityBlue |
There is a minimum age for the lower tiers in both SBR and SAR |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:29 - Apr 12 with 1845 views | NeedhamChris |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:23 - Apr 12 by CityBlue |
There is a minimum age for the lower tiers in both SBR and SAR |
Yeah, if we went really early it would need to be Magnus I think | |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:31 - Apr 12 with 1841 views | itfc_bucks |
Took my lad at 5 and girl at 6. I really wouldn't fancy taking a toddler to PR and not sure those around you would thank you for bringing a baby in either!
Plus, for me, there was something absolutely magical about seeing my boy climb the stairs in the SBL and see the hallowed turf for the first time. It gives me goosebumps even thinking about it now. | | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:38 - Apr 12 with 1781 views | Pinewoodblue |
Our youngest was three months old when taken to first game, was his brothers birthday. Had season ticket following year, although for next two years seat wasn’t occupied as was on one of our laps. In all honesty they won’t remember the early years, not on a match by match basis anyway.
The problem you have is if you take junior with you you will have to move your seats as no under fives in lower tier.
You could consider renewal of your current seats and transfer to a different area on a match by match basis paying the extra each time. If you then find you enjoy the three of you going you can speak to club about moving your seats. |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:00 - Apr 12 with 1704 views | NeedhamChris |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 09:38 - Apr 12 by Pinewoodblue |
Our youngest was three months old when taken to first game, was his brothers birthday. Had season ticket following year, although for next two years seat wasn’t occupied as was on one of our laps. In all honesty they won’t remember the early years, not on a match by match basis anyway.
The problem you have is if you take junior with you you will have to move your seats as no under fives in lower tier.
You could consider renewal of your current seats and transfer to a different area on a match by match basis paying the extra each time. If you then find you enjoy the three of you going you can speak to club about moving your seats. |
Thanks for this, ours will be 4 months when next season starts so that's a really useful benchmark.
How did they get on in terms of surviving the game without crying etc? And how were the people around you about it? | |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:17 - Apr 12 with 1663 views | Scuzzer |
Not until they were five for us. |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:27 - Apr 12 with 1636 views | Swansea_Blue |
We tried when they were really young, but you spend more time entertaining them than watching the match. From 5 onwards it’s fine (assuming they enjoy going to football!). Under 2-3 can be a pain. It’s worth trying if that’s what you want to do, but my recommendation would be to have at least two adults there so someone can take the nipper out if you have to. |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:52 - Apr 12 with 1541 views | PrideOfTheEast |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:27 - Apr 12 by Swansea_Blue |
We tried when they were really young, but you spend more time entertaining them than watching the match. From 5 onwards it’s fine (assuming they enjoy going to football!). Under 2-3 can be a pain. It’s worth trying if that’s what you want to do, but my recommendation would be to have at least two adults there so someone can take the nipper out if you have to. |
All kids are different but there's no way mine would have sat there for any length of time before 5. I took the eldest for his first game this season (he's 6 this year) and he lasted about 65mins. I travel from London so it's a long day out and might be easier if local I suppose. | | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 11:23 - Apr 12 with 1464 views | Stewart27 |
First took my boy when he was 4. This year is the first year we have season tickets and he’s now turned 9.
He really started getting into it last season. We went to half the games. He’s now a super fan.
But I never would have taken him as a baby. Nobody would have got any joy out of it. Him, the supporters around us or myself!
Each to their own though. | | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 11:36 - Apr 12 with 1413 views | hoppy |
I think it probably depends on the child and each is different. Ours was so placid and laid back (probably got that from me!) and not much of a howler or one for crying, as she always seemed such a happy baby - those around us asked after her if she wasn’t there, and said they missed seeing her. Talking of missing… the one downside was that there would obviously be times when we would hear “I need a wee…” (not always KJ!) and one of us would have to take her out… and there was the occasional goal one of us missed seeing because of it. A little bit frustrating, but the trade off was obviously being able to go to the football all together (as KJ and I met through football - or more specifically, TWTD), we didn’t have to decide who was going and who would have to stay at home.
If we were back at that point again, would definitely do the same.
We had to move up to Magnus middle when they brought in the No under 5s in the lower tiers rule, so when she was 5, we moved back to where we had been in SAR lower behind the goal until last summer when we moved across to block GG in the Magnus lower - mainly for Yasmins benefit, as she had other school friends that go, and she can see them at half time etc, and make even more of an enjoyable Matchday experience. She loves our new seats, being close to the action too.
Hope that helps. |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 11:43 - Apr 12 with 1376 views | Muncher |
My son went to Portman Road for the first time at about 5 days old, albeit it was for the open day.
He went to a cuple of games at 5 and liked it, but then lost a bit of interest in watching the games and hasn't been since, but I suspect will pick it up again once he is 7-8. I think it's best for all concerned to wait until 6-7 before going on a regular basis. | | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 11:49 - Apr 12 with 1348 views | clive_baker |
I'm thinking about this now too. I still deem my 2 to be a bit young at 4 and 2. The 4 year old doesn't show any interest in football, she's really into gymnastics at the moment. And the 2 year old, well he's 2, so he just loves animals and Fireman Sam. In fact I watched on iFollow on Monday and shouted so loud when Chaplin scored that he cried.
I'm not sure either would enjoy sitting on a plastic seat for a couple of hours, and as a result I don't think I would enjoy it as much either, so I'm holding off for now. It's going to be a bit of a balance between letting them discover it themselves, with a bit of gentle persuasion.
FWIW I wouldn't have a problem if anyone near me took a toddler to a game. Just sit in a family friendly area of the ground and I'm sure you won't find that a problem. |  |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 11:59 - Apr 12 with 1261 views | PioneerBlue |
5-7 seems optimum depending on child. I was 5 but would not sit still in first games. I was then 7ish by time of getting first season ticket. With my own children, I did exactly the same, took the youngest at 5, that was too young and I spent more time occupying, by 6 they would sit through games and 7 complaining that we lost the game because the ref was poor and Wolf was their favourite player. My work was done (-; | |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 12:24 - Apr 12 with 1210 views | Epiphone |
Not wanting to sound Mumsy but you might consider ear-defenders to protect littleuns ears from the tannoy especially,you can also use them yourself if the wailing gets too much ;) |  | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 13:08 - Apr 12 with 1125 views | Vaughan8 |
Not sure about children that young but this season I've taken my 5 year old to a few games. Has interest for about 30 mins then it dives off. Even missed a goal vs Oxford due to him not being able to hold his wee in for a few more mins to half time!
This might sound horrible, but my enjoyment of the game does go down with him there as I can't fully focus on just watching it. At that age, just bring loads of food and something to mess about on... haha | | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 13:30 - Apr 12 with 1028 views | StochesStotasBlewe |
Took my lad for his first game when he was 5. Wouldn’t take him until then as didn’t think his attention span would last for 90 minutes.
He “learned “ a few new words that afternoon. Proud day taking him to a match for the first time and apart from a couple of seasons has been coming with me ever since.
At the Burnley cup tie, a little un sat next to me about 2 years old and had no interest in the game at all. Slept for the entire 2nd half. Felt a bit sorry for her as the parent hardly interacted with her until they left near the end.
Hopefully didn’t learn any new words  |  |
| We have no village green, or a shop.
It's very, very quiet.
I can walk to the pub. |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 13:33 - Apr 12 with 1002 views | Hciwspi |
Took my lad to his first game when he was six. He was hooked from the very first game and really gets into it! We're in block F of the Magnus. |  | | |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 15:48 - Apr 12 with 863 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 10:00 - Apr 12 by NeedhamChris |
Thanks for this, ours will be 4 months when next season starts so that's a really useful benchmark.
How did they get on in terms of surviving the game without crying etc? And how were the people around you about it? |
At his first time he cried everytime we scored, four times that day. No complaints from anyone around us at any stage.
Started to get into it more from age two. Can remember driving in for a home game against Norwich, his brothers had been told off for going on about "The Scum" when we found ourselves in traffic next to norwich city coach.
Excited two year old calls out "Look Scum" Train em young. | |
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| Thoughts on taking young children to matches on 15:54 - Apr 12 with 851 views | Crawfordsboot |
My grandson is 4 and his dad is a Man United supporter and season ticket holder. He took him to his first match this season but it was the women’s team and therefore less noisy and less intimidating. Some little ones will find the noise quite scary so starting with a women’s game seems a good idea. |  | | |
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