Hi,

Just wanted to ask some advice on what age to regularly bring your kids to the footy. I have a son who is about to turn 2 (He's been a Carlton member since he was a few days old) who I would like to start bringing to the footy occasionally. I reckon he might be too young for it though. Anyone with kids of their own have any advise?

Kaxsta

I have been taking my daughter to games since she was 1. The games however are practise bullant and local games so that I can walk around with her, it doesn't matter what time I get there or leave and she has plenty to do.
To the real stuff, I took her to a quarter last year of some games at the "G" arriving at 3/4 time. Costs 0 to enter as the gates are open for the crowd leaving and she learned to sit and watch the footy.
In time this will increase

In summation. - 2 is too young if YOU want to enjoy the game.
Wait till she's 5-7 and can sit for the length of time needed but do some ground work leading up to it!

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Stay tuned We're in for a BUMPY ride

I started Jack on interstate games (less crowd) and only after 3/4 time for a while, then half time and then around 5 full games.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

I think interstate games are a good idea like Danny said. Depends on the kid as well. My dad took me to a soccer game when I was 7 and I was terrified.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Thanks for the advice everyone! Problem with my son is that rather than be terrified by the footy instead... he might terrify the rest of the crowd. I like the idea of turning up 3/4 time at one game preferably an interstate game. I'll give that a go.

Thanks.

Kaxsta

My Dad started taking me to the footy when I was 8.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

is this just a message that i shouldnt go to the footy?

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R A D I C A L B R O T H E R S

Inspired by the One-Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm

"All in all is all we are..."

Yes!.....go and do your homework!




(or whatever)

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Shag'd be fine at the footy as long as he bring some of his Tonka toys

i like taking a juice box to the footy

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R A D I C A L B R O T H E R S

Inspired by the One-Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm

"All in all is all we are..."

i remeber my second carlton game (a week after the first one) i was 12 and loved it.
anyway the second game was at the G ,against the tiges in '95 in front of 84,000 odd people.

my 4 year old brother was also in attendance (his first game), we got there a few hours before the game and watched the curtin raiser and slowly the crowd and buzz grew.

my lil bro was quite content as we feed him lolleys druing the build up. he was getting excited as we started to talk about the big game, then the first siren sounded and the crowd errupted, and so did he in a flood of tears. the poor lil fella didn't know what was going on and obviosuly all the noise scared him. after a little bit of reasurance and being told that all the noise was a good thing he was fine and by the end of the game as cheering as loudly as anyone when we ran over the top of them.

dont know if that helps, but it sure was a memorable day

I've been taking my daughter since she was 4 months old.

She is nearly 4 now and has been to about 20 games. Most of the games have been at Telstra Dome because you can be sure you won't get wet..sort off anyway.

Make sure you bring the wife (perfect babysitter), plently of drawing material and junk food.

Make sure you have a clapper and last years purchase we also got a flag ( just watch your eyes but and peoples heads in front of you ). She loves waving the flag and making noise.

This years membership package she got those blow up bangers which also will be coming to the footy this year if she doesn't wear them out before hand.

She also has her own CFC club song, which is always playing in the CD player in her toy room.

Kaxsta,
Bosman is pretty on the money and I'll add the following....

My blokes are born 3 years apart ...both in October and it's easy to see a one on one comparison.

At 2 (which with footy) was two and half....my oldest wouldf go to the VFL games an have a ball. He'ld make it through the game with the obligatory bit of junk food, kicking his own footy around the open areas and a walk onto the grouind at the end of each quarter.

At 3 (and a half) I took him to about 5 games as well as all the Wiz cups (as he could wander around a bit - like the less packed interstate games.)

By 4 (and a half) he'ld make it through the game with flag (beware the eyes!) pie (bloody ripper....bloody unreal - he would even say it) and me telling him where on the record to put a stroke with every score.
Then at half time it's a kick of the footy (which is why Princes Park was so good) .....so BINGO Gold member and makes it to just about every game. (got a reserved seat as wandering up and dowm the G looking for a seat will tire out a 4 yo before the game starts.

Strategies.
Colour in all the "o" "p" and "d" in the players names. Take some colouring pencils.
Food to stagger the day.
Small sandwich on the train ride about 12:45 (game start at 2 so NO lunch prior- adjust for other times and Friday nights are a pain as way too late)
Arrive and sit and then walk to pie/chip stand. Eat junk
Sit and watch banner run through.
Hopefully chip bucket will last most of 1st quarter.
DON'T buy coke unless you want to spend most of the game in the toilet
Second quarter...last on the promise of a kick ayt the end, so tend to behave.

Have a kick and run around...
BAck to seat and out comes the fruit or the snakes or whatever snacks.

More colouring into the footy record...and practice writing the numbers on the scoreboard. As they get more aware, play games liek "You tell me if you see the score from another game" or "Tell me whem Fev gets it"...basically they have to learn top start looking for different things, and if they see things they are meant to "spot" they get excited and can't wait for the next one (ever played Spotto - Beattle spotting on long drives as a kid??)

By 5 and a half , they can see which player got the goal and behind and write the score at each quarter so by the time they do it all the time passes

(Baby sitter would be nice but not an option - BUT with gold seats ther's lots of "friends" you see every week - say hi and get to know them. That way if you're busting to go to the loo or make a mercy dash for a pie, they'll be happy to stay with the fellow Blue supporter)

Now my second (currently 4 and a half) didn'ty follow anywhere near as neatly as the first.
He's always "on" and can't sit still for a minute. As a result, no gold membership for him this year as I'm about a year behind the aforementioned schedule. Same strategies, just I'll only take him to about 4-5 of the quiter matches (he made all the wizrd cup last year...but there was a bit of running around making seats bounce up and down - trust me I hate it also!)

Finally, the sooner they get this routine , the better for you! My oldest, now 7 (and a half) is a pleasure and great company at the footy and has been for almost 3 years.
He also knows all the scores and who playued who when in a kind of "rain man" sort of way,....

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Good one Bill. That should be written in a manual.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

I took my daughter to her 1st (and so far only) game last year against the tigers at TD in round 18. She was 7 months old at the time. The really big roars scared her right through and we left at 3/4 time because it was time for her nap. At least her 1st game was a winning one.

I remember speaking to my wife at the game about when I eventually start taking her to games regularly when she is older and she's not there, what I will need to do for toilet breaks. I know it is probably a silly question, but what do other parents do when they are with a girl and she needs to go to the loo? There's the parents room at TD AFAIK, but if that's too far away what do you do?

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C'mon Blueboys!

We use to wheel the pram into PP on a quite game. As the kids got older the park at the Lygon St end was great post game.
But in all reality if I could go without taking the kids that was the prefered option.
Now the kids are older, they will attend the GABBA game this year, they love it.
If I can palm off the 4 year old, all the better. More chance to watch the game.
Regards Pedro

I hate flags! A young child got me in the eye in the first final against Brisbane in 95. I couldn't see for the whole third quarter.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Take them to the mens with you. They'll need your help anyway and this way you can make sure the toilet is clean. Ive had years of doing this whenever out with my girls.

Wow! Thanks!

General consensus is bring lots of things to distract them until they get older... and safety goggles to protect the eyes from the delirious flag waving!

So you were one eyed? ......

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.