It’s no secret that my husband and I are huge University of Cincinnati Bearcats fans. We have football season tickets, and we tailgate before every home game. Once we had kids, we knew we wanted to continue doing all the things we did before kids, like tailgating and going to football games, without sending our kids to a babysitter every time. We needed to figure out how to make that work.
Tailgating with kids is now normal for us. Our firstborn went to his first tailgate at 3 months old and several every season since then! And now with two kids, our 3-year-old and 6-month-old are stilling going to tailgates and football games with us. We love being able to include our kids and hope they will become big Bearcat fans one day, too!
Tips for tailgating with kids:
1: Bring toys for the kids. We always have corn hole at tailgates, which my 3-year-old loves. We also pack a football and a variety of balls for him to toss. For my infant, I bring a blanket and a few toys.
2: Be sure to have kid-friendly snacks! We usually have a theme for our tailgates. I always review the menu or bring a specific item that I know my kid will eat.
3: Be prepared to be moving around. The days of sitting in a chair and having an adult beverage for hours are gone but that doesn’t mean my days of enjoying tailgating are over. Get your tailgate crew involved. All of our tailgating crew enjoys throwing a football with my son or including him in their corn hole game. And most are more than happy to hold a baby when you need to take a kid to the bathroom or you need an extra hand to get one a snack.
4: Check out what the tailgate has to offer. At UC, there is a whole set up of inflatables for kids. The Bearcat band performs, which is always a big hit. The Bearcat mascot is also a highlight of our tailgate. There is also a band that plays music. And there is a “secret” playscape that is hidden among the buildings built for the on-site preschool but open to anyone when they aren’t using it! This is a great escape from all the noise.
5: Take two cars! My husband has all the gear for the tailgates, so he arrives really early and stays until the end of the game. When our oldest was born, we went to a two parking pass family. This way, I can come down with the kids after naptime or leave before bedtime if we do not attend the football game. And I always have a quick exit available should the day go sour and we need to just go home!
Tailgates can be a blast with your kids if you just set your expectations accordingly and prepare a bit! Do you take your kids tailgating? What other tips do you have for families wanting to tailgate together?
