Pre-Game Things to Do With Young Ones?

[jeffgt14]

I’m going to take my daughter to her first Tech game this weekend. She’s almost 4 so I think she’s at an age where she can have fun at a game now. Since this is my first experience taking a younger kid to any sporting event, does anyone have any recommendations for things she may enjoy before the game so she feels more involved with it? My normal routine of drinking probably won’t fly. The 12:20 kickoff hurts a bit since I’m 3 hours away and lose an hour due to Central time as well.

Hopefully I don’t upset the anti-kids at games crowd here. I do have a hotel my wife can take her back to if all hell breaks loose.

 

[684Bee]

I’m going to take my daughter to her first Tech game this weekend. She’s almost 4 so I think she’s at an age where she can have fun at a game now. Since this is my first experience taking a younger kid to any sporting event, does anyone have any recommendations for things she may enjoy before the game so she feels more involved with it? My normal routine of drinking probably won’t fly. The 12:20 kickoff hurts a bit since I’m 3 hours away and lose an hour due to Central time as well.

Hopefully I don’t upset the anti-kids at games crowd here. I do have a hotel my wife can take her back to if all hell breaks loose.

I usually just walk around with my daughter and we always end up running into the cheerleaders, which little girls usually love, and Buzz.

The band plays by the Student Center.

There is sometimes a bouncy house-type thing next to Peters Parking Deck on that upper side street by the Phi Delt house.

 

[MikeJackets1967]

I’m going to take my daughter to her first Tech game this weekend. She’s almost 4 so I think she’s at an age where she can have fun at a game now. Since this is my first experience taking a younger kid to any sporting event, does anyone have any recommendations for things she may enjoy before the game so she feels more involved with it? My normal routine of drinking probably won’t fly. The 12:20 kickoff hurts a bit since I’m 3 hours away and lose an hour due to Central time as well.

Hopefully I don’t upset the anti-kids at games crowd here. I do have a hotel my wife can take her back to if all hell breaks loose.

 

[Buzz*The*Plumber]

The band plays at the Campanile 1 hour and 15 minutes before kickoff, this is something I always do with my kids. The cheerleaders are there. Often the Ramblin Wreck. Then if you follow the Band up the hill to the library, buzz is usually there.

 

[stech81]

I’m going to take my daughter to her first Tech game this weekend. She’s almost 4 so I think she’s at an age where she can have fun at a game now. Since this is my first experience taking a younger kid to any sporting event, does anyone have any recommendations for things she may enjoy before the game so she feels more involved with it? My normal routine of drinking probably won’t fly. The 12:20 kickoff hurts a bit since I’m 3 hours away and lose an hour due to Central time as well.

Hopefully I don’t upset the anti-kids at games crowd here. I do have a hotel my wife can take her back to if all hell breaks loose.

Don't worry about upsetting anti-kids people it's your daughter spend time with her. I started taking my daughter to games when she was about 4 or 5 she is now 39 and still goes to all the games with me. Enjoy the game and your daughter.

 

[jeffgt14]

The band plays at the Campanile 1 hour and 15 minutes before kickoff, this is something I always do with my kids. The cheerleaders are there. Often the Ramblin Wreck. Then if you follow the Band up the hill to the library, buzz is usually there.

That’s what I was thinking. I’m sure she’ll love the cheerleaders but she’ll probably be horrified by Buzz. She isn’t the biggest fan of characters in outfits. Disney World last year was an adventure but she did love the princesses.

 

[GTBatGirl96]

That’s what I was thinking. I’m sure she’ll love the cheerleaders but she’ll probably be horrified by Buzz. She isn’t the biggest fan of characters in outfits. Disney World last year was an adventure but she did love the princesses.

Hopefully, she'll be ok with Buzz from a distance. I still use "Where's Waldo (Buzz) ?" as a distraction with my 9-year-old during less exciting parts of the game. He still thinks its fun to try to pick him out in the stands. When my sons were that age, they also like climbing the stairs over and over, so we took turns taking them to a less crowded part of the stands.

 

[GT_05]

That’s what I was thinking. I’m sure she’ll love the cheerleaders but she’ll probably be horrified by Buzz. She isn’t the biggest fan of characters in outfits. Disney World last year was an adventure but she did love the princesses.

In the words of Robin Williams who was describing bringing his three year old to Disneyland, “To a three year old, Mickey Mouse is a six foot tall rat.” Miss that guy a bunch.

Bring your daughter. Have fun. I think it’s great that we have a family atmosphere where you can bring your kids.


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[slugboy]

On campus is fun. Centennial park isn’t far away.

Also, she’s 4. Even a trip to the Varsity before or after the game might let her relax a little. My kids enjoyed the Marta rail trip in when they were little.

Looking at the leftover Wrecks might be fun, since its homecoming

Sometimes we left at halftime back in those days. There’s only so much a young kid is ready for.


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[IEEEWreck]

Thing I learned from my wife's work with autism spectrum kids that's actually just good advice for little kids in general: have a way to adjust the intensity.

Frosted oranges are fun. The packed in Varsity may be too much. If you have two parents have a spot like the Tower lawn to meet up with the goods.

The wreck parade is awesome, but you never know when someone is going to show up with a pulse jet engine. Have a fallback watch spot.

Other thing I learned from my mom: redirection is solid gold. Other folks have chiped in neat ideas like find the buzz and step climbing. I'd add going to the top of the stadium and checking out the skyline with matching games like "find a marble building". The band and the swarm are also great because you can dance along to the traditional music, and there's at least a bunch of people to follow. Of course, sometimes the underlying issue is naptime, but you have that covered.

Last thought: at 4 your daughter probably isn't really even going to follow the football game. Spending time with her dad is what she'll take away. Share what you love about GT in digestible ways. Many 4 year olds are big into independence and becoming a "big kid", so talk about how the Wreck belongs to the students- it's basically "nope I can do it myself" sublimated into an automobile. The wreck parade would be a neat expansion on that theme.

 

[AUFC]

Sometimes we left at halftime back in those days. There’s only so much a young kid is ready for.

Reason #1009 why I should stick to DINK life.

 

[vamosjackets]

Love this thread. I was also thinking of bringing my daughter(s) up on Saturday. I have an almost 5 and a 2.5 year old. I'm thinking both might be a little too hard/risky for me, as my wife won't be with us since she's working all day Saturday. Anyway, @jeffgt14 , glad you brought this up, and thanks to all for the input.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

I took both of my kids when they were small, and then many times after. Some of the best times ever. Losing our USAFA son in 2017 has been beyond difficult, and some of my greatest memories are taking him to GT games (we even had fun at the LSU Peach Bowl, where we got clobbered - we always had fun either way - although my greatest memory at a game with him was the year we beat FSU with Cooper's forced fumble at the goal line), but I genuinely look forward to taking my granddaughter soon (she is a little over 2 1/2 right now) and reliving some of these great memories.

 

[g0lftime]

Walk around the frat houses. They should have displays in front of the houses for homecoming. Band plays by the student center and then heads to the stadium. I really miss those game days.

 

[IEEEWreck]

I took both of my kids when they were small, and then many times after. Some of the best times ever. Losing our USAFA son in 2017 has been beyond difficult, and some of my greatest memories are taking him to GT games (we even had fun at the LSU Peach Bowl, where we got clobbered - we always had fun either way - although my greatest memory at a game with him was the year we beat FSU with Cooper's forced fumble at the goal line), but I genuinely look forward to taking my granddaughter soon (she is a little over 2 1/2 right now) and reliving some of these great memories.

Forgive the ignorance, but USAFA means Air Force Academy to me. What's that mean in this context?

 

[jwsavhGT]

@MonroeJacket and his band will be playing.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Forgive the ignorance, but USAFA means Air Force Academy to me. What's that mean in this context?

Well, since you asked, my son, Kaleb, died in a parachute accident the week before his graduation ceremony from the Air Force Academy. Here is an excerpt of what one of his USAFA professors had to say - there were a lot more like this, but this was one of my favorites - he was special:

"As you all know, Kaleb was unique. He was never one to follow the herd. He was far more likely to be exploring places the herd was unaware of altogether. He was similarly unique as a student. Kaleb was an astute reader and wrote beautifully. But this was in part because he saw what others did not, and had the observational powers of someone who moved from insider to outsider and back again at will. He never worried about what I expected him to think or understand ~ he was not trying to please a professor by figuring out in advance what the correct answer was supposed to be. And this is exactly why he was so intellectually advanced beyond his classmates. He cared about ideas, people, truths and his inner life more than grades or accolades. He cared more about helping his classmates learn than impressing them. Yet he was so very impressive as a human being. His final paper in my course was an A+, and I am sending you a copy ~ it’s a small part of him, I know, but perhaps you will want to read it.

Losing Kaleb has diminished all of us ~ our world will have less joy, exuberance, wit, wisdom, and kindness in it without him. He touched everyone that knew him, and we offer our deepest sympathy to you all. I will personally never forget your son, and will always say a prayer for you and your family."

I loved taking this special young man to GT games over the years.

 

[jwsavhGT]

Well, since you asked, my son, Kaleb, died in a parachute accident the week before his graduation ceremony from the Air Force Academy. Here is an excerpt of what one of his USAFA professors had to say - there were a lot more like this, but this was one of my favorites - he was special:

"As you all know, Kaleb was unique. He was never one to follow the herd. He was far more likely to be exploring places the herd was unaware of altogether. He was similarly unique as a student. Kaleb was an astute reader and wrote beautifully. But this was in part because he saw what others did not, and had the observational powers of someone who moved from insider to outsider and back again at will. He never worried about what I expected him to think or understand ~ he was not trying to please a professor by figuring out in advance what the correct answer was supposed to be. And this is exactly why he was so intellectually advanced beyond his classmates. He cared about ideas, people, truths and his inner life more than grades or accolades. He cared more about helping his classmates learn than impressing them. Yet he was so very impressive as a human being. His final paper in my course was an A+, and I am sending you a copy ~ it’s a small part of him, I know, but perhaps you will want to read it.

Losing Kaleb has diminished all of us ~ our world will have less joy, exuberance, wit, wisdom, and kindness in it without him. He touched everyone that knew him, and we offer our deepest sympathy to you all. I will personally never forget your son, and will always say a prayer for you and your family."

I loved taking this special young man to GT games over the years.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[684Bee]

Well, since you asked, my son, Kaleb, died in a parachute accident the week before his graduation ceremony from the Air Force Academy. Here is an excerpt of what one of his USAFA professors had to say - there were a lot more like this, but this was one of my favorites - he was special:

"As you all know, Kaleb was unique. He was never one to follow the herd. He was far more likely to be exploring places the herd was unaware of altogether. He was similarly unique as a student. Kaleb was an astute reader and wrote beautifully. But this was in part because he saw what others did not, and had the observational powers of someone who moved from insider to outsider and back again at will. He never worried about what I expected him to think or understand ~ he was not trying to please a professor by figuring out in advance what the correct answer was supposed to be. And this is exactly why he was so intellectually advanced beyond his classmates. He cared about ideas, people, truths and his inner life more than grades or accolades. He cared more about helping his classmates learn than impressing them. Yet he was so very impressive as a human being. His final paper in my course was an A+, and I am sending you a copy ~ it’s a small part of him, I know, but perhaps you will want to read it.

Losing Kaleb has diminished all of us ~ our world will have less joy, exuberance, wit, wisdom, and kindness in it without him. He touched everyone that knew him, and we offer our deepest sympathy to you all. I will personally never forget your son, and will always say a prayer for you and your family."

I loved taking this special young man to GT games over the years.

Wow, sounds like a special young man. So very sorry for you and your family’s loss.

 

[AlabamaBuzz]

Thank you for sharing.

Thank you for letting me share. It still helps, even though it has now been 17 months.