Tailgating the Family-Friendly Way

Football season is coming up! A football game can be a great family activity if your kids are interested in the sport. Kids tend to have great team spirit and are excited to root for their team or favorite players. With football games come tailgating parties. If you enjoy tailgating parties and want to be able to enjoy them with your kids, you’re in luck: With a little extra planning, tailgate celebrations can be family-friendly. Here are a few tips to help you plan a tailgate party that your whole family can enjoy.

• Consider your location. This will probably be the trickiest part of setting up your tailgate party. You want two important things in a location for a kid friendly tailgate party: safety and close proximity to bathrooms. For safety purposes, you’re better off setting up in a far corner of the parking lot. This way, you can arrange the vehicles and tables so that the kids have some space to play without worrying too much about traffic. If at all possible, though, try to find a corner near the restrooms or port-a-potties. That way you’ll be nearby in case of any bathroom emergencies.
• Plan some kid-friendly activities. You’re going to want to keep them entertained, both so that they enjoy the experience, and so they let you enjoy it as well. Consider bringing face paint, so that everyone can show his or her team spirit by decorating with the team colors. Bring a portable CD player or iPod player, and a collection of kid-friendly music. Bring a frisbee or a football to throw around, or organize a bean bag toss. Sidewalk chalk is a great option if you’re going to be in a paved parking lot – your kids can play hopscotch, or just draw pictures if they’re so inclined.
• Bring kid food. Your kids may not be too enthused about eating brats and Buffalo wings, so pack some hot dogs and chicken nuggets for them instead. This way they have kid versions of the grown-up food. If you’re having chicken and steak, bring along some skewers so that the kids can have kabobs – what kid doesn’t love food on a stick? Pack some fresh fruit as well, and you’ll be able to make them fruit skewers for a healthy snack. Don’t forget to bring plenty of water, and some juice boxes or other kid drinks. Most coolers at a tailgating party are stocked with beer and soda, so you need to bring enough of your own drinks to keep your kids hydrated and happy.

Remember that the whole reason that you’re there is to have fun… that’s what a tailgate party is all about. Just be safe and focus on whatever will make it fun for your family, and you’ll all have a wonderful time at the game.