I spent my first Big 10 tailgate wandering between parties with friends, wrapping gloved hands around cans of beer that didn’t need ice to stay cold, and hoping the snow would wait until after the fourth quarter. It didn’t, but tailgating love sank into my cold bones anyway. I’d been to games, of course, but the energy of eating, drinking and socializing on a buzzing campus hours before the stadium even opened was another experience entirely.
For years, tailgating involved food, drinks, games and good-natured trash-talking with visiting fans. I walked past the areas where kids tossed mini-footballs without a second glance. We were college students, then newly graduated fans and didn’t need to worry about the logistics of family friendly tailgating. Until, in a blink, my friends and I were married — or not — with kids and a whole new set of responsibilities and expectations for Friday nights and Saturday mornings.
Suddenly family friendly tailgating didn’t seem as far-fetched as I’d once thought. Some tailgates don’t need to be changed too much to welcome kids — but some do. Personally, I like knowing when kids will be hanging around before the game and if mine are welcome if we’re attending a friend’s tailgate. There’s a million things you can do to shift your tailgating plans from college-ready to kid-friendly, but these 5 tips will definitely help.
Find the right location
At some schools, you’re assigned a tailgating spot when you buy your tickets. At others, parking lots and other areas on campus operate on a first come-first serve basis. If at all possible, choose a location where other families tailgate or where you’ve seen relatively low-key celebrations taking place.
Many big schools have definite student tailgating areas, hotbeds of flip cup and flying curse words. I prefer to steer clear of those sections of campus for extended periods of time, since my kids have developed bionic hearing and powers of repetition when it comes to inappropriate language.
Decide how to handle food
Chips, dips, burgers, brats, desserts and more span tables at most tailgates. Before your kids start grabbing fistfuls of their favorite snack foods, plan how you want to handle what they eat. You might trust them to graze. If you want to monitor what they’re eating, mention that to at least a few other people. They’ll let you know if they see little hands reaching for a second — or fourth — cookie.
Still nursing or bottle feeding? Find a shady spot to sit and relax — or a warm one once the cold weather begins. Be thankful you’re not trying to explain to a threenager why she can’t have yet another helping of cheese dip.
Bring activities for the kids
You might think the campus energy and the corn hole game your best friend totes to every game will be enough to keep your kids busy. It won’t be. Take a trip to the dollar store before you leave for Nerf balls and containers of bubbles. Pull them out when the kids seem to be losing interest in the tailgate and be everyone’s hero.
Make them feel like they’re part of the day
Kids change the tailgating experience, but they can change it for the better. Seeing your beloved alma mater through their fresh eyes can make little details seems special again: graffiti on a rock, the first strains of the marching band practicing and the spontaneous chorus of the fight song echoing around the campus. Don’t just bring them to your established tailgate. Help them to feel like they’re important participants. Deck everyone out in your school colors, get face tattoos and teach them at least a line or two of the fight song.
Keep traffic in mind
Whether you’re treating your kids to the full game day experience, ducking out around halftime or skipping the game all together and listening to the play-by-play on the drive home, you’ll want to be honest with how your kids will react to possible traffic issues on the way home. Get in a final bathroom break or diaper change. Make sure water bottles are full and stash away a snack or two for traffic jam meltdowns. If the football fairy is on your side, they’ll be exhausted from all the fun and nap on the way home.
If you’re taking your kids to the game, be sure to check out this post for some tips for making the most of the day.
