Taking your kids to the lane

[Locotoro]

I'm thinking of taking my 4 year old daughter to one of our pre-season friendlies for her first Spurs match. I'm interested to know what experiences other parents have had in taking similar aged kids, whether they enjoyed the whole 90 mins, if they were intimidated by the large crowd, whether they would do it again.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[mickdale]

Pre season friendly probably the best place to try out. If you get in the stadium at least half an hour early should minimise crowds, you can always stay 19 minutes after and allow numbers to subside

 

[Locotoro]

Pre season friendly probably the best place to try out. If you get in the stadium at least half an hour early should minimise crowds, you can always stay 19 minutes after and allow numbers to subside

Did your kids enjoy the day?

 

[mickdale]

Youngest loved his first game, ended up going to about 7 games, shame the new ticketing system put paid to that

 

[torbaytottenham]

Took my 4 year old on a family ticket to the Leicester cup game last year, he's not really into football yet and I would say he sat still for about an hour and then got fidgety and restless, all he really wanted to do was get closer to Chirpy !!! On the plus side it was also my 8 year old son's first visit whose also wasn't into football and he loves it so much he now wants to go all the time and walks round the house shouting eeeeesayid whenever he hears dembele mentioned

 

[Hengy1]

Took my son when he was 3. Game below

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6996465.stm

Got there early but by the 70 mins he was tired ( was a night game tbf ) so around 80 mins had to leave.

 

[StartingPrice]

Final choice is yours. This is just my opinion, hope it helps.

When I was four, my Dad took my brother (wan'ka) to his first game. I remember my Mum making up a packed lunch for them both and got quite upset because I wanted to go, too. My Mum made me a packed lunch as well, put the game on the radio and talked with me about what was happening even though we couldn't see (my Mum always loved football, ahead of here time a bit in that way). I remember it really well and really loved it. It really made me look forward to when I could go to games - but, I think, in the long term it made me less impatient.

When I did go to my first game I was five. Funnily enough, it was against Leicester and Peter Shilton was in goal. I met him at a bookies opening recently and told him this. He kept on asking me if so and so and such and such were playing, as he thought he remembered the game. In the end I told him, I was only five, we were by the hoardings and all I could remember was lots of undifferentiated legs moving about fast - can hardly even remember seeing the ball.

My brother was a season ticket holder at Saint James' in Newcastle (studied, worked and married up there). He took my nephew to his first game when he was five. Again, they were down by the hoardings. All my nephew wanted to do was play on the floor with a couple of toys he had. Looked up occasionally when there was a big shout.

Think between six and eight probably a better age - and probably seven IMHO.

One thing I really can't stand is when you see people with a baby (a BABY FFS) in swaddling clothes at a football match. They know f-all about it...apart from the noise can be frightening!

Anyway, hope this helps and that you pick the right time to take her

 

[bigfrooj]

I took my son when he was five. Lost interest after a while and spent most of the time looking around the crowd. It was versus West Ham and they got pretty lairy which fascinated him as the seats flew towards the pitch! He's 24 now and a Spurs obsessive so I guess he enjoyed it.

 

[edgey]

Took my boy to the Palace FA Cup game last season (this yr of course) at the age of 4. Overall I think he enjoyed the day, as I plied him with chips and sweets throughout. But by the 55th-60th min he was asking if we could go home... Baring in mind it was a pretty shit game.
But I think I probably won't attempt to take him again till he's maybe 6 or 7. Going to start taking him to "Little Kickers" on a sunday just to get him into Football a bit more so he appreciates it and has an idea whats going on for next time lol

 

[Khilari]

We had a thread on this a while back when I took my oldest son (he's 5)

http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/index.php?threads/taking-kids-to-tottenham.120841/

Took him to 4 games last season including West Ham and Arsenal. They were "interesting" but fine. Covered his ears a couple of times but overall he loved it. Especially when Harry scored that curler for us and slid to right where we were to celebrate - what a moment!

It's awesome, recommend it but every kid is different. My oldest is sports-mad, youngest not (yet)

 

[TaoistMonkey]

I took my boy when he was 4/5 to the Everton game.

Half time he said "has it finished?"

He did enjoy it though. He got a bit upset that he didn't know all the words to the song but loves shouting "Come on you Spurs"

 

[tiger666]

I took my boy when he was 4/5 to the Everton game.

Half time he said "has it finished?"

To be fair we've all said that at some of our games..

 

[npearl4spurs]

Heard that question from the missus too many times

 

[Dougal]

Crying, whinging, sulking, childish brats. If adult Spurs fans can get away with that all season I do t see any problem bringing kids.

 

[slartibartfast]

Took my boy at 5. Enjoyed it, apart from when we scored because it was too loud (doesn't like loud noises even now 8) and scared him.
Fkin pussy lol.
Hasn't been again since but what with his team playing Sunday and Spurs playing most Sundays its virtually impossible anyway.
CL this season so may go if we can. Finally playing Saturdays and large chunk of stadium is missing
CL mid week so I'll get sent down for 25 to life if he misses a day of school for that.

 

[haslemereyid]

took my daughter age 5 to stoke home - she spent the first five minutes watching the game then loved watching the fans reactions to all things going on in the game - 'daddy why is that man shouting' and 'what does xxxx mean' was common place - took a down turn when she needed an emergency pooh i didn't really want to take her to the mens as i thought she might catch something so had to rely on the spurs 'ladies' to look after her

she came back in one piece cheered the first goal which unfortunately was scored by stoke then asked why it was so quiet in the second half.

We left 10 minutes early to get her used to supporting spurs.

Highlights of the day for her two train journeys and a burger at bruce grove

she loved it

 

[aquanard]

Pre-Season friendlies are the only time I take the kids. A lot less swearing and anger than 'real' games (especially derbies), and if they get fed up half way through and you leave, you don't feel so bad. Only other thing is sometimes the kids don't like all the noise of a game.

Just make sure to take some extra entertainment (ipads / tablets / phones) and snacks as they will probably get bored at some stage.

 

[EighteenEightyTwo]

Pre-Season friendlies are the only time I take the kids. A lot less swearing and anger than 'real' games (especially derbies), and if they get fed up half way through and you leave, you don't feel so bad. Only other thing is sometimes the kids don't like all the noise of a game.

Just make sure to take some extra entertainment (ipads / tablets / phones) and snacks as they will probably get bored at some stage.

No disrespect but if they want to leave at half time or need an iPad to entertain them then they're not quite ready. Wait until they can sit through a game on the tv first.

 

[FreddieYid]

you can always stay 19 minutes after and allow numbers to subside

19 minutes? That's very specific, not 20?

 

[WorcesterTHFC]

Took my boy at 5. Enjoyed it, apart from when we scored because it was too loud (doesn't like loud noises even now 8) and scared him.
Fkin pussy lol.
Hasn't been again since but what with his team playing Sunday and Spurs playing most Sundays its virtually impossible anyway.
CL this season so may go if we can. Finally playing Saturdays and large chunk of stadium is missing
CL mid week so I'll get sent down for 25 to life if he misses a day of school for that.

19 minutes? That's very specific, not 20?

Deflation, due to Brexit.