I am a mom of two elementary age daughters, but that doesn’t stop my husband from “dragging” us to professional baseball games!! 😉 In all honesty we ALL have a GREAT time when we go to a game. My girls are a little older (5&7) so they can sit through a game now, but it hasn’t always been that way. We have learned a few tricks and tips along the way to make taking kids to professional baseball games fun for the WHOLE family! 😉
- Tickets: Check for special package deals. Most of the time you can go to the the MLB website and select the team you want see and check out their schedule. There will usually be a family night that sometimes includes a food deal with hot dogs or some kind of snack. Some stadiums also have a family section that you can sit in, but not all. You can purchase tickets on Stub Hub, but if you want the tickets to save as a souvenir then it’s best to order them directly from the MLB team/stadium. When we are on vacation and visiting a new ballpark we buy directly from the team for a real ticket stub to have as a keepsake.
- Seat Location: Pay attention to where the seats are located in reference to the jumbo-tron. Most kids like to watch it throughout the game.
- Use your Phone: Passbook is a good app to use on the iPhone to purchase tickets and the Ballpark is good to keep track of all the games you’ve attended.
- Team Spirit: Show your team spirit and wear team apparel or take a homemade sign. Team spirit increases your chance of being on the big screen or TV…which the kids find “very cool”!
- Concessions: Concessions are expensive. If you want to save some $$ eat before you go to the game and bring a few snacks with you. Check the stadium website to see what is allowed in and be aware of what is not allowed inside (glass containers). If you are visiting a city for the first time, try the signature concession stand food at that stadium. It will give you a taste of the local cuisine.
- Bag Check: Most stadiums don’t allow glass or aerosol cans. Be prepared for a bag check when you enter.
- Get to Know the Stadium BEFORE You Go: Research what’s around the stadium and familiarize yourself with the area. Figuring out where to park will lessen your stress when you arrive. You don’t want to be late and miss the first pitch.
- Soak up the Ballpark Culture: If you are visiting a new stadium, look around…appreciate the architecture. Visit the stadium museum and look for statues or works of art that honor former players and coaches. Those are always good photo ops. Visit with the ushers and other ballpark workers, they are full of great stories. Talk to local fans too. It’s neat to hear the history of the ballpark from locals.
- Kid’s Day/Night: I would say MOST teams have some form of a kids day. It is normally advertised with the team schedule and will include fun activities before and after the game. Get to the stadium a little early and play the games…most of the time there are some great prizes! Both of my girls won Blue Jay’s hats at our last game!
- Minor League Games: If you are a little apprehensive about spending money to take your kids to a MLB game, check out a minor league game first. Most big cities will have a minor league team and the tickets are generally inexpensive. Bring a blanket and sit in the out field for a cheap and fun summer evening.
- Bring your Gloves: Every now and then we splurge on the “good seats” and my kids LOVE to bring their gloves, on the off chance they will catch a ball. It still hasn’t happened YET! 😉
- Bring a Game: If your kids start to get a little restless, have a few games on hand that they can play from their seat.
Get a some FREE printables below!
[Baseball Park Scavengerhunt: 1 per page | 4 per page] [Find the FAN: 1 per page | 4 per page]
- Have FUN!: When you are having fun your kids will have fun too! Do the WAVE and get out of your seat and dance. Those are the memories your kids will remember for the rest of their lives!
A special thanks to my good friend, Michele for the collaboration with this post!!
