Children going to games

[Finn2015]

Just out of interest to fellow faithers here. How old were your kids when you first took them to a game? Brought my son a st and he will be going his first game aged 4

[Albanian Hibs]

Took my 4 year old son to his 1st game last season v queen of the south. He started to get bored around 65 mins and would not sit down on seat. Left at 0-0 on 90 mins only to miss the winning goal. Was gutted but sort of relieved we missed it as the noise when we scored probably would have frightened him. Not taken him back since even though he has a season ticket. Might try again next season.

[tartanhibee]

My sons first game was the Dunfermline pre season friendly last season he was 3. He attended regularly last season and at away games. We take take plenty of sweets and he seems to enjoy it. I have bought him a season ticket this year. My advise is make sure there warm during the winter months. I have a snowsuit for my son. I unfortunately did not take him to the Scottish cup final as I just thought he was too wee. I genuinely hope I don't regret it.

[TamHibs]

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My sons first game was the Dunfermline pre season friendly last season he was 3. He attended regularly last season and at away games. We take take plenty of sweets and he seems to enjoy it. I have bought him a season ticket this year. My advise is make sure there warm during the winter months. I have a snowsuit for my son. I unfortunately did not take him to the Scottish cup final as I just thought he was too wee. I genuinely hope I don't regret it.

I didn't take my 3 year old either & i've regretted it every day since, like you I thought he was maybe a bit young couple with our SC record......

In answer to the OP question, I first took my son to a game at a year old, the Hamilton playoff at Easter Road.......

He's had a season ticket since he was born though, this season though will be his first year at most games.

[Mr White]

A couple of months before his 2nd birthday. It was hard work at times, for example the 2013 cup final when he took his dummy out and said "want to go home, want mummy" when celtc went 2 nil up. He wasn't the only one.

I've always taken plenty snacks and warm clothing and he used to watch films on my phone sometimes if he got bored. He watched The Snowman 3 times at hampden that day against celtc.

He's been able to sit through 90 minutes without getting bored at all now for a couple of years. I noticed a big improvement in this after he met stevenson craig and malonga at the hibs kids Christmas panto 18 months ago. He now knows all the players and some of their songs.

Good luck with it, you want regret it.

[Jay]

My tips - don't expect too much until they are about six or seven.
Wrap them up warm.
If you can, buy an aisle seat so they can go to the toilet etc without bothering everybody and you don't get flustered

My son was six when I bought his first ST but he had been going to games on and off for a couple of years before that.

[Raymond]

I've had my 4 year old Grandson at a few games, He's been to Hampden 4 times already,50% win record, So glad I took him that Day as well

[CallumLaidlaw]

Took my son when he was a month off his 5th birthday (Jan 2010) and bought him a season ticket the following season. He's been a regular since but the first couple of years he really wasn't too interested. 12/13 season was when he started to really take an interest, and now he's totally obsessed

[jonny]

I have 3 kids, 8, 6 and 4. I started the oldest 2 at 4 and the youngest at 3 - mostly because of my own guilt at taking the other 2 and not him.
The oldest pair absolutely love it now, although even now the 6 year old can get a bit fed up if there's not much excitement. I'm always sure to take a rucksack with a packet of crisps, wee bit chocolate, a wee bag of haribos and juice for each of them. I got some flimsy juice things that I can only describe like a reusable Capri sun pouch from sports direct for about £1 each, they're great for taking to the match.
The youngest will sit for a while but does get a little antsy, but it's all about the timing of the snacks. After about half an hour I break out the crisps, nothing at half time because I take them to the loo and can give them all my attention then. They get a bit chocolate after about an hour and their haribos with about 10 to go. Keeps them going and if they're fed up they clockwatch till the next snack.
I've bought season tickets for me and the boys for the first time this year as well.

[Bristolhibby]

Brought my eldest lad up last year (6 at the time). He had started going to the Bath rugby games the season before and the first couple he got bored about 60 minutes but my iPhone sorted him out.

That season we went to a number of Bath games, Raith v Hibs and Scotland v Gibraltar finally ending up at the Bath v Scaracens League Final at Twickenham. He is fully able to understand and sit through games now.

Last season I took him through to Wembley 3 times for the NFL (4 hours) again he managed to stay engaged allbeit flagging a bit at the end. We are booked up to go again this year in October.

I'm bringing him now 7 and his wee brother 5 up to Easter Road for the first home game. Funnily enough my youngest can sit through a whole game on the telly so have no worries about him.

But I'd echo other posters, plenty of snacks/toilet trips, and if possible bring a smart phone or tablet with games.

J

[Ilovehibs]

My son had his first ST last season. Started aged 3, was a bit restless by the last 20 mins but a lollipop helps (lasts for ages!)

He steadily started to learn more about the team and the game and his interest grew. Didn't miss a game at ER all season and came to both semis and finals. He loves the whole experience.

Consider him a good luck charm to have seen us lift the Scottish Cup in his first season as a Hibbie!

All kids are different obviously but I think the games and being part of the Hibs family is a great thing for them and the Hibs Kids is brilliant too. Beautiful card with a Hibs strip showing name and age on it,
panto at Christmas, events through the season and of course big Sunny. All helps to encourage the youngsters.

[MyJo]

started taking the oldest boy to occasional games when he was 4, got him a season ticket for last season when he was 6 but spends most of the time playing with an iPad or PlayStation at the games, he turned 7 in April and has started taking a lot more interest in the last 6 months.

His little brother only just turned 4 in Feb and he has been dragged to a few games already but gets bored and needs other things to do at the games.

Both of them and thier big sister have season tickets for next season anyway even if they don't go to all the games and all of them were at hampden for the Dundee United semi-final and the final even although the little one cried at the noise after we scored the first and promptly went to sleep on my shoulder until half-time :

[MurrayfieldHibs]

Also take a Nintendo DS with various games, colouring in books, pencils, beano etc in your rucksack if you want peace to watch the game. Depending on how well (or otherwise!) the game is going you may have your neighbours asking for a shot of the DS/colouring in books.........

[Leith Hibee]

I have wee girls that are 5 and 2.

The eldest first game was against St Mirren at home in 2013 just short of her 2nd birthday.
Although we won 2-0 it was one of the longest 90mins of my life, not just because she wouldn't sit still but more so because the game was pretty poor and it was freezing.

To cut a long story short, next year i have a season tickets for the 3 of us.
The eldest was at pretty much every home game last year and loves it, she is still convinced Justin Bieber plays up front for us tho!
The youngest will have her first game just after her 3rd birthday.

The only thing i would say is try to avoid arriving to early......found my girl got bored before kick-off and started my grilling for sweets very early in the day!

[lord bunberry]

I got mine a season ticket when she was 4, the first season she wasn't interested and I had to keep giving her sweets to stop her getting bored. Last season she got much more into it and loves going now. The final obviously helped

[G B Young]

In my view there's no real point in taking under-5s to games as it's too long and often too boring to retain their interest. I'd say seven or eight is about the right age, and even then they need to be quite into football to really enjoy sitting there for 90 minutes.

[Finn2015]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, will definitely take the advice! Wanted to take him soon and get him into it. Where we live, surrounded by stoke city, man utd and other EPL clubs support so wanted get him into the hibees ASAP

[flash]

14.

[Mr White]

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In my view there's no real point in taking under-5s to games as it's too long and often too boring to retain their interest. I'd say seven or eight is about the right age, and even then they need to be quite into football to really enjoy sitting there for 90 minutes.

That depends on the child and how patient and persistant the parent is in my experience. There's a lot of evidence on this thread that contradicts your view.

[CallumLaidlaw]

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That depends on the child and how patient and persistant the parent is in my experience. There's a lot of evidence on this thread that contradicts your view.

I think it's BECAUSE I took my son for a couple of years from 5yrs old that he eventually caught on to it. He wanted to go, but would drift in and out of the match. I think if I'd have taken him at 7/8, it still would have taken him time to get involved.

[G B Young]

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That depends on the child and how patient and persistant the parent is in my experience. There's a lot of evidence on this thread that contradicts your view.

As I said, it's just my view. Most on here seem to be giving advice on how to stop kids getting bored during games by bringing along plenty of sweets, games. colouring books etc, which indicates many kids are simply not that interested in the football at a young age. It's certainly far from the idyllic image of the whole family sitting together and cheering Hibs on. In my experience it's better if kids get into football first by playing or watching it on TV and gaining an understanding of the game. By the time they're ready to go to a game they're buzzing for it. I don't think my dad actually took me to a game until I was about ten and the excitement of seeing players in the flesh that I'd only previously seen on Scotsport of Sportscene was brilliant. We went to the old centre stand and that first sight of the pitch and the stadium (dump as it was in the 70s!) is a memory that won't leave me.

[Mr White]

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As I said, it's just my view. Most on here seem to be giving advice on how to stop kids getting bored during games by bringing along plenty of sweets, games. colouring books etc, which indicates many kids are simply not that interested in the football at a young age. It's certainly far from the idyllic image of the whole family sitting together and cheering Hibs on. In my experience it's better if kids get into football first by playing or watching it on TV and gaining an understanding of the game. By the time they're ready to go to a game they're buzzing for it. I don't think my dad actually took me to a game until I was about ten and the excitement of seeing players in the flesh that I'd only previously seen on Scotsport of Sportscene was brilliant. We went to the old centre stand and that first sight of the pitch and the stadium (dump as it was in the 70s!) is a memory that won't leave me.

As I said all kids are different and your view doesn't fit in with everyone's experience, certainly not mine. I used to have to bring a few distractions with me in case my boy got bored, we left a couple of games early too but 4 years later I've got a 5 and a half year old who loves going to the football, wears his strip anytime he can, watches the cup final goals on youtube everyday, has a euro2016 sticker album and sits through 90 minutes loving every minute of it. He sings hibs songs at random points throughout the day and asks questions about which players play for which club and country etc constantly.

Would he be so into football if i hadn't stuck with it when he was 2 and 3? I don't think so. Bringing distractions for young kids when they're starting out is a means to an end imo, not a sign that it's a bad idea. Each to their own though but I feel parents leaving it later to get kids into attending games are missing out on some special times. My wee boys face at hampden last month..... priceless

[Finn2015]

Well his ST is only £25 and even if it is to soon, small price to pay for guaranteeing our seats together for the future. Will try him with the odd game this season and take it from there

[Thecat23]

My boy was two and a half. Watched whole first have then started to drift so iPad was pulled out. Now he's six and a ST holder and talks formations and never shuts up.

Thankfully the ones around us have can just about tolerate the never ending talking/questions.

[Scouse Hibee]

My son was 7 for his first game,went to few odd games until I changed jobs when he was 10, every weekend off meaning we could buy ST's again. He's now 22 and still sits next to me.

[Lancs Harp]

These kids have it so easy these days I was six when I went to my first match armed with just a wooden rattle and bobble hat for entertainment if the footy was non too good.

[ruthven_raiders]

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As I said all kids are different and your view doesn't fit in with everyone's experience, certainly not mine. I used to have to bring a few distractions with me in case my boy got bored, we left a couple of games early too but 4 years later I've got a 5 and a half year old who loves going to the football, wears his strip anytime he can, watches the cup final goals on youtube everyday, has a euro2016 sticker album and sits through 90 minutes loving every minute of it. He sings hibs songs at random points throughout the day and asks questions about which players play for which club and country etc constantly.

Would he be so into football if i hadn't stuck with it when he was 2 and 3? I don't think so. Bringing distractions for young kids when they're starting out is a means to an end imo, not a sign that it's a bad idea. Each to their own though but I feel parents leaving it later to get kids into attending games are missing out on some special times. My wee boys face at hampden last month..... priceless

Exactly this....my kids went when they were three, most of the time we had no choice, no babysitters, but they got used to going and my son, now 11 has had some amazing experiences, he started in 2008 so you can imagine until last two seasons it has been one of the worse times to support hibs, but he is now getting more excited at games because the football is worth going to see😊 my daughter is now 6 she is getting there....will take another couple of years to understand the game, she swaps with my son now and again as I can't afford 4 seats....

[LustForLeith]

I first took my son when he was about three/four. Lewis Stevenson and Callum Booth scored against Caley I think.

To keep my son amused he took a rucksack of toys. He randomly asked my brother in law what his favorite animal was. My brother in law was concentrating on the game and answered 'monkey'. Imagine his surprise when my son pulled one out of his bag.

My son loved the next game we went to. There were goals, penalties, a full stadium. Little did he realise we actually had to win that play off game against Hamilton.

He's got back last season and loves it, so much so that he's got a season ticket fo rnext year.

Due to his constant question asking, I'll keep an eye on him appearing in the 'have you got a numpty next to you' thread

[Sas_The_Hibby]

Take them when and if they ask to go. Not before in my opinion.

[HibeesLA]

Unfortunately, due to distance, neither kid has been able to attend a Hibs game yet, though they've watched plenty on HibsTV. My daughter is flying over this summer, and will be at her first game when Motherwell travel to Easter Road for the pre-season friendly. She will be in town for the first Europa Cup game, so if we get a home draw, I'll be trying to get her a ticket for that game too.