Taking young kids to matches

aliwibble

Does anyone here have any experience of taking young kids to the Valley? Or have friends or relatives that do? Now that the Newcastle game has been re-arranged my parents can't go, so we were thinking it might be a good game to introduce my niece to the joys of watching live football. She's already interested in the game as she goes to toddlers football with her Dad on a Saturday morning, but we're not sure whether she'll be able to last the full 90 mins without getting bored (she's 3 and a half). We're in the East, so the atmosphere should be a bit less overwhelming, and the chances of her picking up interesting new vocabulary are somewhat reduced.

Does anyone have any hints or tips? Or is she just too young to appreciate it?

LenGlover

Honest opinion is that she is too young.

I took my daughters from the age of 7 or 8. Prior to that they don't have the attention span.

Ledge

too young for me as well.

Covered End

Ledge when you say "too young for me as well" what do you actually mean?Is that the plod I can hear knocking at your door?

northstandsteve

Bought season ticket for my 5 year old this year.He loves it looks forward to home games and his face on Saturday will live with me forever.3 1/2 as a one off will be ok but she wont take in the game and may well distract you.She will enjoy the day out experience though.Will probably won't scarf etc and goin into club shop could turn out expensive.

T_C_E

[cite]Posted By: aliwibble[/cite]Does anyone here have any experience of taking young kids to the Valley? Or have friends or relatives that do? Now that the Newcastle game has been re-arranged my parents can't go, so we were thinking it might be a good game to introduce my niece to the joys of watching live football. She's already interested in the game as she goes to toddlers football with her Dad on a Saturday morning, but we're not sure whether she'll be able to last the full 90 mins without getting bored (she's 3 and a half). We're in the East, so the atmosphere should be a bit less overwhelming, and the chances of her picking up interesting new vocabulary are somewhat reduced.

Does anyone have any hints or tips? Or is she just too young to appreciate it?

Take it from me Ali, its to young, I took my 3 year old grandson last season to us play the Geordies, he spent 10 minutes totally transfixed by the game, followed by 10 minutes trying to stand on his seat (front row upper covered end) turning me into a nervous wreck, all because he wanted to see "the funny men " at the back standing up and singing, his words not mine, sorry gents. then the next project was lets see if he could undo the guy behinds shoe laces by reaching through the seats, who luckily thought it was amusing but failed to notice his last effort, and when he stood at halftime, nearly went crowd surfing downstairs, and top it
all just after halftime wanted the toilet, being to small for the standups, I took him into the traps , locking the door behind us, I decided when he`d finished I`d best go as well, that was his cue, he hitched up his jeans unlocked the door, and was off like a robbers dog, followed by me trying to hitch up my strides, while trying to catch him up, lucky enough the "belmarsh massive" were on their tea break, mind you it took 4 of them to hold him down, but it didn`t stop him getting a couple of righthanders off before they gained full control of the situation, once I explained he was only playing, the charges were dropped : )
DONT DO IT MATE.
p.s then he fell asleep by woolwich common, and I had to carry him to the top of shootershill.............

aliwibble

ROFLMAO!!

kigelia

My 5 year old has been to his first couple of games this season and even at 5 he is a fair bit twitchy and needs copious additional distractions to keep him occupied.

The last game he went to this involved:

1. running up and down the concourse of the north upper
2. drinking lots
3. eating lots
4. jumping up and down on his seat.

that said he enjoyed it, especially towards the end when the crowd got going leading up to the winner against Villa.

I shudder to think what he would have been like at 3 1/2

T_C_E

[cite]Posted By: aliwibble[/cite]ROFLMAO!!

sorry mate, but what does that mean ; (

Ledge

rolling on floor laughimg my ass off

get with it lol (laugh out loud)

aliwibble

Rolling on the floor, laughing my arse off. It's the way you tell 'em :-)

T_C_E

[cite]Posted By: aliwibble[/cite]Rolling on the floor, laughing my arse off. It's the way you tell 'em :-)

thanks mate, I`ll put that on the next "what I learnt today"

AFKABartram

http://www.charltonlife.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=332&page=1#Item_10

bingaddick

I took my lad to a game when he was 3 and a half. In truth he was too young and he got bored quickly. Five is about the earliest age when they really start to get interested. Also coming out of the ground (Norwich) we got into a bit of a crush and I lost him in the crowd for a minute or two - it was dark and I've never been in such a panic until I found him.

Leave it 'til she's a bit older.

StanmoreAddick

Too young- end of- put them off.

Take them to a ressie match around 6-7 and work on it from there

Badger

Much too young,really not a good idea best to wait a bit longer,maybe a kick about at sparrows lane and then build up, i take my daughter when she asks and she is 8, the last game we went to was Blackburn night game she insisted we stay till the end and even wanted to know why people were leaving,it's not over yet she said, stayed to the end and when we scored she jumped up, arms in the air and looked at me and said charlton win daddy, great. Will both go to the Newcastle game and she now wants a scarf.Her 1st ever Game at the valley was robbos testimonial against Fc Porto and that was not easy.

Leroy Ambrose

Every kid's different.

I went to my first game at the Valley when I was about five - and I've been hooked ever since.

I reckon 3 and a half is too young though - as other, wiser people than me have said, she will probably enjoy the experience, but may get bored very quickly and, God forbid, she stops enjoying herself - you might end up putting her off for life!

Southendaddick

Is 5 weeks too young :)

I first went when I was 4, bored out of my mind till I was at least 7/8.

My cousin who is now 12 went to the Play Off Final and slept through the whole match. He was 2 at the time.

letthegoodtimesroll

in a moment of madness one fa cup match years ago (so the youngest must have been around 4 i guess) i took all my daughters along to the valley...sat in the upper west as usual, the two youngest who were attending their first and last football match talked all through the bleeding game and complained afterwards that it was too noisy and they were never going again...

Henry Irving

I had a ST at four!

Took my son to his first game at 3 yrs 4 months. Didn't take in the game as such but enjoyed the atmosphere and size of it all. We beat Chelsea 2-1 (euell 2)

Take lot of behaviour modification substances (sweats) but no drinks or she'll be running to the loo every 5 mins. In fact I think the toilet may be the biggest problem. If you are male you have to take her in the gents (not nice) or get a ladee to take her in the ladies (huge queue).

cheeseroll

ive done this with my two older boys who are both now regulars found that even at 5 -6 they were struggling good to try them with a couple of reserve or friendlies as the noise can be a bit much at league games

aliwibble

Thanks guys, this has been a big help.

StanmoreAddick

Feedback- taking or not?

aliwibble

Not sure yet, still have to speak to my sister about it. Given what everyone else has said, waiting a year or so may be a good idea.