Football season is upon us now, which means lots and lots of time spent either tailgating or hosting a football viewing party. It is all about the LSU Fighting Tigers from September until that Bowl Game and possibly even a Championship game 😉 Having little ones can make you want to lose your mind during a tailgate if you are not well prepared. I am here to hopefully save some of your sanity.
What to do.
Pack the night before. I am not lying here. Just do it! The morning of a football game is crazy. Everyone wants to look cute which takes a little bit of time on the getting dressed part. Plus, just like packing for a vacation: THERE IS A TON OF CRAP! Seriously. Here are the essentials when it comes to packing for a tailgate.
- Juice Boxes/Waters/Capri Suns: Pack them all. You know once you get out there you won’t have exactly what they want if you pack only one thing. So pack it all.
- Snacks and LOTS of them. There is usually food out at our tailgate, but it is nice to have a guarantee on kid-friendly. Nothing worse than a tired and hungry child.
- Toys. We pack everything from balls, frisbees, barbies, board games (yes we really do bring these), and anything else that would be fun while being outside. We try and leave the ipads at home. This is a great time to disconnect from technology.
- Blankets. These are obviously not for bundling up with in September through November. Well, it may get a little chilly here in Louisiana at the end of October. Blankets are perfect for the kids to sit on to eat as well as play. You may even get lucky and have one of them nap 😉
- Extra change of clothes. You never know what is going to go down while you are away from the house. Better be safe than sorry. My son would gladly run around LSU’s campus butt naked, but that isn’t going to happen.
- Wagon or Stroller. Game changer here. Even if your kids refuse to ride and insist on walking, this will save your life by carrying the loads of stuff you have brought to the tailgate.
- Sunscreen. If you will be out in the sun, make sure to bring this! We are fortunate to tailgate in the shade, thank goodness for trees.
The more prepared you are, the more successful your tailgating experience will be. We absolutely love this time of year. Spending time with family and friends while cheering on our favorite football team. Here is to a successful and fun-filled football season!
Very comprehensive list of things needed for the kiddos when tailgating. It looks like everyone had a blast!
Thank you!
Awesome tips! I am so ready for football season! I love the tip about the stroller or wagon. So often I convince myself we don’t need it since I know my daughter will refuse to ride in it, but then hours later I’m wishing we had brought it!
Yes indeed! I have so been there before haha! Thank you 🙂
Great tips! Going to a tailgate with kids seems like something that would be overwhelming, but your list and post makes it seem much easier. Thanks for sharing!
It can definitely feel overwhelming! Thank you 🙂
Such great ideas! We have yet to brave taking all our boys tailgating LOL.
Great post. Tailgating with kids sounds so overwhelming but I love how you include them and your list makes it sound so doable! What great memories too.
Thank you so much!
This is such a perfect list! It’s always good to over pack then under pack and not have something you need. Extra clothes is so important!
Yes indeed! I am the one to always over pack 😉
Great ideas! We’ve never wanted to try this with kids yet, but I think they’d love it!