Think about the Super Bowl and what comes to mind? Probably things like football, wings, nachos and beer. Or maybe you’re just excited for the commercials. Either way, it’s not exactly the most kid friendly of events. But with a few tweaks and some minor preparations, your kids can have a blast at any Super Bowl party. And hopefully you will too.
Read on for seven tips on how to survive the Super Bowl with children in tow.
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Rest Up
The Super Bowl is an event that lasts well into the evening. If your kids normally go to bed on the early side, you need to ensure that they’re well rested before forcing them to stay up until 9:00 or 10:00 pm. Try putting them to bed a little earlier the night before and if they are still nappers, make sure they get a good nap the afternoon of the party.
Choose Kid-friendly Snacks
If the party is geared toward adults and your kids are picky eaters, pack a few favorite snacks in your bag. Pretzels, carrot sticks or Goldfish crackers are all easy choices that won’t make too big of a mess. Plus, none of them have any added sugar so they won’t cause a sugar high and subsequent meltdown. Pigs in a blanket, chips and boneless wings are popular with kiddos too (just make sure they’re not too spicy).
Plan an Activity for Halftime
There have been certain Super Bowl Halftime shows that were, ahem, not suitable for young viewers. Remember Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004? Ironically, Justin Timberlake, who also played a role in the 2004 debacle, is headlining this year and there’s no telling what will happen. Have an activity prepared specifically for the halftime show so that your kids aren’t sitting and staring mindlessly at the TV.
Make it Fun for Them
Your children may not give a hoot about football. But you better make sure they are entertained if you actually want to watch the game. If there are other kids around, set up some easy games they can play. (Bonus points if there are older kids who can keep an eye on the younger ones.) Even better is to get them directly involved in the game itself–bring along a big poster board or sheet of paper and have the kids serve as “official” scorekeepers, making tally marks each time a team scores. And don’t miss the Puppy Bowl, airing on Animal Planet before the Big Game. Total cuteness!
Get Crafty
You can keep it simple by bringing along coloring books and some crayons for the little ones. Or if you really want to be a fun parent, try searching for an easy Super Bowl craft on Pinterest. There are tons. You’ll find everything from cute footballs to toilet paper roll players to team pennants. Have your kids cut out triangle shapes, trace the letters and glue popsicle sticks on the back. Go team, go!
Bring Pajamas to the Party
If they’re staying up past bedtime, the kids will inevitably fall asleep in the car on the way home. Avoid having to wake them up to change clothes by bringing pajamas to the party and getting them ready for bed before heading home. Then your only challenge is keeping them asleep during the car-to-bed transfer. We wish you the best of luck.
Lower Your Expectations
Super Bowl parties will never be how they were before kids came along, so toss that notion out the window. Your little darling might throw a mega-tantrum during the first quarter. Maybe you’ll forget diapers or a pacifier and have to head home right after you get there. The bottom line is that you should set the bar very low. You may not even make it to halftime if your kids are really young…but that’s okay. Everyone made it out of the house, you socialized for at least thirty minutes, and you even scored some tasty appetizers. Touchdown!
Hero (Top) Feature Image: Monkey Business/Dollar Photo Club
Additional Images (in order) Courtesy:
Pixabay
Lindsay Podolak
