It’s almost fall here in the south, and while it’s still over 90 degrees and our leaves never change color, it does mean football season is on the horizon. Like many families in our area, our lifestyle and social calendar make a marked shift once football begins again. Our Saturday afternoons, spent at the park in the winter and the beach in the summer, are now reserved for cheering on our favorite teams.   We gather in living rooms, surrounding bowls of yummy dip, and yell at our televisions as if we were in the stands. Now that I am a mom, I want to share our family’s passion with our little ones and make them part of the fun.

Here are a few ways we make football season fun for our whole family.

Teach them your team’s fight song.

Let’s face it, young kids are never going to sit quietly and watch the game.   So teach them your team’s chants, cheers, and songs. I think my Dad started teaching Mia and Miles the Gator chomp while they were still in the hospital.  They love to perform the fight song and yell touchdown when out team scores.

Let them help with your game day snacks.

Let’s face it; game day snacks are one of the best parts of football season. I enlist Mia and Miles to help in the kitchen and make sure our menu includes lots of kid friendly food.  These “touchdown brownies” are an easy favorite that M&M love to make (and eat).

Plan a football themed craft.

Check Pinterest for lots of simple game day crafts the kids can do on their own, like these simple dot marker printables. Let your kids design new helmets for your team or make fun posters to decorate your game-watching zone.

Play some football as a family.

Prior to the game, toss the ball around in the yard, and teach your littles to hike and spike the ball. As you play you can explain the basic rules, too.

Have a touchdown dance contest.

Send the kids off to perfect their scoring celebration. Have them each perform during halftime to the cheers of your fellow game watchers.

Watching football can be a social experience – a way to bring people together and build camaraderie amongst new friends. Moms don’t have to miss out on all the fun! Look for ways to include your kids and make your game day rituals part of your family traditions. Even non-sports fans will want to get in on the action!

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Category: Fall

Tags: fall