Bringing 4 year old daughter for the first time..

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Upthecowboys

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I've just bought 2 tickets in the family stand for tomorrow's game. It will be my daughter's first game, and I can't wait to bring her along as I think she'll really enjoy it.

Anyone got any tips ? I'll pack a few things for her to do if she is bored (colouring book etc), will make sure she is wrapped up, have a supply of sweets. Have I missed anything obvious?

Also any ideas to make it special? I'll get the usual photos, will keep the programme and get something for her from the club shop. Basically I want to get her hooked!
 
Upthecowboys said:
I've just bought 2 tickets in the family stand for tomorrow's game. It will be my daughter's first game, and I can't wait to bring her along as I think she'll really enjoy it.

Anyone got any tips ? I'll pack a few things for her to do if she is bored (colouring book etc), will make sure she is wrapped up, have a supply of sweets. Have I missed anything obvious?

Also any ideas to make it special? I'll get the usual photos, will keep the programme and get something for her from the club shop. Basically I want to get her hooked!
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I take my 3 year old son (in the warmer weather), he started coming just before his 3rd Birthday, he didnt like the tannoy noise, which wven i admit is loud. So we have some yellow ear defenders.

Plenty of snacks and we even take his kiddy tablet to play some games on as he does get bored.
 
You could contact the club to give her a shout out with the birthday messages at half time. They'll be happy to mention that it's her first game with her family. I think that would make it special.

The club may well have some ideas of their own so well worth contacting them directly to see if a player or Olly/Olivia the Ox can pop over and pose for a photo too.
 
my youngest grandson went to his first game a couple of seasons ago when he was 4, when visiting from Northern Ireland, ( both my son in laws, my dad, my sister, a nephew, my youngest lad and eldest grandson, plus me were at the game with him) - his verdict after the game ( a score draw!), 'that was the best day, ever'

sweets, drinks*, crisps , snacks ..... wrap her up warm ( its always cold no matter where you are in the Breeze Block)

..... if time allows pop round to Sue Traffords stall outside the Quadrangle to buy her a scarf (&/or hat, maybe a flag too?) which will help her feel 'part' of the yellow army/ family and its an additional treat to mark the occasion.

Yellow Roses/ OUWFC, currently top of their league, are outside the Quadrangle tomorrow from 1.30pm too, Im sure they'll be happy to have photos taken with your daughter

Again, if time allows pre match take here to see the bronze Ox statue ( which has tributes to Joey on it currently)

getting the balance right on getting in the ground is a bit of a quandry ( I don't think ollys den has reopened ?) , get in too early and it becomes a long - and for a youngster, boring, - time, before the match even starts.

ESB makes a decent point re the tannoy being, at times, too loud-guess it depends where you are in the ground, none of my kids or grandkids were too bothered by it.... though my kids first games were at the Manor, grandkids were at the breeze block albeit in SSL ( fence end)

*Be prepared for several visits to the toilets - at 'inappropriate' times, with the match ongoing- in both halves of the game!!

as @unification advises contact the club directly ..... maybe DM @OUSP Secretary on here too? SLO may be able to arrange something?

Im taking my middle granddaughter to tomorrows game, she started going when she was 7, although, now being a teenager (13) she doesn't go to every home game, shes a semi regular, and a 'year of the Ox' OUFC junior member

Enjoy the day @Upthecowboys and here's hoping for a home win for your daughters first match
 
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Sarge said:
my youngest grandson went to his first game a couple of seasons ago when he was 4, when visiting from Northern Ireland, ( both my son in laws, my dad, my sister, a nephew, my youngest lad and eldest grandson, plus me were at the game with him) - his verdict after the game ( a score draw!), 'that was the best day, ever'

sweets, drinks*, crisps , snacks ..... wrap her up warm ( its always cold no matter where you are in the Breeze Block)

..... if time allows pop round to Sue Traffords stall outside the Quadrangle to buy her a scarf (&/or hat, maybe a flag too?) which will help her feel 'part' of the yellow army/ family and its an additional treat to mark the occasion.

Yellow Roses/ OUWFC, currently top of their league, are outside the Quadrangle tomorrow from 1.30pm too, Im sure they'll be happy to have photos taken with your daughter

Again, if time allows pre match take here to see the bronze Ox statue ( which has tributes to Joey on it currently)

getting the balance right on getting in the ground is a bit of a quandry ( I don't think ollys den has reopened ?) , get in too early and it becomes a long - and for a youngster, boring, - time, before the match even starts.

ESB makes a decent point re the tannoy being, at times, too loud-guess it depends where you are in the ground, none of my kids or grandkids were too bothered by it.... though my kids first games were at the Manor, grandkids were at the breeze block albeit in SSL ( fence end)

*Be prepared for several visits to the toilets - at 'inappropriate' times, with the match ongoing- in both halves of the game!!

as @unification advises contact the club directly ..... maybe DM @OUSP Secretary on here too? SLO may be able to arrange something?

Im taking my middle granddaughter to tomorrows game, she started going when she was 7, although, now being a teenager (13) she doesn't go to every home game, shes a semi regular, and a 'year of the Ox' OUFC junior member

Enjoy the day @Upthecowboys and here's hoping for a home win for your daughters first match
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Cheers Sarge (& others) for that nice response.

I've contacted the club, I just want to get her hooked because then that will mean I can get back to my level of attendance pre family responsibilities! The Sue Trafford shout is a good one, hadn't thought of that..
 
Sarge said:
my youngest grandson went to his first game a couple of seasons ago when he was 4, when visiting from Northern Ireland, ( both my son in laws, my dad, my sister, a nephew, my youngest lad and eldest grandson, plus me were at the game with him) - his verdict after the game ( a score draw!), 'that was the best day, ever'

sweets, drinks*, crisps , snacks ..... wrap her up warm ( its always cold no matter where you are in the Breeze Block)

..... if time allows pop round to Sue Traffords stall outside the Quadrangle to buy her a scarf (&/or hat, maybe a flag too?) which will help her feel 'part' of the yellow army/ family and its an additional treat to mark the occasion.

Yellow Roses/ OUWFC, currently top of their league, are outside the Quadrangle tomorrow from 1.30pm too, Im sure they'll be happy to have photos taken with your daughter

Again, if time allows pre match take here to see the bronze Ox statue ( which has tributes to Joey on it currently)

getting the balance right on getting in the ground is a bit of a quandry ( I don't think ollys den has reopened ?) , get in too early and it becomes a long - and for a youngster, boring, - time, before the match even starts.

ESB makes a decent point re the tannoy being, at times, too loud-guess it depends where you are in the ground, none of my kids or grandkids were too bothered by it.... though my kids first games were at the Manor, grandkids were at the breeze block albeit in SSL ( fence end)

*Be prepared for several visits to the toilets - at 'inappropriate' times, with the match ongoing- in both halves of the game!!

as @unification advises contact the club directly ..... maybe DM @OUSP Secretary on here too? SLO may be able to arrange something?

Im taking my middle granddaughter to tomorrows game, she started going when she was 7, although, now being a teenager (13) she doesn't go to every home game, shes a semi regular, and a 'year of the Ox' OUFC junior member

Enjoy the day @Upthecowboys and here's hoping for a home win for your daughters first match
Click to expand...
I was thinking of taking my 5yr old Granddaughter to a game but can’t get past the thought of taking her to use the gents toilets. Often wondered how people manage it, 2 cubicles in the SSL London Rd end, and they’re always absolutely minging. In this day and age it makes me think how disgusting it is and why it’s difficult to make it a family ground. I’m guessing it’s zero different in the North (family) stand area?
 
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Yellowmania said:
I was thinking of taking my 5yr old Granddaughter to a game but can’t get past the thought of taking her to use the toilets. Often wondered how people manage it, 2 cubicles in the SSL London Rd end, and they’re always absolutely minging. In this day and age it makes me think how disgusting it is and why it’s difficult to make it a family ground. I’m guessing it’s zero different in the North (family) stand area?
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I have no first hand experience of the North stand toilets - though its rumoured there are listening devices in them?-

SSL, fence end are just about 'adequate' , well, so Im told the ladies are, .... all 3 of my grand daughters have been to home games with me , ( the middle one being the one who's hooked), all of them from around 5/6 yo, all of them able n capable of going to the toilet on their own .... first couple of times they went they' needed to go' , during both halves of the game.... - getting seats near to the end of a row, and close to an exit to the concourse is helpful

When I take my middle grand daughter to matches, more or less from the third match she came to with me, we arrive at the ground about 10 mins before kick off, once through the turnstile she goes to the ladies before going to where we usually sit, then is invariably not in need for the rest of the match-

shes a teenager now, we're in the east stand tomorrow (first time in the east stand for her), I may adviser her to use the ladies in the 'bird , before we walk to the ground, having heard that East stand facilities are worse than 'basic'
 
Sarge said:
I have no first hand experience of the North stand toilets - though its rumoured there are listening devices in them?-

SSL, fence end are just about 'adequate' , well, so Im told the ladies are, .... all 3 of my grand daughters have been to home games with me , ( the middle one being the one who's hooked), all of them from around 5/6 yo, all of them able n capable of going to the toilet on their own .... first couple of times they went they' needed to go' , during both halves of the game.... - getting seats near to the end of a row, and close to an exit to the concourse is helpful

When I take my middle grand daughter to matches, more or less from the third match she came to with me, we arrive at the ground about 10 mins before kick off, once through the turnstile she goes to the ladies before going to where we usually sit, then is invariably not in need for the rest of the match-

shes a teenager now, we're in the east stand tomorrow (first time in the east stand for her), I may adviser her to use the ladies in the 'bird , before we walk to the ground, having heard that East stand facilities are worse than 'basic'
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Ladies toilets are ok in the east stand.
 
Yellowmania said:
I was thinking of taking my 5yr old Granddaughter to a game but can’t get past the thought of taking her to use the gents toilets. Often wondered how people manage it, 2 cubicles in the SSL London Rd end, and they’re always absolutely minging. In this day and age it makes me think how disgusting it is and why it’s difficult to make it a family ground. I’m guessing it’s zero different in the North (family) stand area?
Click to expand...

Push come to shove, use the disabled toilets when it will be quieter (ie the game still going).
 
Snacks are a must. When I first started taking my boy as a 5 year old, my wife designed him a little book that had the OUFC badge and the opponent's badge and then had a table below it with boxes for 'Free kicks', 'shots' etc. which he would tick each time one happened for each side - manual stat recording if you will. It doesn't keep them entertained for 90 minutes but normally covers 30 mins or so and they can come and go to it during the match.
 
Wallop said:
Snacks are a must. When I first started taking my boy as a 5 year old, my wife designed him a little book that had the OUFC badge and the opponent's badge and then had a table below it with boxes for 'Free kicks', 'shots' etc. which he would tick each time one happened for each side - manual stat recording if you will. It doesn't keep them entertained for 90 minutes but normally covers 30 mins or so and they can come and go to it during the match.
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...and then 50 years in the future, he'll be counting dots on a ticket booking screen. #AddictionEnablerAlert
 
SteMerritt said:
...and then 50 years in the future, he'll be counting dots on a ticket booking screen. #AddictionEnablerAlert
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Think we can expand this into real-time in-stadium dot counting.

“The official attendance is 8,437, but I can see that Geoff Bloggs in the East Stand, seat W81, has just left his seat to grab an early pie, so the dots are down to 8,436.”
 
I bring my daughters (6 & 3) semi-regularly and can only echo what has been stated above. Plenty of snacks. Tablets are a godsend if you have one (no clue how my old man used to bring me to football at an early age without such modern luxuries! 🤣)

It has helped me keep attending most of the games I’d like to as my partner isn’t left with both kids every weekend!

I try to break the game down into little segments and work out ways to keep them entertained I.e. the first 5-15 minutes is usually ok watching the game as the excitement of the team coming out, flags, balloons, colour and noise etc excited my little ones. Then bust out some snacks to get through the next 15 minutes or so. Maybe some tablet games/cartoons to get to half time. My eldest is insanely frustrating at needing the loo at the worst time - so forcing her to go for a wee during HT is a must. Same routine again for the second half!

I’ve been bringing both girls since they were very young so by this stage my eldest - at 6 - is starting to show more of a real interest so plays football herself, watches more of the game (usually the last 15-20 minutes) and likes to take what she’s seen the players do into her own games.

As I’ve said on a few threads recently, it can be intimidating bringing younger kids to football. And there are still certain places/games I wouldn’t bring either yet. But for the most part I’ve found people home and away to be incredibly welcoming and friendly. As a father I love getting to watch my kids experience this idiotic love/obsession/passion we all have with OUFC

(Even if my eldest did leave the Bolton game in floods of tears due to their late winner! ‘I just can’t believe Oxford lost daddy, I’m so so sad’ 🤣🤣🤣)
 
This is an interesting thread. The club is wanting to look into how they provide for families. It hasn't really picked up properly post Covid. We know the getting Ollie the Ox back will help, but would love to know what else would make it easier and more enjoyable for those in the family area. Feedback welcome to ouspinfo@gmail.com
 
Joey's Left Boot said:
Am I the only one who thinks having the family stand in the same stand as away fans a bit inappropriate?
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No, it’s plenty enough away from the away fans and I sit as close as you can to them in the Family Stand. The move to the North Stand has been a great success with families getting a very good view of the game and more space for activities.

As for the original question.
Another vote for the tablet. Try not to worry about whether she is watching the game or not they will pay attention when they want to. Ear defenders are also useful or over the ear headphones for when they are watching their tablet.

Snacks, water and plenty of clothing. Sunglasses/peaked cap particularly if you are near the front of the stand as the sun may get in your eyes.

Try and go to the toilets 5 minutes before half time. There are 3 cubicles in the gents and one of them has been blocked for the previous 2 games.
 
Joey's Left Boot said:
Am I the only one who thinks having the family stand in the same stand as away fans a bit inappropriate?
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I am not sure where a better place would be?
It does seem that the family stand is busier this season and with around 1000 seats I would think that is pretty encouraging
 
Foley said:
I am not sure where a better place would be?
It does seem that the family stand is busier this season and with around 1000 seats I would think that is pretty encouraging
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How does it compare to the old family area in SSL? (That's where I used to go with my kids when they were younger)
 
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