Taking Kids To The Game...

[Jermz]

Hey, I was wondering what you guys think is the best age to take a kid to their first game?

My son was born last May. I plan on taking him to his first game this June (on Father's Day). He will be 13 months old by the time the game rolls around. I am not expecting him to sit still or anything, and even know what is going on...but I just want to bring him since I want to see the game (Dodgers at A's), and I would like to share the experience with him. Also, after ever Sunday home game in Oakland, kids get to run the bases...so I am looking forward to doing that with him too.

By the time next season rolls around, he will be about 2 years old. I am sure that I will be bringing him a lot by then. Just wondering when you guys brought your kids to their first game. How long did they last before they got bored? When did they really start to enjoy it? What is the best age to take your kids to the game?

I would love to hear some of your stories.

Just as a side story, when I was small (about 5 or 6), my father took me to the game and let me pick out any hat that I wanted. I went for the Orioles hat because it had the cartoon bird (my avatar) at the time...it was the early 80's. My brother picked a Red Sox had because it was the same as my Dad. So here we are almost 25 years later, I am still an O's fan and my brother loves the Red Sox...all because they were the first hats we got.

Looking forward to being a "baseball dad"

[Brian McKenna]

took my boy when he was 8 months - have a picture with us with the backdrop of camden yards

when i was a kid my father would take us to memorial stadium - no problem parking or finding seats then - he'd ask me where i wanted to sit (i was the big baseball fan, my brother and father didn't really care) - back then you would go to the nearest gate to purchase seats in specific sections - i would make sure we sat near third base where brooks robinson was playing

[wamby]

I think the best age is about six, when the kid is in first grade. That way he or she will be used to sitting kind of still for a couple of hours.

I know, from personal experience, that I don't like sitting around small kids at the ballpark. Or at many other places for that matter.

[Astro]

I agree with wamby, about five or six is the best age... this way they can actaully watch the game, know whats going on, not bother everyone around them with crying, whining, etc... and also, the most important thing, they can defend themselves incase of a fly ball...

[eddiejc1]

I think the best age is about six, when the kid is in first grade. That way he or she will be used to sitting kind of still for a couple of hours.

I know, from personal experience, that I don't like sitting around small kids at the ballpark. Or at many other places for that matter.

Well, I remember last Fourth of July I went to a Nats game, and some fans sitting in the row ahead of me complained to the mother sitting next to me about her kids who kept kicking the seats in front of them. The mother couldn't make the kids stop and eventually those fans left. They never came back to their seats again.

Eddie Cunningham

[Goofy]

took my boy when he was 8 months - have a picture with us with the backdrop of camden yards

when i was a kid my father would take us to memorial stadium - no problem parking or finding seats then - he'd ask me where i wanted to sit (i was the big baseball fan, my brother and father didn't really care) - back then you would go to the nearest gate to purchase seats in specific sections - i would make sure we sat near third base where brooks robinson was playing

I remember that very well BK!!!! we sat a few rows up from you under the 2nd floor also on the Third base side. Do I take it you're still an O's fan by chance? I also remember back in those days being able to run down during the break between innings and leaning on the fence to the field than running back to my seat when the play started. Long Live Memorial Stadium Many great memories there. And I also remember the nearst gate ticket sales.

[Bluesteve32]

I took my 8 year old to then Anaheim Stadium just months after he was born. We sat in the upper deck, top row and my other son was not even 5 at the time. We talk about that day often, and he thinks it was kind of neat that he was at a game when he was so young.

My oldest son, was about two months old and we took him to the Forum to see the Kings play the then Winnipeg Jets. The three rows kept of passing him around, since he was one of those babies that everyone just loved to hold. It was funny that total strangers would hold him up in the air everytime the Kings scored until he just crashed the whole third period. That was the year the Kings went to the Finals and that was a key game that helped them set the stage for that Cup run. I wish I could say the same about that Angel game

Two season ago my youngest went to a Rancho Cucamonga Quakes game and "Tremor" the mascot, caused him to cry everytime he saw him.