We are in the best time of the year if you’re a sports fan. The NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA football and MLB playoffs are all happening.
With all the excitement that sports can bring (especially football), how do you get your kids involved? What can you do to make it more fun for the entire family? These questions are some that I ask myself each and every week when I go to watch my favorite NCAA and NFL teams. I have two boys that I want to pass my passion for football on to and that can be challenging at times. My two-year-old son will show a lot of interest one week because that is what Daddy is doing. However, other weeks he wants me to put the remote away and will say “Daddy, no game.” My other son is only four-months-old and he’ll sit and look at the TV with me. That’s not enough for me to know if he is really enjoying what we’re doing or if he just likes the pretty colors. On the weeks that my son has a difficult time wanting to watch football, here are some things that I do to keep watching the game fun for him:Get them involved in the game
One way to keep them involved is wear matching team clothes. I have noticed a big change when my entire family is dressed in matching colors of our favorite teams. My son feels that he is doing what Daddy loves and he wants to be like me, so he tries to watch. I have also taught him the signs of touchdown, first down and the art of the high five. I hope that my excitement during the game will spark excitement in him. Since I am a BYU fan, I have also helped him clap along to the fight song and following chant. The most important thing in keeping him involved is being consistent.Keep him occupied
If keeping my son involved doesn’t work, I keep him occupied with something else. Since my son has shown a common affection of superheroes with me, he has enough toys to keep him occupied. In fact, I have been finding my old toys at my parent’s house and bringing them home so he has new toys and the toys have new life. When he gets into telling me to turn off the TV, I’ll grab his favorite ones and hand them to him and even join when I can. I don’t want to force my love for football on my son, so I let him do what he loves, and that includes being Batman’s sidekick.Make sure the snacks are plentiful
If there’s one thing my son loves more than superheroes, it’s snacks. This kid can really pound down the treats. Making sure that there are enough snacks is not only a good tip to keep kids happy, but you also benefit from having snacks ready at hand. I make sure that he has enough snacks and that he has enough stuff to keep him occupied. I try and keep his snacks ready to go because he can’t open them and I want to avoid toddler tantrums as much as possible.Go get 'em!
