Earliest age to take a child to a football match?

[Junior Mullet]

There's been a very young lad going to games this season, sat in the Itchen a few rows back to the left of the Saints dug-out facing the pitch. He could only have been about 1 yr old at the start of the season. Didnt look like he was even walking and yet I never noticed him making a fuss.

[Mowgli]

I used to support Dorchester playing at home and watched in amazement as the pregnant woman in front of me got bigger and bigger without missing a match. I assumed the birth would mean she would have to miss a few games but was astonished to see her appear a week later with the baby. So less than 7 days old.....!!

[Ekelund]

4 weeks old, JPT final

[angelman]

I'm asking myself this same question.

 

Eldest is 9 but quite badly disabled. He wouldn't know what is going on but would love the noise of 25,000 people cheering.

 

Next is a 7yo daughter. I have offered to take her, but she isn't interested and prefers to stay tied to her mother's apron strings. I took her to 3 games years back and the opposition put 9 past us while we put 1 past them. Therefore the Mrs isn't asked, not that she wants to go, and that is absolutely fine.

 

But....my youngest is a 4yo boy. I have, having lived half way between Craven Cottage and Stamford Bridge for years before quitting, made sure that he doesn't like any team in blue and only Southampton. Any sport that I watch, whether it be cricket or something else, is accompanies by the question "is that Southampton?" If he doesn't quite get that then I am not sure that he is ready. Maybe another year or two.

 

I went pre FA Cup final as I remember not being allowed to go to it and being taken to Marwell Zoo instead! So that would have made me 4 and a bit. I remember my first game (not sure who against but think that it might have been WBA) - it was 1-1 and I thought that it was brilliant. My father said it wasn't a very good game, and I couldn't quite get what he meant so agreed with him although I thought otherwise.

[Window Cleaner]

5 is by far young enough, maybe even too young.2/3 hours of noise and hustle and bustle is far too long for a very young child.

I'm sure there are pediatric studies on this anyway.

Edited 6 January, 2011 by Window Cleaner

[BJBSAINTS]

Took my son to his first game v Oldham this season, aged 2yrs 4 months......We sat behind the goal in the Chapel and although he slept for about 10 mins in the first half when Chambo scored the winner he absolutely loved the celebrations! Also took him to the peterborough game so he's on a 100% record at the moment! Won't be taking him again until the end of the season when it starts getting a bit warmer.

[JustinR]

Took my son at just turned 5 to Saints V Pompey last year- as he'd been asking to come for a while.

 

I made a mistake with the match choice- a little too intense!!

 

He wasnt bad, but freaked out at the noise for the goals and I think thats a common issue for the young ones- you could put them off for ages afterwards.

 

Incidentally, he is finally, almost a year later expressing some interest to come again. He is also much more into football in general now- so maybe 6-7 is the perfect age

[moonraker]

Took all (4) of my children between the ages of 4 - 7, eldest now 26 youngest 9. All still follow Saints albeit in the eldest 2's case (rarely attend games) from a distance (Peterborough) youngest 2 go with me to Sat Games (6/7 a season) but not Evening games as its a 170 mile round trip. Have never had any trouble and the youngest is abosuloutly fanatical about Saints. We will all be going to the away game at Peterborough and taking my 3 year old Grandson for his first Game.

[rich saints]

been taking my daughter this year 4 1/2, now has season ticket and enoys the games with the help of sweets ,knows and joins in a few songs as well!!onwards and upwards

[LostBoys]

My dad took me when I was 3

[The9]

Like I say every time this thread comes around, I went to my first game aged 1 week (and got in the local paper because of it).

 

Bloody 0-0 draw in the 4th Division between two sides currently in the Conference it was, as well...

 

Then again my dad was still moaning at me during the Mercantile Credit Football League Centenary Classic at Wembley for reading the programme and I was 14 by then. But it WAS a pointless match, even if I did get to see 1-Dasayev, 2-Josimar, 3-Celso, 4-Alberto, 5-Hysen, 6-Bagni, 7-Berthold, 8-Lineker, 9-Platini, 10-Maradona, 11-Futre, 12-Detari, 13-Belanov, 14-Larsson, 15-Elkjaer, 16-Zavarov, 17-Stojkovic, and 18-Zubizarreta play. Okay, maybe Glenn Hysen was pushing it a bit on the "World" front.

 

Didn't go to my first Saints match until I was 18 though (unless they happened to be playing Newport County at Somerton Park on a Saturday between Jan 1973 and May 1988 - which they didn't, as the last meeting was in the FA Cup in 1968 and I wasn't born then). As I'm on a tangent, weirdly Newport beat Saints 5-1 in their last league meeting (it was 1960 though, in Division 3).

Edited 7 January, 2011 by The9

[Right sider]

Took my daughter to pre season against hearts and she was 2 and 3/4. Did spend a bit of time popping to the loo. Take some toys as the attention span is not great. She's been to 5 games now and is fine now, she is over 4 though. Take things to do, prepare to be flexible. Pre season friendly is probably the best introduction.