My husband is a pitcher, and my son isn’t a fan of sitting down for…any period of time, really. I’ve had to get scrappy when it comes to lasting however many innings he’s pitching - and then some! Check out my tips for keeping a toddler going at a baseball game below.
1) BRING (OR PURCHASE) SNACKS
Does anyone snack more than a toddler? I bring things like lollipops, granola bars, pretzels or popcorn and dried or cut up fruit. If I need to, I’ll bribe him with some Dippin’ Dots - no shame.
2) BRING AGE APPROPRIATE TOYS
He loves his trucks, but when he was a little younger he couldn’t help himself and would throw them into the rows in front of us. I was mortified, but luckily we avoided him hitting anyone. This was a lesson in the necessity of age appropriate stuff. We’ve stopped throwing things (thank goodness), so cars and trucks are a favorite to bring again. Other ideas include poppers, action figures/dolls and coloring books.
3) BE PREPARED TO WALK
Around the 3rd or 4th inning, I start to get the side-eye from Max to see if I’m paying attention, and if I’ll notice if he inches his way to the aisle and takes off running. That’s about when I know that I’ll be doing laps around the park for at least a few innings. Before I had him, I would always stay close to my seat - but I have to say, wandering around every ballpark we go to is pretty cool!
Some parks have kid friendly areas like playgrounds or even bounce houses! Most have mascots, and Max has never met a mascot he doesn’t like. There’s always something fun to explore, and after a few innings and a few laps, he’s ready to sit down again.
4) EXPLAIN THE GAME!
This is an underrated way to have kids of a certain age sit still! Even if he might not fully understand, I’ll put Max on my lap and explain to him what’s happening. I’ll tell him the rules, why the batter is safe (or out), what happens during a pitching change, etc. We went to a game yesterday, and he correctly called out “foul ball!” after a pitch. Proud mom moment, for sure.
5) HAVE A BEER, AND ENJOY. BASEBALL IS FUN!
Chasing a toddler around can be exhausting, but some of our memories at the ballpark are ones that I’ll never forget. Shoot - some of my earliest memories are going to the ballpark as a kid! Any level, any time - baseball is special.
At a game at NBT Bank Stadium in Syracuse, NY