Babies at games

[Archieavfc]

I am going to be home this Christmas with my son who will be 9 months old. Its been a while since I have been at VP and cant ever remember seeing kids this young at the matches. Have people brought kids around this age to games before and what have been their experiences?

He wont thank me when he is older for making him a Villa fan but with the way things are going we have to hook them when they are young (and he can support Keylor Navas at Real Madrid if he wants success!!!)

[nigel]

Personally I wouldn't take a child that young.
I think there's a fair bit that could go wrong, but, mainly. it could be quite frightening for the child.

Just a personal view

[Chipsticks]

Honestly I think that would only be terrifying for the child and very, very annoying for people sat around you. I get if you're eager to make him a Villa fan but I think you need to wait a few years.

[ACVilla]

I took my daughter when she was just over one and she was absolutely fine. My brother took his son who was nearly one and he was also absolutely fine.

As for, "it'll be annoying for people around you", isn't that what family stands are for?

[Chipsticks]

I took my daughter when she was just over one and she was absolutely fine. My brother took his son who was nearly one and he was also absolutely fine.

As for, "it'll be annoying for people around you", isn't that what family stands are for?

I haven't been in the family stands for a fair few years but if there's kids in there that young then fair enough maybe that's the option.

[Legion]

No baby-changing facilities. As in nappies, not the baby itself.

[brian green]

My rule with my three kids was if you are big enough to carry your own milk crate to stand on you are big enough to come to the game.  Damon was five, as was his brother and his sister was four but she would not carry a crate and insisted on going in the Panini Lounge.

[Chris Smith]

I wouldn't have dreamed of taking any of mine at that age. Firstly, as suggested they could get bothered by the crowd and noise and secondly, how are you going to be able to pay any attention to the game with a babe in arms to look after as you're not going to be able to park a buggy in the gangway?

I think the youngest I took any of them was about 2 and he slept through most of the second half and has absolutely no recollection of it now. He is a season ticket holder now and I reckon there have been a fair few occasions over the past 4 seasons when he could quite happily have curled up and had a kip only he's a bit too big to sit on my lap these days.

[Gregorys Boy]

Not that I have experience of this, but it does depend on the child.  As a rule I think I would wait until the child is at least three or four.   At the end of the day if you are taking them to give them to give them a taste of live football, then you want them to remember/enjoy their day.   At age one I don't think they are really going to take in what is happening. 

I am hopeing to take my friend's son to his first game next season, he will be about eight, but lives in the states, so I am looking forward to taking him,  just hope Villa are still a top flight club at the time

[oldtimernow]

Breast feeding issues need to be considered

[Legion]

I have two grandchildren. Freddie is 6 and Bentley is 2. Freddie is coming with me to his first full game when we play Hull City but there is no way I would take Bentley. A couple of years ago I took Freddie to watch Walsall. We had to leave just before half-time as he wanted to play in the park.

[brian green]

Also much depends on the child.  Mine are all very robust and outgoing. Of my grandsons two are natural Holte Enders the third is a quiet studious lad who has been to games just to please me but would be happier reading his books.

[Phil from the upper holte]

My son is one in 2 weeks, there is no way I'd take him, the noise will terrify him. Not only that he'd never keep still he'd be crawling under everyones legs...Actually there probably won't be any cheering

[supertom]

At that age they won't consciously remember, however the pain and abject torture of having to sit through a Villa match so young will be burned into their subconscious and then in 18 years time you've got Hannibal Lector living in your house, not cleaning his room and stealing your Chianti.

[themossman]

It could be a nightmare. I had to bail on monsters university 30 seconds in as the noise was too much for my 2 year old. Would have been that much more expensive and annoying at a game. I'd say it's a gamble personally.