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#Post#: 26113--------------------------------------------------
Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: guest257
Date: July 9, 2019, 12:33 pm
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Anyone have any positive or negative experiences of taking a
toddler to see a game at the Stoop? My oldest will be 4 soon
and I was thinking of taking him to a game this year. He's
probably a bit too young but I want to try and get him
interested and we've been doing toddler rugby sessions on a
Sunday morning for about a year. I suspect it may be a couple
of years too early for him, but I think it also depends on the
quality of the other "family friendly" activities around the
ground to keep interest going if things wane a bit....Any
thoughts appreciated! If it works would be a great excuse for
me to get to a few more games each year!
#Post#: 26114--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: Fearless Fred
Date: July 9, 2019, 12:57 pm
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I can't comment directly (not having any sprogs of my own) but
all the kids I've seen at The Stoop seem to be having a whale of
a time. I've seen babies only a few months old all the way up
into their teens, all having a great time.
I remember one little lad walking along in front of the East
Stand a few years back. He must've been 2 or so. It was a wet
day, and the game had got to the point of some reset scrums due
to the conditions. The kid decided to jump into a puddle, which
got a small cheer from the people in the stand. Over the next
few minutes he jumped in more & more puddles, each time more
people cheered. You could see the grin on the kid's face, and a
friend who'd watched on TV asked me why we were all cheering
when it was a set of reset scrums! It sums up to me the fact
that the experience is welcoming to kids, and in some ways the
fact that they can run up and down in front of the stands,
having fun with each other and the mascots is a great sign that
it's a real family experience.
#Post#: 26115--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: Comet
Date: July 9, 2019, 12:58 pm
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I took my son when he was 4 to a friendly game, as I thought the
noise wouldn't be too bad. He enjoyed the events around the
ground and followed a bit of the game. He then came to quite a
few games that season and is now a season ticket holder with me!
He loves it, as does my nephew of the same age.
In short, go for it!
#Post#: 26120--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: InsertQuinsPunHere
Date: July 9, 2019, 1:36 pm
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Do it. I took my daughter when she was but 3. I took a rucksack
with lots of snacks, a colouring book, and some toys expecting
to have to keep her occupied. She spent the first half shouting
for Quins "like daddy", the half-time break getting her
ice-cream everywhere, and the second half running up and down
the very top row of the South Stand (behind all the seats).
Her one issue was that it was too loud at times. Some of those
kiddy ear defenders you use for music events might be worthwhile
investing in.
#Post#: 26121--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: GuildfordQuin
Date: July 9, 2019, 2:27 pm
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We’ve been taking Stormageddon since he was six weeks old. He’ll
be four soon; he’s started to follow matches intermittently but
we also take books, toys and snacks. All the gents toilets now
have a baby change facility.
He particularly enjoys seeing the Bears and we have several
photographs of him with them; also one with Wayne Barnes!
Staff are friendly and helpful; when he was in a pushchair we’d
as often as not find the exit gate would be opened to allow us
easy entrance.
Start ‘em young; Stormageddon is now used to the noise and it
doesn’t faze him.
#Post#: 26122--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: Twickersman
Date: July 9, 2019, 2:28 pm
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I took my son aged 4 to a couple of games last year. He loved
it. He saw Bothma on the screen with a cast on his Arm. Son no 1
said "Dad what does it say on his arm?" I told him Smash! He now
calls Bothma smash and he is his favourite player. A trip to the
club shop helps a bit too. Good luck.
#Post#: 26124--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: AllyMac
Date: July 9, 2019, 2:42 pm
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We’ve been taking our daughter since she was 3 months old -
she’s now nearly ten. If you can, get there a couple of hours
before kick-off and head for the Mighty Quins village. Here you
will find face-painting, bouncy castles, etc. Then an hour or so
before kick-off, head to the players tunnel armed with a
programme and pen for autographs and photos with the players.
During the match, have games/colouring/ipad to hand, along with
plenty of snacks/drinks. Ear defenders are a good idea if you
have them, as it can get very noisy. Our daughter has only
become interested in following the game in the last couple of
seasons and is now nearly as vocal as mummy, lol. Good luck
#Post#: 26125--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: 2bobjimbob
Date: July 9, 2019, 3:30 pm
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I take my daughter who is nearly 5 as often as I can.
She loves the fact I let her shout ad loud as she can on the
condition it’s Quins related!
Sometimes the noise freaks her out a bit though. I always take
an iPad with earphones which she normally watches at some point
during the second half when she’s lost interest.
I’ve taken her to a few women’s (ladies) matches and that’s
turned out really well.
It’s a lot quieter so she can run about a bit and there’s no
queues and obviously it’s great that she can see women out there
to inspire her!
#Post#: 26127--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: Blucherquin
Date: July 9, 2019, 3:46 pm
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Took my son when he turned 4, was happy to leave if he couldn’t
handle 80 mins but his only complaint was why they vanished at
half time.
He’s been 6 or 7 times now, has all the kit and loves it.
Be prepared to chase the bears around for a photo and bring the
usual bag of snacks.
#Post#: 26128--------------------------------------------------
Re: Matchday at the Stoop with a toddler
DIR By: poorfour
Date: July 9, 2019, 3:51 pm
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We have three kids. We’ve been taking them to unions since they
were 4-6 weeks old; they’ve been season ticket holders since
they were 18 months in two cases and two or three in the third
(she was smaller than the other two and less wriggly). We have
never had any real problems and have been pretty comfortable
letting them walk around the stadium on their own since they
were 4 or 5.
The Stoop is a good place for kids. The Players’ Lounge (or
sometimes the Kings Bar) has a bouncy castle and face paints
before games, there are usually more games in the SW corner, and
it’s a very safe place for kids to roam once they know their way
around. If you need them, there ar changing facilities in most
of the loos and the accessible ones.
When the little ones were younger, we often let our eldest bring
friends to evening matches. Their parents - who for some reason
all seemed to be Arsenal fans - regularly told us “We couldn’t
take our kids to the Emirates, but we feel perfectly safe
bringing them here.”
Two highlights have been:
- Our youngest has grown now, but not long ago she was a tiny
blond thing, usually in a faux leather biker jacket and bright
pink shirt. She is also obsessed with the bears and will always
go and hug them if she sees them. At one game a year or two
back, we were sat next to another season ticket holder who was
for some reason not sitting in her usual row Our daughter went
to the loo, and on the way back strolled along the east
touchline as she usually does. “Oh,” said our temporary
neighbour, “She’s *The Girl*” Apparently she’s a minor celebrity
to the folks in the stands, who have often had to steer her back
to her seat, because she’s not good at remembering which block
we’re in.
- At the end of the 2012 semi final against Northampton, our
then 4 year old middle child went to the loo and didn’t
immediately come back. Eventually I went to talk to a steward
and was describing her to him to put an announcement out,. This
was while the 13-man maul was happening at the other end of the
pitch. My description went “She’s about so high with blond hair
and wearing a YESSSSS!” She turned up a minute or so later,
having decided to go to one of the more distant toilets for
reasons best known to herself.
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