Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
I Finally Found Gear That Made My Kid's First Game Day Unforgettable
30
items Taking a little kid to their first live sporting event sounds magical until you realize they're bored by the second inning, melting down from the sun, and asking to go home before halftime. I spent way too long figuring out what actually keeps a 4-to...
Sections
6
Spirit Gear That Gets Kids Hyped
Sun and Weather Protection for Little Fans
Snacks That Survive a Stadium Trip
Comfort Items for Tiny Fans in Big Stadiums
Entertainment for Slow Innings and Timeouts
Memory Keepers for Their First Game
Spirit Gear That Gets Kids Hyped
My daughter barely cared about the game until she had something to wave around and feel like part of the crowd. These turned her from ‘can we leave yet’ to screaming louder than the adults around us.
Grab this before you walk through the gates. My kid put it on and immediately started high-fiving strangers. She wore it the entire three hours and talked about it for a week. Perfect for any child who needs something physical to channel their excite...
Gmogad Large Foam Finger, Sports Fan Cheering Hand
Toss these in your bag as backup entertainment. When the game hit a slow stretch, my kid started clapping along with the crowd and it snapped her right back into it. Way better than handing over your phone.
11" Giant Hand Clappers Noisemakers
Use these for the kid who wants to put on their own halftime show. My niece stood up in her seat and did a full routine during a timeout. The people behind us were cheering for her more than the team.
SOPOTUTU 1 Pair Cheerleading Poms Set Multi
Bring this to decorate in the car on the way to the stadium. My son wrote his favorite player's number on it with markers and wore it the whole game. Great for kids who like making things their own.
Patriotic Foam Visor Craft Kit
Snag a pair of these and watch your kid lose their mind banging them together after every score. Lightweight enough that a five-year-old can swing them around without taking out the person next to them.
Rhode Island Novelty Multi-color Birthday Party Favors
Sun and Weather Protection for Little Fans
Our first game was in August and I completely underestimated how brutal stadium sun is on a small kid with no shade. Never again. Now I pack like I'm going to the beach.
Slather this on before you leave the house, not in the parking lot when everyone's already whining. It stayed on through sweat and spilled lemonade, which is more than I can say for the brand I used last time.
Coppertone Kids Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50
Get this if your seats are on the sunny side. My son refused regular hats but kept this one on because the brim wasn't floppy. Saved us from a repeat of the lobster-red forehead incident from game one.
Customer reviews for Coolibar Kids Sun Hat with Neck Drape
Wet this thing and drape it around your kid's neck when it's 90 degrees out. My daughter went from cranky and red-faced to totally fine in about two minutes. Packs down small enough to fit in a pocket.
Frogg Toggs Chilly Pad Sport Cooling Towel
Keep this in your bag for when the sun peaks and there's zero breeze. My kid thought it was the coolest toy at the stadium. Bonus: the mist drifted onto me too and I needed it just as badly.
O2COOL, Handheld Misting Fan, 10.5 inch, Blue
Throw this in the car just in case. We got caught in a sudden downpour at an outdoor game and every family around us was scrambling. My kid thought sitting under her bubble watching rain bounce off it was the highlight of the day.
totes Kids Lightweight Dome Canopy Bubble Umbrella
Snacks That Survive a Stadium Trip
Stadium food costs a fortune and my kid won't eat a $9 hot dog anyway. I started sneaking in approved snacks and it changed everything about the mood in our section of seats.
Toss a few of these in your clear bag. They don't melt, they don't crumble everywhere, and they bought me an entire inning of silence. For any parent who knows the meltdown that hits when a kid gets hungry at the worst possible moment.
Goldfish Cheddar Cheese Crackers, Snack Pack
Bring these for the kid who refuses to eat anything that isn't familiar. No spoon needed, no mess, and they fit in a cargo pocket. I keep four in rotation at all times during game day.
GoGo SqueeZ Applesauce Pouches 3.2 Ounce (32 Count)
Stash two or three in your pocket for the late innings when your kid's energy crashes. Saved us from a full meltdown in the seventh inning stretch last season. Chocolate chip flavor is non-negotiable in our house.
Quaker Chewy 3 Flavor Variety Pack Granola Bars
Use these as strategic bribery when your kid wants to leave during the fourth quarter. One pouch bought me enough time to see the comeback. No shame in my parenting game.
EWG's Food Scores
Fill this up at a water fountain inside the stadium instead of paying $6 for a bottle. The bite valve means no spills when your kid inevitably drops it under the seat. Worth it for that reason alone.
Camelbak eddy+ Kids 14oz Water Bottle, Grapefruit
Comfort Items for Tiny Fans in Big Stadiums
Stadium seats were not designed for small humans. After watching my kid squirm miserably for two hours, I started packing a few things that made sitting through a full game actually possible.
Bring this so your kid can actually see over the person in front of them. Before I found this, I was holding my 40-pound daughter on my lap and my back was wrecked by halftime. Deflates flat and fits in your bag.
UberBoost Inflatable Booster Car Seat
Keep this in the car for night games or fall football. Temperatures drop fast once the sun goes down and my kid was shivering by the third quarter. Now she wraps up like a burrito and stays happy.
Parent's Choice Cozy Chenille Baby Blanket, Purple
Put these on your kid before the national anthem. Stadiums are LOUD and my son covered his ears for the first 20 minutes of his first game until I ran to buy a pair. Wish I'd packed them from the start.
3M Peltor Sport Kids Hearing Protection Earmuffs NRR 22db
Swap out their regular shoes for these on warm game days. My daughter's feet swelled up in sneakers last summer and she complained the entire walk back to the car. These breathe and handle stadium floors fine.
Skechers Kids Shoes Shop All
Grab one for yourself too because you'll need it. The padding makes cheap bleacher seats actually bearable. My kid stopped squirming and wiggling once she had something soft to sit on. Simple fix, huge difference.
Coleman Portable Stadium Seat Cushion with Backrest, Blue
Entertainment for Slow Innings and Timeouts
No matter how exciting the game is, there are stretches where nothing happens and a kid's attention just vanishes. I keep a few things in my bag for those dead moments between plays.
Pull this out during pitching changes or TV timeouts. My kid colored for 15 minutes straight and didn't ask me a single ‘when is it over’ question. Small enough to use on her lap without bothering anyone.
Crayola: My Big Coloring Book, 224 pages, Kids Activity Book
Try this for mess-free entertainment when crayons feel too risky around strangers' white jerseys. The pen only uses water so there's zero chance of staining anything. My son thinks the colors appearing is some kind of magic trick.
Customer reviews for Melissa & Doug Scented Water Wow!
Toss this to your kid when they're getting antsy in their seat. It's quiet, it's squishy, and it kept my daughter's hands busy for an entire half. Way better than letting her kick the seat in front of her.
NeeDoh Nice-Sicle Stress Ball (1 RANDOM Color)
Bring a few cars and let your kid race them on the armrest during slow stretches. My son created an entire championship on the bleacher railing. Lightweight, no batteries, no noise to annoy neighbors.
Hot Wheels, Cars, 5-Pack of Die-Cast Vehicles, 1:64 Scale
Use this when your kid hits the 'I'm bored' wall around the two-hour mark. The magnetic pieces don't fall everywhere like regular puzzles. Saved us during a rain delay that lasted 45 minutes.
Learning Resources Magnetic U.S. Map Puzzle
Memory Keepers for Their First Game
A first game only happens once. I didn't think about capturing it properly the first time and I regret it. Now I make sure every kid in our group leaves with something to remember it by.
Hand this to your kid and let them snap photos of whatever catches their eye. My daughter took a picture of a hot dog, the scoreboard, and her foam finger. Those prints are still on our fridge six months later.
Fujifilm, Instax Mini 12 Instant Film Camera, Blue
Stick all the ticket stubs, instant photos, and wristbands in here when you get home. My son flips through his before every game now like it's a ritual. Started a tradition I didn't even plan on.
Pioneer Photo Albums
Get this to frame one good photo from the day. We put it on my daughter's nightstand and she points at it every time someone visits. For any parent who wants to freeze that moment before it fades.
Customer reviews for Pearhead My First Year Photo
Bring one in case you get lucky enough to snag an autograph. We caught a player walking by the tunnel and my kid got his ball signed. Would've been devastated if we didn't have a marker ready.
Sharpie, Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Black, 2 Count
Pick this up as a keepsake your kid can hold onto. My son sleeps with his first-game ball on his nightstand. Costs almost nothing but became one of his most prized possessions overnight.
Franklin Sports