Family Football Frenzy: Family Fun During Football Season

It’s football season!  THANK GOD!  I feel like I wait forever for it to get here, and then suddenly, football becomes the things that fills our Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays.

But watching a few games over the weekend can be very isolating for a family.  If you only have a few people who enjoy sitting to watch the game, the rest can feel left out or bored.  So, how do you involve everyone?

Create a Family Football Frenzy!

Here are a few ideas that I have come up with that will keep everyone in the room together and having a good time while the television is tuned to a football game:

1. Purchase a bag of chocolate covered almonds and a tube of white icing.  Allow older children to make footballs out of the candy.
2. Make it a tradition that during every timeout, you have to do a dance or that every time the quarterback is sacked, Dad has to do a handstand.  Something silly.
3. Play a game of Wall Football with a goal post made from construction paper. (Think “pin the tail on the donkey” but with field goal flare!)
4. Every game is better with food.  Involve the family in choosing and making the football snacks. Get inspiration from my football food board on Pinterest.
5. Use a stuffed football to entertain younger children.  Even my 22 month old knows how to hike a ball.  No, I’m not kidding and I have the video to prove it.
6. Plan a craft.  There are some fun ideas on my football party Pinterest board.
7. Play hot potato with a football.  Whoever is holding the ball when a team makes a first down is out.
8. Cover the coffee table with green paper and line with white tape. Teach your children to play paper football.
9. Set up an art station and encourage the children to design a football helmet from a cardboard box or to color on football themed pages. As they work, teach them the rules while you watch the game.
10. Print out these free football bingo cards and have everyone watch for the special events to trigger a BINGO!

And one more… just for kicks… pick a word that no one can say during the football game. If some hears the chosen word, they can throw a yellow napkin as the penalty flag.

I love football but I love my family more so I want to keep them involved even when I am distracted by my favorite team. Besides, it is my responsibility as a southerner to raise my children to be avid football fans.