Question to the MGoDad's out there.

Taking an infant to a game is a novelty, something they can brag about when older by telling people they went to their first game before they were a year old.  It isn't particularly safe for a vaiety of reasons either.  

As far as older kids, some have better attention spans than others.  I'll take my 7 year old daughter to 1 game this fall (it'll be a cheap game anyway thats all i can afford) and we'll see how she does.  My wife will come and it will be with the agreement that if my daughter gets inconsolably hot/cold/bored, my wife will take her to get a snack, walk around or just meet me somewhere after the game.

Don't force your kids to endure a game, and have a back-up plan.

Took my son at about 15 months to his first, and had my wife meet me at the gate about mid second quarter, for the hand-off.  At the end of the day, taking kids at that age is essentially for photo-op type purposes.  He's gone once a year since, and usually to the first/second game of the year, when our group on the golf course designates it a "kids friendly" tailgate.  We do once per year, and it's usually fun.  Although at age 5 now, he's getting more attentive, and can follow the game, he still ends up asking to head back to play "tailgating games" during the second half.

My recommendation would be to avoid the 90 degree games, and make sure you have a plan B, or someone to pass them off to, so you can enjoy the game.

Started the Basketball games with him this year, and that's a entirely different story!

Good luck!

But I honestly think it is unfair to you, the kids, and the other fans around you if you bring a kid that's under 6 to the game. Not saying any of you do this, but a lot of times parents tend to think they should get special treatment because they have kids, and so let the stand on the seats, get upset if you curse and let their kids whine and cry and throw food. A college football game really is not appropriate for anyone under 7 or 8, and even that is pushing it. Between the crowds, how much people are paying for tickets, and all the drinking, you are just asking for trouble.

I would instead take them to baseball/softball (fantastic for kids and cost next to nothing), basketball (very relaxed and quick) or hockey (the student section can be crazy, but the other places aren't too bad and all the chants, music and dancing keeps kids entertained). Spring game is all right, but usually is pretty cold/boring. And even those events are kind of rough if the kid can't use the bathroom by themselves. Better to watch it at home and teach them the game than to ruin your time (and more importantly other people's around you) and waste a bunch of money.

I took my son to his first game when he was one (Delaware State - The Approaching Storm) and my daugther to her first game when she was one (EMU).  Why not?  The key is to pick a game that Michigan is likely to win early so you can spread out and leave early if needed.  Take advantage, Michigan fans.  Down here, parents don't really have the option to bring young kids, unless they want to pay $100+ per to see OSU v. YSU, have their kids get stepped on by enormous drunk guys, and listen to same enormous drunk guys complain because Ohio only won by 34.  So, take your kid when you want, have a great time.  They grow up fast...

I took my son to the spring game @ PSU when he was 2.  He had a great time (eating junkfood and playing with his toys). We had plenty of space and left after he puked up the junkfood on the empty seat next to him.

He doesn't remember any of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae_SxDnD2W4&sns=em 

And think about shopping at M Den for a xs shirt!

The first game I brought my youngest son to was the Appy State game. He was 17. He was too young for the trauma. Should have waited a year.

PS We were looking at midwest colleges that long weekend.

It really helped that we had great seats (20 rows up on the 50) so he could see all of the action pretty close up.  We left at halftime---any longer risked a meltdown.

He's 2 years, 3 months now and he just sang The Victors with me today for the first time.

I have taken my 2 kids (6 & 3) to bowl games in FL and while they did not interupt the game very much they really did not watch the game and mostly played with our iPhones. The biggest issue with taking a younger child is when they have to go to the bathroom or feeding during the middle of the game, it can interupt your watching of the game. I have taken my older son to a soccer game in Chicago and he was able to follow for almost the whole game, I think some sports are more continuous which allows them to focus better since the action does not really stop. I also took my then 3 yr old son and 3 week old daughter to a BBall game and they did fine, but I must thank my wife as I was cheering the whole time with my college roommates and hardly noticed the kids during the game. Hope this helps (and isn't repetitive from other posts as I did not read all of them).

He enjoyed it. However, he enjoys playing the game more. Also, he is still a bit short for when everyone stands. At what age does Michigan require a ticket? Infants too?

Personally, I wouldn't take a kid who couldn't sit through a game at home. My son loves football . . . he's always on the play station, enjoys playing tackle, will gladly watch ANY games Saturday or Sunday. With both the Sugar Bowl and the Super Bowl, he wanted to see the whole game. I'd rather not watch games with someone who doesn't give a rip.

Exception:  my 19 year old daughter wanted to go to a Michigan game, and I gladly took her, even though she doesn't care much about football.

I brought my 6 year old son to the Sugar Bowl.  It was his first game.  He was excited about it but quickly got bored halfway through the first quarter.  Snacks, breaks, and alternate entertainment helped us stay until after Big Play Hemingway's speech.  I loaded some new games on the iPod touch and that helped immensely.  We sat next to Lewan's Grandparents so that was interesting as well.  I told him to look for cool things to take pictures of with my SLR.  Ironically, one of the things he found interesting was THAT VATech cheerleader.  YOU KNOW THE ONE.  So proud.

*chokes back tears*

Overall, it will depend on the kid.  If you think the child is ready, as yourself if you are lying to yourself.  If you REALLY think they are ready, give it a shot.  Also, congrats on your recent addition to the Wolverine Family!

As many others have indicated, I'd advise holding off for a while.  If you want to take him because it is easier than finding a babysitter, more power to you.  But, it isn't going to be for him.

We now have 5 tickets, so all the kids can go to as many games as they want to.  About 3 years ago, my (now 14 year old) daughter started complaining that she wasn't getting to go to the "good" games.  This past year she was basically at all of them and is a dyed-in-the-wool fan because SHE wants to be there.

4 or 5 years ago, I started asking her if she *wanted* to go when I had an extra ticket, and most of the time, the answer was yes.  And, she picked up on the fact, very early, that it was a privelege to be there, not a right (and certainly not an obligation).  She also gets that we don't leave before the game is over -- complaining will fall on deaf ears, so it just doesn't happen.

Going to the ND night game this last year was a very special experience for her.

Now my 11 year old daughter is more and more interested in going.  She loves the team, too, and is learning more and more about the game.

My 7 year old son loves cheering, and went to two of the early season games this past year.  He's a soccer player, so we went to a M soccer game last season and that helped strengthen the M linkage for him.  He has a teddy bear he got for Christmas he named "Denard" and wears his 16 jersey to school with regularity.  I still wouldn't take him to an OSU game or something like ND under the lights.

A good indicator is whether or not they like sitting through all, or most, of an away game when you're at home watching it.  If so, they're really getting ready for big-time involvement.

My son has been to the Big House annually since he was about 7 months old.  It can get very hot for afternoon games early in the season.  Kids won't enjoy anything when they have to sit in the sun without knowing what is going on.  I left games early the first few years (against powerhouses like EMU, etc) until he could actually enjoy the games.

But I will say this: now that he's older, he loves the fact that he went to games even when he was a baby.  He likes the photos I took of us and it has helped make him the Michigan fan he is today.

It was okay, but their attention span really wasn't all there yet so I had to keep them busy the whole time - walking around, getting them snacks, etc.  Really wasn't as much fun as I had hoped it to be.  Plus, they didn't really understand the game that well at that point (especially the 3 year old). 

So after that I took a few years off.  They are now 6 and 8 and I think ready to try again.

We took our kids when they were probably 7 or 8.  Any younger is not merely a waste of time and money, but it would probably bore your kids to death.  (Kids vary, of course.)  I think the stadium is way too crowded to consider bringing a baby unless it is your only option.

I am a little vague about my kids, but I do remember my first time in the Stadium.  (Well, my very first time was for my brother's graduation in 1965 when I was 3.  But we're talking football.)  I was at the Missouri game in 1969 -- might have been Bo's first loss.  I was not quite 8.  I hated it.  I remember distinctly being antsy and wanting to go and wondering when it would all be over.  It had nothing to do with the score of the game.  However, by 1970 the the few years following, I went to one game a year and LOVED IT.  I had a real sports awaking when I was 8-9 years old (baseball first because of the 1968 Series, then Michigan football).

I would get them interested in the team by watching on TV and talking about going someday.  Wait until they really want to go so it will be a big deal to them.

when i was 3 my dad started taking me to the Big House and i still remember it to this day - those games are some of my very earliest memories of life in general.  so start now and don't stop.  i started with my sons in those dorky infant frontpacks and now they are 7 and 10 and i have to buy them tix. 

First time was for the Delaware State game (good times)!  And then this year my oldest son and I went to THE GAME!  It was on my bucket list to go at least once.  Great seats off of Stubhub in August when no one knew for sure how this year was going to go!

Toddlers are too young - no attention span, can't sit still, can't see the game if people are standing, don't know what's going on etc.  

Infants are too young - you're taking them to say you took them at an early age, not because they will enjoy or remember it.   

I took my son to his first game last year.  He was 10.  I would have like to have taken him earlier, but without getting into it, I didn't  have confidence in RR's ability to win games -so that blew years 6-9.  I also live 800 miles away.

He had an absolute blast.  One other thing.   He didn't understand the obsession really until he started playing the game and now . . . well he tells me about what's happening elsewhere in college football as I really only focus on the B1G.

When to take them to their first game?? When they can sing the victors. My son was 6 and enjoyed the experience very much even though it was hotter then Kate Upton(WMU game 2011).

When they played the pre game video and the crowd went nuts for Brady Hokes "This is Michigan" he looked at me and said "Dad, I've got goosebumps" I know for sure he was ready to start attending games.

When we were watching the ND game at home the next week on TV and he was pointing out where we sat my wife thought it  was cool. When we played Ohio and he was pointing out Llyod Brady on TV my wife thought "this is getting scary".

self, like milling in huge crowds and being trapped in a seat a long way from a bathroom. My daughter is seven and has been going to basketball games for several years. She just now BEGINS to have anything like the attention span to watch more than ten minutes of football or hoop or soccer with real interest, and she is a very bright and alert little person. That means you have to be ready to attend to the kid or face storms of annoyance. Bring something for them to play with. Be prepared to leave early, possibly way early and lose some money.

I'm not going to try football for a while yet.  

Whatever you do, TAKE PICTURES! It will probably be a pain to deal with the kid at the game, but if you can frame a picture for the spot above the crib of you with the baby with the band/team behind you inside the stadium, it will be priceless.

I think my son was 3-4 years old when I took him to his first spring game. I still brought my child carrying backpack to haul him around if necessary when he got tired. You'll have plenty of room to move around and he still should be able to see with no problem. Personally I would wait until he is potty trained. For boys that could be as late as 4 years old.

For a regular season game I would wait until he is 4 feet tall so that he can stand on the bench seat and still be able to see the game when everybody else is standing. Seats are around 16" to 18" high.