Those of you who know us are surely aware of the fact that we are a very sporty family. For the time being, only the oldest of our kids practice sports (the younger is slowly trying), so for a little more than two years, I´ve been a football mom. Last year, our son also added athletics and hockey to his after-school activities. Sometimes I say to myself if it’s not too much, but when I see how happy he is, I have to say that at this time, when kids are mostly stuck to mobile/tablet/PC screens, it´s almost a miracle that I don´t have to make him doing sports activities.
With all these disciplines, we have sporting events to attend all year round. At the beginning, it was challenging to pack everything for the whole family to handle the long hours of the sporting event (because, of course, you are supposed to support your athlete on the spot). And since I love lists that help me shorten my packing and preparation time, I have prepared one for you to make your life of a sports mom much easier! It contains items I consider essential to survive enjoy the event as much as possible without loads of stress. You can find the list at the end of the post – and of course, you can download it!
Clothes
Your small athlete usually has a list of things to take with him to the training/match/tournament given from the sporting club. But don´t forget to check it carefully before leaving. If a sporting event takes place in the gym or outdoors in nice warm weather, the choice of clothes for you and the rest of the family is not that much of a job.
However, if the sporting event takes place outside in cooler weather, or at the ice arena, do not underestimate the thermal underwear! And with that, I mean ski long johns (nobody will see them under your jeans, and they keep you warm). I definitely recommend warm socks, something on the neck, and beanie and gloves if necessary.
Snacks for the whole family
Maybe you have the same experience like me that if you’re bored, you´re tempted to eat. Small children are no exception in this. Although at most of the sporting events there are stands selling various goodies (hotdogs, fries etc.), I always take plenty of snacks. In their preparation, I follow another of my lists, which you can find here (sandwiches, crackers, crackers, nuts, fruits etc).
Do not forget to prepare a flask with a warm tea that always comes in handy. And when I don´t get time to drink my morning coffee before leaving the house, I take it in my thermo-mug to the car (of course I prepare one for my husband;))
Activities for younger siblings
Honestly, toddlers and younger kids simply do not enjoy watching and cheering their sporting sibling. So if you set out as a whole family to the sporting event, I recommend to find out if there is a playground nearby (in most cases there is) or a place for a walk. And I´m sure you´ll find a place for a small ball, colored pencils, and coloring books in your car. For little older kids, you can take a scooter, for example. And as we live in the 21st century, good service also makes kids´ stories on a tablet or games on the mobile phone.
Other essentials
If the sporting event takes place outside and in good weather, do not forget to protect yourself from the sun: pack caps, sunscreen, and sunglasses. At the ice arena, you will definitely appreciate cushions and if you feel you really need it not to freeze, take a blanket.
I, personally, carry my “first-aid-box” with me everywhere: it contains disinfecting spray, hand disinfection, wet wipes, paper tissues, lip balm, tea tree oil, pocket knife, and deodorant. The original post on these essentials, which I always have at hand, is here.
Where to put all this?
This, of course, depends on you and your preferences. Somebody likes an easy-access that provides a sports bag. I personally like backpacks because I have free hands when I´m chasing my littlest.
Here I have to boast a little. When doing a “fall cleaning” recently I´ve thrown away a lot of my “demodé” handbags. I “needed” the fill the empty place up a bit and instead of another handbag, I´ve bought a backpack. Yes, we have lots of backpacks at home, but all for hiking. This is in so-called “urban style” and despite its simple exterior appearance it surprised me because it has a lot of practical inside pockets, and I just love them 🙂
And how do you prepare for sporting events? Do you have a trick that has proven well to you? Is there something you would add to my list? Do not hesitate and leave the comment!
