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Game day is all fun and games…until you realize you’re responsible for making sure uniforms are washed, snacks are packed, schedules are organized, and all the kids are entertained. While game day is exciting for everyone in the household, it’s also quite chaotic and exhausting for the sports mom in charge of everything. But by preparing ahead of time, you can relax when game day rolls around and enjoy it with the rest of your family.
Whether you’re a seasoned sports parent or have kids joining sports leagues, this survival guide is packed with tips to help you stay organized, keep your sanity, and actually enjoy the day!
Tips for Before Game Day
Getting everything together the night before is key to not stressing the day of. With most sporting events starting early in the morning (thank you, organizers?), there’s nothing more chaotic than scrambling to find the missing cleat or baseball glove. Here are some ways to prepare ahead of time to keep your sanity on game day:
- Pack Your Kid’s Bag the Night Before: Don’t leave anything to chance, and think it will magically get done in just a few minutes the morning of game day! Grab everything you need for game day, including uniforms (home and away – you never know!), sporting equipment, etc. For a complete list of things you need to pack, check out our blog post on sports bag essentials for a player.
- Pack Your Bag the Night Before: Don’t just pack your kid’s bag the night before; also make sure you have your own bag packed (including toys and other essentials for the kids watching their sibling play!). We also have you covered with our sports bag essentials for a parent.
- Leave Post-It Notes for Things You Can’t Pack: Food you want to bring? Water bottle in the fridge? Uniform in the dryer? Make a list the night before of everything you’ll need to remember to pack. It will make it way less stressful than constantly saying to yourself, “What else do I need?!” I recommend leaving it on your front door or garage door (whichever door you leave through).
- Put Everything in Front of the Door: This way, you’ll literally have to trip over it before leaving your house, ensuring you won’t forget anything!
- Charge All Devices: Make sure to charge all your devices the night before and grab them in the morning (add this to your post-it note!). This includes charging your phone, iPad, Kindle, and portable chargers.
- Go to Bed Early: The best way to ensure a smooth game day? Getting enough sleep! This is so important for both the player and the sports parents…game day can be a longggg day, and you’ll want to make sure you’re well-rested.
Tips for During Game Day
Something is bound to happen on game day, but when it does, don't stress! It's easier said than done, but it's important not to sweat the small stuff (we know – easier said than done!). While we can't guarantee a win for your kid's team, we can guarantee a much smoother day with these game-day tips:
- Leave Early: If it takes 15 minutes to get to the stadium or field, leave 30 minutes early. The last thing you want to do is stress about traffic and parking and rush to get your kid there on time.
- Be Realistic and Prepare for the Unexpected: Things happen, items are forgotten, the weather doesn’t cooperate, everything doesn’t go as planned, and kids start having meltdowns! Be realistic and realize that not everything is going to go to plan.
- Remember to Eat and Drink: If you get dehydrated or hangry, stress levels will rise, and tempers will start flaring. Remember to drink plenty of water and eat throughout the day (this also goes for the kids watching the game!).
- Make Game Day Special: We're all about making game day special for the entire family, not just your player. We have a blog post dedicated to ideas on including everyone in your family on game day.
- Socialize with Other Parents: Game day isn’t just about the game itself; it’s also about bonding with other parents and creating a community. Make sure to socialize, meet other parents, and create bonding moments with others.
Tips for After Game Day
You’ve survived game day – congrats! Here are some easy ways to not only make the rest of the day easier on yourself and your family but also to make the next game day a little less stressful:
- Order Takeout: After all the food at the game, you and your family might not actually be that hungry. Take the stress out of preparing a meal and order takeout pizza or another family favorite.
- Unpack Bags: Don't let all the stinky uniforms, rotting food, and other items stay packed in bags until the next game day. Unpack it immediately and start washing everything. Trust us – your future self will thank your past self. ;)
- Make Sure to Rest: Don’t plan a bunch of events after game day or commit to other things. Take time to rest as a family and enjoy a bit of downtime after a busy day.
At the end of the day, your kids won’t remember the wins or the losses, but they’ll remember that you showed up and supported them. Game day won’t last forever, so cherish the moments you’ve created as a family. With a bit of planning and a lot of patience, you can turn game-day chaos into memories that last a lifetime!