Thank you in advance for any suggestions and guidance! I am surprising my 6yo girl with a trip to the swamp this weekend for the Ole Miss game. She loves some football and I am looking forward to time well spent. I’ve been to the Swamp plenty of times but always just to tailgate and get into the stadium. It’s been about 5+ years since my last Visit too. This time, I’d like to explore some with her and let her see plenty of highlights … like the Gator Walk, Cheerleaders, Statues, etc. What are some can’t miss experiences and sights to see that she would enjoy? Any other opinions on ways to make the afternoon as comfortable/easy as possible would be appreciate too … parking pass ideas, proximity, map (?), lessons learned from dads, lol! Thank you!
Good seats so she can see the action or at least see the cheerleaders/players. Buy her some Gator stuff (shirt, cheerleader outfit, stuffed gator, etc) Picture with the gator statue or Albert/Alberta, if possible. Catch the jumbotron for the gator chomp coming out of the swamp as the teams hit the field. Haven't met a kid that didn't like that. In fact I can recall making a Gator fan out of a Kentucky kid after watching it. Of course it's even better when the Gators win. We were lucky for my sons first game, wife got tickets behind the Gator bench about 10 rows up from a bull gator and the Gators won. Enjoy!
Oh, my goodness, how wonderful! My very first Gator "game" was the Orange and Blue Spring game my father took me to when I was around that same age. Daddy's girl. So I feel you. If she's a tomboy like I was/still am at almost 40 now LOL and into football this deep, these are my recommendations: Gator Walk - happens about 2 hours 25 minutes before kick-off so a very early 9:30am-ish this weekend. Will happen along W. University Blvd (which will be closed to traffic early) from around Gale Lemerand Drive intersection (road along west stands) down W. University into the North end of the stadium. Try and get a spot on the street roped-off area early so she can try and get little high-fives from the players as they make their way in. Bronze Albert and Alberta statues for visiting/photo opportunity outside of Emerson Alumni Hall also right there around that same intersection of W. University and Gale Lemerand. The walk south down Gale along the west stands outer area to see the three Heisman statues and outside the southwest gate entrance is a Bull Gator statue. I think there is also a bronze Gator statue outside the North end zone entrance area. Otherwise, I don't remember a ton of kid-friendly stuff. That also may be affected now that I am older and do not have children of my own, so I visit the beer tents, etc now. Get into the stadium with her early. Pregame show should start around 11:30am and that was... and still IS... my biggest highlight! Let her absorb the band performing and lead her through the cheers. If you need food or potty breaks near halftime, try to hit those mid 2nd quarter so she can enjoy watching the band perform during halftime... because by halftime, the lines for EVERYTHING are awful. Be in seats end of 3rd quarter for We Are The Boys and Won't Back Down. Lead her through those. Swaying to We Are The Boys is a never-ending delight, old or young, in my opinion. Towards the end of the game, if there's an opportunity or restlessness, can maybe try and take her near the band in the northeast stands. I imagine they, even though working, would be amused by a little one. Try to get low towards the field near the end to catch Albert and Alberta prowling around. Post-game, depending on where your seats are and how long a haul it is, the band exits out and performs along the street at the south end zone after the game so another opportunity to catch them performing close-up. Someone correct me if any of my knowledge is outdated or if there's anything new I missed. This game will actually be my first time in ages milling around the stadium early instead of tailgating up to pregame, so I'll be taking a dear friend around to see Gator Walk and explore the food/beer tents early.
I took my 9 yo daughter to the UF/UCF game this year and learned kids really don’t want to venture very far. Aside from the obvious around the stadium, there are some low key things that my daughter enjoyed. If you’re a dues paying alumni, you can take them to the Alumni Hall. They have food, big screens with games/pre-games on, Albert/Alberta photo ops. The cheerleading squad does cheers in the dining hall. There is face painting inside as well. They have tailgate games in the adjacent courtyard and clean bathrooms!!! There are the “French Fries” kids seem to enjoy. The pond behind the Reitz Union has turtles and small alligators that are always good for a few minutes of your time. The official bookstore has two levels of swag if you wanted her to have that opportunity as well. I hope y’all have a blast as a fellow Daddy/Daughter game day adventurer. The early nature of this game is a bummer in that you can’t take her to the Harn Museum and Butterfly Rainforest before going to campus for the Gator walk. Just something to remember for future trips as it is really kid friendly.
We've been taking our granddaughter, who is now 5.5 years of age, to most games at the Swamp for the last couple of years. The only thing I would add to the splendid list of activities provided by others above is to bring a pair of noise-cancelling headphones in case she is sensitive to loud noise. Enjoy experiencing the Magic of the Swamp with your girl -- and here's hoping she brings along a bit of "beginner's luck" to help lead the Gators to victory!
There is a rather amazing butterfly enclosure on campus. Think it’s where the old nature museum is/was. It’s not too far from Shands. Don’t know how much time you will be in town but I can’t think of a 6 year old girl who wouldn’t think visiting there would be the highlight of her trip. Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History (352) 846-2000 Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum of Natural History - Google Search
The advertising tents and stations set up in front of the O’Connell center have a few giveaways of little knickknacks and games which my grandchildren enjoyed but it’s been a few years since my grandchildren were that age so I’m not sure what is still available there. I pass by it pretty regularly on game day and it looks much the same. Also, while there the O’Connell Center doors are open and gives you a place to use restrooms and generally hang out before entering the stadium. I started to say cool off but, It’s supposed to be cool enough pre game this Saturday.
Be prepared to shell out $$ on all the snacks. Almost every Gator football pic of my daughter (now 15) has a lemon ice or similar.
My dad took me to my first game in 1961, and I was five. There weren't as many things going on back then as there are today, so I can't speak to all of the other things, but from the first moment I entered Florida Field, what it was called before BHG and Swamp, I was hooked. Hopefully, the game is the can't miss experience that she will never forget. By the way, we beat Clemson on that day in 1961. Hope she loves her experience and Go Gators.
In Emerson Alumni Hall last time I was there (Ky game) they were giving out teddy bears to kids. They also do Gator themed free photos for folks/families. It’s a good place to get out of the rain/heat/cold when needed, with clean restrooms. If you time the visit right you’ll be in a great spot for the Gator Walk outside. Be forewarned that gaggles of sorority girls tend to walk by that stretch of University Ave (headed to the Pike house??) in skimpy clothes, but that might not be as prevalent this weekend if the cold front lingers around. Gotta get a pic with the Bull Gator statue. Oh, and for an important part of the game day experience (at least it was to my kids), after the game you have to have her gather a few Gator stadium cups left by others for additional souvenirs. (I guess that’s just our frugality shining through.) BTW, my kids at that age could not have cared less about Weil Hall or Library East or Phelps Lab or my old apartment, etc.
It’s on hull and part of the new museum. The old one is now closed to the public. I was going to suggest this if you’re there early enough. The natural history museum has a whole interactive kids area. My nieces love it there. The history museum part is free. The butterfly exhibit costs a few bucks and they also have a traveling exhibit that costs a few bucks. Doing all three can be overwhelming. I would suggest doing the free part, then coming back to add the other parts if you have time and she’s enjoying it. My nieces are usually cooked before we finish going through the free part.
Oh, thank God it's not just me! LOL Yes, been doing that since I was a kid, too. And still now. Most of the regular drinking "glasses" that hubby and I use here at the house are various years of Gator stadium cups. Toss them out when they finally get too worn and replace them with the current year's cups, etc, haha!
Why spend money on snacks when you can give her a really memorable and unique experience by having lunch with the Krishnas. Follow that up by waiting to get into the stadium while the current version of Jed Smock rants away. Not only will she have lasting memories of the trip, but I am sure you will have very interesting conversations with her on the way home, and with your wife the rest of the night, maybe even into the next morning!
Exactly! I have some cups stashed away in a closet from the 90s on up. Wish I still had some of the shorter and thicker plastic 22oz Gator cups from the 80s before they changed to the taller cheaper cups. Most become daily use cups until they wear out.
