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Big smiles, big cheers, and plenty of snacks. Photo: iStock
Keeping children entertained for hours is not always easy, even when it’s the biggest game of the year. But this Super Bowl is different: the Seahawks are in it. Between the timeouts, replays and long pauses, kids can still get antsy fast. So whether your house is packed with tiny 12s or kids who couldn’t care less about what’s happening on the field, this list will help you huddle together and make game day fun for everyone.
Create football-themed crafts
Set up a table, spread out a recyclable tablecloth and get started.
- Make DIY Seahawks/12s pennants with everyday household items.
- Make your own pom-poms to cheer on the players! They can be made from paper sheets, yarn, or other low-cost materials.
Craft a megaphone or decorate an existing one. Personalize it with gel pen drawings, stickers, glue-on eyes or glitter (just try to go easy on the glitter; otherwise you might still be finding some in the couch cushions during next year’s Super Bowl).
Start them early. Photo: iStock - Grab some crayons, markers or colored pencils and draw your own pictures of helmets, cheerleaders, or mascots — or color in these pre-made and printable coloring pages.
- Stuff and thread your own paper footballs. Long white string and a hole puncher will help you complete this look. You can even string the balls together into a sporty necklace.
- Make a football goal post using clean, recycled popsicle sticks!
- Measure out and make your own football field. This is a great activity to stimulate STEAM thinking. This can be a simple exercise in model building, or you can add other elements like wind-up race cars and make the crafting competitive.
Get splashy with paint
- Face paint works for all kinds of occasions, but it’s an especially fun addition to Super Bowl game day. Give the kids a fierce look or a cute design to match the game’s mood. Some paints can irritate skin, so keep some gentle soap on hand to wash it off if needed and look for non-toxic paints intended for little faces.
- Get some inexpensive bulletin board paper or some old cardboard boxes and make a festive banner to root on your team. Paint your favorite slogans and symbols — just be sure to let it dry before using.
Make sweet treats
- Jazz up some jerseys! Convert cookies into tiny jerseys with a shirt-shaped cookie cutter. Use icing, peanut butter or other spreads to so that coated candies can adhere to the shirt.
- Football cookies are always a win. Turn on the oven, hand your kid a youth-sized apron and whip up a scratch batch in no time. Or, if they’re a fan of sprinkles (and a lot of kids are) you might try this recipe from Peanut Butter and Julie. (Or both?)
- Who said we can’t have ice cream in the winter? Love for this frozen classic runs year-round. Create a Super Bowl Sunday sundae bar. Get some sauces to drizzle, toppings and cones to complete the sweet feast — before or after dinner!
Bring game day snacks
For more edible fun, check out ParentMap’s roundup of football and Seahawks-themed snacks and appetizers. Go Seahawks blue and green, add a few Patriots-inspired options for the other side, and let everyone “vote” with their frosting.
Play brain games
Playing a game during a game sounds so meta, but trust me, the kids will love it.
- Send them hunting for letters and words with a Super Bowl word scramble (you can select your preferred difficulty level between easy, medium and hard), or give this football word search a try. There is even an option for parents or kids to pick the words and build a customized word search puzzle.
Play crab football
Kids can play with each other, or form a team to play against parents. Here’s how it works: Players have to scuttle to the designated end zone while clutching a plush football (or stuffed animal) between their neck, knees or armpits. Drop it, and it’s fair game for anyone! Try kids vs. adults, family vs. family, or a classic older siblings vs. the littles.
Show off those touchdown moves
- The players aren’t the only ones who get to do celebration dances! Challenge the kids to make up a Seahawks touchdown dance and a “big play” dance for those huge stops. It keeps kids moving and makes the game feel like an event for everyone.
- Let the kids plan a halftime show. Grab a microphone (or a wooden spoon) and have the kids belt out their favorite tunes or choreograph their own routine — DIY costumes encouraged.
Watch a doggie distraction
Animal Planet’s annual Puppy Bowl is a cute alternative that you can watch or stream before kickoff or record for commercial breaks later. All day, viewers can tune in to a mini football field full of fluff as adorable, adoptable pups run and play around. This year’s show will feature 150 dogs from 72 shelters! There’s even a kitten halftime show so that cat lovers aren’t left out.
Give parting gifts
Hosting guests at your Super Bowl party? Send young and old game watchers home with football goodie bags filled with treats and I’d-rather-be-playing-football socks.
From my family to yours, have a safe, fun-filled Super Bowl LX!
Editor’s note: A previous version of this article was written by Emily Smith and published in 2013. It was most recently updated on Jan. 29, 2026 by ParentMap's editorial team with a thorough fact-check so families can make the most of Super Bowl XL. Go Hawks!
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