Talk to Continental Tyres (main sponsors of the FA Women's Super League) about what makes a great family day out - £200 Love2shop voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

For the past few years, Continental Tyres have been an Official Sponsor of The FA Women's Super League (WSL). To promote the WSL as a great family day out this summer they've asked us to find out what Mumsnetters believe make the best family days out.

Here's what they say: "With the summer holidays now in full swing it is always hard to think of what to do that will engage the whole family. At a WSL match there are loads of family friendly activities around the matches making it a great day out at the weekend or after school activity on a week day for the entire family. At selected matches across England, there are free interactive fan zones run in association with Continental Tyres allowing everyone to enjoy family friendly activities from testing their skills on a speed goal to face painting and meeting the stars of the WSL for themselves. Entry to matches is also well below what you'd expect to pay to see top class football - with many matches being £6 for adults and £3 for concessions."

Have you and your family ever been to watch a WSL or women's football match? If so, please tell us all about it. Did your DCs enjoy it? Did you take part in any of the family friendly activities?

If not, please share your thoughts on great family days out. Would you go to a Women's Super League Match with your family? Why? Why not? What activities would you like to see at these match days? How do you keep the LOs entertained on day trips out?

Please share your thoughts on this thread. Everyone who adds a comment to the thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will receive a £200 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

I have never been to any football match, male or female, in my entire life.

Great family days out:

Reasonably priced.
Lots of stuff to see and do, so exhibits and/or activities like bouncy castles, face painting etc
Cheapish food but not necessarily cheap food, i.e. does it always have to be burgers and chips?
Easy to get to even without a car. So shuttle bus from main area of the city or direct bus.

Again I have never been to any kind of football match but I have never seen a WSL or any womens football matches advertised around here either. I think its good that they do family activities there though, thats a great idea.

Things that keep my LO happy when we go to places is some sort of soft play activity, big or small. We particularly like the shopping centres which have ride in cars available for hire (although they are expensive and only hire if we know we're going to be there a good couple of hours). Also places that have these sort of ride on cars or bikes as an activity. Punch and Judy is a favourite too. Dancing... my boy LOVES to dance! Painting is always a winner but sticking isn't in our household... colouring is OK if the colours work which more than often then don't when you are out and about.

We are footie fans and dd has been club mascot for both reading fc and Chelsea! Both times we were provided with a great VIP day..... Does WSL provide these for their fans? Hope so

My personal trainer plays in our towns ladies team. Live cheering them on.

Most activities seem to be aimed at younger kids... Bouncy castles/face painting etc, but my older dc and teens don't enjoy that anymore....they do like sports trial sessions, big bungee trampolines and anything dare devilish.

Food needs to move with the times... Football is a popular sport, so lets see some healthier food!! Stalls selling soup/veg stir fry/salads?? Come on, it's not hard to promote healthy eating is it? It's a big bear of mine, as Tee says, why are burgers obligatory?

Never been to a womens football match, but did notice banners advertising some welsh womens football in Carmarthen in South Wales while here on hpkidsy, but its on after we go hone, else we would have hone.

Good days out are getting difficult with a 11yr and 6 yr old. Two difficult age groups as younger one wants to play in play areas but his elder sister is too big for that. She doesnt want to do anything. Spent two days on beach in Wales with DS and DH playing cricket and foitball. DD and I sunbathed and went for a stroll to the water and coves. Picnics are great and save a fortune.

Good food while out is useful but we tend to take a picnic as eating out can be £25+ for the four of us for mediocre food. Buying a £3 meal deal from supermarket and a few little extras can cost £15, the saving soon adds up over a week.

More entertainment for the young teens would help such as bungie trampolines or zorb balls would be good as long as reasonable.

I've never been to a football match (men or womens) at all either. Since moving to where we live now, I have been to watch rugby a few times with ds and dh, and been pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Our local premiership club has local food producers with hot food stands as well as burgers/chips/curry which makes for a really nice experience. We started going as ds had been to a holiday rugby training which is in association with the club and they got free tickets as part of that - a great way of getting families to go for the first time.

A great day out for us as a family means things that all of us will enjoy doing - we love an agricultural show or things like the Game Fair for the sheer variety of things to do and learn about.

Have you and your family ever been to watch a WSL or women's football match? If so, please tell us all about it. Did your DCs enjoy it? Did you take part in any of the family friendly activities?

No, I have never watched a WSL or Women's Football match. I live rurally though so I guess that would be why!

If not, please share your thoughts on great family days out. What activities would you like to see at these match days? How do you keep the LOs entertained on day trips out?

Well-priced is the main thing - your prices look good, especially as football matches are 90 mins as a bare minimum.

Activities on match days could involve bungee runs (very popular), testing your footballing or keepy uppy skills against the players (or their times!), racing mum/dad over a small assault course (e.g. those ones made of tyres).

I keep my little one entertained by a combination of bringing some small activities with me - she is only 2 and will colour for a while and also allowing her some treats e.g. an ice cream or a go on the face-painting (or similar).

I went to see a women's football match several years ago and really enjoyed it. It had a great atmosphere and I think was quite inspirational for the young girls in the crowd as it was really exciting and full of skill. I particularly liked the fact that the atmosphere was really supportive and it felt very family friendly. I'd definitely go again.

Things that should be at these events-
Reasonably priced food
Maybe a little football training area for kids
Shaded areas in case it's really hot
Beer tent for the adults

I've only ever played in Women's football matches and there was no other entertainment other than the match. There were very few spectators, managers and family mainly.

We haven't been to watch one of these matches.

We love having family days out. It is always nice to go to places with a range of activities for a range of ages as we have children of different ages. Sometimes just having a craft or colouring available to keep little ones happy can really help so older ones can enjoy the match for example or whatever the activity is.

I went to London derby matches in the 80s as a kid. Violence was terrible on some days. It got so bad that we stopped going entirely.

I have no experience of any live football now, but I also have limited interest.

I think it is brilliant that there is much better coverage of women's games now (it's about bloody time!)

Good luck with the season! And thanks MN for promoting! It is making me wonder about seeing if there's a local match to me!

Never been to a football match outside of school as a player.

Family day out has to include good food, outdoor activity of some sort - love a nature trail or children's trail with fun things to explore along the way.

We amuse the kids with food and activities - so a children's football class for half the match would be great, as could craft activities to make a prize for winning team. And cake for all.

not been to a match.

Family days out are great for spending quality time together. Shouldn't have to spend a fortune - should be more about doing fun stuff together and making memories.

Good food always helps as often family food is low quality food aimed at the kids but it isn't all that great.

My little girl who is 3 loves playing football with her dad. None of us have been to a women's football match, things might have to change!

Fun days out for my LO include:

Being in and outdoors
Making the most of the environment ie splashing in puddles, collecting pebbles, counting the number of bikes we see, playing hide & seek

Never been to womens football but DD does play it.

Would like to see activities aimed at older children and teens, street dance sessions at half time maybe and basketball knockout competitions.

Meet and greets and autograph signings might go down well too, anything they can upload to Facebook!

We have not been to see one of the matches no.
My DS loves all things he can get involved in and rather than being sat down he wants to be on the go so things like tug of war, rounders and running around games are good.

I've never been to a football match but the elements that make for a good family day for is are the same wherever we go:

Easy parking close to the venue with space to get buggy out of the car

Somewhere to eat picnic, preferably under cover

Easy access to toilets

Somewhere for kids to let off steam - a playground goes down the best, or soft play, or just a field to kick a ball around

Me or my children have never been to a football match in our lives but we would if we had a chance (male /female - the price puts us off). The best days out for us have been spent on the Lincolnshire coast. We used to live there and were there most weekends, collecting shells, paddling, exploring in the rock pools, building sandcastles. My children loved the freedom of it. It was magical :)

We haven't been to a women's football match but I think my family would love it. Myself and DH enjoyed watching women's Olympic football, much more respect for the game and less dramatic! I think my two DDs would be inspired. Where are they being held? We went to a charity football match with entertainment: face painting, bouncy castles etc. I think football workshops would be fun. Maybe some sort of betting game to get the kids more interested in the match such as choose a team to win when buying tickets and if your team wins get a sweet or entered into a raffle or something.

I've been to both male and female football games - lifetime supporter of my hometown's male side, played for the female equivalent for a few years until I moved away (the side were unlucky enough not to be included in the WSL but are part of the women's premiership). Now support both in exile . I also went to the olympic bronze medal match for the women last year. I havn't taken my DD as she is only 2 but I'm looking forward to the day when I can! We are a football-loving household and she already watches games with us.

Speaking about days out at football games - I'd love to see more provision for female toilets (WHY is there always a queue when the ratio of men to women is far higher yet the men never queue!). I'd also like to see more dedicated areas in the stands for families that are swear-free. When I go to a game without any children I like to swear with the best of them and I don't think it should be taken from the game (aside from obvious racist/sexist/homophobic etc chanting which should never have a place), but I appreciate that children should not have to hear it. Family 'zones' have never been fully implemented in all but the largest of clubs, and that's a shame.

Cheap tickets for kids is great, as are games when kids can go for free. This needs to be encouraged, especially at smaller clubs. Hook em young I say!

I've always liked it when the kids get to have a shot on goal during half-time. I never had that chance as a child so can only imagine what it's like. More of that please. And more for sporting academies - the big names in football need to do more to get down to grass roots level and give kids the inspiration to do well.

I would love to go to a WSL game in case it isn't obvious that I love football and hope my DD does too when she grows up. Women's football was decimated by the FA and is finally coming back strong. The discipline and training required by women in all sport is something to be admired - I want my DD to see women enjoying physical activity, getting a bit grubby and a bit of team spirit.

I'm going to stop talking about football now.

We're not football fans, whoever is playing!

A good day out with the kids is one when everyone enjoys themselves and no one melts down (me, included!) and we get home feeling that we've done something nice with the day, instead of thinking "never again!" It needs to be not overly structured and to not involve too much time having to deal with lots of people. Somewhere half decent to eat makes a difference, too, even if that just means edible sarnies! I hate going to places where the only food options are some sort of processed meat of dubious origin, with greasy chips.

The first and only 'proper' football match I have been to was women's football. We were lucky enough to get seats for the whole family to the Olympics women's football final.
The children were so excited and I wanted my sons and daughters to see that all sports and careers are open to men and women. It's so important for them to believe they can achieve whatever they want.
Atmosphere is really important for a family friendly match, as well as a safe environment. The kids like to feel part of the game, so some music to get them going and even little flags to wave make a big difference.
We would certainly go to another women's match, but would look to tie it in with a visit to another local attraction to make a full day, unless there were other activities at the match.
The children would probably be more interested if there was a guided tour or opportunity to meet some players, or get involved in a kick about or workshop.
In terms of facilities, good food choices are a must, as buggy access and decent toilets!

I've never watched any women's football, live or televised.

I would take the family to watch a women's match if it was reasonably priced and well-publicised (big crowd makes for a better atmosphere). My children aren't very interested in football, but a live sporting event is a good experience even if they're not really bothered who wins. Extras like a chance to go on the pitch (seat number lottery, perhaps) and interactive elements eg Mexican waves/giveaways would hold their interest.

I have only been to one football match and it was awful, the spectators were rude, ranty, sweary and obnoxious. I would never take my daughter to a male football match.

I would hope that female football would be different, and we do show her the female football matches that are being shown so that she can see that there are no male/female sports and that girls can be just as good at football.

For a good day out at a match, I think there should be ways to get the children involved, maybe meeting players, having a kick about on the pitch, etc.

We don't go to football matches but I would never say never. Ds 5 is starting to show an interest in a few sports.

A great family day out for us would be first and foremost great weather, then somewhere with lots of activities and things to look at that don't cost the earth. Preferably somewhere with nice picnic facilities, toilets nearby etc.