Don’t let the football players have all the fun — get your family into the game with these fun halftime activities that will keep energy levels high and the kids’ energy under control for the second half of the game.
 

Many halftime shows have a marching band and most kids will love to get into the act. Start by getting out instruments. Who needs real instruments when made-up instruments can be just as fun?
 

• Use a paper towel tube as a trumpet
• Use a pot and a wooden spoon as a drum
• Two pot lids become a great set of symbols
• A straw can be used as a flute
  

Once they’re outfitted, have them spend halftime parading down the sidewalk in a line or marching in a circle in the backyard. Pretending to be part of the halftime show can make kids feel part of something special, and the marching (especially if you have them march fast) can burn off some serious energy!

First, choose your goal posts. Two trees work great. Or, if there is a jungle gym in the backyard you can consider getting the ball into the jungle gym (or a tree house) to be a goal. You could even have an adult stand at the end of the driveway, arms raised in the air. You can hold onto boards or long sticks to make the field goal higher.

Before everyone lines up to kick the ball, make sure you know who is going to hold the ball steady for them. Kids can get hurt easily, so pick an adult with good reflexes! Afraid of dislocated fingers? Push two short sticks into the ground to hold the football in place.

Running short on time? Change the rules so the first person that gets a field goal wins. As long as everyone gets at least one chance to kick the ball, you've done your job as family quarterback.
 How far can you pass the football? This game is best played in the street with no parked cars in the way. It also works great if you have a really big backyard. See how far each family member or visiting friend can throw and give small prizes for farthest throw and best catch.

Have a lot of people who want to play at once? You can pass the football to the person on your left- or right-hand side, or you can have people throw to whoever they want in the big circle.

If you have smaller children, try using a regular round ball instead of a football. This can make throwing and catching much easier. You can even consider a bounced ball a catch so that the younger kids can be cheered, too.

For older kids, see who is best at running passes and who is best at throwing / catching passes when both people are standing still. Everyone loves to feel like they’re part of the game and passes are a big part of football!
 Enjoy the fun of football without all the bumps and bruises with a game of tag football. This variation on touch football can be played by family and friends of all ages, has no teams to pick, no tackling and no planning, so you can get the most playtime out of halftime.

To start the game, throw the football to someone standing in the yard. The person that catches the ball becomes “it” and everyone should chase that person, trying to tag them. The person with the ball can throw it to someone else, making them “it.” If someone gets tagged, then the person that tagged them gets a point and the ball — and now that person is “it.”

There really aren’t any winners or losers in this game unless someone is really good at keeping track of points. The reason this is a great halftime game to play with the family is that it keeps everyone running during the entire break. Just keep throwing and catching and running and tagging and your family will be more than happy to sit and relax through at least part of the second half.

Playing games during halftime is a great way to get some quality "mom time" with your family. It also keeps the kids from getting bored. While a football game is usually only three hours, it can seem like an eternity to a little one that is trying to sit still and be good. Letting the whole family participate during halftime makes memories that last a lifetime and helps keep the kids from getting antsy while you’re watching the game.