A football game usually lasts three hours, which can seem like an eternity to a child trying to sit still and be good. Playing games during halftime not only helps kids use their pent-up energy, it tires them out and gets them ready to relax for the second half. It’s also a great way for you to share some quality “mom time” with your family and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Get started with these ideas.

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?

• Transform a paper towel tube into a flute by poking three or four holes in the side and loosely attaching wax paper to the outside with a rubber band.
• Use a pot and a wooden spoon as a drum.
• Grab a couple of pot lids for a great set of cymbals.
• Make a pair of maracas with empty plastic soda bottles and uncooked rice.

Once kids are outfitted, have them spend halftime marching in a circle in the backyard or dancing cheers. Pretending to be part of the halftime show can make kids feel involved with something special, and the marching can burn off some serious energy!

First, choose your goal posts. Two trees or the posts of a jungle gym work great. You could even have an adult stand at the end of the driveway, arms raised in the air holding onto 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. Kids might accidently kick the holder, so pick an adult with good reflexes. Worried about your 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 who 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 or in a really big backyard. See how far each family member or 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 whomever 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!

Want to play a halftime game of football without worrying about anyone getting hurt? Tag football allows everyone to play the game without all the bumps and bruises. This variation of touch football can be played by family and friends of all ages; you don’t need to choose teams and there’s no tackling or planning, so you get the most playtime out of halftime.

To start the game, throw the football to someone standing in the yard. The person who 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 who tagged him or her gets a point and the ball — and now that person is “it.”

There really aren’t any winners or losers in tag football. This is a great halftime game to play with the family because it keeps everyone running during the entire break. Just keep throwing, catching, running and tagging. By the time you're done your family will be more than happy to sit and relax through the second half of the game.