Easy Family Tailgate Party Ideas to Throw at Home
Fall Friday nights on the North Shore mean one thing: New Trier football. But between homework, bedtimes and a little one who has zero interest in sitting on metal bleachers for four quarters, getting the whole family to every football game isn't always realistic. Enter the homegating party: all the team spirit of a real tailgate, no parking lot required. These are my best ideas for an easy game day at home, pulled straight from the mood board I made for our own Friday night.
As seen on TV: I'm sharing these homegating ideas on NBC 5's Chicago Today on September 11 at 11:30 a.m. Keep an eye out for the replay!
Quick answer: The easiest way to throw a family tailgate party at home is to pick your team colors, set out a food table of football-shaped finger foods, build a DIY concession stand, plan two or three easy games and dress everyone in spirit wear. Everything below can come together in one afternoon, mostly with things you already have.
What Is a Homegating Party?
A homegating party is a tailgate you host at home, in your living room, driveway or backyard, instead of the stadium parking lot. You still get the delicious food, the team banners and the friendly competition. You just trade the portable grill and pop-up tent for your kitchen and your couch.
It's the perfect way to celebrate football season with young kids, and the perfect place to start game day traditions they'll ask for every week. Tailgate parties at the stadium are built for large groups of adults. A homegating party is built for your crew, whether that's your immediate family or a few neighbors. And if it's your first time hosting one, don't overthink it. Good food, good vibes and a little green and blue are all you need.
How Do You Plan a Family Tailgate Party at Home?
A little pre-tailgate coordination goes a long way. Here's the easy way to do it:
Pick your theme. We're going all in on the New Trier Trevians, so green and blue everything. Swap in your favorite team, a big rival game or even your college teams, and the rest works the same. Of all the theme ideas out there, school spirit is the easiest kind of theme to pull off because you probably already own the colors.
Keep the menu small. Three or four finger foods and one dessert is plenty.
Set up a concession stand. Kids love choosing their own snacks (more on this below).
Choose two or three games. Mix indoor and outdoor games so the weather can't cancel the fun.
Dress the part. Team colors for everyone, no exceptions.
Cue the soundtrack. A portable bluetooth speaker playing a marching band or fight song playlist sets the tone before kickoff.
Claim your tailgate spot. Pick one tailgate area, like the kitchen island or the back patio, so the food, games and decor all live in one place.
Tailgate Food Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat
These are some of my favorite tailgate food ideas for kids, and they double as great food for the adults. Great tailgate party foods are handheld, hold up at room temperature and don't need a fork. Grab paper plates or disposable plates so cleanup doesn't eat into game time.
Football Hot Dogs
Photo via Sarah Scoop
Hot dogs are a tailgate classic for a reason. Wrap them in crescent or pretzel dough, bake until golden, then pipe on mustard "laces" so each one looks like a tiny football. They're a guaranteed crowd favorite with kids and adults. If the grown-ups want something heartier, keep chicken wings or little smokies warm in a slow cooker.
Football Rice Krispie Treats
Photo via Quick Whisk Recipes
Make your usual recipe with chocolate cereal, shape the mixture into ovals and pipe white icing laces across the top. Kids can help shape them, which makes this one part snack, part activity.
Football S'mores Dip
Photo via Sarah Scoop
Spread a fluffy marshmallow dip into a football shape on a platter and pipe chocolate laces on top. Most versions surround the dip with fresh fruits like strawberries, but we're going full s'mores: graham crackers, chocolate squares and marshmallows for dipping.
Team Color Puppy Chow
Toss Chex cereal in white chocolate, then mix in candies in your team colors. For the Trevs that means green and blue. Scoop it into cups or cones so little hands can grab their own.
A DIY Concession Stand
Photo via Festively Yours
This is the tailgating party idea that gets the biggest reaction. Hang chip bags from a garment rack or a row of command hooks and let kids "shop" for their snacks. Want to level it up? Add a platter of nachos with tortilla chips and melted cheese, or hold a nacho contest for the grown-ups. It turns an ordinary snack table into the main event.
Tailgate Games for the Whole Family
Every good tailgate needs different games, and these hit the sweet spot: easy setup, big laughs and a little friendly competition.
Giant Football Toss
An inflatable football with a ring target is made for a backyard tailgate. Invite the neighbors, split into teams and keep score. Chalk a few yard lines on the driveway and it starts to look like a real football field. If you already own a set for a cornhole tournament or ladder toss, pull those out too. Lawn games and outdoor games like these burn off sugar before the big game. On chilly nights, a portable fire pit and a round of s'mores make the perfect time to wind down.
Hut Hut Hike Basket Toss
Photo via Playdates to Parties
This mini football toss brings the fun inside. Line up laundry baskets at different distances, assign each one a point value and let kids throw inflatable footballs. First to 50 points wins. It's perfect for rainy nights or a cozy living room setup.
Football Candy Dice
Set out a bowl of their favorite candy. Each player starts with four pieces, and the youngest rolls first:
1: Take 1 candy
2: Take 2 candies
3: Give someone 1 candy
4: Skip your turn
5: Put 1 candy back
6: Take 1 candy from someone else
First player to 10 candies wins.
Want the printable? Grab my free Football Candy Dice printable here, print it, and you're ready for kickoff.
Water Bottle Flip
Draw a bullseye on a foam board with rings worth 10, 25 and 50 points, prop up a sign, and let everyone take turns flipping a water bottle. It takes five minutes to set up and keeps kids busy for an hour.
Football Ticket Scavenger Hunt (Free Printable)
Get the free printable: download my Football Ticket Scavenger Hunt tickets here.
Print the game day tickets, cut them apart and hide them around the house, the backyard or the neighborhood. Every ticket kids find unlocks a reward they can cash in on game night. The set includes eight tickets:
Pick tonight's dessert
Stay up 30 minutes late
YES day!
Dessert before dinner
Mom or Dad has to say yes to your outfit choice
Movie night with popcorn
Playground of your choice
Be the DJ for dinner
Hand out clues between quarters, or send kids hunting at halftime. It's a great way to make the night feel special even if you never turn on the game.
DIY Tailgate Decor in Team Colors
Team banners instantly transform a regular Friday into a football party.
Pennant banner: String football ribbon and team-color fabric into a garland across your mantel.
Construction paper pennants: Cut triangles from construction paper and let kids glue on pre-cut letters to spell TREVS or GO NT. It's an easy craft to do before game time.
Photo backdrop: Hang your banners on a wall, add a few foam fingers and pom-poms, and you've got the perfect tailgating party photo op.
Photo via The Kitchen Table Classroom
What Should Your Family Wear to a Tailgate at Home?
Half the fun is showing your team spirit.
Grown-ups: Wear school colors and pull out your favorite local school sweatshirt or tee. Our Go Trevs crewneck is peak North Shore game day (more in the Spirit Shop below).
Kids (DIY): Put white tape "laces" on a brown shirt and pair it with a green tutu for an instant football outfit.
Kids (varsity look): Grab a tee in school colors and iron on a giant number with a few stars.
Photo via See Vanessa Craft
Want to make it a thing? Host a costume contest and let the winner pick dessert.
Behind the Scenes on NBC 5's Chicago Today
I brought this whole homegating setup, from the concession stand and pennant garland to the football treats and giant inflatable football toss, to the Chicago Today studio. Catch the segment on NBC 5 on September 11 at 11:30 a.m., and keep an eye out for the replay if you miss it live.
Shop the Spirit Collection: Go Trevs Sweatshirts, Hats and More
Full disclosure: I own Third Coast, a North Shore lifestyle apparel brand, and our Spirit Collection was made for nights exactly like this. That's me on the Chicago Today set in our gray Go Trevs crewneck. The collection comes in sizes for grown-ups and kids, so the whole family can match on game day, whether you're in the stands or on the couch.
Go Trevs Sweatshirts
More Game-Day Spiritwear
Go Trevs Hat, White: green script on white, an easy match for any tailgate outfit.
Go Trevs Hat, Green: the most Trevian option of them all.
Go Trevs Hat, Navy: pairs with the navy crewneck for a head-to-toe look.
Trevs Unisex Trucker Hat: a relaxed trucker style for grown-ups of any age.
Go Sports Women's Crew Neck Sweatshirt, Navy: for the mom who's at every game, no matter the sport.
Go Sports Women's Crew Neck Sweatshirt, Gray: the same cheer-for-everything spirit in heather gray.
Go Kits Kids Hoodie, Orange: a cozy pick for little fans on chilly Friday nights.
Go Kits Hat, Navy: a navy cap for Kits fans.
Cheering on another North Shore school? Grab the Go Ramblers women's crew or kids crew, or the Go Kits women's crew. You can shop the full Spirit Collection here.
Go Trevs!
Whether the Trevians win big or it comes down to the final whistle, the point of a homegating party is the good times together. Pick a few of these ideas, keep it simple and have fun. These great ideas work for every sporting event on your calendar, from the first high school kickoff to college football Saturdays all the way through the Super Bowl. And if you missed my Chicago Today segment on September 11 at 11:30 a.m., keep an eye out for the replay. Save this post for your next game day, and tell me which idea your family tries first. I'd love to hear how your amazing tailgate party turns out.
FAQs
-
Football-shaped snacks, a DIY concession stand, candy dice, a basket toss and a game day ticket scavenger hunt are all easy for kids and take little setup.
-
Serve finger foods that stay good at room temperature: football hot dogs, puppy chow in team colors, Rice Krispie treats, s’mores dip and a chip-bag concession stand.
-
No. Many high school games aren’t televised, so check your school’s athletics site for a livestream or radio broadcast, or simply celebrate the night with food and games.
-
Candy dice, water bottle flip and an indoor basket toss all work in a living room or kitchen.
-
A day or two is plenty. Shop for supplies, prep treats that morning and let the kids make decorations after school.
Shop 25 Father’s Day gifts for him he’ll actually use—practical upgrades, tech picks, and thoughtful husband gift ideas.