Best seats for a baby

[theBANGER]

Hey twins fans My wife and I are planning on attending a noon game in June. We will be bringing our daughter who will be 11 months old then. My question to you guys who have been to the target center alot is which area would have the most shade? I'm not looking to spend a ton on tickets and dont require the best seats. Just looking to go for the experience, althought it would be nice to not be too far away from the action. Thanks for any help.

[TheLeviathan]

Upper half of any section in the Skyline area.

[USAFChief]

Upper half of any section in the Skyline area.

And for a noon game, I'd look to the first base side, so the sun will be going behind the overhang sooner.

[TheLeviathan]

And for a noon game, I'd look to the first base side, so the sun will be going behind the overhang sooner.

 

I could be misremembering our own experiences with the little guy, but I feel like the upper half of the skyline (along third base closer to the budweiser deck) is almost always in the shade because of the angle of the stadium.

[SweetOne69]

My seats never see the sun.  the are located on the 1st base side upper deck.

 

Being that Minnesota is so far north of the equator, the sun will always be in the southern sky.  The first base side of the stadium faces south so the sun will always be at your back.

[nater79a]

Yes, I agree with those that say upper deck on 1st base side.

[clutterheart]

I brought a 1 year old to a game once.  We left after the 4th inning.

Take it from me its no fun.

Wait until she is at least 4 or 5.  

[Otto von Ballpark]

I brought a 1 year old to a game once.  We left after the 4th inning.

Take it from me its no fun.

Wait until she is at least 4 or 5.  

I had the opposite experience.  Especially if the game covers nap time -- just wear a baby carrier like the Baby Bjorn and the kid can just sleep on you.  Heck, we even went to 7 PM games, let the kid doze on me around her 8:30 bedtime as we stayed to watch the rest of the game.

 

This way, you can sit where you want too -- the baby carrier plus a hat will shade the kid (although it can get warm for both you and the kid in the summer!).

 

I've also found that ushers never checked my ticket while I was wearing the child in a baby carrier, so I bounced around different sections too.

 

The kid didn't really start enjoying the game until she was about 2, though.  And then it helped a lot to have another kid there to play with, and some small toys and snacks, of course.   Keep your eyes peeled for TC Bear too -- my girl was scared of him at first but warmed up pretty quickly and looks forward to the visit.  (We also tried to score cheap dugout box seats so the kid could actually see some of the players -- thanks Ticket King!  Have to be alert in those seats, of course.)

 

The ushers and guest services booths are totally awesome too -- not only do they have some supplies if you forget any, they will also give you little temporary tattoos and other things to occupy the kid's time.  (Again, probably not for a one-year old, though!)

[Otto von Ballpark]

Also, if you bring a stroller, feel free to check it with guest services so you don't have to lug it around, although I usually just left the stroller in the car in favor of the baby carrier.

 

Nursing mothers can also use a private room at guest services too -- I think my wife reported that the lower deck guest services station, behind home plate, was the best for that?

 

Finally, while they are usually pretty restrictive about bags and beverages coming into the stadium, I have never had any problems bringing in our fairly large diaper bag with juice/water/milk/formula/etc. in any container.

[nicksaviking]

I've taken my kids to opening day every year since they were born and the best seat I've had for those (hair raising) experiences was in the last row of the section.  I didn't have to worry about standing and blocking anyone plus it was easy access to the concourse.  If you're daughter is anything like my kids, you'll be lucky if she sits still long enough to enjoy your seat for most of the game, I generally end up walking the concourse anyway.  Luckily, you have a view of the field from most spots just walking around.

[70charger]

If you go to guest services, you can get a certificate saying that so and so just went to their first Twins game.  Maybe a fun little souvenir for when they're a bit older.

[Paul Pleiss]

The best place to watch the game with a baby is at home.

[strumdatjaguar]

The only reason to bring a baby to a game is if you think the Twins might have a historic, great season.  Then the video is a great thing to watch when the kid is older.  I have video of my daughter, just before her first birthday, at Spring Training in 1991 interacting with the future World's Champs.  Otherwise from ages 3 to 6 (probably 8) the best seat is still at home.   At age 3, you should start bringing the kid to Canterbury Park on Sundays for the free pony rides and petting zoo, and a short attention span sporting event (45 second races and watching the horses) .  If you take a kid to the Twins game after age 4, take the kid(s) on Sunday, to run the bases after the game.  After age 8, never leave a game early and let the kid know that leaving early is simply WRONG and NOT done in your family.  After age 10, start teaching the kid how to score the game (or at least do TWINGO).   Pass on the tradition and be prepared to have to bribe kids with lots of cotton candy and other treats to keep them interested.  By the way, between ages 6 and 12, take your kid to see the Harlem Globetrotters.  Find out when the tickets go on sale, and buy them in the first minute.  It's basically the same show, they have always done, but your kid has no idea - so do it!!!   Even if you hate the State Fair, you have to bring your kids every year, or it's child abuse imho!

[Rosterman]

Right center field, under the overhand. You have television, by the mini-donuts, close to the plaza, and it is a short section and shaded. Sit up front and see the scoreboard, sit back and you don't block anyone. For an afternoon game, there will probably be empty seats available.

[wavedog]

I apologize in advance but couldn't resist.

 

So informal poll results - Best seats for a baby

 

#5:  The Baby Jogger - baby and you can get some fresh air while you get exercise

 

#4:  The Car Seat - can't drive anywhere without them

 

#3:  The High Chair - great way to keep them contained so they can focus on eating

 

#2:  The Stroller - good ride, can carry stuff and you don't have to carry them

 

and #1:   Last row, 1B side  upper deck at Target Field!  

[theBANGER]

Thanks for the replies guys. For the ones saying I shouldn't bring a baby let me rephrase my situation. We live out of state, about 9 hrs away and don't get to the cities very often. We have a wedding there in June so that's why we will be there. So there's really no option of leaving our daughter behind. My wife is no baseball fan and just enjoys the experience so she wont mind if she ends up walking around with our daughter during the game.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Enjoy the game!  And don't worry about the naysayers here -- I've never had a bad experience taking my daughter to a game, from age 2 months to 2.5 years (so far).

 

I might caution against sitting under the upper deck overhang -- you will get shade but you will also be directly under some very loud speakers.  When I've had those seats, I've actually moved down to the bottom of the upper deck ("Field Terrace"?) where it was much quieter.  If you are in the sun, just have the kid wear one of those big floppy hats.

 

Dugout Box was the best though, again in the sun but no loud speakers and a great close-up view of the players.  If you are waiting to buy your tickets, or you are looking to upgrade closer to the date, try to score a couple of those on Ticket King, StubHub, or through SeatGeek.  Sounds like it is a rare occasion for you to attend a game -- treat yourself!  

[twinsnorth49]

Definitely 1st base side, doesn't have to be in one of the decks, anywhere in the Home Plate Box or Diamond Box sections are out of the sun if you're at least 15-20 rows up. I've sat there many times with my wife and kids. Great sight lines all the way up to the last row, which is handy for bathroom accessibility.

[Paul Pleiss]

Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but why would you bring an 11-month old child to Target Field for a baseball game? Do you want your child to cry and annoy other fans? Do you want him/her to get hit by a foul ball? Are you going to get him/her a hot dog and a cold beer?

 

Find a sitter. Bring your kid back in a few years when they will have a chance to remember and cherish their first trip to the ballpark.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I could be misremembering our own experiences with the little guy, but I feel like the upper half of the skyline (along third base closer to the budweiser deck) is almost always in the shade because of the angle of the stadium.

i brought my 7 month old at the time, I sat in this area and had the experience you recall, except the very end where it butts against the foul pole stays sunny.

 

Section 320 to 324 in the upper half I had a very good experience with my little one

[IowaTwin346]

We took our 2 month old to US Cellular last September with some friends who were White Sox fans and they had a 5 month old.  Both of our wives wore Baby Bjorn type carriers and the babies slept for the most part.  Ours thankfully slept the whole game other than to eat at one point and when our friends baby was crying they simply walked up to the concourse until he calmed down.  

 

We were surrounded by both Twins and White Sox fans and had a great experience.  We had people stop and ask us if we received a certificate for their first game. Other than the Viciedo walk off homer and the Iowa Hawkeyes losing on a last second field goal to Iowa State, it was a great day.  We went to the night game of the double header.

 

If you feel comfortable taking a baby to the game just make sure you are not in anyone else's way or they are annoying anyone you can always leave or go to the concourse.  If you are not comfortable then wait until they are older.

[zenser]

Last year we took our 3 year old and 9 month old twins. We used baby carriers and check our stroller. We were in the Legends Club but spend all of the time in our seats rather than in the concourse. Take your kid and enjoy your family. Don't listen to the haters.

[twinsnorth49]

Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but why would you bring an 11-month old child to Target Field for a baseball game? Do you want your child to cry and annoy other fans? Do you want him/her to get hit by a foul ball? Are you going to get him/her a hot dog and a cold beer?

 

Find a sitter. Bring your kid back in a few years when they will have a chance to remember and cherish their first trip to the ballpark.

Seriously? He's not asking your permission to bring his child, he's looking for some advice on where to sit.

 

Here's a suggestion, if you're planning on attending that particular game and are concerned about disruptive babies ruining your enjoyment of watching Oswaldo  Arcia flail around in left field, stay home.

[Squirrel]

Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but why would you bring an 11-month old child to Target Field for a baseball game? Do you want your child to cry and annoy other fans? Do you want him/her to get hit by a foul ball? Are you going to get him/her a hot dog and a cold beer?

 

Find a sitter. Bring your kid back in a few years when they will have a chance to remember and cherish their first trip to the ballpark.

I think the original poster explained that below.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. For the ones saying I shouldn't bring a baby let me rephrase my situation. We live out of state, about 9 hrs away and don't get to the cities very often. We have a wedding there in June so that's why we will be there. So there's really no option of leaving our daughter behind. My wife is no baseball fan and just enjoys the experience so she wont mind if she ends up walking around with our daughter during the game.

[Paul Pleiss]

TwinsNorth49, ChiTown Twins Fan, obviously I am just a forum troll who thinks bringing babies to a ball game is mostly a bad idea.

 

No one needs my permission to do so, just as I don't need anyone's permission to drink a few too many adult beverages and troll Torii Hunter from the RF bleachers with obscure taunts.

 

But yes, seriously.

[TheLeviathan]

I tend to think bringing all the members of my family is a prerequisite to a "family" outing.  You bring your kids, even from a young age, as part of a family tradition.  No need to troll that effort, someone is being baptized a baseball fan early.

 

Everyone here should rejoice at that.