Spending a lazy day outside eating hot dogs, drinking beer, and root, root, rooting for the home team is one of America’s favorite pastimes. But when you have young kids, going to baseball games can seem more like a chore than a fun leisure activity. Long periods of inactivity combined with short attention spans can easily lead to meltdowns, something no parent—and no fellow fan sitting next to you—wants to experience.

But it is possible to find entertaining things to do at a baseball game—even for kids with little more than a passing interest in following the action. Here’s how:

Place bets on your favorite players.

Have each kid pick two players from the home team, someone they think will score the first base hit for the team and someone they think will score the first home run. Once a player has been selected, no one else can pick them.

The kid whose player gets the first hit gets a concession-stand treat, as does the kid whose player gets a home run. Using snacks as a motivator is a surefire way to keep kids engaged for a while.

Try to get on the ballpark’s Jumbotron or the TV broadcast.

Deck the kids out in face paint and team apparel, and have them dance to the music when the fan cam swivels around the stadium. Kids generally think it’s pretty cool to see themselves on the Jumbotron.

And if you don’t mind a little pandering, have them hold up a homemade sign that mentions the TV network broadcasting the game that day. Pro tip: Try repurposing the network’s acronym. There is so much downtime during a ballgame that there’s a good chance the TV camera will pan to it. Feel free to borrow this one:

ESPN

Spells

Players’

Names (correctly).

Go [Insert Team Name Here]!

Hunt for the mascot.

With their bright colors and goofy antics, mascots seem like they were created specifically to entertain small children during sporting events. The MLB has some of the most famous mascots in existence, including Mascot Hall of Fame inductee the Phillie Phanatic. When kids start to get antsy, have them search for the team’s mascot in the crowd.

Play I Spy.

The classic car game can be repurposed for the ballpark, and it’s especially good for entertaining preschoolers because it’s such an easy game to learn. In case you don’t remember how it works, one person says “I spy with my little eye something … blue/tall/bearded, etc.” and the others try to guess what they are looking at. Since you’ll be surrounded by super fans decked out in all sorts of zany team gear, kids should be able to have a fun time with this one.

Teach kids how to keep score.

This is a great way for slightly older kids (probably at least 6) to gain a greater understanding of the sport, which will help them enjoy it throughout their lives. Plus it sneaks in a little learning, as kids have to count and use deductive reasoning skills. MLB.com has a relatively simple method of scorekeeping if you don’t have your own system already.

Ride the carnival rides.

Ok, this might be something you can only do at the Detroit Tigers’ Comerica Park, which boasts a ferris wheel and a carousel. But many ballparks are starting to cater to families by creating areas specifically devoted to kids.

Other notable parks include the Washington Nationals’ Nationals Park and San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park. At Nationals Park, you can find the Exxon Strike Zone, Playstation Pavilion, kids’ play area, and Geico Racing Presidents. At AT&T Park, look for the Coca-Cola slide, batting cages, and Playstation 3 kiosks.

Hang out at a Minor League game instead.

Going to an MLB game can get expensive. According to a 2015 CNBC article, on average, it costs a family of four about $200 to attend a game. That figure includes tickets, parking, and concessions, but only two draft beers, four soft drinks, and four hot dogs. And you just know your kids will start begging as soon as the cotton-candy vendor comes along.

Instead of dropping that kind of cash on an experience your kids might not fully appreciate yet, try taking them to a Minor League game first. Minor League games not only are cheaper, but they’re also big on crowd entertainment. Typical games include everything from fireworks to kids’ races. You might even get the chance to see a future Major Leaguer before they hit the big time.