My kids are huge fans of Hot Wheels and Monster Jam trucks at home. The smashing, the crashing, the soaring down ramps and into my walls. For years I've noticed Monster Jam rolling through town and wondered, what's the best age to bring my kids? Can my oldest handle the noise? The stimulation? The late night? The crowds?My 5 year old son was thrilled for his first Monster Jam show. I could literally see him floating on air with excitement as we entered NRG Stadium and he first heard the engines revving. The October 2017 Monster Jam event had three different forms of competition: side-by-side racing, a two-wheel challenge and freestyle competition. In side-by-side racing, the first truck with the least amount of penalties that crosses the finish line is declared the winner. In freestyle competition, the drivers had two minutes on the open floor to show off their skills with fans scoring via a mobile website. We loved cheering on our favorite trucks and seeing which drivers could pull off the best jumps, spins and flips.
My tips for success:
- Advise your kids what they might expect to see and hear. The house lights stay up and there are mild fireworks with each back flip on the Monster Energy ramp and at the end of the show. Many cars flip, crash and even catch fire, causing them to be towed from the track. When this happens, talk to your kids about the safety measures involved and the crew that helps keep the driver and truck safe.
- Plan ear protection before you go. Snug Kids Ear Muffs were easily the most popular option in the crowd for kids and are available online or locally in the baby aisle at H-E-B. Grab ear plugs for yourself as well because Monster Jam is LOUD, LOUD, LOUD!
- Watch your transit time and check traffic before you leave the house. We made it from The Woodlands to NRG Stadium area in around an hour, but spent an additional 45 min. in a monster traffic jam waiting to park.
- Think about meals before you go - food and drinks are not allowed at NRG Stadium so eat before you come or at the stadium.
- Anticipate a long event. The action at our show was from 7pm-10pm with an intermission. We stayed until the end and did not get back to the Woodlands until just before midnight due to traffic. If you arrive earlier for the Pit Party to meet the drivers and see the trucks up close, your day gets even longer. Young kids may just not have the stamina to last all day into the night. I've had friends plan a hotel near NRG to lesson the transit impact on their kids.
- Talk to your kids about reasonable expectations for any possible merchandise purchases - you'll see lots of spectators with branded shirts, hats, toys, Grave Digger cotton candy, etc. I brought a Hot Wheels Monster Jam truck in the car for the ride down, which helped remind my son that we have lots of Monster Jam toys already.
Monster Jam returns to Houston for three shows in early 2018 - January 27th at 7pm, February 10th at 7pm and February 11th at 3pm. The trucks will vary somewhat from the October 2017 date and what I like best is that February 11th is an early show!
My family was provided complimentary tickets to Monster Jam for this review. View our full FTC Disclosure Statement here.
