Taking children to a Test

Choose a day your family can enjoy

Begin with one ticketed day. The first two days give you the opening innings to follow; a later day may deliver a chase, but the match might end before you arrive. A low fifth-day price can suit a local family able to decide late. It is a less useful foundation for a journey involving flights, hotel rooms and a child expecting to see their first Test.

An ordinary daytime Test means a morning session, lunch, an afternoon session, tea and an evening session. The journey and queues extend the outing beyond playing hours. Explain the breaks before you go, then agree a manageable first spell of watching. If an hour of cricket is enough before a walk, take that walk. A return visit will be more appealing after an enjoyable short day.

For England in 2027, compare the Bangladesh Tests with the Ashes and the women’s Ashes Test at Headingley. The badge on the series does not change a young spectator’s need for a decent view and room to take breaks. Start with the Test calendar, then use the ground’s day-by-day choices to match a date to school and travel arrangements.

Junior tickets and family seating

Calculate the adult and child total together, including booking charges. Junior age bands can differ between venues and ticket products. A child ticket can also be unavailable in a particular price category. Keep the age information supplied during purchase with the booking, and ask the ticket office about an infant before assuming that a seat or admission is included.

The comparison below draws prices from each ground guide. TBC means the tariff still needs checking in the official sale. Old Trafford has no scheduled 2027 Test in this catalogue, and the Gabba has none in the 2026–27 Australian programme. Their family seating information helps with future choices; it is not an offer of tickets for a current Test.

Pick the block before the atmosphere

At Edgbaston, look for Dennis Amiss blocks 1–3 if you want alcohol-free seating. The stand opens in 2027. The Hollies is the club’s party choice, promoted as most suitable for adults: songs and fancy dress can be part of its appeal, but choose another area for a child who needs calmer surroundings. Read the Dennis Amiss guide alongside the available blocks.

At Headingley, Block R beneath the North East scoreboard is the named alcohol-free option. Yorkshire places its major-match activity area behind the East Stand. The Western Terrace’s A and B blocks attract fancy-dress groups, so compare those surroundings with your child’s preferences before selecting seats. An alcohol-free row and a completely quiet stadium are different experiences.

For a future Test at Old Trafford, Lancashire identifies Stand A as its family area, with A6 and A7 alcohol-free; BU8 and BU9 also exclude alcohol. Party Stand D admits people aged 16 and above for every fixture. Do not buy an under-16 ticket elsewhere and expect to move into that stand during the afternoon.

For Lord’s, the Oval, Trent Bridge and Utilita Bowl, use the individual Test map when choosing a family allocation. Give the ticket team your priorities in a useful order: adjacent seats, alcohol-free block if required, manageable steps and shelter. A high roofed tier may solve one problem while adding a climb. Our shade comparison helps narrow the options.

Sources: Edgbaston Family · Headingley Family · Old Trafford Family

Family choices in Australia

Cricket Australia’s child category covers ages 3–15, with family products consisting of two adult and two child tickets where offered. Children aged two or younger can enter without a ticket on a ticketed adult’s lap, limited to one infant per adult. Buy a child seat if your younger child needs their own place. The Test conditions take precedence over a venue’s general infant policy.

Family seating, an alcohol-free bay and a children’s activity zone describe separate things. Select the actual family or alcohol-free category in the Test sale, then consult the event programme for activities. Specific bays and programmes for these upcoming Tests are TBC. An old Big Bash, football or Ashes map can put you in the wrong section for this match.

At Perth, look for the designated alcohol-free zones on the Test map. For Adelaide, keep public family seats separate from SACA member admission. At the MCG, choose between the December daytime Test and March’s afternoon start with your child’s sleep routine in mind. Sydney’s January visit also needs a plan for breaks from the sun. Use each Australian hub’s entrance and transport advice to shorten the journey home.

Sources: Ca Entry · Ca Family · Perth Entry

Give the intervals a purpose

Before taking your seats, find the nearest toilets, drinking water and a recognisable meeting point. Show your child how to identify a steward. Keep their gate, block and seat numbers with the accompanying adult. On a Test day the concourse fills around the intervals, so a precise landmark is more useful than arranging to meet somewhere outside the stand.

A small notebook turns the scoreboard into a game: record boundaries, count how many fielders stand behind the batter or choose a bowler to follow for a spell. Change the question as the match changes. Watching a captain move a fielder can be as interesting as a six when a child understands what the team is trying to do.

Use lunch for movement as well as food, but ask about re-entry before crossing an exit. At Headingley, check that day’s activity programme behind the East Stand. At the MCG, a sensory-friendly space serves people with sensory needs; it is separate from an ordinary play area or childcare. Ask staff about the appropriate family facilities when you arrive.

Sources: Headingley Family · Mcg Sensory

Pack for comfort and leave some energy for tomorrow

For a Test picnic, choose containers allowed at the venue and food your child will actually eat. A hat, suitable sun protection and a rain layer are useful through long sessions. Keep essential medication accessible and arrange any required entry permission beforehand. Our packing tables compare the restrictions without assuming one ground’s rules apply everywhere.

If you book consecutive days, review the first evening together. Would a later arrival help? Was the exposed seat uncomfortable? Did the train home make the day too long? Adjust the routine within your ticket conditions. A child who remembers a good bowling spell and a pleasant journey may be keener to return than one who was kept until stumps after losing interest.

Questions before your Test visit

Sources

1. Ca Entry — checked 2026-10-12
2. Ca Family — checked 2026-10-12
3. Edgbaston Family — checked 2026-10-12
4. Headingley Family — checked 2026-10-12
5. Old Trafford Family — checked 2026-10-12
6. Mcg Sensory — checked 2026-10-12
7. Perth Entry — checked 2026-10-12