Anthrocon 101 for kids and parents
Author: Ronnie Noodles
Reading time: ~4 minutes
Fun fact: I was fortunate to go to my first Anthrocon when I was barely a teenager, dragging my mom to Pittsburgh without a clue about what to expect. Now, you might find yourself bringing your parent (or bringing your kid) to Anthrocon. Here’s a few tips to prepare yourself, and/or your kid.
Getting yourself ready for a furry convention
Kids/minors: if you’ve packed for a vacation before, Anthrocon’s pretty much the same thing - except this time you might have a few extra things like trading stickers, sketchbooks, and maybe even a fursuit. However make sure you’ve also got essentials like your documentation (for picking up your badge), clothes, toiletries, and money. If you’ve never packed for a furry convention before, check out our guide on Things to Pack for Anthrocon!
Parents: you’ll want to make sure you have all the necessary details and information about where you/your kid are staying, and all travel arrangements associated. Make sure you double-check your kid’s packing as well so they don’t forget anything important like documents or medication. If your kid is going to the convention without you and staying with someone else, getting their contact information would be recommended in case of any emergencies.
What furry conventions are like
Kids/minors: there’s so much to see, do, and interact with when you’re at a furry con, you might feel a little anxious or even overwhelmed by it all! That’s totally okay - most people experience that at their first con. Although you might see there are mainly adults at furry cons, you’ll still find plenty of friends that are around or close to your age. One thing you should definitely expect is that you’ll want to give yourself time to explore and take breaks - the convention is pretty massive and you don’t want to burn out on the first day. To make the most of your time, check out some tips on How to Plan for Your First Furry Con.
Parents: you can expect to see thousands of other furry fandom members of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds all mingling together in the convention center and surrounding areas. While it can be a little overwhelming, and even confusing, everyone is there for the same core reason: to celebrate the culture of shared imagination and kinship for anthropomorphic creatures. There’s many events and things to do, which can help keep you (or your kid) busy. And if you find there aren’t many things that capture your interest, there are plenty of opportunities to make some new friends - maybe with other parents!
Interacting with other furries and fursuiters
Kids/minors: you might see some familiar faces and want to interact with them - from fursuiters to artists to performers, make sure you’re using courtesy when approaching and meeting someone for the first time, no matter how popular they might be. On the other hand, if you’re new to the community and are looking to make some new friends, the best thing to remember is to be polite and try finding people with similar interests. Going to panels and social meet-ups that happen throughout the con are great ways of doing that!
Parents: while the majority of the furry fandom’s age group leans towards the young adult side, there are still plenty of other teenagers and kids that your child can interact with online and in-person. Make sure you help your kids understand the boundaries for socializing with adults and what to look out for.
To summarize things
Furry conventions can be a fun, fantastic, and even life-changing experience for both kids and parents alike. Our top recommendation, and priority, is to make sure that it’s a safe and comfortable experience. Though it might be something out of the ordinary, and certainly not something that you can fully prepare yourself for the wonders of, the furry community is more than happy to help make your convention memorable and full of fun. Whether it’s looking for a new friend, talking to that fursuiter you’ve always wanted to meet, or sharing your creativity - the furry fandom’s here for you!
If you have some other questions regarding being a minor at Anthrocon, we’ve also got a handy Minors FAQ page.
Banner photography: Tenn