Very often, when we have children, we park the things we used to do in favour of more ‘child friendly’ pursuits. That said, there are certain things that we can still do with the kids in tow! Festivals are a brilliant way of spending quality time with our littles, whilst enjoying live music and a carnival atmosphere.
These days there are a wealth of family friendly festivals the length and breadth of the country — you can cut your teeth on a day pass or pack up and go for a long weekend. So with a bit of careful planning — and the right gear — there’s no reason why we (or the littlest members of our families) should miss out.
I’m delighted to be taking my tiny boys to Camp Bestival in just a few day’s time and — even though we’ve taken the twins to a festival once before — I just wanted to make doubly sure I’m prepared for every eventuality.
To make sure I don’t forget anything, I’ve interviewed four seasoned festival goers who like nothing more than taking their children along to a festival.
Firstly we had Tamandra — you can see her essential items for a kids festival here.
Then we spoke to Melanie — see her festival checklist here.
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Essential Items for a Kids Festival Part 3
The third part of this little series is with Mandy.
She and her partner Darren have two little girls; Lily and Rosie.
Lily was the first of my friend’s children that I went to a festival with. She was 2 or 3 at the time (she’s 9 now) and I was fascinated by how Mandy and Darren coped with having a little one in tow.
Particularly as they always camp in a tent!
They didn’t seem phased at all and it was a lovely to watch Lily having such a lovely time with her mum and dad.
They’ve since had a second daughter, Rosie, and the whole family still enjoy festivals together. I asked Mandy:
What do you like best about festivals with kids?
Everything!
Great music. Dancing in a field. Fancy dress. Facepainting. Art & crafts. Photobooths. Shenanigans with friends — old and new.
Generally soaking up the festival spirit with my kids and making some memories.
What’s your ultimate festival checklist when camping in a tent with kids?
Keep it light – you never know how far you’ll have to walk from the car park!
A blow up mattress and pillows plus a picnic blanket — and a bag to put your muddy clothes in — are essentials in my book.
What are your 5 essential festival items?
1. Fancy dress hats (my knitted rainbow dreadlocks is a particular favourite).
2. Wet wipes.
3. Comfy trainers.
4. Highlighter pens to mark up the running order.
5. An airbed — but don’t forget to bring a decent battery operated pump too.
1. Fancy dress hats — Village Hats
2. Wet Ones — Superdrug
3. Vans Black & Green Hawaiian Print Classic Slip On — Schuh
4. Highlighter pens — The Works
5. Aerobed — Argos
Are there any festival essentials you’d take that aren’t on Mandy’s list? Have a look at Tamandra’s checklist and Melanie’s essential items for a kids festival too.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
