First time festival guide for kids
Read my first time festival guide for kids to ensure you have everything you need for the whole family to have a great time.
Taking your kids to a festival for the first time may be a little daunting but it shouldn’t be. Kids love the adventure and it’s a great opportunity to introduce them to a wide variety of music and cultural activities. Be sure to choose the right festival though. Like Nozstock which is small scale and family friendly festival for your first trip.
First time festival guide – Camping essentials
Choose a Tent right for you and your festivals location. Check how many people it will fit comfortably and what terrain its suitable for.
A repair kit is always handy, especially if you are on rocky ground. This Tear Aid repair kit from Storm Care not only repairs tents but all outdoor gear with handy patches.
Make sure you have spare 
Get a well insulated Sleeping bag as the nights can get chilly even in the height of summer.
For a better nights sleep grab a Roll mat or even better an Air Bed from Wolf Den Outdoor for a bit of luxury in your tent.
Avoid the excess use of plastic on your visit to a festival and take your own travel mug. Perfect for the first brew in the morning and so much better than filling the bins full of disposables.
This beautiful hare design is by Hannah Dale for Wrendale Designs.
Keep yourself feeling clean and pack your Towel, Toothbrush and paste, Soap and shower gel.
Most importantly pack extra loo roll!
If you can’t get to a shower block have some wet wipes on hand.
Cuts and scraps. Stings and bites are horrible if you don’t have a First aid kit.
If your camping in the height of summer or hitting a festival abroad. You might need to be wary of Mosquitoes.
ZAP-IT is an alternative to creams and soothes inflammation and prevents the urge to scratch.
What to wear
Pack Wellies for walking across muddy fields and negotiating the campsite loos and shower block.
Make sure you have Warm clothes for the nights and a Waterproof and Umbrella for unexpected showers.
Even on the dullest of days it’s important to wear a Hat and Sunglasses as you’re outside much more than you normally would be.
Same goes for Suncream.
Choose a good quality sun cream with UVA and UVB filters.Like this SPF 50 face cream by HEVL sun protection.
If your skin does take a battering over the festival. Whether it’s your face or your cracked heals.
Balmonds Skin Salvation will help it recover. With no perfumes, Parabens or palm oil in it.
The evenings turn colder especially if you’ve been out in the sun all day. So take a comfy Jumper.
A Waterproof is essential as British weather is unreliable this rain poncho will mean you don’t get caught out.. Plus it’s great for sitting on if you don’t want a soggy bum
You can grab a camping checklist here.
Safety
Get the kids to learn your names, not just mum and dad.
Have your mobile number written on their wristband.
Note where the lost children tent it.
Get everyone to learn the route back to the tent.
Just for fun
You might not think a Flag is an essential, but trust me. When your tired and all you want to do is find your tent in a sea of them. A flag will help you out.
UV facepaints are great fun for night time raving.
Glow sticks are also a must for the evenings. So much fun to be had.
Buy these in advance of the festival to avoid inflated prices once your kids spot a Bubble wand and must have one.
Grab my festival bingo cards – a great game to play with older children you may be taking for their first festival experience.
Will be invaluable at home and on our adventures
Pack several packs of baby wipes and antibacterial wipes for those times when you need to wipe the kids down but won’t be able to give them a full bath!
Pack a load of toys to bring with you that are camping friendly and electronic free and camping with kids will be a total breeze without kids getting into trouble.
Plan lots of activities before hand, especially for when the weather inevitably turns bad.
Don’t (lol!) not really, let them run wild for a bit, relax!
Make sure you pack lots of activities in case the weather is bad!
My tip is to get them involved in setting up the tent, the cooking etc so they stay interested
Take a lot of wet wipes, don’t forget to take bin bags and include activities for rainy days.
Make sure that you pack loads of non electrics. We take a DVD player that can be charged on the car for treats. But otherwise we have books and colouring in to keep everyone occupied
Take plenty of indoor and outdoor activities to keep them occupied x
Pack light & put each days outfits together ready for each day makes life so much easier, I put them in separate paper bags then use the paper bags to get the bbq or firepit started 😊
Bring lots of wine!!!!
take plenty of books/activities for them to do in case they get bored. ive also found with my daughter taking a kids camera works wonders in keeping her occupied!
Pack good waterproofs and wellies for everyone so you can still get out and about in rainy weather. Store your wellies upside down on sticks in the ground so you don’t have to bring them into the tent.
Make it a big andventure with lots of outdoor activities
Make sure you pack a comprehensive first aid kit for cuts, bruises and stings.
Lots of baby wipes and never forget their favourite toy or teddy
Don’t!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Plenty of anti histamines and soothing creams, there’ll be rashes and bug bites a plenty
Don’t let the children sleep in the sun.
Tire them out during the day
Tire them out during the day
Prepare for bad weather , take board games and playing cards that all the family can play
Do not stress about them not sleeping early and getting up at dawn, they will sleep longer when tired
make sure theres plenty of entertainment
Make things fun – give the spiders (if they appear in the tent) names and histories, make the cooking something to enjoy together, and make sure they have enough space to run around, rid themselves of excess energy xx
Pack we weather gear!
I have to be honest, I’ve never been camping! But my son wants to take his kids this year.
TAKE LOTS OF BABY WIPES & ANTIBACTERIAL WIPES 🐆
We are just about to finish our campervan conversion so hope to have lots of trips this summer. It’s our first time as a family. I plan on taking clothes for all weather types
Lots of new activities however small – helping with cooking, exploring, collecting – things they wouldn’t usually do x
Make sure they select enough books and games to keep them entertained when things are quiet.
Pack lots of dry clothes
Lots of activities to keep them entertained
Be sure to take more clothing and blankets than you expect to need because it can be cold in a tent!
Take bits and pieces for all weathers!
Take lots of board games and activities in case the weather is rubbish.
Just enjoy it. You don’t need to take everything including the he kitchrn sink. Camping is about being in touch with nature & material things are pointless
sounds silly but bright coloured flags/battery operated fairy lights around the guy lines and ropes – its so easy for a little one to run into them and hurt themselves! It also means they can see the way back if they get up for wee outside in the night
I found my son didn’t want to go off to the toilets at night on his own so I’d bring along a funnel and a water bottle which he’d use in the lobby part of the tent instead
Use two different tents.
Take loads of wet wipes x
This is a smashing prize. I think I’d use it for Piper when she falls asleep in the car!
Pack a tub full of toys to bring with you that are camping friendly and electronic free and camping with kids will be a total breeze without kids getting into mischief
Bring spare batteries for the torches
Be prepared and be patient!
Waterproof clothes & sleeping bags& lots of wet-wipes🙂
I agree with the bringing lots of wet wipes.
Make plans for fun, games, activities. Remember that weather can curtail some outings / activities :- So have alternatives available. Children like to be adventurous, explore, and try out new games :- So aim to provide lots of variety.