Jump to content

Recommended Posts

I go to lots of festivals with the kids and they love them. But I choose really carefully. Basically, the smaller the better. My basic rule of thumb is I won't take the kids to any festival where they have a beer tent. Beer tents mean crowds of drunk people, and that's just not that much fun with kids. We stick to small, family friendly festivals which are probably too small to get an alcohol licence and are full of yoga/arty/clean living types.


I appreciate some people might think that's not really going to a festival, but my feeling is, if you want to go to a party festival both you and the kids would have a better time if they didn't go!!!


Try Tribal Earth.

Surely a beer tent is essential (for the parents of the small children?)


I love it - take my three to Latitude (Suffolk) every year and its a great experience, v kid friendly. Kids not allowed at some though e.g. V Festival, and for me Glastonbury is too big/too much sclepping about. Pick carefully and you'll be fine.

We took our first daughter to WOMAD when she was only about 15 months, and it was fine, we had a lovely weekend.


I wouldn't go to a festival that I really wanted to go to to see particular bands, because I know I'd end up disappointed and pissed off.


And there's no way I'd go to any festival at the moment, because at nearly 3 and 5, they would just be too difficult to manage / keep and eye on / not lose. It would be a hellish weekend of stress. (I'm only thinking of my wayward children here, they are a nightmare for running off)


Like the idea of doing it again when they're a bit older.

Otta Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> We took our first daughter to WOMAD when she was

> only about 15 months, and it was fine, we had a

> lovely weekend.

>

> I wouldn't go to a festival that I really wanted

> to go to to see particular bands, because I know

> I'd end up disappointed and pissed off.

>

> And there's no way I'd go to any festival at the

> moment, because at nearly 3 and 5, they would just

> be too difficult to manage / keep and eye on / not

> lose. It would be a hellish weekend of stress.

> (I'm only thinking of my wayward children here,

> they are a nightmare for running off)

>

> Like the idea of doing it again when they're a bit

> older.


Little Saff is 4 yo, and I'm finding this age really hard to manage for these types of activities. I took her to small festivals when she was a baby/toddler, and it was ok. I took her to a festival last year, and she had a great time -- but I really struggled. No matter how family friendly the 'family' areas are at festivals, I can always find a few people up to naughty things!


And even once your children are a bit older and you can leave them for a bit at a festival without worrying about them getting lost, then you have to worry about other things...


--


I'm balking at the idea of taking her this year. My friends are split down the middle. Some always take their kids, some never do.

I went to a heavy metal festival and there were young kids there- they do have a 'quiet' field. A man had his child (about 4 years old) on his shoulders and the child had ear defenders on. We were all tipsy and having a laugh and letting off lots of steam (and this included swearing) and the stupid man gave me a filthy look when I used the f word at one point- what does he think these type of events are for?

saffron, i understand! imho I would never take kids to a "proper" festival as there are too many people and my kids run off, plus someone somewhere will always be having a bit too much of a good time....just as they should as it is a festival!


it's a change of mindset i know, but a really small hippy festival is wonderful. at tribal earth i let the kids run off on their own. there is only one field so they can't get lost. and no beer tent or other substances around. try and go with another couple so you can take turns to babysit in the evening.

We've taken our 6yo to festivals since she was 1yo but only small ones - Green Man, Port Elliot, End of the Road. However, given the choice I would leave her with Granny so the evenings are easier (none of our festival friends have kids so my OH and I never get to spend an evening together). The days are great and she absolutely loves it, which is why I get over-ruled on the Granny option.


This year we are going to End of the Road but none of our festival friends are going. This means that we will have to go out on our lonesome to see the evening bands, not ideal really.

We did our first family festival last year (kids were then 3yrs and 9 months) This year we plan to do 3 plus at least one other camping trip!


Take a look at the festival kidz website for lots of reviews, tips and to find somewhere that would be right for you

(disclaimer - I'm hopefully reviewing one of the festivals for them this year, but not paid by them or anything)


http://www.festivalkidz.com/


We went to Beautiful Days in Devon last year, medium sized music festival, we didn't see much of the bands but loads of kids activities and entertainment, the girls had a wonderful time (as did we). blog post about it here: http://southwarkbelle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/my-first-family-festival.html


This year my now 4 year old and I went to Feast in the Woods which is a glorious, tiny little "festival" no bands just camping in the woods, campfires, kids entertainment and a lake to swim in, lovely, we've booked for next year already! http://southwarkbelle.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/blog-awards-pox-and-camping-solo-with.html


This year we are definitley also all going to Just So festival which is entirely for kids and hopefully some more too.


I'm not really very hippy dippy but so far I've actually found it all pretty relaxing, At beautiful days they could go from one entertainment to the next from the moment they woke up until they eventually passed out in the buggy/sling the only stress was choosing how to fit everything in.


Most festivals will have a family camping area away from everyone else which is quieter and where the kids can find new friends.

Is it really a festival with no beer/bands?*


I think I'd rather pluck my eyelashes out one-by-one than camp in the woods with a bunch of children, no alcohol, and no bands for a weekend. Then someone still has to do all the laundry when you get home! But to each their own of course. xx




*Isn't that just called 'camping' or a 'retreat'????

I went to Hop Farm festival 2012 and it's back on this year. We didn't take children but it was so easy going and not so far from home. If you're having doubts why not just get a day ticket this year to one you like the look of to see how you get on, for Hop Farm there's return coaches from Victoria http://www.thehopfarmmusicfestival.com/index.html

The woods one I mentioned did have a cider barn btw, no bands, it was a food festival, clues in the name


When we got to the one last year (lots of beer and bands) I just realised how much stuff there is for little ones and decided I'll just focus on that for a few years. Can go back to grown up festival behaviour once they are old enough to wander off to the teen area and get drunk without me.


If you have small kids and want bands, beer and no kids, perhaps just don't take the kids?

We are taking 18 month old to Isle Of Wight this weekend in a VW campervan and have some VIP hosp passes so I'm hoping it won't be horrendous. Not really bothered about the line up. I will report back and let you know. One thing I haven't sorted is a sling / carrier for him!!! Any offers MUCH appreciated x will be leaving the buggy at home
hey lucyannejames, unless your 18m old is very light, you may wish to reconsider leaving the buggy at home. The buggy is very useful for naps and carrying baby stuff. Although a standard buggy is tricky on the mud of course - we managed to pick up a cheap second hand 3 wheeler which served us well for a couple of years of festivals. I think you will find things a whole lot easier if you have wheels.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Here is another article from the excellent Special Needs Jungle (SNJ) with tips for responses to the SEND conversation survey. Including shoe horning in EHCPs which they "forget" to ask a question about in the conversation. And living as we do in Southwark with the huge misfortune of 100% academy secondary schools, some thoughts on this and how unlikely inclusion in mainstream is within the current education landscape. Closing date 14 Jan 2026. And please consider a donation to the excellent entirely run by volunteers SNJ. In my view the government could save money by creating some smaller mainstream secondary schools for kids who can cope in primary school but not  with the scale of secondary, and need a calmer less busy setting. The funding would have to be different - it is currently on a per pupil basis which favours larger schools. But it would undoubtedly be cheaper than specialist provision, and the huge cost to individual children and families (emotional and financial) and to society. https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/tips-help-complete-governments-send-conversation-survey-law/ If anyone wants to take a radical step to help their struggling child, my tip is to move far away: these are the best two schools I have ever visited and in a beautiful part of the country. I only wish we'd moved there before it was too late for my son who had to suffer multiple failings at Charter North and then at the hands of Southwark SEND, out of education from February to October in year 10-11, having already suffered the enduring trauma of a very difficult early life, which in combination with ADHD made his time at schools which just don't care so very unbearable for all of us. https://www.cartmelprioryschool.co.uk/ https://settlebeck.org/ As an add on, I would say to anybody considering adoption, please take into account the education battles that you are very much more likely to face than the average parent. First you have schools to deal with, already terrible; then being passed from pillar to post within Southwark Education, SEND, Education Inclusion Team, round and round as they all do their best to explain why they are not responsible and you need someone different, let's hold another multi-agency meeting, never for one minute considering that if they put the child at the centre and used common sense they would achieve a lot more in much less time without loads of Southwark employees sitting in endless meetings with long suffering parents. It is hard to fully imagine this at the start of your adoption journey, full of hope as you are, but truly education is not for the faint hearted, and should be factored into your decision. You'll never hear from people who are really struggling and continue to do so, only from those who've had challenges but overcome them and it's all lovely. And education, the very people who should be there to help, are the ones who make your lives the most hellish out of everything your child and you face.
    • It’s a big problem all over London. I’ve seen it happen in Kennington and Bloomsbury in the last year. I think there has been some progress recently with some key arrests, but you do need to be very careful when walking around with your phone out, especially, as you say, if wearing noise cancelling headphones. Sorry you experienced this 
    • Luke Johnson (prominent director and co-owner), supported Brexit and backed the Vote Leave campaign. He also described the response to Covid as ‘a campaign of fear’ and 2020 funded a media consultant for the ‘Covid-recovery group’ of anti-lockdown MPs.
    • I'm a bit of an architecture geek and I must confess I find it one of the most gimmicky ugly redesigns I've seen in a while. I'm always open to quirky but this is just not nice in any way shape or form.
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...