Newbie at festival with children,ADVICE PLS

annie jay

Hi all,
I have just booked a family ticket to Body and soul in June; it’s just myself and 2 children who are 7 and 5. I am very excited about it as it is our first weekend long festival, and I would like to expose the children to a variety of music and some cool life experience that they will remember fondly.
So to create these fond memories I need some Advice!!!

I have never been to a festival myself, never mind with children, forums I have read is to bring Baby wipes!! So they are on my list. What else should I bring?? And what should I expect? I know some people, parents and childless people alike have their reservations about bringing children to festivals, That children should not be bought to a festival, well I have to have a go before I decide to have that opinion, As far as I have researched the festival caters for children and families very well.
So anyone that have bought children to a festival what was your experience??
And camping gear? What would you recommend? I was hoping to get a fairly decent one, with room to more around in, what price range would it need to fall into? I am a total newbie and wet behind the ears with this so any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you ;-)

I see James Holden will be there. I'd say there'll be a few out of their minds at it, possibly even stockpiled during the temporary reprieve this week!

I hope you have fun, but wouldn't bring children next or near acts like Holden, Nightmares on Wax etc. Though I myself would love to see them.

If it advertises itself as family friendly, presume they have security on the camping area and the festival in general to ensure it doesn't become like Oxygen with its sea of drunk youngsters fighting and setting tents on fire...

http://ronancasey.ie/2011/07/why-i-wont-be-going-to-oxegen-this-year/

annie jay

Having read your link to that article it's frightening !! Body and soul seem to be different and Oxygen will have gotten a bad rap lately.

Soul Kids is a unique childrens area that has been enthralling and exciting children and parents for over a decade. Soul Kids is dedicated to children and their families.Soul Kids tent in the Family Camping area. Its happening again. It will be open early in the morning with lots of fantastic activities for children. There will be yoga, creative workshops and wonderful surprises. This tent will close in the middle of the day but reopen in the evening for hot water bottle filling and storytelling sessions.
So this sounds cool and nothing like the ordeal at oxygen !!

duckysauce

annie jay wrote: »

Having read your link to that article it's frightening !! Body and soul seem to be different and Oxygen will have gotten a bad rap lately.

Soul Kids is a unique childrens area that has been enthralling and exciting children and parents for over a decade. Soul Kids is dedicated to children and their families.Soul Kids tent in the Family Camping area. Its happening again. It will be open early in the morning with lots of fantastic activities for children. There will be yoga, creative workshops and wonderful surprises. This tent will close in the middle of the day but reopen in the evening for hot water bottle filling and storytelling sessions.
So this sounds cool and nothing like the ordeal at oxygen !!

Find it odd why parents want to bring their kids to festivals were the majority of people will be completely off their tits on drugs never mind drink, even if it is cool or not .

fits

I've been to body and soul a few times. They seem to cater well for children and as long as they are in bed or at least back in the family area before dark you should be grand. Great lineup this year, I'm hoping to go too.

spaceHopper

It might be a good idea to borrow a tent and take them camping somewhere first or even pitch it in the garden to see if they like it and aren't scared sleeping in a tent. Don't spend a fortune on a tent you might not get much use from, also don't got to cheap you want one that will withstand some wind. I found Vanog's very good but they are a bit expensive. Get one where the poles slide inside socks or tubes in the outer skin and the inner hangs off the the outer part, that way they don't touch and you don't get water coming it if it rains or from condensation.

Avoided pop up tents they are simple to put up but a pig to repack.

Self inflating air camping mats are great and you don't need a pump, leave them to "self inflate" to a couple of breaths and you are done.

Think about food and what you can take that don't need to be in a fridge to be cooked even just make jam sandwiches for breakfast and take them with you. Freeze a litre of milk and take a small cooler....

Make sure you have good sleeping bags that they won't get lost down the bottom of and gave freak attack, you might want to shorten them with some stitching or tie some cord around....

Most important thing is get a practice camp in first.