How to Prepare for Your First Family Festival

For the mini adventurers and music lovers, there are many festivals across the United Kingdom that children can attend. Attending a festival as a family can seem daunting and even overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. With the correct planning, you can experience the time of your lives as a family unit. 

From pre-packing your kids wellies to finding the right festival for you, making sure you have a plan in place can ensure you enjoy all that UK festivals have to offer for all age ranges. Here, we will explore some tips preparing you for your first family festival. 

Plan well in advance

When it comes to taking your children away for a few days, planning is always the best course of action. Festivals are no different. In fact, additional planning here could make the difference between your children enjoying the event and not wanting to return.

Choosing the correct festival for you is about researching location, facilities, but also the acts and activities on offer. Some festivals are heavily music-based and might not be best for children, even if they are allowed, whereas others might be tailored to family-friendly activities – such as the In It Together Festival – making it an easier transition for your little ones, especially if they are more apprehensive. 

Planning ahead of time not only helps you know where you are going and when, but you can also use this as an excitement building opportunity. Whether you practice run your camping techniques with the children or you research the different activities and acts they might want to see while they are there, you can get your children excited about this new experience – after all, there is only one first festival for your family. 

Trial run to find your essentials

When heading to a festival, you will need to consider all the extremes you will face. Whether this is the need for extra layers in the night as the temperature plummets, or a sudden increase in sunshine meaning you need suncream, you should be prepared for it all. 

You might want to practice camping with your children multiple times before your festival to get them used to the feeling, find a good camping routine for your family, and be comfortable with the change in setting before going to the festival. This will also prepare you for what you might need to pack, what your children regularly use in those settings, and the things you can leave behind. 

Try not to overpack for your festival. It can be tempting to bring as much as possible, but your children won’t need everything – only the essentials. You will need to carry whatever you pack, and possibly your children if the walk is too tiring, so making sure you only have what you need and will use is important. 

Plan quiet spaces

Festivals are loud and unfamiliar, and for some children, this can become a problem. Once you are there, or if you have a map laying out the different zones beforehand, you can find the quiet areas of the festival and their best route from your tent. 

This means that if your children become overwhelmed with the noise and environment, you can easily remove yourselves. This escapism can help your children if they become overstimulated, irritable, or anxious. 

You might also want to consider bringing ear protection for your children – not only for their safety but also in case you cannot reach a quiet area and they need some relief from the festival’s noise. 

Festivals can be amazing enrichment experiences for your littles ones. From their exposure to art and music, to large crowds and open spaces, a festival can be the perfect trip for the family. However, it is one which needs careful planning, especially if your little ones are apprehensive about leaving their comfort zones.