Festivals With Kids - Our 'Must Have' Tips!

Festival season is well and truly upon us and we are getting more and more parents popping into the Born shops in London and Bristol to pick up last minute essentials!  Taking babies and toddlers to festivals is fantastic fun but can be a little daunting - the trick is to be organised and plan well!  To help, we have composed our own ideas of Festival 'Must Haves' to get you started!

    

Getting Around

A decent sling or baby carrier will make life with a baby or toddler so much easier for you at festivals, especially if there are big crowds - it's no fun staring at a forest of legs for hours!  Consider something like the ERGObaby Ventus Graphite Performance carrier (above) - lightweight and perfect for hot days, but with plenty of support and comfort.  Check out the Hippychick Hipseat too - very useful for when your little one is having a hop-on, hop-off sort of day!

If you're taking your stroller, make sure that you have all-terrain wheels that can cope with mud! If it's hot, take a seat liner - AeroMoov make great liners that breathe and actively keep your child from getting hot and sweaty. Strollers are great at festivals for nap times out and about, so don't forget a Snoozeshade to give your little one some privacy.






If your toddler prefers to walk, we think the Toddler Daysacks from Littlelife are ideal. With plenty of room for nappies, snacks etc, these backpacks come with a removable safety rein (perfect in a crowd) and an integrated rain hood, immediately transforming your little one into their chosen animal! Functionality, safety and dressing-up in one!

Toddler Daysacks with Reins by Littlelife

 

 

Wet Weather Gear

This is England in the Summer...need we say more?! Get well-equipped with all-in-one waterproofs and don't forget the wellies!! The Aigle Lolly Pop Boots are lovely wellies made from natural latex with a cotton lining, so they're comfy and built to last!

 

 

Hoping for Sunshine!

Keep your fingers crossed and don't forget to pack sun protection for your little one. Even if it's not scorching hot, if your child is out all day it's best to cover them with sun protection.  We recommend Green People's Sun Lotion and After Sun.  Sun hats are a must (we like the ones with little ties to ensure they stay on) as are baby sunglasses - being out in the day light all day makes these an essential piece of gear to protect your child's eyes.

First Aid and Protection

Hopefully, first aid won't be needed, but prevention is better than cure, so remember to take insect repelling bug balm and mosquito patches to keep the little blighters at bay, especially in the evenings.  Keep a little bottle of Weleda Combudoron Spray in your bag just in case anyone does get bitten - it helps to relieve the itching and swelling naturally. Rescue Remedy is always useful for bringing a sense of calm back to the proceedings!

Nappies

Many family-friendly festivals actually now have great toilets and shower facilities, but being prepared is always wise! Festivals are one of the few times that Disposable Nappies and Nappy Sacks are very useful for your baby or toddler, but you can still stay eco-friendly with this bio-degradeable range from Bambo and Beaming Baby.  And if you don't want to carry round a complete changing bag, check out this portable changing kit from Skip Hop - roomy enough for all your changing essentials, yet sleek enough to carry on your wrist.

Skip Hop Pronto! Portable Changing Kit

If Nothing Else, Remember These 3 Essential Items!

1 - Ear Defenders for your baby or toddler - these can protect your baby's ears from the loud music and can also help them get to sleep, especially if they are having a daytime nap in their buggy. 

2 - Lots of Baby Wipes - these are vital and not just for your baby! Perfect for nappies, hand and face washing, and general freshening-up, we recommend getting packs of eco-friendly wipes like Earth Friendly Kids or Beaming Baby that are free from nasty chemicals, especially as you are likely to be using your hands to eat.

3 - Bucket with a lid! For night-time, we strongly recommend a bucket with a lid as an emergency family toilet! Who wants to be up in the middle of the night negotiating the portaloos?! Trust us, you will be very glad you took this!

For a directory of family friendly festivals and lots of great tips, visit www.festivalkidz.com