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Festival survival guide – What to pack for a festival with kids

Festivals

17 Jan

You have just purchased tickets for your first festival with kids. So now what? What do you need to pack for a festival? What do you need to remember? We have put together some great tips for surviving a festival with kids, but what do you actually need to pack for the kids? Perhaps you have chosen the glamping option for a ready pitched tent at the festival?! We always take the campervan, but if you are camping, I appreciate this can be a little more complicated with kids. Look no further though, we have everything covered! Here is our list of a few essentials to pack for a festival with kids: a festival survival guide! There are also some great ideas and tips If you want to create a festival party in your garden!

What to pack for a festival? – The essentials

  • What to pack for a festival? – The essentials
  • Food and Drink
  • Wheels
  • how to keep safeat festivals with kids
  • Toiletries
  • Clothing
  • Festival extras – what to pack for a festival with kids

Unless you have a camper or decide on glamping, you will need to pack a decent tent, blow up mattress/air bed, sleeping bags and pillows. We sleep in our converted camper van, but we also take a Vango drive-away awning to add our living space. We also have a lit of van life essentials that we really can’t do without. Comfortable camping chairs are essential and don’t forget a few blankets…we always take our favourite crochet blanket that my mum made for us. This blanket also doubles up as a picnic rug.

tango drive-away awning is a great item to add to the festival survival guide

Food and Drink

There are always plenty of places to get food and drink at a festival, but if you are hoping to keep the cost down pack plenty of snacks for the kids, and easy cook food. Pack pasta, rice, tinned beans and tomatoes. Basically, pack long lasting food. Dont forget a kettle, decent stove and a few cooking utensils.

Trangia -Vango

We are really trying to leave no trace… ditch the plastic.  Pack reusable cups, water bottles and coffee cups. Consider taking eco-utensils including bamboo cutlery, grass straws etc. Most festivals have plenty of water stations to fill up water bottles. You may find my post on plastic free travel useful

Wheels

We invested in a decent festival trolley, and I won’t lie, it can be hard work pulling it along all day – especially if the ground is uneven. On a positive note, you can load it with all you need for the day including spare clothes, snacks, drinks bottles and picnic blankets. You can also pack a good baby carrier as an alternative for tired little feet.

Otis and Us at Elderflower Fields Festival

how to keep safeat festivals with kids

A first aid kit is essential, with plasters, bandages, and a few extras that may be individual to your family such as hay fever meds, paracetamol etc.

We also take some ribbon to tie around the kids’ wrists with our telephone number on, just incase the kids wander. For the care free toddlers – reins are also useful. We also purchased a set of ear defenders and these have come in useful over the years if the music is loud.

Always remember to take some cash to festivals as some of the smaller festivals don’t always have cashpoints on the festival site.

Toiletries

Pack a few minimal toiletries, including baby wipes, toilet roll and hand sanitiser. As we are on a plastic free journey so have been trying bamboo toothbrushes, reusable cotton wipes and shampoo soaps.

plastic free travel including bamboo toothbrushes are great to pack for a festival

Clothing

Pack for all kinds of weather…so raincoats, wellies, outdoor gear, suncream, sunhats, sunglasses, warm nightwear/onesies. Remember, there are so many festival activities and these can be messy – so always best to pack a few extra spares to cover all eventualities.

Check the festival programme beforehand, as some festivals have competitions for fancy dress, or a fancy dress theme. You can also never have too much tattoos, tattoos or face paint.

wellies are a festival essential in the UK

Festival extras – what to pack for a festival with kids

We always try to remember to pack a torch, bunting flags and fairy lights as these really help to find your base at night when the light disappears. We also take a foldable potty as this comes in very useful at night for the kids.

Another essential for the kids that we did actually forget one year – glow sticks. Buy them beforehand and save some ££££.

Just So Festival 2018

Can you think of anything else to add to this list of what to pack for a festival with kids?

Most importantly remember your tickets, relax, throw out the routine, enjoy some carefree time with family and friends….

and have a wonderful time!

We really do love a family friendly festival, and here you can find inspiration for a number of wonderful family friendly festivals including Timber Festival, Just So Festival and Elderflower Fields Festival.

What would you add to our festival survival guide?

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what to pack for a festival with kids

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Vanlife Family • Travel


Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights dotted around a
Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3


🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages a
🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages asking “where do you all sleep” and where did your toddler or baby  sleep in the camper ?

We bought our #t5 when our eldest was just 2, and we have had to adapt as our family has grown. We didn’t have the roof converted until much later so we tried a fair few sleeping options! 

I thought It might be helpful if I listed all of the sleeping options we have tried in our vwT5 because I often get questions about sleeping options with young kids.

⭐️Our new born baby slept in a sleepyhead in the camper as it was easily transportable and worked as  crib.

⭐️ We then found a deluxe travel cot that fit perfectly at the base of our rib bed and this worked from about 6 months 

⭐️We then moved on to a toddler inflatable air bed placed again at the bottom of our bed. We  found the toddler beds fit perfectly across the width of the van 

⭐️moving on we purchased a hammock that fitted over just the driver and passenger seat  and this worked great from about 3+

⭐️ Finally as our family grew... We  had our pop top roof added and the children slept well in the roof. We had a safety net fitted to the opening  of the roof and this allowed all our children to sleep in the roof safely and gave us some peace of mind - particularly as our son was young.

I’ve linked my post in my stories but do let me know if you have tried any other options that work for young children, particularly if you don’t have an elevating roof! Always here if I can help with anything or if you have any questions.

🌈


A vintage rainbow 🌈

Mucho love tonight - hope
A vintage rainbow 🌈 

Mucho love tonight - hope you are all doing okay x


💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫

💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 

Just popping on to wish all of you a Happy New Year 💕

Here we are .... Still hanging out in tier 4, (but hey I have three lovely days off 🤩) we have all got this🙌🏻

For now I’m going to keep dreaming, planning, doing a bit of vanlife shopping and redesigning our campervan 😂 (so if any of you lovely vanlife peeps can share and tag me in a picture of your interiors I would be eternally grateful). 

Hey I may even get this dissertation done 🤣

If it’s okay I’ll keep sharing the little bits in between, and of course our van life tips and tricks over the new year, until we can explore once again. 

Thanks for sticking with us - happy new year to my faves, lots of love and stay safe 

The Otis and Us tribe xxx


🌲 And that’s me signing off for Christmas. 🌲 

Let’s hope 2021 brings some sunshine, plans, adventures and a glimmer of hope. 

To all my lovely friends, family and wonderful vanlife peeps, thanks so much for all the love and support this year. 

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and New year from Otis and Us xxx

Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing fram
Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing frame, and so grateful to have this wonderful play area in our garden for the kids since the lockdown number two. 

It’s my last day of annual leave today. So we have spent the afternoon adding a few fairy lights to the MultiFlyer climbing frame - sprinkling a bit of magic and festive cheer out in the garden....

Moving on to the the camper next :) it definitely needs some fairy lights and a tree - Don’t you think? 🌲 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #vimage


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Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟 Fairy lights dotted around a Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3
🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐 I often get messages a 🚐Vanlife with kids 🚐

I often get messages asking “where do you all sleep” and where did your toddler or baby  sleep in the camper ?

We bought our #t5 when our eldest was just 2, and we have had to adapt as our family has grown. We didn’t have the roof converted until much later so we tried a fair few sleeping options! 

I thought It might be helpful if I listed all of the sleeping options we have tried in our vwT5 because I often get questions about sleeping options with young kids.

⭐️Our new born baby slept in a sleepyhead in the camper as it was easily transportable and worked as  crib.

⭐️ We then found a deluxe travel cot that fit perfectly at the base of our rib bed and this worked from about 6 months 

⭐️We then moved on to a toddler inflatable air bed placed again at the bottom of our bed. We  found the toddler beds fit perfectly across the width of the van 

⭐️moving on we purchased a hammock that fitted over just the driver and passenger seat  and this worked great from about 3+

⭐️ Finally as our family grew... We  had our pop top roof added and the children slept well in the roof. We had a safety net fitted to the opening  of the roof and this allowed all our children to sleep in the roof safely and gave us some peace of mind - particularly as our son was young.

I’ve linked my post in my stories but do let me know if you have tried any other options that work for young children, particularly if you don’t have an elevating roof! Always here if I can help with anything or if you have any questions.

🌈
A vintage rainbow 🌈 Mucho love tonight - hope A vintage rainbow 🌈 

Mucho love tonight - hope you are all doing okay x
💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 💫Still one of my most favourite captures 💫 

Just popping on to wish all of you a Happy New Year 💕

Here we are .... Still hanging out in tier 4, (but hey I have three lovely days off 🤩) we have all got this🙌🏻

For now I’m going to keep dreaming, planning, doing a bit of vanlife shopping and redesigning our campervan 😂 (so if any of you lovely vanlife peeps can share and tag me in a picture of your interiors I would be eternally grateful). 

Hey I may even get this dissertation done 🤣

If it’s okay I’ll keep sharing the little bits in between, and of course our van life tips and tricks over the new year, until we can explore once again. 

Thanks for sticking with us - happy new year to my faves, lots of love and stay safe 

The Otis and Us tribe xxx
🌲 And that’s me signing off for Christmas. 🌲 

Let’s hope 2021 brings some sunshine, plans, adventures and a glimmer of hope. 

To all my lovely friends, family and wonderful vanlife peeps, thanks so much for all the love and support this year. 

Wishing you all a Happy Christmas and New year from Otis and Us xxx
Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing fram Ad / We are still loving our @wickey climbing frame, and so grateful to have this wonderful play area in our garden for the kids since the lockdown number two. 

It’s my last day of annual leave today. So we have spent the afternoon adding a few fairy lights to the MultiFlyer climbing frame - sprinkling a bit of magic and festive cheer out in the garden....

Moving on to the the camper next :) it definitely needs some fairy lights and a tree - Don’t you think? 🌲 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #vimage
If this year has taught us anything, it’s defini If this year has taught us anything, it’s definitely to not take anything for granted. To take each day as it comes and to enjoy the simple things in life, finding  joy in those ordinary moments. 

I don’t need reminding of this but family and friends are everything. As are good old hugs. (I miss hugs!) And plans. Blooming love a plan. 😍

So ill keep on bobbing on here if that’s okay? I’ll keep planning, writing about our campervan adventures and sharing our van life love and outdoor life. Because we have to have hope and we have to keep dreaming.... 

Hope you are all doing okay, sending a virtual hug if you need one this weekend. My inbox is ALWAYS open, always.
🚐 4 years! 🚐 4 years blogging!! Wowzers tha 🚐 4 years! 🚐

4 years blogging!! Wowzers that has flown by!! 

I’ve had lots of new followers lately so thought I would pop on and say hello and tell you a little bit about us.

I’m Katy and I am behind Otis and us travel blog. I started the blog during my maternity leave - really because I love taking photos and wanted  a place that the kids can look back on and to document our van life adventures. I  am a full time specialist nurse and also currently working on an MSc. I am a whirlwind and life is definitely jam packed but I wouldn’t have it any other way :) 

We love our beautiful T5!! We have made so many memories and taken some wonderful roadtrips over the years. We haven’t managed to get out in the van much this year, but hey I’ve still been dreaming ... hopefully next year🤞🏻🤞🏻

We have three free spirited kiddies who love nothing more than a road trip,  sleeping in the poptop roof, exploring, beach life and toasting marshmallows. 

Mr Otis and Us, what can I say? The chilled one who has so much patience😆. He drives the many miles, lives on coffee and never ever says no to my crazy road trips and ideas. 

So here we are - the Otis and Us tribe, popping on to say hi. 
 
Thank you so much for following along, for all your interaction and love. It means the world. I love to hear from you all, every message and every comment. Thank you 🙏🏻 

Hope you will stay with us for 2021 , 

Stay safe 

Katy xx 🌈

📸 credit @canonuk

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