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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ££££.

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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