Festivals for families: tips for taking your child to a festival
Can you take your children to a family festival? A lot of festival-enthusiastic parents ask themselves this question sooner or later, which is why there is a growing demand for family friendly festivals. If you want to go to a concert with your children or are even considering going to a festival, the safety and well-being of your child is the number one priority. In this article we will explain which festivals are suitable for families and how you can find a child-friendly festival. We will also give you some tips on how to make a trip to a family festival a great experience for the whole family whether young or old.
Family friendly festivals: are festivals suitable for families?
Whether your child is ready to go to a festival doesn’t only depend on their age. Older children may also feel intimidated at large events as there is so much going on. You should ask yourself the following questions:
What type of festival would you like to go to? Even family music festivals are a lot louder and livelier than arts and culture festivals. Festivals with family friendly programmes are lot better suited to younger children.
What type of atmosphere is there at the festival? At most festivals there is a loud boisterous party atmosphere. Not every festivalgoer will be considerate of the fact that there could be children or minors present at the festival or on the campsite. Festivals that cater exclusively for adult visitors are known for a rather wild party atmosphere, which may not be the best place for children.
How does your child deal with the hustle and bustle and noise? If your child is shy, they may feel overwhelmed or even scared by large crowds. Children who are very sensitive to loud noises will not feel comfortable in a festival environment.
Before you plan to visit a festival with children you should have done one or two "trial runs". If your child has never been camping, then you should set up a tent in the garden and try sleeping in a sleeping bag. It is also recommended to visit smaller folk festivals with children's programmes or similar events with your child before you set off for a larger family friendly festival.
Family festivals: how do I know if it is a family friendly festival?
Many events are advertised as family friendly festivals, but how can you tell if it is a family friendly festival without worrying? Firstly, you should do some research on the festival before deciding. You can use the following tips below as a guide:
Choose festivals with a calmer atmosphere as large crowds and loud celebrations can quickly overwhelm or frighten children.
Choose a smaller festival. If the festival area is clearly laid out, you and your child will not lose each other and it is also easier to keep an eye on your child.
At smaller festivals where there are fewer people it's often easier to find quiet spots around the edges of the festival site, where you can escape the hustle and bustle of the festival.
Check the festival’s website in advance to see if there are any child-friendly offers, for example, a family friendly campsite or a children's programme.
Look for other articles or blogs from parents who have taken their children to a festival. By doing so you can get a better idea of whether the environment and atmosphere would be suitable for children.
Many parents advise giving children a festival wristband, which has the parents name and phone number on it. This will prepare you in case you lose sight of your child. Older children in particular should be made aware of the festival staff wearing a uniform and the security staff present, who usually wear a recognisable high-visibility vest. They should be made aware upon arrival at the festival so they know which adults they can inform if there is an emergency.
Festivals for families vs. children’s festivals
Not all festivals are suitable for children. However, when looking for a child-friendly festival, you're bound to come across lots of different terms such as: family festival or festivals for families, children's festival, child-friendly festival. However, not all these terms have the same meaning.
Children’s festival: children's festivals are organised entirely just for children. There are usually plenty of play activities, workshops or arts and craft stalls and child friendly stage programmes, where children can often take part. At these type of festivals children have a lot of fun and they can burn off some energy.
Festivals for families or family festivals: lots of festivals want to become more family friendly, which is why you'll now find more offers for families at established events. Depending on the event organiser there are playgrounds, children's programmes, or hands-on activities for children, which makes them one of the best festivals for families as it is a great experience for the whole family.
Child friendly or family friendly: this term is often used generically for festivals that you can go to with children, but it doesn't guarantee that there are special programmes for children at the festival.
Family friendly festivals: what age can children go to a festival?
It is up to the individual to decide when they want to take their child with them to a festival. Whilst deciding, it is important that you think about whether your child will enjoy the experience. It is usually not advisable to visit a festival with small children because of the noise level. If you are unsure, you should consider going to a festival for families.
Most festivals list their admission and any age restrictions in their terms and conditions or in the FAQ section on their homepage. Many organisers inform festivalgoers about the different terms and regulations for the camping area and the concert area. In most cases children under the age of 6 or 8 are not allowed to enter the event area even when accompanied by their parents.
The admission regulations for family friendly festivals are quite often different. Festivals for families usually allow young children to enter as long as they are accompanied and supervised by their guardian at all times.
You should avoid visiting a rock or heavy metal music festival with young children as they are well known for their loud music. In this case noise protection headphones are not sufficient to protect children’s ears, which can be quite sensitive.
Family festivals: preparation and tips
Once you've decided on a family friendly festival, the next step is to plan your trip so that it will be fun for the whole family. To keep an overview when packing, you can use these tips on the best way to prepare for going to a festival with children:
Plan roughly in advance about what bands you want to see or which workshops you want to attend. However, you need to be a bit flexible so that you can accommodate your child's needs.
Even child friendly open-air events can quickly become overwhelming. You need to pay attention to your child to see how they are feeling. If they become tired or overexcited, you may need to leave earlier than planned.
Hearing protection for children is an absolute must at music festivals even if the event is family friendly. You should also never stand near the loudspeakers due to the noise volume.
Being at a festival on a hot day you need to make sure that your child drinks enough and stays out of the sun. You need to make sure to apply sun cream regularly and your child will need suitable headwear, such as a baseball cap or a wide-brimmed sun hat.
Clothes in bright colours are a real eye-catcher so that you can keep an eye on your child, and it makes it easier to spot them in a group of children. Do not forget to pack rain clothes and wellington boots for your child.
Are there any other parents in your circle of friends who enjoy going to festivals? Then it may be a good idea to go as a larger group because your children will always be able to play with the other children.
You and your partner could alternate looking after your child. This way one parent can stay and relax with the child at the campsite and the other parent can spend time enjoying and exploring the festival.
Conclusion: family festival tips for parents
Before setting off to go to your first festival as a family you should find out about any guidelines and terms and conditions of the event and also if there are any age restrictions. If you notice during your stay that your child is becoming overwhelmed by the situation or seems to be tired, then it is recommended to take a break or to leave. As you know your child you should be able to judge when a break or leaving a bit earlier is appropriate. By doing so, the time spent at the festival will remain as something memorable and positive for the whole family.
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References and further information:
https://blog.ticketmaster.com/bringing-kids-to-festivals/
(Last accessed on 07.08.2024)
https://www.festivalsafe.com/information/families
(Last accessed on 07.08.2024)
https://www.jinga.life/blog/family-festival-survival-guide-preparation
(Last accessed on 07.08.2024)
The image sources in this text are in chronological order:
Cover photo: iStock.com/PeopleImages
1. Image in text: iStock.com/Lisa5201
2. Image in text: iStock.com/SolStock
3. Image in text: iStock.com/PeopleImages