If you’re a music loving family, then taking your kids to music festivals may have crossed your mind. If you’ve been to festivals in the past, you will have saw families having a great time, kids on the shoulders of their parents waving their arms to the music - but they can be the opposite of wholesome, too. There are usually groups of rowdy teenagers and young adults drinking until they’re sick, and with so many different types of people at a festival, it’s crucial to be careful.
Should you really take your kids to a music festival? It doesn’t have to be a problem or dangerous providing you plan in advance. Read on for more!
Pick The Right Festival
Make sure you do your research on various festivals so you know you pick the right one for your family to attend. Make sure it’s family friendly. Usually, the smaller festivals are better for this. This doesn’t mean you can’t take your kids to larger, better known festivals, but you’ll usually have a better, safer time at smaller festivals. There will be less people, less chance of getting lost, less distance to walk back to your tent/car, less distance to walk when you want a snack or a drink, the list goes on.
Stay In The Family Areas
There is usually a family camping area at festivals, so make sure you purchase the correct ticket that permits you to stay in these areas. In some cases, you may be able to park your car or caravan near your spot, but this is usually only at smaller festivals. If you forget to purchase the correct family camping ticket, you will usually have to camp in rowdy areas that aren't suitable for children.
Buy Safety Equipment
You need to do more than choose the right festival to make sure your kids stay safe. The correct safety equipment can be used festival after festival if you choose to go to more. Hearmuffs will protect your kid’s delicate ears from the music as they cancel out noise. These are essential, as loud music can seriously damage your kid’s hearing. They don’t even need to be close to the stage for this to happen, so some form of quality ear protection is imperative. If you’re worried that your child may be difficult to settle, see if you can find ear protection that you can also play soothing sounds through if needed.
Your goal should be to protect your kids from the loud noises and the sun. Even if the sun isn’t beaming down, protecting them with SPF and ensuring they are well hydrated is crucial. The correct clothing will also help to keep them safe. Plan for every eventuality. Comfortable shoes for the hard ground, or wellington boots for the rain. Take clothes that you can layer up to keep them cool or warm. You just can’t predict the weather at a festival!
Stock Up
When you’re at a festival with your kids, it’s better to have too much than not enough. Stock up on snacks, water, and other liquids to make sure you have everything you need at your disposal. Have plenty of money to buy drinks and snacks when you’re out and about too, as they are usually pretty expensive at festivals.
Make Your Base Camp Cozy
If you are camping, make your base camp as cozy as you can. Try to give it a little bit of the home comfort your kids are used to. Make sure your beds are super comfortable, and that they are able to relax. You can make your base camp cozy by putting up string lights and bringing supplies to make hot chocolate and other things.
Try To Stick To A Regular Schedule
It will be difficult to stick to a schedule if you’re camping, and you should expect some late nights. However, you should attempt to stick to some kind of regular schedule so that your kids body clocks don’t get too out of whack. If they do, you can bet they’ll wake up the next day irritable and unhappy. It might help you to get a buggy or a wagon specially designed for festivals so that your kids can lie down and take a nap if you’re away from the tent. These are great investments!
Conclusion:
Should you take your kids to a music festival? It’s entirely down to you as a family. Don’t listen to what others say if this is something you really want to do - just make sure you take the time to protect your kids!
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