We’re so lucky to have so many amazing family festivals to choose from here in the UK, and what better way to break up the Summer Holidays than by creating some amazing memories with your nearest and dearest? It’s a fantastic way to give your children a sense of freedom they wouldn’t usually experience at home, and with so many activities, plus live music, dancing, and incredible food on offer, there’s something for everyone.

If you’ve been camping with your children before, you’ll have a good idea of what to take with you, but for Family Festivals there are a few extra bits that we’d recommend taking along for a hassle free, fun weekend. We’ve put together our ultimate kit list to make your first family festival a success.

1) Kids Clothes & Accessories

We all know that British weather can be very unpredictable, and even in the height of summer you can have glorious sunshine one moment or torrential rain the next. Make sure that you bring waterproofs for your little ones – a waterproof jacket, trousers or a puddle suit, and a pair of wellies are absolutely essential. They will also keep their festival outfits clean as they play outside and jump in all those muddy puddles! At the end of the day, you can give their waterproofs a quick rinse and they’ll dry in no time. Make sure you pack plenty of layers, plus a good sunhat and sunglasses for hot weather, and a woolly hat for chilly nights. For little ones it’s also a good idea to bring an ID bracelet, and ear defenders.

2) Camping Equipment

If you’re camping for the weekend, then you absolutely need to take the usual camping equipment – a tent with a mallet (and extra pegs if possible), warm sleeping bags and extra blankets (just in case it gets really chilly), comfy pillows, self-inflating camping mats, a camping stove with fuel and a kettle, plastic plates and cups, a washing up bowl with sponge and washing up liquid, a roll of bin bags, and a couple of towels. On top of this, you could also take along solar fairy lights or bunting to decorate your tent, camping chairs, a battery-operated speaker, and some board games to entertain the kids in the mornings/evenings. 

3) Practical Extras

Aside from the usual camping equipment, there are a few extra Festival must-haves that we’d recommend adding to your packing list. A pull-along trolley has multiple uses – for transporting your kit from car to campsite, as a makeshift bed for little ones so you can pull them around the festival with you (and you don’t have to miss out on the fun!), and as campsite storage for toys and teddies. You’ll also need a large day bag or backpack, a few packs of antibacterial wipes (and of course the usual stash of baby wipes), battery packs to make sure your phone doesn’t run out in the middle of your favourite band, several loo rolls, a good picnic blanket for a dry, comfortable lunch break, and a small first aid kit in case of cuts and grazes (all good festivals will have a first aid area for anything serious). If taking a toddler with you, a back carrier will be your best friend, and will save you from taking a buggy or trolley out all day. For older kids, walkie talkies are a great idea, allowing you to give them a bit more freedom while also giving you reassurance of being in touch with them the whole time.

4) Kids Entertainment

If you have little ones, you’ll already know that if you’re spending any time away from home, it’s important to bring plenty of things to keep them entertained. You obviously can’t leave home without their favourite teddy, but it would also be worth adding a handful of lightweight books, some outdoor toys (like a ball or frisbee), balloons and bubbles to your packing list. You could also take some of their favourite dressing up clothes (some Festivals like Camp Bestival have a fancy dress theme each year – for 2022 it’s heroes vs superheroes), a pack of glowsticks, face paint and tattoo transfers. It’s a great idea to put a tin of Vaseline and some biodegradable glitter in your bag, so that the kids can get creative with glitter tattoos while queuing or waiting for bands to start performing.

If you do decide to visit a Family Festival this summer, we hope you have the most amazing time. If you take any photos of your little ones in their Muddy Puddles waterproofs, please remember to tag us @muddypuddlesuk – we love seeing your photos!