We have collected 5 effective tips to make sure that the children’s festival went according to plan, and the emotions remained as positive as possible.
- Choose the right festival
There are festivals of all types. There are single marquees set up in your local park to sprawling acreage of nothing but pavilions, activities, and excitement, so you are sure to find something your family will love. It is important to consider your budget before you begin, so you can be sure to cover entry fees, as well as all the activities, foods, drinks, and prizes you will want inside. Festivals can be free, but tickets can also be as high as $300, offering a suitable opportunity to every budget range.
Choosing a local festival is also a good idea for a variety of reasons. First, you will arrive fresh and ready for fun after skipping the tension of traffic and long car trips. You also support the local economy and performers, and artists, this is a considerable boost to community spirit. Finally, you will save your hard-earned financial resources staying at home rather than in a tent, you will also avoid the high costs of fuel there and back.
- Only pack the essentials
Tents are suitable for close-quarters living, which means there will be barely enough room for the clothes on your backs, much less the entire wardrobe of each family member. Traveling light is really the way to go when you consider that you will also be carrying everything from the car and back again. So, only bring the absolute essentials and choose for their suitability, reusability, and compact nature.
Consider the nature of tent living. The ground is right outside the threshold of your fabric tabernacle which means mud or at the very least dirt is going to be an issue. Pack plenty of baby wipes for your stay — as a matter of fact, this is a great way to avoid showering your kiddos during the festival trip unless necessary. Don’t worry, they’ll survive, and it can be our secret!
The weather will be unexpected so prepare for anything, bring sunblock for sunny days, waterproof ponchos for a sudden downpour, and an extra blanket if it gets cold at night. Ear protectors are a good way to protect little ears from loud music and a compact first aid kit should be kept on hand for any minor emergency.
It helps to make a careful checklist of everything that you will need to bring. This provides a glance record so you can check inventory before you head back, and a guide for your future forays for festival fun.
- Dress accordingly
The clothing you select for this outing should be comfortable, waterproof, and hard-wearing. Forget fashion, a festival requires clothes that will withstand the mud, falls, activities, and unpredictable weather. The festival grounds themselves will be stamped to powdery dust and with the slightest precipitation a muddy expanse will form, count on shoes clogged with mud
You can never guess how extreme the temperatures will rise and fall, prepare for anything by clever layering.
On the bright side, because your clothes don’t have to be selected for fashion, what better time to rip into the dress-up box and allow your children to choose their own —pre approved— outfits. They may come up with some clever costumes that will serve them well and you will not regret becoming besmirched and sullied. Arm them with a unique 3D diamond Minecraft bubble sword to complete their look.
Have even more fun with this by wearing a matching item, like everyone wears the same hats, scarves, headbands, or flowers in your hair. Bright colorful clothing will also make your child easily identifiable in the crowd. When night falls, give them glow sticks to carry, this can help you see them at greater distances — never let them out of arm’s reach— and they will think it is a fun item to toy with.
- Rehearse a plan in case they get lost
While it is the last thing you would ever want to imagine, it is important to prepare for this possible eventuality. If your child becomes lost or separated from you, what will they do? If this were to happen, do you know exactly how you would get them back?
The good news is that there are stewards on hand to spot missing children and direct them to their parents. You can show your children how to identify these attendants as they typically wear an easily noticed uniform.
You can also write your phone number on your child’s arm or on an armband so you can be contacted easily. You can also make your child more easily visible in the crowd by giving them a special flag or even a balloon. If your kids are fairly capable. You can tell them to head for a specific landmark or predetermined meeting spot.
Try not to stress your kids too much though. These family festivals typically have a string of precautionary measures to ensure lost children are quickly returned to their parents. Just make sure your child understands the emergency procedures and how you will find them.
- Plan which kid’s activities to take part in and arrive early
It may seem appealing to you and me to lounge around the home and relax, but kids are different and crave action and excitement. Be sure you do all you can to encourage this enthusiasm with plenty of fun activities and surprises along the way. If you have to make a long drive, give your kids, books, and games to play along the way.
You can also fuel their imagination by allowing them to be part of the planning and preparation process. Show them the events they will see when they arrive and ask them which they would like to see and do. If you have several kids, this joint planning can be a great way to make sure everyone gets a chance to see and do what they would like. Encourage a variety of activities as well. In addition to the fun rides and activities there are also shows, and quieter attractions like story-telling, puppet shows, and workshops.
Try to arrive at a good time so you can see and do as much as you can at a relaxed pace. When the crowds arrive, the place can get full and the views for certain shows and the cues for some attractions can get pretty congested and kids aren’t always fond of that.