Sorry, I haven’t been around much on here recently, you’ll have to excuse me. It’s Festival season you see and my lovely husband is a part-time musician in a fabulous band called Carnival Collective – he’s a trumpet player. So the wee’uns and I get to go along to lots of Festivals as HOG’s (that’s Hangers On and Groupies to the uninitiated.)

Thankfully, my lovely parents sort of volunteered to baby sit for the biggie, Glastonbury, meaning that D and I could have 4 days of child free hedonism. Well, I call sleeping in until 8.45am hedonism – that and getting slowly tanked up in the Green room bar one lovely sunny afternoon, just because we could and being able to finish a conversation without interruption – bliss.

Anyway, we decided to take all 3 kids (5 years, 2 years and 8 months) to the Larmer Tree Festival near lovely Salisbury. The weather forecast wasn’t great, so we went prepared for all weathers. Shorts, pac-a-macs, wellies and ponchos to cover all bases. True to form it pee’d down with rain on the way down, so we had to pitch the tent in the rain, with the kids locked in the car screaming. Not a good start. And then the main food / shopping area where we would access the festival was swamped under 6 inches of mud. Not that this bothered the children at all, but I think that this was the point that I lost the plot a little…once I’d found a new route into the festival I was happy.

So, my essentials for surviving Festivals with kids:

• Wellies & Ponchos for all
• Buggy with BIG wheels to navigate the mud or
• one of those rigid backpack carriers for under twos
• As many snacks as you can fit in the car (my sister suggested a nosebag for no2 son!)
• Bubble swords (hours of entertainment, whatever the weather)

We had a fantastic time, most memorably spending Saturday afternoon by the main stages.  Dave and I were enjoying a pint or two of Gaymers anmusic, and the amazing music.  The kids were happy just charging around popping giant bubbles.

Finally, most importantly, don’t forget to just relax and enjoy everything around you.  You probably won’t be pulling any all-night boozing sessions, but you will be guaranteed some great fun with your kids, away from the stresses and strains of ‘normal’ life.