If you spent your younger days listening to live music, chilling out and enjoying the vibes of some of the UK's best festivals, you might be hoping to introduce your little ones to the joys of summer festivals. After all, music can be highly beneficial for your baby's development. But there's no denying that visiting a festival with kids isn't quite the laidback experience you might remember. Those portaloos that were once a less-than-pleasant, but do-able visit? Even worse with kids. Camping in a field, with music playing until late at night? Not ideal when you're trying to get little ones to sleep.
But help is at hand with our round-up of the family festival essentials that will make your festival experience a breeze. Whether you're gearing up for your first visit to a family-friendly festival or you've been a seasoned regular on the festival scene since your baby arrived, these buys will make your weekend trip with your children the best it can be.
MOTHER&BABY SENIOR WRITER, SAMANTHAWhile you might be at the festival for the music, at some point you'll probably want your kids to switch off and have some quiet time, or protect their ears from particularly loud bands. That's where the best baby ear defenders and protectors come in. Make this a key part of your family festival packing list and you'll be prepared for safe listening and chilled out quiet time.
AmazonThere's no denying the staying clean at a festival can be tricky at best. So top of your family festival camping checklist should be plenty of wipes. But make it sustainable and eco-friendly with these flushable wipes from Pura.
These wipes are made from plant fibres so they’re 100% plastic-free, 100% biodegradable and flushable, as officially accredited by Water UK as ‘Fine-to-Flush’. Even the packaging is recyclable. Not only are they kind to the environment, they're made in the UK, are free of chemicals, alcohol or chlorine, and contain 99% pure water and natural, organic aloe vera so they're perfect for newborn, toddler, sensitive and eczema-prone skin.
Wellies have to be one of the main family festival essentials. Of course you'll be hoping for warm weather, but just a spot of rain can turn festival fields into a bit of a quagmire. So it pays to be prepared with a pair of kids' wellies. Come rain or shine, keep your small person’s feet mud-free and dry with these rain boots from Crocs. They’re fully waterproof and made from a brilliant lightweight and flexible material – making them comfy to wear all day long. They come in a range of bright colours so you'll also be able to spot your little one from afar.
AmazonWhile you'll want to keep an eye on your little ones at all in times at a festival, a GPS tracker can offer peace of mind in crowded places. Some of the best GPS trackers for kids can help you track down your child if they happen to wander off so it's definitely something to consider adding to your family festival packing list.
This one might be less festival essential and more something to consider when planning fun family festival outfits, but we'd say that's pretty essential! From mermaid headbands to strawberry embroidered blouses, Stych is our go-to for festival fashion for kids, whether you're kitting them out in clothes or adding a few accessories.
www.lifeventure.com
If you're camping at a festival, you'll want to make sure you have somewhere dry to sit, listen to music and eat. This large Lifeventure Picnic Blanket ticks a lot of boxes and is one of the best picnic blankets for families- it packs away small into a bag and doesn't take up much space, but when unfolded there's enough room for everyone! It's waterproof, just in case, and even has webbing loops to keep the picnic blanket secured - no more balancing shoes on the corners! It comes in a range of bright colours and is machine washable so you can clean up after the festival mud has taken its toll.
John Lewiswww.johnlewis.com
If you're heading to a festival with little ones, it pays to prepare for every eventuality. We've already mentioned the wellies, but let's be optimistic and also add some kids sunglasses to your festival packing list. If it's festival vibes you're after, then these kids sunglasses will have them looking the part, while protecting their eyes.
AmazonAs we’ve mentioned, getting clean at a festival can be challenging but if you still want to look the part, dry shampoo is your friend. One of the best dry shampoos we’ve found is the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo so pop it on your family festival checklist and thank us later.
We all know how quickly toddlers can move (unless you've asked them to put their shoes on!) so at a crowded festival a backpack with reins can come in very handy. Not only can you pop some essentials in - baby wipes and sunscreen for instance - but you can keep a tight hold on them so they can't dart off anywhere. This butterfly backpack from LittleLife has perfect festival vibes but there is a range of designs for all toddler tastes.
Mother and Baby Digital Writer, Rebecca LancasterWhatever the weather, the chances are you'll spend a lot of time outside at a festival so it's best to be prepared with the best sunscreen for babies. For easy application this roll-on sunscreen from Childs Farm is a winner. It's SPF50+ and protects young and sensitive skin from UVA and UVB rays.
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My Carry Potty
If you can't face a queue for the portaloos with little ones, a travel potty is a must. This one came out tops in our list of the best travel potties though there are plenty to choose from, depending on your needs. It also comes in a range of fun design so you won't lose it.
Festival fields can be large, even for adults, so if you think your tot might struggle to keep up, a baby carrier backpack is a family festival essential. This one from LittleLife has the added bonus of raising them up so they can still see all the action.
AmazonA pull along beach wagon can be a saviour for festivals, allowing little ones to rest their legs and even get a little sleep after a long day of dancing. The RadioFlyer wagon has the added benefit of having canopy to protect them from the sun and keep them cooler in the shade. It folds up neatly so it's easier to pop in the car, and has space for water bottles to keep you all hydrated at the festival.
Milton www.tesco.com
As we might have mentioned, staying clean at a festival can be a challenge so along with the baby wipes, a hand sanitiser is a necessary part of any family festival checklist. This Milton hand sanitiser scored highly with our mum testers and was shortlisted for the Mother and Baby Awards 2022.
If your baby's still little, you might want to find space for a travel cot in your tent. This lightweight version was a favourite with our mum testers but there are plenty more to choose from on our list of the best travel cots.
Hopefully you won't need it, but as festival essentials for families go, an emergency first aid kit is high on the list. This one was awarded Gold for Best Safety Product at the Mother&Baby Awards 2024 and features 74 essential first aid items, including plasters, burn gel, tweezers and bandages.
AmazonAlong with sunscreen, a sun hat is a key part of any family festival outfits. This one from Jan and Jul is particularly well thought out, with a neck flap to protect their skin and UV sun protection. It's adjustable so it will grow with them and it should stay on (there's no guarantee that kids and hats will ever stay together of course!). It's lightweight and packable so easy to carry around with you and comes in a fun range of designs to suit even the fussiest of tots.
Let them capture their memories themselves with one of the best cameras for kids. This VTech KidiZoom camera is a fun and colourful first camera that's sturdy enough to stand up to the rough and tumble of kids. They'll have fun snapping photos of the festival or even making videos to remind them of their favourite bands.
Rebecca Lancaster is a Digital Writer for Mother&Baby, drawing on ten years of parenting her two children to help others navigating their own parenting journey. As a freelance writer, she spent ten years working with leading lifestyle brands, from travel companies to food and drink start-ups, and writing everything from hotel reviews to guides to the best British cheeses. She’s particularly interested in travel and introducing her children to the excitement of visiting new places, trying different foods (less successfully) and experiencing different cultures.