Top Enders Guide to Festivals for Children
When we went to Latitude last weekend it was Top Ender's first real festival and as such I had tried to warn her about what I knew about Festivals. As it was really my first real festival too this mainly consisted of information I had gleaned from friends who had been to festivals in the past and also what I had learnt from reading books where the main character goes to a Festival. As you can tell my information with a bit patchy and mainly aimed at adults so Top Ender has come up with a guide to Festivals for Children.
1) If it has been raining wear wellies. You will need to wear them because there is a lot of mud at Festivals and also the floors in the toilets are sometimes a bit disgusting and this stops you from treading your trainers in poo.
2) Wear Clothes you are comfortable in. If you are going to be dragged from stage to stage and from activity to activity you need to be comfortable. I think that wearing layers is a good idea as that way you can take a layer off if you are hot. Don't forget wear shorts if it is sunny and trousers if it is raining!
3) Take your Raincoat. Even if you don't like it because it covers your mouth take it and wear it. You will stay dry in the rain and if it doesn't rain you can use it as a floor cover to sit on. Also if it is raining take spare clothes, you will need them.
4) Take a bottle of water. Most festivals will let you take in an opened bottle of water. I opened mine up and took a swallow of water whilst we were parking our car so that the security guards could see it was an open bottle more easily.
5) Take a snack or two. It's something to eat when your bored, cold, wet and hungry! If you take a snack you also won't have to queue up all the time to get something to eat too.
6) Buy Ear defenders. Mine are red and I use them at Airshows. It was good for when we were at the front of the stage but it didn't stop me feeling the vibrations of the music in my legs and bum!
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7) Make sure you talk about what happens if you get lost. Arrange a point to meet your family if you get separated whilst watching something on stage. We saw a few lost children who just cried instead of looking to see if they could see their family, but luckily there were lots of people willing to help. Also either wear a bracelet that has your parents mobile numbers (Mummy says ours were from Boots) on or take your own mobile phone. I got my own mobile phone so I could tweet when I was at Latitude! Mummy also says to get your parents to take a picture of you as soon as you are dressed so that if you do go missing they know what you are wearing and what you look like.
10) Try new things. Not just listening to new bands or going to a festival, but new foods and drinks and styles of dancing! I discovered doughnuts dipped in melted chocolate at Latitude and that is my new favourite thing!
1) If it has been raining wear wellies. You will need to wear them because there is a lot of mud at Festivals and also the floors in the toilets are sometimes a bit disgusting and this stops you from treading your trainers in poo.
2) Wear Clothes you are comfortable in. If you are going to be dragged from stage to stage and from activity to activity you need to be comfortable. I think that wearing layers is a good idea as that way you can take a layer off if you are hot. Don't forget wear shorts if it is sunny and trousers if it is raining!
3) Take your Raincoat. Even if you don't like it because it covers your mouth take it and wear it. You will stay dry in the rain and if it doesn't rain you can use it as a floor cover to sit on. Also if it is raining take spare clothes, you will need them.
4) Take a bottle of water. Most festivals will let you take in an opened bottle of water. I opened mine up and took a swallow of water whilst we were parking our car so that the security guards could see it was an open bottle more easily.
5) Take a snack or two. It's something to eat when your bored, cold, wet and hungry! If you take a snack you also won't have to queue up all the time to get something to eat too.
6) Buy Ear defenders. Mine are red and I use them at Airshows. It was good for when we were at the front of the stage but it didn't stop me feeling the vibrations of the music in my legs and bum!
7) Make sure you talk about what happens if you get lost. Arrange a point to meet your family if you get separated whilst watching something on stage. We saw a few lost children who just cried instead of looking to see if they could see their family, but luckily there were lots of people willing to help. Also either wear a bracelet that has your parents mobile numbers (Mummy says ours were from Boots) on or take your own mobile phone. I got my own mobile phone so I could tweet when I was at Latitude! Mummy also says to get your parents to take a picture of you as soon as you are dressed so that if you do go missing they know what you are wearing and what you look like.
8) Take some hand gel and baby wipes. This is to wash your hands after going to the toilet, sitting in a mud puddle or just because you need it. I needed them to wash my legs when I took my wellies off to go home, oh and take a carrier bag to put your wellies in when you go home as the inside of the car will thank you.
9) Check out the children's area (if the Festival has one) and agree what you want to go on and do and work out when you can do it. That way if your parents want to listen to someone really boring you know that you have something nice to look forward to later!
10) Try new things. Not just listening to new bands or going to a festival, but new foods and drinks and styles of dancing! I discovered doughnuts dipped in melted chocolate at Latitude and that is my new favourite thing!