Festival Packing Checklist

We are off to Camp Bestival this year and in a bid to get organised I have started planning what to pack. A small mountain has erupted in my sitting room – much to the delight of the boys – but less to me and my husband who are wondering how we will fit it all in the car and then transport it across country fields to the camping area. I had not realised how much stuff is involved with a camping trip. We have an enormous family tent, (which I hope we can erect!), sleeping bags, air-beds… the list goes on. Never has a camper van or boutique camp site seemed so appealing. So, for anyone else heading to Camp Bestival or one of the other family-friendly summer festivals, here’s my festival packing checklist.

1. Tickets and directions

2. Fancy dress outfits – essential for Camp Bestival

3. Layers of cool clothes for the day and warm stuff for the night as it gets chilly

4. Sunglasses, sun hat and plenty of sun cream. Even if it’s slightly sunny slap on heaps of suncream as you’ll be outside all day

5. Camping gear: tent, air-beds, sleeping bags, lantern, torches, a ‘My Carry Potty’ (essential for night time emergencies!)

6. Lots of plastic bags – pack everything in them; they keep it all dry

7. Bin liners are great too: I know it’s un-glam but they’re useful to sit on – and they fit in your pocket!

8. Wellies and a lightweight waterproof coat (also un-glam but better to be warm and dry than fashionable)

9. Loo roll

10. Headache pills for the mornings after / Calpol incase the kids get sick

11. Mobile and extra power pack – charge it up before you leave.

12. Ear protectors for little ones. Ear Defenders do a funky range for £14.99 to protect little ears from damage

13. Soap/baby wipes – long queues for showers might leave you 3 days unwashed so pack baby wipes and facial wipes for a quick spruce up in the tent

14. Hand sanitiser – keep hands clean on the move

15. Picnic blanket

16. Child carrier – Little Trekkers have a good selection of top brands

17. This Radio flyer wagon is great for transporting kids in style around the festival and for lugging heavy stuff from the car to camping area. Many festival-goers customise theirs with canopies and battery powered fairy lights, which all adds to the fun for minis.

18. Breakfast bars, crunch bars, dry snacks. Keep some handy for when you or the kids are tired and need a sugar-boost to get you back to the tent!

19. If you wear glasses pack a second pair or contact lenses just in case yours get lost, dropped or broken in busy crowds!

20. Trusty day bag to carry essentials

21. Lots of cash. Queues for the ATMs are long and dull with kids in tow

22. A camper van. You can hire stunning retro Volkswagon camper vans from O’Conners Campers

    As a festival newbie I’m bound to have forgotten something essential! Please do share your tips and list with us below.