Festival Safety
Your Teenager’s first festival?
A parent wrote to us asking about teenager festivals:
Our 16 year old is off to their first festival this year with some friends. They are all pretty sensible but I can’t help worrying.
Any advice?
Letting our kids spread their wings and explore the world is something all parents will wrestle with at some stage.
Teenage years are tricky – everyone tells you so. We want to give them space to grow and freedom to develop, but most importantly we want to keep them safe. Read more…
Festival Survival Guide
Secrets to enjoying a festival with kids
Every year we get lots of parents asking us how to make a festival with kids fun rather than a weekend of stress.
The reality is that going to a festival with your kids is not such a crazy thing to do any more. There are hundreds of festivals that welcome families of all ages and there’s usually more to do there than at many other holiday destinations so, rather than begrudging being dragged along, chances are your kids will have even more fun than you!
Read more…
SG#22 Our last festival of the season
The last festival of this year’s season for us was to be one that we knew the least about. In fact, we knew virtually nothing.
My husband has been a long time fan of the band Embrace, and this wasn’t to be the first time I’ve been dragged off on an Embrace related adventure.
Read more…
Safety and Security at a Festival
Just like anywhere it pays to be mindful and aware of your surroundings and potential risk. In everyday life we are more on our guard but when away in a field with loads of colourful, chilled people and wonderful things going on you tend to let that guard down and be more relaxed Read more…
Electronic scanning – child safety at major events
Isle Of Wight Festival scanned-in all 50,000 public attendees as well as guests and staff with its In-Site system using optical bespoke barcode wristbands supplied by ID&C.
Using the new In-Site system from Intelligent Venue Solutions, the Isle Of Wight Festival achieved a new festival first by introducing a new child safety service which allows children to wear wristbands electronically linked to their parents’ contact details. As well as providing a fast and easy way to get in touch with the parents of lost children, the system alerts staff if a child tries to leave the event unaccompanied by their registered guardian.
Do kids need ear defenders at festivals?
YES THEY DO!!
I wish I could say, “Nah, they’ll be fine – it’s all just a marketing ploy to make us poor parents spend more money!” but sadly I don’t believe that’s true.
Noise-induced Hearing Loss is clearly the major concern here. But apart from the permanent damage loud environments can do to hearing, I have also noticed that being around loud music and lots of background noise for prolonged periods makes my children quite irritable! However, when they wear their ear defenders they find watching bands at festivals really enjoyable because it reduces the sound to a comfortable level for them.
Where’s my child? – Diary of a Lost Kids Officer
I run Lost Kids and Child Welfare from our space, Angel Gardens, at a number of festivals and thought it would be of great use for you lovely festivaling parents to tell you what goes on behind the scenes and my tips for you and your children should you find yourself separated. This is a long and comprehensive post because all of the information in it is important and I urge you to read it, but if you haven’t got time right now then skip to the end where we have listed our TOP TIPS.
Keeping Children Safe at Festivals
Being lost can be absolutely terrifying for young children (and parents) so getting reunited as swiftly as possible is really important. And although you know they will be OK in the end, the experience can still be pretty traumatic even if it’s only a few moments.
Rest assured that at any decent family-friendly festival, staff and stewards should be fully trained to deal with a missing child situation – in fact often it’s all over so quickly the children are unaware they had even been lost. The parent will be a gibbering wreck though!
Please read our fantastic guest blog Diary of a Lost Kids Officer from festival welfare expert and Angel Gardens founder, Angel Sam. With tips, and a full explanation of what goes on behind the scenes when children are separated from their parents at festivals, it’s well worth a read.
Glow in the dark kids
How to keep track of your kids at night
So you and your friends have pitched up for the evening near the main stage with the picnic blankets and chairs – the sun goes down and the kids are running round the chairs dancing and playing… before long darkness falls and it’s easy to lose sight of the kids when you’ve got one eye on the band.
“Woooha Space Buggy, man”
If you’re well prepared then nighttime at a festival can be the best bit, especially if the little ones fall asleep and you guys get to have a beer and a boogie next to the buggy. Read more…
Your Teenager’s first festival?
A parent wrote to us asking about teenager festivals:
Our 16 year old is off to their first festival this year with some friends. They are all pretty sensible but I can’t help worrying.
Any advice?
Letting our kids spread their wings and explore the world is something all parents will wrestle with at some stage.
Teenage years are tricky – everyone tells you so. We want to give them space to grow and freedom to develop, but most importantly we want to keep them safe. Read more…
SG#22 Our last festival of the season
The last festival of this year’s season for us was to be one that we knew the least about. In fact, we knew virtually nothing.
My husband has been a long time fan of the band Embrace, and this wasn’t to be the first time I’ve been dragged off on an Embrace related adventure.
Read more…
Electronic scanning – child safety at major events
Isle Of Wight Festival scanned-in all 50,000 public attendees as well as guests and staff with its In-Site system using optical bespoke barcode wristbands supplied by ID&C.
Using the new In-Site system from Intelligent Venue Solutions, the Isle Of Wight Festival achieved a new festival first by introducing a new child safety service which allows children to wear wristbands electronically linked to their parents’ contact details. As well as providing a fast and easy way to get in touch with the parents of lost children, the system alerts staff if a child tries to leave the event unaccompanied by their registered guardian.
Where’s my child? – Diary of a Lost Kids Officer
I run Lost Kids and Child Welfare from our space, Angel Gardens, at a number of festivals and thought it would be of great use for you lovely festivaling parents to tell you what goes on behind the scenes and my tips for you and your children should you find yourself separated. This is a long and comprehensive post because all of the information in it is important and I urge you to read it, but if you haven’t got time right now then skip to the end where we have listed our TOP TIPS.
Glow in the dark kids
How to keep track of your kids at night
So you and your friends have pitched up for the evening near the main stage with the picnic blankets and chairs – the sun goes down and the kids are running round the chairs dancing and playing… before long darkness falls and it’s easy to lose sight of the kids when you’ve got one eye on the band.
Festival Survival Guide
Secrets to enjoying a festival with kids
Every year we get lots of parents asking us how to make a festival with kids fun rather than a weekend of stress.
The reality is that going to a festival with your kids is not such a crazy thing to do any more. There are hundreds of festivals that welcome families of all ages and there’s usually more to do there than at many other holiday destinations so, rather than begrudging being dragged along, chances are your kids will have even more fun than you!
Read more…
Safety and Security at a Festival
Just like anywhere it pays to be mindful and aware of your surroundings and potential risk. In everyday life we are more on our guard but when away in a field with loads of colourful, chilled people and wonderful things going on you tend to let that guard down and be more relaxed Read more…
Do kids need ear defenders at festivals?
YES THEY DO!!
I wish I could say, “Nah, they’ll be fine – it’s all just a marketing ploy to make us poor parents spend more money!” but sadly I don’t believe that’s true.
Noise-induced Hearing Loss is clearly the major concern here. But apart from the permanent damage loud environments can do to hearing, I have also noticed that being around loud music and lots of background noise for prolonged periods makes my children quite irritable! However, when they wear their ear defenders they find watching bands at festivals really enjoyable because it reduces the sound to a comfortable level for them.
Keeping Children Safe at Festivals
Being lost can be absolutely terrifying for young children (and parents) so getting reunited as swiftly as possible is really important. And although you know they will be OK in the end, the experience can still be pretty traumatic even if it’s only a few moments.
Rest assured that at any decent family-friendly festival, staff and stewards should be fully trained to deal with a missing child situation – in fact often it’s all over so quickly the children are unaware they had even been lost. The parent will be a gibbering wreck though!
Please read our fantastic guest blog Diary of a Lost Kids Officer from festival welfare expert and Angel Gardens founder, Angel Sam. With tips, and a full explanation of what goes on behind the scenes when children are separated from their parents at festivals, it’s well worth a read.
“Woooha Space Buggy, man”
If you’re well prepared then nighttime at a festival can be the best bit, especially if the little ones fall asleep and you guys get to have a beer and a boogie next to the buggy. Read more…