Shambala
Immersive Theatre for Children
This month I was arrested, hired a lawyer, attended my trial, was found guilty and prepared for my execution. However unlike Josef K there was a happy ending for me as I enjoyed a glass of wine with other survivors of Retz’ The Trial, an immersive theatrical experience based on the Kafka novel where you take your own part in the play as one of the accused.
My love of immersive theatre has grown since discovering it at Glastonbury Festival, the most wonderful innovative event that most people think is just music but is not. It is also theatre, art, ideas and free-thinking. There I found a love of many things I had never seen in the main stream arts: contemporary perfomance poetry, puppetry and mime.
It was there I discovered immersive theatre where you are drawn by the actors into the play yourself, forcing you to use your creativity and imagination to make up your part in the play. It’s exciting, it’s thought provoking and most of all it’s fun.
Best Festivals for Toddlers – 2013
TweetThe toddler stage is possibly the most difficult age to do festivals, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done!
For really young kids we recommend small festivals, particularly if you are not an experienced festival-goer or camper. For a successful festival experience with toddlers you need space to run around or relax, less crowds, smaller distances between campsite, arena and carpark, a good selection of child-friendly food and a willingness to take things at your toddler’s pace (see also Naomi’s Top Tips for doing Festivals with Toddlers).
After much debate, we reckon this year’s best festivals for Under 5’s are:
Shambala 2012 Parent Review
Shambala 2012 reviewed by Momof2MK (with 2 kids aged 10 and 4)
Parking and Setting Up: There was no queue for the car park, it was well signposted and the postcode (satnav) on the ticket info actually took us to the right field. We had to park very far from where we were camping as we were with friends who were in a camper which was the other side of the site, this could have been better explained as we would happily have paid the extra to have our car closer if we had known. Read more…
The Bee Crèche at Shambala
A parent’s review of Moe’s Bee Crèche at Shambala 2012.
This was the first year that Moe had run the Bee Crèche at Shambala Festival, and I hope it’s not the last.
We have three children – a 5 year old and 2 year old twins. Even at a festival where there’s lots to occupy them everyday life is incredibly tiring, so given the chance for three hours off we grabbed it eagerly.
We went to have a look round the crèche on the Friday morning – we were allowed to take the children in and to see how we felt about it. Read more…
Shambala 2012 Review
After having over a week to think about my Shambala experience this year, I can safely say that it has been my favourite yet! More kids than ever, good food, peaceful camping and a great crowd. Read more…
Top 15 Music Festivals for Under-5’s – 2012
Top Festivals for Babies and Toddlers 2012 (for 2013 – click HERE!)
For really young kids we tend to recommend smaller festivals, particularly if you are not an experienced festival-goer. Smaller festivals have the dual advantage of not being so vast that a trip back to the tent for a forgotten dummy takes half the morning, and the stage areas are usually less crowded meaning you can get closer to the bands without fearing your little one getting accidentally trampled on or lost. That said, smaller festivals often don’t have as much budget for children’s activities, so your choice will also depend a little on the level of laid-on entertainment that your family need.
It really is very hard to choose from all the festivals that take place in the UK each year. But if we have to narrow it down, our short-list of the best festivals to take your really little ones to goes a little like this:
Our pick of the Festivals 2012
Choosing from the hundreds of excellent family-friendly festivals out there is really really tough.
Many families will place a different importance to different aspects. Personally I don’t like my festivals too crowded, I like quality music but I’m not so bothered by big names, and most importantly I like a good range of workshops and street theatre to keep everyone entertained. But people always ask me which are the best festivals for kids so here is my shortlist – the ones which I think have something extra-special about them: Read more…
Shambala 2011 Review
Louise went down to Shambala Festival to check out their family friendly credentials for Festival Kidz. Louise lives and breathes festivals, so much so that she even took her newborn baby to Glastonbury last year just days after an emergency c-section! So what did she make of Shambala then?
“Wow! It was all the best bits of Glastonbury, but smaller, more accessible, and less middle class. The very first thing we felt on entering the site was a warm welcoming vibe, something Shambala is well known for.”
Immersive Theatre for Children
This month I was arrested, hired a lawyer, attended my trial, was found guilty and prepared for my execution. However unlike Josef K there was a happy ending for me as I enjoyed a glass of wine with other survivors of Retz’ The Trial, an immersive theatrical experience based on the Kafka novel where you take your own part in the play as one of the accused.
My love of immersive theatre has grown since discovering it at Glastonbury Festival, the most wonderful innovative event that most people think is just music but is not. It is also theatre, art, ideas and free-thinking. There I found a love of many things I had never seen in the main stream arts: contemporary perfomance poetry, puppetry and mime.
It was there I discovered immersive theatre where you are drawn by the actors into the play yourself, forcing you to use your creativity and imagination to make up your part in the play. It’s exciting, it’s thought provoking and most of all it’s fun.
Shambala 2012 Parent Review
Shambala 2012 reviewed by Momof2MK (with 2 kids aged 10 and 4)
Parking and Setting Up: There was no queue for the car park, it was well signposted and the postcode (satnav) on the ticket info actually took us to the right field. We had to park very far from where we were camping as we were with friends who were in a camper which was the other side of the site, this could have been better explained as we would happily have paid the extra to have our car closer if we had known. Read more…
Shambala 2012 Review
After having over a week to think about my Shambala experience this year, I can safely say that it has been my favourite yet! More kids than ever, good food, peaceful camping and a great crowd. Read more…
Our pick of the Festivals 2012
Choosing from the hundreds of excellent family-friendly festivals out there is really really tough.
Many families will place a different importance to different aspects. Personally I don’t like my festivals too crowded, I like quality music but I’m not so bothered by big names, and most importantly I like a good range of workshops and street theatre to keep everyone entertained. But people always ask me which are the best festivals for kids so here is my shortlist – the ones which I think have something extra-special about them: Read more…
Best Festivals for Toddlers – 2013
The toddler stage is possibly the most difficult age to do festivals, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be done!
For really young kids we recommend small festivals, particularly if you are not an experienced festival-goer or camper. For a successful festival experience with toddlers you need space to run around or relax, less crowds, smaller distances between campsite, arena and carpark, a good selection of child-friendly food and a willingness to take things at your toddler’s pace (see also Naomi’s Top Tips for doing Festivals with Toddlers).
After much debate, we reckon this year’s best festivals for Under 5’s are:
The Bee Crèche at Shambala
A parent’s review of Moe’s Bee Crèche at Shambala 2012.
This was the first year that Moe had run the Bee Crèche at Shambala Festival, and I hope it’s not the last.
We have three children – a 5 year old and 2 year old twins. Even at a festival where there’s lots to occupy them everyday life is incredibly tiring, so given the chance for three hours off we grabbed it eagerly.
We went to have a look round the crèche on the Friday morning – we were allowed to take the children in and to see how we felt about it. Read more…
Top 15 Music Festivals for Under-5’s – 2012
Top Festivals for Babies and Toddlers 2012 (for 2013 – click HERE!)
For really young kids we tend to recommend smaller festivals, particularly if you are not an experienced festival-goer. Smaller festivals have the dual advantage of not being so vast that a trip back to the tent for a forgotten dummy takes half the morning, and the stage areas are usually less crowded meaning you can get closer to the bands without fearing your little one getting accidentally trampled on or lost. That said, smaller festivals often don’t have as much budget for children’s activities, so your choice will also depend a little on the level of laid-on entertainment that your family need.
It really is very hard to choose from all the festivals that take place in the UK each year. But if we have to narrow it down, our short-list of the best festivals to take your really little ones to goes a little like this:
Shambala 2011 Review
Louise went down to Shambala Festival to check out their family friendly credentials for Festival Kidz. Louise lives and breathes festivals, so much so that she even took her newborn baby to Glastonbury last year just days after an emergency c-section! So what did she make of Shambala then?
“Wow! It was all the best bits of Glastonbury, but smaller, more accessible, and less middle class. The very first thing we felt on entering the site was a warm welcoming vibe, something Shambala is well known for.”