As summer arrives, we wanted to help outdoor-loving parents get to grips with the festival going scene. Guest bloggers @VibesLifeUs take us through their top tips for attending a festival with a little one.

Hi, we’re @vibeslifeus and we have been taking our two sons to festivals since they were newborns. We all know that bringing a child to a festival can do wonders for their growth and development, but in reality, the logistics of the whole weekend can make it stressful for both parents and children, which it needn't. That is why we are here to give a few tips that we hope will helpful to make your whole family festival experience run a little bit smoother. 

Let the children lead the way. It’s time to take a very big step back from the neurotic military style planning you would normally undertake at a festival. Your kids need to feel the 'go anywhere, do anything' energy of a festival, not a regimented itinerary. Ignore set times and just let your kid wander. I'm sure you’ll find that the activities and music you stumble upon are exactly what was needed in that moment, learning new skills along the way. 

Trust your children’s gut instinct to find the things they will enjoy the most, and by the end of the festival you will have a child filled with accomplishment and enlightenment. 

We don't pack light. There’s nothing worse than needing something and not having it, or even worse running out of something a day into the festival. 

Remember you’re in a field, there’s no popping to the corner shop to restock on essentials. Whether it’s a hat, socks or sun cream... pack spares or risk paying double the price from the festival general store, just accept there may be multiple runs to the car when setting up. 

We cannot stress the importance of protecting your little one’s ears. The long term effects of exposure to loud music start to surface in later life and can be pretty devastating. Aside from protection they can provide a little bit of peace for a child with sensory needs, as well as being the defining factor between a child sleeping or not throughout the madness of the headliner sets. 

Wagon, pushchair, bike trailer, the options are plenty, just make sure whatever you choose can handle a few bumps. Hard plastic is not going to traverse hard soil well so look for something with air filled tires and for the love of god bring a pump to keep them filled. We also find “pushing” instead of “pulling is always less strenuous over the course of the day. You don’t have to take our advice but we’ve tried them all.

The Ickle Bubba Venus Max Jogger is great, the tyres are huge and will make light work of any terrain, and the three wheels make it easy to manoeuvre through the gaggle of festival goers and most importantly it folds down into a more transportable size.

You came all this way to give your kids an enriching experience so don’t give in the first time your kid start’s pleading “boredom”. Be a bit creative, get them involved in a good old outdoor game of tag (we especially love tag tales), a bat and ball, or some bubbles. It’s going to be tough, especially in the evenings when you’re exhausted but trust me, you can do it!! We always recommend having a bag of toys from home to keep them entertained whilst in the tent, maybe some colouring mats, or card games. JUST NO SCREENS!! If you’re going to be bringing toddlers this might just be a case of walking them round in circles. Whatever you do, just make sure they are getting the most time outdoors experiencing fun, exploring their surroundings and trying new things.

We hope these tips have been helpful and will offer some encouragement for those wanting to take their kids to their first event. Remember you will never get it 100% right, we are multiple festivals deep and still manage to forget something every time we go, and family dynamics are different. 

Finding out what works for you is quite simply just trial and error, so just dive in head first, and do it! Don't over analyse it, as you will probably stress too much and never actually end up going. Remember to have fun, and take comfort that family festivals are full of a bunch of parents who are in the same position as you.  

Don't forget to check out our range of buggies and strollers - or shop the Venus Jogger if you've already made up your mind...