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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To take a 22 month old to the Isle of Wight festival?

17 replies

MakeTeaNotWar · 21/11/2011 11:00

Isle of Wight tix go on sale this Friday and I'm keen to go. DD will be 22 months by next June -AIBU to take her? I went to Glasto at 32 weeks pregnant no probs. Has anyone taken a toddler to a music festival and camped there?

OP posts:
ViviPru · 21/11/2011 11:03

How far is it from you? IOW is a bit of an epic mission even without DC. What about something a bit more family-friendly like Big Chill or Camp Bestival to sate your festival-bug?

Grumpla · 21/11/2011 11:05

Depends if you are happy to spend a lot of money chasing a toddler around in a vast crowd of drunk people, missing every band you wish to see and having to stay sat in your tent from toddler bedtime onwards as thousands of other people shriek loudly about how much FUCKING FUN they're having. EnvyEnvyEnvy

Seriously, I wouldn't bother. Once they are too big to pop in a sling and carry around all day & night toddlers are a pain in the bum at festivals.

However, for a crash course in "Accepting That Your Life Has Changed Beyond All Recognition Since You Had Children" a weekend at a festival is IDEAL.

DemonChild · 21/11/2011 11:24

I kind of agree with Grumpla in that it will not be the festival you would have had without DC, but I took my (then 19 month) DD to a festival this summer and it was great! I was pregnant so wasn't going to be partying anyway and actually was happy to go to bed with her at 9ish anyway as I was knackered!

But, and it's a big but, I only saw about five bands over the course of the weekend and I did spend most of my time in the campsite. For me this was fine as we went with a massive group of friends and there was always someone to talk to at the campsite, but if it would just be you and your DC I probably wouldn't bother as I think it would be quite lonely on your own.

I would totally do it again though (and I have two DC now!) so I say go for it but be prepared for quite a child-centered weekend.

PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom · 21/11/2011 11:35

We took our three youngest to a beer and folky festival this year and were neck deep in mud for three days Grin - we were pretty unprepared too for various reasosn, but figured if it got too bad/cold/damp we could always come home, and in the end we had a whale of a time. We were plastered in grue from head to foot but they loved it Grin (our youngest was 4 at the time, but there were loads of DCs there, from newborns in slings on up to teenagers pretending they were too cool but really enjoying it when they thought nobody was looking...)

PomBearAtTheGatesOfDoom · 21/11/2011 11:39

One clever idea we saw was someone with one of those little beach shelter tents, you know the weeny half dome ones they sell in seaside shops for a fiver? They just put it up as it started to get dark, and popped their toddler inside all wrapped up, with glowsticks, and she was quite happy. The adults had folding chairs and a picnic/child food and drinks in a cool box and they had like a little camp off to one side but close to the main stage. Best of all worlds and we wished we'd thought of it Grin

Gloribe · 21/11/2011 11:44

that sounds like hell on earth.
If you do go, get a motorhome with water and a toilet..

onehackedoffmuma · 21/11/2011 11:50

Hey maketeanotwar - I took my ds to Glasto and Reading (don't ask re the latter - madness) when he was 2. Glasto was family orientated and I was with a group of friends so I had a couple of helping hands. I did find it a bit testing at times certainly with the buggy and the horrendous mud! By the Sunday night, I'd had enough and vowed not to take him with me until he could walk everywhere! I took him last year (he was aged 5 by then) and it was much better but essentially, the first time round when he was a toddler we did have a great time. It was just once that sodding rain had kicked in and the mud baths started...

If you are still thinking of a viable festy option, I have to say that the Wilderness festival was brilliant this year. I did some volunteering for a couple of hours a day and took my ds, aunt and her boy with me. The kids section was amazing - they really had taken into consideration that folks like to take their kids to festies and that the kids need entertainment/stuff to do. Wilderness was on a lot smaller scale than some of the big well known festivals, it also has a lake where you can swim and lots of bits going on over the weekend. Parking is close to where you camp and it just a really chilled out vibe.

xx

Grumpla · 21/11/2011 11:51

Obviously to some extent it does depend on the temperament of your toddler.

I've been to several festivals starting at about 6 weeks old and seriously, once DS could walk it became HORRENDOUS.

There are lots of festivals with decent stuff for kids but IME this is generally aimed at 3yo minimum. Honestly I'd wait until then. Capacity for being bribed / terrified into not running away an important factor.

ViviPru · 21/11/2011 12:28

onehackedoffmuma Wilderness looks great, and only an hour and a bit away - thanks for the tip-off!

lollilou · 21/11/2011 12:41

I'm going to be honest and say the Isle of Wight Festival is not a good one to take a toddler to. The campsite is a very very long walk from main arena and it gets very crowded with a lot of drunk/drugged people. The noise in the campsite is loud all night. I would look into smaller more family friendly ones or call in a favour from Granny/sister/friend, that's what we do! lol

NinkyNonker · 21/11/2011 12:43

Iow is a great festival, must say I never noticed any drunk, drugged people tbh.

But it is busy. If you do go, take a good sling.

onehackedoffmuma · 21/11/2011 12:49

ViViPru - they have early bird tix at the moment!!!! Have to say, ds and my cousin loved every minute of it. They made lots of friends for the weekend too and the whole atmosphere was fab. xxx

LorelaisMommy · 21/11/2011 12:59

I have been to the Cambridge folk festival firstly 8 months pregnant, then with an 11 month old, this year I had a 23 month old and I was 7 months gone. I did have my parents as support and we rota'd who was taking DD1 off to see the storyteller/play in the sand/feed the ducks. Fortunatly, DD1 will sleep through anything, so I would just make sure she was wrapped up warm and we stayed up till the end. Can't wait till next year with two of them!! :o
The Just So Festival near Leek looks amazing! We've booked tickets for next year.

QuinnFabray · 21/11/2011 13:14

I live on the isle of wight and I go every year with a group of friends, there are always a few children in the group. Everyone has a lovely time, there's always families with small children there.

Having said that, because we go in a big group, we set up a "base camp" in the main arena, with picnic rugs and camping chairs, and people come and go without having to take all their stuff with them, because there's always someone there, and always somewhere for the kids to have a rest and a sleep. Lots of people looking out for them. And none of us camp.

AnathemaDevice · 21/11/2011 13:26

I've not been to IOW, but we took DS to his first Glastonbury when he was 14 months old, and had a great time. So good, in fact, that we went again this year when he was 2.2 years old and DD was 4 months old. Though I admit we cheated and bought a caravan- camping was fine with just a toddler, but I didn't fancy it with a baby as well.

As others have said, be prepared for a completely different festival experience, and don't expect to see all the bands you want to see. Get some ear defenders, take plenty of blankets and changes of clothes (if your DD is anything like my DS she'll be a mud magnet!), and have a great time! It'll be hard work at times, but worth it, IMO.

PiousPrat · 21/11/2011 13:51

I started taking my DSs to festivals when they were 4&5 and I was a lone parent. Getting there was a nightmare, especially since I don't drive and usually had to negotiate the Underground as well, but they had a fabulous time. Since then (7 years since) we have only missed one year and that was this year because I was hugely pregnant and had SPD so couldn't face sleeping on the floor.

We are going to Greenman next year with the 2DSs and the new addition who will be 10 months then and if the rest of the family are anything to go by, will be walking. Something i would say is that forward planning is essential if taking small children. Apart from having a DP to share the childcare next year, we are also going with friends who have a son a little younger than my 2 older ones and a 2 year old. The older boys get on fabulously and can be left to run around a bit in the campsite and occupy each other so it only requires one of the 4 adults to keep a cursory eye on them, leaving the other 3 adults to mind the babies and cook etc. The plan is that we will divvy up the set list and decide who really wants to see what and arrange who will be lumbered with going to the kiddies area with the littlies. It works for us because our kids get on really well and we are pretty much on the same page wrt parenting styles.

It is doable on your own or with a DP if you are sensible about making sure everyone gets to do something they want to each day, but it is much easier if you can go in a group. I would also suggest taking a fair few favourite but easily replaceable toys to keep your toddler amused. Oh and a tonne of glowsticks and bubbles Grin

Original poster
MakeTeaNotWar · 24/11/2011 14:15

So in the end, I bottled IOW and bought Wilderness tix instead Smile

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