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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To take a 3 year old to Glastonbury

41 replies

PrincessDaff · 01/08/2019 13:34

Hi everyone

I know Glastonbury isnt until next year but I am desperately wanting to go and would love to take our son who will be 3 at the time (if we can get tickets of course).

I have been twice before and my partner has been about 6 times so we have seen children there but wondering how practical it actually is?

Has anybody got any experience of taking a toddler and if so do you have any tips?

Thank you

OP posts:

PuppyMonkey · 01/08/2019 13:36

You will spend all your time there at the kids’ field or queuing for the toilets and not see any bands.

Kitty1184 · 01/08/2019 13:36

My mum used to take me as a kid, but it was the late 80's and Glasto was a LOT different then!

There's a whole field dedicated for kids, should keep your DS entertained. You'll just have to come to terms with the fact they your night will probably end a lot earlier than usual.

IAskTooManyQuestions · 01/08/2019 13:37

What do you think your son will gain from the experience?

bernietaupinspen · 01/08/2019 13:41

I can't imagine it would be fun for any of you tbh, although obviously people can and do take small children, maybe you will all love it

Constantlurker · 01/08/2019 13:53

I do think it can be done, but you will definitely need to remember it will be absolutely nothing like any previous glasto you've been to. You won't get to see the band's you want, won't be able to drink v much or party and will spend most of your time in the kids bit. Also if it rains it can get pretty tiresome pretty quickly. But - you'll still have an ace time, I expect the 3 yr old would love it. You just need to go in with different expectations. In reality though - it's a bloody expensive family camping trip!

Mauhea · 01/08/2019 14:06

Personally I wouldn't unless I had a caravan or a jolly large tent. And then I still probably wouldn't, actually!

I went with a group of friends this year - one couple has a 1.5 year old (very active, very good at running) but before the final ticket balance was paid the wife and baby decided to stay at home. As I was sitting in the 30c heat with the relentless pounding of the other stage and arcadia.... I was very thankful we were baby free! The thought of chasing baby down in the heat or rain, keeping baby entertained and having someone tethered to the tent at all times to babysit would not be fun to me. That being said my friends and I are all late twenties desperately clutching what remains of our early twenties so there's that!

However, I did see a lot of very tiny babies and small children this year who seemed cheery with their big headphones on. A lot of kids were being trundled around in big carts filled with pillows which seemed very naice! So if you're determined it can be made to work, just with a lot of adaptations and acceptance that it won't be at all the same as it would be without kids.

Original poster

PrincessDaff · 01/08/2019 14:12

Thanks for the replies everyone. Dont worry we are fully aware that it wouldnt be anything like the times we have been before, then again we are nearing mid 30s now so wouldnt be like when we were 20's anyway.

Good points raised about what our son would get out of it and chasing him down a lot of the time. I obviously dont know how he would be next year now as its a year away but he isn't nervous around crowds or anything and loves anything loud haha.

Good point about the weather too. It would be a completely different experience in the rain or in 30 degree heat with a toddler.

I know one of my sisters friends took her 2 year old this year and she said she absolutely loved it. The parents obviously didnt stay out as late as the others and took turns in drinking so one was sober but every child is different haha.

OP posts:

Skittlenommer · 01/08/2019 14:33

Lots of adults go to those kids of events to have a break from children. Not be surrounded by them.

Not matter how much the event tries to cater for kids (probably because people insist on bringing them) it’s an adult environment.

Beelzebop · 01/08/2019 14:35

Personally sounds like a pain in the arse.

BlueSkiesLies · 01/08/2019 14:38

I wouldn't, there are far easier and more family friendly festivals that are easier for a first festival experience. Also cheaper and shorter ones so you can bin it off if the weather is too bad!

The logistics of glasto are v tiring I think and I wouldn't want to have to take enough stuff for a child to be comfortable as well as my own stuff!

Gillian1980 · 01/08/2019 14:41

Yanbu.

I went as a kid, saw loads of bands and loved every minute. I still see lots of kids there now and they have a blast.

Ear plugs, buggy and good waterproofs.

Family camping is great, the kids areas are fun. They can still enjoy the big bands too but just obviously not right at the front of the crowd.

Greggers2017 · 01/08/2019 14:44

I've been taking my kids since my eldest was 8 months old. My kids love festivals. They're as easy or as difficult as you make it.
We're taking our youngest with us to Cool Britannia is 4 weeks she'll be 10 weeks by then.

petbear · 01/08/2019 14:46

Not gonna lie, I would definitely not take a 3 y.o. to Glasto.

Sorry @PrincessDaff

flumpybear · 01/08/2019 14:49

I wouldn't bother - it's not for them, it's for you - take them
Somewhere they'd like and keep glasto to the years around doing fun things with the kids that you'll never be able to revisit as they age, but there'll always be glasto even when your kids are grown up (and would probably like going then ... probably not worth you though lol )

DeRigueurMortis · 01/08/2019 15:11

I think a lot depends on the weather tbh.

If it's nice then I think it's doable (but obviously a different experience to going just with adults).

If it's raining then I think it would be awful.

Based on the experience of a friend who did and left after 24 hours...

You wouldn't be able to push a buggy/baby trailer in the mud and would have to carry them everywhere.

That would make nap time very difficult (you'd have to go back to the tent which could be a mile away), the child would just get bored (and cold/wet) being carried around (even in a back carrier).

It's hard enough navigating the mud as an adult but far worse with a child on your back or in your arms.

You end up being trapped in the tent, bored and miserable whilst one adult goes to watch a band and play parent tag and never experience anything together.

As pp's have said there a loads on family friendly festivals (we've done Deershed a few times) that would be better imho and perhaps a better way for a first festival to see how you get on without risking the money of glasto.

MatchSetPoint · 01/08/2019 15:23

I couldn't think of much worse than taking a three year old to a festival but each to their own. Why not try a camping mini break and see how that goes??

Hmdub · 02/08/2019 08:33

I took my almost 3 yr old this year and it was amazing! My boy actually made the festival for us and he handled it way better than us, it was our first visit and gorge weather so unsure of how id feel with rain but i will defo be taking the rusk again nxt yr if we get tickets. We saw lots of bands and we spent lots of time in kidz field each morning but i enjoyed it, i never saw a negative in that.

notsohippychick · 02/08/2019 08:36

What about latitude? We’ve just been with the kids and it was really family friendly x

BogglesGoggles · 02/08/2019 08:40

I wouldn’t purely because Glastonbury is so crazy. Maybe start with a smaller festival?

MrsMoastyToasty · 02/08/2019 08:41

I've never been (not my thing) but I live not too far away from the site. One of the things that would put me off is getting on and off the site. It takes hours.

mammmamia · 02/08/2019 08:46

Yes I would start with a smaller festival - we’ve taken DC lots of times but I wouldn’t do Glasto with them.

MyReadingChallenge · 02/08/2019 08:47

I think next year is a fallow year so it won’t be on plus I wouldn’t even worry about it until you have tickets, as it’s so unlikely you’ll get them through the ballot. Once you have tickets you can decide then.

Would suggest trying a smaller festival first... see how you enjoy it. Will you be going with friends who also have toddlers? That makes a big difference to enjoyment

ethelredonagoodday · 02/08/2019 08:51

Where are you based OP? Not the same at all, I know, but we've just been to DeerShed with the kids and it was brilliant.

velocitygirl7 · 02/08/2019 08:55

I took my dc when they were young, we went every year until school restrictions hit us!
Be prepared to see no bands! Seems impossible but we had a year when we didn't watch anyone (but somehow still had an amazing time!)
We've been there for very wet, muddy years and the dc bloody loved it

showmethegin · 02/08/2019 09:12

It was the fallow year last year so it will be on next year.

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