10 dad festival essentials

Heading out to a festival with your kids? As any parent knows, taking children to a festival can be great fun – but it can also be a logistical nightmare. We've pulled together a list of 10 of the most useful items you can take along with you to help things run smoothly.

1. Loc8tor Lite

If you've been to a festival with your children before, you'll know the nightmare scenario: your turn your back for five seconds and they're gone. Vanished. You know they were there seconds ago, but no matter how hard you stare into the crowds, you just can't see them.

With the Loc8tor Lite, you can avoid the panic - this is genius for taking kids into a crowd. Once you've set up the system, you can just pop one of the small tabs into their pocket and hey pretso - they're findable within around 100 metres. Just press the button on the credit card sized finder unit and turn 360 degrees. The unit beeps faster and higher when you're pointing in the right direction.

If you can avoid telling them your cunning scheme, do. When testing the system, my eight year old thought it was a brilliant idea to run off and hide from me. Talk about the law of unintended consequences...

Buy a Loc8tor Lite from the manufacturers

2. Matix gustonator backpack

There are backpacks, and there are backpacks. This one's a BACKPACK... if you know what I mean. It's ideal for a dad karting around a load of stuff at a festival - with a built in fold out seat to save your back - or keep you off the ground if it's wet,

This is a truly well thought out backpack. Separate top pocket to keep things dry (nappies?), built in bottle opener and side drinks pockets, with loads of handy pockets for all the kiddy kit you need to take.

Buy Matix Gustonator at Native Skate Store's backpack page 

3. Solio magnesium solar charger

The Solio Magnesium Edition truly is the daddy of the portable solar charging world. Take yourself off the grid and keep the power - the Solio Magnesium Edition can recharge an incredibly wide array of electronic devices using efficient solar cells and a high-capacity battery.

The magnesium alloy shell protects your power from knocks and dents so you can travel as far and as hard as you want.A Universal charger system includes the iGo Tip system, compatible with hundreds of portable electronic devices, including female and male USB cords.

Buy a Solio Magnesium Solar Charger from Ethical superstore

4. Silva L4 headlamp

If you're camping with kids, you'll have your hands full. Take control of tricky night manouvres with a decent headlamp - and there's none better than the Silva range. The well priced L4 runs off 5 LED lamps and has a range of up to 15 metres.

It's got several light settings, from low to bright, all easily controlled by a single button on the top.  It's also got a handy red light, which is great for finding things in the dark without blinding the children. Good thinking.

Buy a Silva L4 from Tesco's Direct

5. Indigo LED wind up lantern

Once you're back at the tent, you don't want to be using a headlamp - you need a single light that works just like a room light. This one's just the thing.

It's rugged and portable, and you don't ever need to worry about running out of batteries, as it's wind-up powered. It also has a dimmer switch - so it's good for a night light: on the lowest setting, the lamp will run for around three hours on a 30 second wind.

Buy an Indigo LED wind up lantern from Ethical superstore

7. Wicked revolution frisbee

OK - you like frisbee. The kids like frisbee. Why don't you just get a frisbee?

The wicked revoution is what it says it is: a revolution in the frisbee world. Why? It's easy to fly (especially for kids), it looks cool, it's made of neoprene (you can play with it in a pool, or the sea - it'll stay working when soaked) and it's soft - meaning that young kids can catch it without hurting their hands.

Buy a revolution at wicked's shop

 

 

7. Hi-gear solar shower

Getting grubby is part of the deal if you're young and at a festival - even if it's not raining and muddy. Getting clean, on the other hand, can be a trial. Don't worry about joining the queue for the (cold) showers with this brilliant solar shower.

Just fill it up with water and hang it in the sun for a few hours - hey presto - you've got a cheap and convenient way to scrub up the younguns - perfect.

Get a solar shower from the Ethical Superstore

8. Milton hand gel

It's a given that they're going to get filthy at a festival - which can be bad news when they're about to tuck into a pie or some japanese noodles. Fortunately, we have the technology.

This antibacterial hand gel is perfect - just squeeze some onto their hands and get them to rub it in. It'll get rid of any nasties, clean their mitts and then evaporate off. Perfect.

Buy Milton Hand Gel from Express Chemist

 

 

9. Water bomb catapult

If you're a kid, a festival doesn't get much better when it's blazing hot and you're causing water mayhem. Arm them with this amazing catapult and water bomb system - for just one of our english pounds!

With a collection of tiny brightly coloured water bomb balloons and a catapult to let them fly, this is a great toy to take to a festival and a total bargain to boot

Buy a water bomb catapult in store at Poundland

 

10. Bubble sword

Whatever the weather, everyone loves bubbles - especially kids. There's a load of bubble toys, and a bubble sword allows you to be a swashbuckling knight or a roman soldier while creating massive bubbles and causing a stir in the crowd.

Cheap and fun - the bubble sword creates unfeasably large bubbles that can drift over large distances and pop on some unsuspecting festivalgoer's head.

Sure to cause a stir and put a smile on lots of people - including your kids.

Buy a bubble sword at Yelow Moon.

Author

Tom Beardshaw is a co-founder and the Publisher at Dad Info, creating the website and the things we print. He lives and works in Cardiff raising his son and supporting his other lad in South Africa. Find his blog at www.tombeardshaw.com.