My wife is going to The Big Feastival in a few weeks with our 4 year old daughter and another mum/daughter. I’m slightly nervous of the whole thing – worried that our daughter might get lost in the crowds or wander off. Paranoid I know, but I’m a bit over protective!

What kinds of things should I be doing to ensure she’s safe? I was thinking of some kind of tracking device (just in case the worst happens and they get separated), but can’t really decide on what to use. I’m also thinking my wife should write her contact number on my daughters arm?

Any other advice from others who have taken young children to festivals would be great.

From what others have said, write your(wifes) phone number on thier arm in permanent marker that and pay attention!

Writing the number on her arm is a good idea. To be honest, if they’re going to Feastival, I’d be more worried about losing your life savings…

When I was at the Secret Garden Party one year we bumped into a 6yr old with the number on her arm. Rang parents, and thy turned up somewhat worse for wear about an hour later. Amusingly enough the kid took it all in her stride,as guessed this was not the first time this had happened.

Cheap GPS thing from ebay.
Needs a sim card. You phone it and it returns a text with GPS location.
(Needs a phone signal, and the location may not be good enough.)

Have a meeting place pre arranged, make sure it is somewhere easy to find and they know how to get there. At Glastonbury, ours is the big tree in the field by the pyramid stage. If any of the kids get separated they know where to go and that there will be someone waiting for them.

Have a meeting place pre arranged

We always do this when we arrive anywhere crowded.

I’d get two tracking devices and attach one to each of your testicles. Then when your wife reads this and realises that you don’t trust her to look after her own daughter, you’ll be able to find them again after she’s hoofed you in them.

Sweet baby Jesus…

you are david cameron and i claim my five pounds

Brat Nav?

Phones are not that reliable at big festivals. Getting a good data connection is rare and texts can take hours to get there. This will effect a tracking device. If it were me I would go old school with a telephone number and pre-arranged what to do if lost plan.

But really, don’t worry about it. We did big festivals with ours at that age and it is easier than you think. Don’t go getting smashed though.

I’d get two tracking devices and attach one to each of your testicles. Then when your wife reads this and realises that you don’t trust her to look after her own daughter, you’ll be able to find them again after she’s hoofed you in them.

Haha, luckily she knows about my paranoia – I am mocked by friends and family about my OCD for health and safety around the kids 😀

Am I the only one that thinks taking a 4yo to a festival is a bad idea?

You are Gerry McCann and I claim my free childcare voucher.

4 years old? Just track their iPhone.

Most decent festivals give the kids a wrist band on which you write your number.
However this isn’t ideal as you may not have a signal depending on said festivals size.

Tie a loaf of bread to their back. Now the clever part! Tie a baby Robbin to the child. Said Robbin will slowly chip away at said bread all day. You just follow the bread crumb trail.

Yes i know, genius.

not in good taste that Crikey, 😕

My suggestion would be a lead/leash.

Dress as Pikachu.

The child will be able to follow the crowd of 30-somethings reliving their childhood whilst gawping at you on their augmented reality iphones.

Am I the only one that thinks taking a 4yo to a festival is a bad idea?

I don’t see a problem with it. My daughter has been to a festival every year since she was 3. She’s now 7 and understands to stay close, has my number on her arm, has a designated meeting place and knows to speak to security if she ever did get lost. It’s a very different experience taking a child and quite a lot cheaper as the bars don’t empty my wallet for me like they normally would. My thinking is if she does it now then she won’t go to Reading or whatever with her mates when she’s a teenager and get over excited, ending up in a state somewhere.

*chuckles at crikey*

Am I the only one that thinks taking a 4yo to a festival is a bad idea?

It wasn’t really my idea obviously. Personally I’m very nervous about it, hence this post.

Sorry, I did agonize about it being in rather poor taste but then thought sod it…

Tie a helium balloon on a string to their arm?

I did this at a kids party in a park once with my little on, until my daughter wandered back in tears because someone had nicked the ballon and I had been watching the ballon blissfully unaware 😉