We’re off to Camp Bestival at the end of July and we can’t wait! The last time we were there our girls were much younger. We had the ubiquitous trolley – which we pimped with fairy lights, bunting and a personalised number plate – and duly dragged them around in it for the whole weekend. It was a godsend when we wanted to party on and they were ready for bed but there’s no getting away from the fact it’s hard work.
This time will be different, the girls are old enough to stay up late and will have a bit of independence to explore Camp Bestival without constant parental supervision. With that in mind I asked Elena, Izzy and Maia to tell me what they are looking forward to the most and to put together a survival guide for tweens. Tell me what you think!
Rock a good look
This is very much Elena and Maia’s department. They are 13 and 9 and they like to keep an eye out for the latest trends. I’m told that lip balm from the Body Shop is essential. along with a facial spray from Evian to stay fresh and cool and glitter – lots of glitter! I am dismayed that a toothbrush and toothpaste didn’t make it to the top of the list.
Braids and space buns is where it’s at in terms of festival looks according to my three. Elena came up with a great tip to keep your hair looking good. Braid slightly damp hair on day one, take the braids out on day two to reveal beachy waves which you can accessorise with a flower crown then repeat on days 3 and 4 – good advice I think. Braids keep your hair cleaner for longer in my opinion so I’m totally on board with braiding for the duration of the festival.
Applying glitter to the parting between space buns is very cool apparently. Make sure you pack loads of the stuff to keep them all happy and prepare to find it all over you, your home and your clothes for the next 6 months!
Topshop has a super range of face stickers and glittery makeup that I fancy myself, also check out ASOS and Claire’s.
Things to look forward to
It’s really nice for me that I no longer have to take time out during the festival to go and see Mr Tumble. Justin Fletcher is a talented guy but I’m happy that those days are gone and we can all enjoy Louisa Johnson and Anne Marie together, these two acts are going to be the highlight of the weekend for the young folk. Not forgetting the brilliant School of Rock musical!
The draw of the world’s biggest disco ball will be hard to resist but since I am always under strict instructions not to dance in public, I doubt my kids will let me go anywhere near it.
The science tent is very appealing to Izzy who is 11 and lover of science and maths. I do fear what might happen when she gets back home though, as she is prone to carrying out unauthorised and unsupervised experiments when I’m not looking. If she blows up the house I’m blaming you Camp Bestival.
Things to worry about
I wondered whether to include this category but kids are smart and they worry about things too… Festivals can be overwhelming for children and getting lost is something my children worry about. During our first visit in 2011 we lost Maia for a short space of time. She was found by a member of the team and taken to the welfare tent within minutes of getting lost, she was completely safe and we were really impressed with the systems in place to reunite children with their parents.
This time the girls are old enough to know our phone numbers and they will be wearing wrist bands with our contact details on them as well. We will also have a rendezvous point and someone in our group will carry a flag that identifies us at all times. That’s as much as we can do, I know they’ll be fine.
Taking a shower is up there on the list of things that teens worry about, a quick browse through the Camp Bestival website and we found the solution to our problem in the form of the Transformation Station where you can shower and blow-dry your hair.
Izzy surprised me when she revealed that she worries about feeling hungry, she says that you must make sure you have plenty of snacks and water on you. Crisps are her snack of choice, I wish I could say she loves vegan energy balls but I’d be lying. If you spot us a Camp Bestival this year we’ll be the family with good hair, manky teeth and trolley full of crisps!
Antonia x
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The line about toothbrush and tooth paste and the last line made me chuckle!! I hear you re crisps… they just taste better than cardboard I mean vegan ‘treats’. We loved bestival but spent SO MUCH money!! Goodness me… it was worth it though! Enjoy 🙂
I know exactly what you mean, it costs a fortune every time but its such a fun experience for the children. Glad I gave you a giggle! xx