Baby has just experienced her first festival and I wanted to share her highlights as part of my series of Camp Bestival posts. I am a little worried that after spending four days in a field witnessing such amazing and crazy things, her sense of reality will now be a little bit warped!
Here are Baby’s Camp Bestival loves.
1. Bubbles
We bought her the most amazing bubble wand, which she adored and would have played with it constantly if we had let her. It created the most fabulously huge bubbles. The fact that there was an actual bubble shop blew her mind too.
2. Giant Giraffe and Dinosaur
There aren’t many holidays where you see a life-sized Giraffe wandering around and certainly very few indeed where said Giraffe stopped to chat with a Dinosaur. You see all sorts at Camp Bestival!
3. Carousel
Baby was obsessed by the traditional carousel and trying to navigate round it without her having a mini meltdown was tricky. One day we went in the carriage and the next day I wore trousers so we could ride the horses properly, twice! She loved it so much.
4. Kid’s Kitchen
Baby didn’t eat at all well during her festival experience (I think it was too hot for her to be bothered). However, the one place she kept on wanting to go into to have a little drink and a sit down was the Kid’s Kitchen. She also managed some pasta from here, which Mr Hubby can confirm was yummy.
5. Soft Play
Baby adored the soft play tent and what a wonderful idea it is to have such a fabulous space for kids to play. I also think it gives them a little sense of normality too. She was in her element playing in the ball pit. She amazed me by just picking up a space hopper and knowing what to do with it! This was all free, which was an extra bonus.
6. Al Pacas
I can’t tell you how much Baby adored these furry creatures. Which were a mixture of Llamas and Al Pacas, but as Baby learned to say Paca, we went with them all being Al Pacas! When we needed some quiet time, we would head up the hill to pick grass for the Al Pacas (although they had a field full!) and to give them a stroke.
7. Babyccinos
For a tea party obsessed Baby, having a Babyccino is so exciting; we often chilled having a brew together.
8. Catwalk
Beside the fancy dress tent was a catwalk that the kids loved. Baby was apprehensive at first, but after a couple of goes, you can see she channelled her inner Naomi and LOVED it.
9. Meeting the other blogger kids in The Day of the Dead Bar
All the official bloggers were invited to this bar by Bruce, who runs the festival, for a drink and a little get together. Baby really enjoyed playing with the other blogger kiddos.
10. Colouring in a cardboard house in the Art Town tent
Baby has form for drawing on the walls at home…. so I am not 100% sure it was a good idea to let her in this wonderful cardboard house; she couldn’t believe that she was allowed to draw on the walls here.
11. Playing in the tunnels
Baby has developed a real affection for anything that she can use as a tunnel; proper tunnels, bridges, tables, indoor car parks and these signs that were dotted around the festival site and caused shouts of ‘tunnel’ as she took off towards them.
12. Went on the biggest slide ever in Dingly Dell
I had heard a lot about Dingly Dell and it didn’t disappoint. Baby really enjoyed the large slide set into the hillside and we did have a bit of a meltdown when we tried to leave after two goes. I don’t have a picture of the slide, as I was too busy trying to catch her as she plummeted down it!
13. Having fun playing hula hooping/juggling in the Bigtoporama
This was a wonderful area where kids of all ages tried out various activities. Juggling, Hula Hooping and lots more; so much fun.
14. Watching the Insect Circus
Baby was amazed and sat in awe watching the Insect Circus, which was packed full of acrobatics and circus skills.
15. Danced at a fake wedding in a blow up church to disco music
Probably one of the weirdest things that I have ever done; dance to disco music at a fake wedding in an inflatable (pink) church! Baby looks shell-shocked, but she didn’t want to leave and kept on asking to go back in.
16. Watching to drumming parade and amazing animals roam the festival site
The roaming drummers and animals startled Baby the first time she saw them; after which she loved them and was transfixed every time they passed us.
17. Playing in Hello Kitty World. Making a wonderful bow that was the first to be placed on the cloud
The Hello Kitty area was lovely. Kids could meet Kitty, get their photobooth pictures taken, sit in a chair made from Hello Kitty toys and loads of other fun activities. Hello Kitty were promoting their #OneKindThing campaign to combat online negativity.
18. Lots of uninterrupted time with Mummy and Daddy
She loved having Mummy and Daddy on tap for 4 whole days and we loved it too!
19. Her bed!
Baby learned that Festivals are tiring! She was reluctant to nap some days and a couple of evenings asked to go to bed, bless her. She is still catching up on sleep now.
20. Waving at people on the Big Wheel
Baby is such a friendly child and would wave at Big Wheel riders each time we passed, often stopping to watch them go round and round.
21. Cossacks
I will share more pictures of these amazingly talented riders over the next few days. Baby was in awe and then declared it was Baby’s turn!
22. Milkshakes
She takes after her Mummy with her love of milkshakes. Baby loved the plain children’s strawberry one, while Mummy enjoyed the Creme Brulee! Nom nom nom.
So there are Baby’s Camp Bestival highlights. She loved it and I think she is already looking forward to next year.
Have you taken young kids to a festival?
