Tips for Bringing a Toddler (No Snark Zone)

[Kid Frisco]

They should charge full price for kids. That way it will prevent parents from bringing them. Is it really a good idea to have kids when they have to pay $300? Then we'll find out.

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

I've searched through the forums for an answer to this, but found only people chastising parents for even THINKING of bringing their kids to Coachella. Then it turns into a debate about whether or not they should even be there and the original question never gets answered. Kids ARE allowed at Coachella so how you feel about them is irrelevant. How you feel about me is also irrelevant.

What I want to know is if any parents who have brought there kids have any Coachella-specific advice about it. I already know the usual stuff about earplugs/noise canceling headphones, lots of water and sunscreen, etc. Is there anything that (having taken my kid to a hot climate but NOT Coachella) I wouldn't think of as a generally responsible parent?

Thank you in advance to experienced Coachella parents with music-loving children.

PS: More specifically, do you tend to use a child carrier/Ergo or an umbrella stroller more? We plan to bring both, but I would just like to get a feel for the experience.

Heat is the biggest issue for kids at Coachella, really nothing else is a big deal. Find one of those water bottle sprayers (see photo) to mist them every so often, (you have to bring it into the fest empty and then fill it with preferably ice water inside) keep them hydrated as much as possible and shaded as much as possible. You can use either the carrier or the umbrella stroller but of course you would not expect to maneuver to the front of the stage or anything like that with either. For the stroller large wheels work best on the grass and small ones barely work at all. Keeping them cool enough is really the biggest issue and as you say, nothing that a responsible parent would not plan for. My kids are grown now but I would not hesitate to bring a toddler to Coachella at all and as a loving parent I can absolutely understand wanting to have them with you for such an epic event!

311_pow_wow_mister_new_store.jpg

[Goatchella]

Feed them 800ppm 5.8 ph and mist them twice a day.

They grow better when you play music for them

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

Also...contrary to someones post here, no one on the fields will be a jerk about having a child with you. People are a lot more snarky virtually with their fingers than they ever would be in person with their mouths:-) Thank the festival gods for that! If everyone acted at Coachella like they do on this message board no one would want to go!

[dekelou]

I've taken my boys (now 3 and 7) to lolla and ACL mult times, but never to coachella. I save that trip for myself. Hopefully some of this will be helpful:

1) umbrella stroller is key. we used a mclaren with the added pocket attachment. Worked better than the bugaboo, which handled the terrain better but was extra bulky. stay out of the extremely crowded areas and forget about navigating close to the stages. this will be especially true at night near the main stage. you will be better off at a distance or without the stroller.
2) don't get upset about having to leave, and plan for disruptions. depending on where you are staying, this may mean giving up on the rest of the day
3) extra shirt/pants for both you and your child. leaky diaper at festival = total disaster.
4) if your child is on your shoulders, be mindful of blocking other people's views. wish some adults would do the same.
5) there are plenty of places to sit and relax. sometimes making a home base and taking turns traveling out makes sense.
6) have fun

good luck!

[thebaxter]

To me, as someone who manages programming for children as my full-time day job, and has done so for years, none of those seem like very compelling reasons that would outweigh the potential risks/downsides.

It's partly that a babysitting relative isn't available and partly because we think she'd enjoy it. Just curious as to what you think the potential risks are (besides overheating, which is a risk every June-August anyway). She won't be allowed in the beer tent and we'll be with her at all times (when she's not with the babysitter, who will be doing that back at camp). So what am I missing?

Honestly, I didn't even think about it being this big of a deal because our friends always only talk about how much fun their son had, not how much danger he was in every minute or who didn't approve of him being there.

[Courtney]

Find one of those water bottle sprayers (see photo) to mist them every so often, (you have to bring it into the fest empty and then fill it with preferably ice water inside) keep them hydrated as much as possible and shaded as much as possible.

FWIW, misters actually are not technically allowed.

[thebaxter]

good luck!

Thanks, dekelou! We plan to keep her at the back of the crowd at any show she will be attending so that should cut down on the noise/drunk person factor somewhat.

[dcbell05]

i forget where but someone once wrote a great post about how coachella with a kid is a radically (and just as entertaining) experience than without. you watch shows from farther back, sit on blankets a lot, go home earlier, have a hotel, etc. i wish i could remember but it sounded like as long you realize that you won't be moshing front rail and probably spending most of your time at the fields passively absorbing the music you'll have a blast..

Not sure if it's what you were talking about, but the 2011 Camp Magazine on the Coachella App for the iPhone has profiles on 4 parents that brought kids last year ranging in age from 2 weeks to 9 years.

[Inthecolumbiagorge]

FWIW, misters actually are not technically allowed.

The same rule applied last year supposedly but we had them last year and there was no issue as long as they were empty going in. I wonder how GV thinks it would work if they sell them inside the event but they will not allow you to bring them back in? They said the same thing about umbrellas last year but they sold paper ones inside and allowed us to bring them in each day. We will see what will happen but I am not going to worry about it and my mister bottles are already to go:-)

[Goatchella]

^ I guess I party like I have children. I love staying in the back and laying on a tapestry all mellowed out

[guedita]

^ I guess I party like I have children. I love staying in the back and laying on a tapestry all mellowed out

"A mature 2 year old."

[witham]

2 weeks? wow. And yeah do what you want to do.

[thebaxter]

I'm not trying to be snarky or judgmental, but I am interested in knowing more about what constitutes being a "very mature 2."

I guess I just mean that she has as much fun hanging out with adults as she does other children.

[Courtney]

The same rule applied last year supposedly but we had them last year and there was no issue as long as they were empty going in. I wonder how GV thinks it would work if they sell them inside the event but they will not allow you to bring them back in? They said the same thing about umbrellas last year but they sold paper ones inside and allowed us to bring them in each day. We will see what will happen but I am not going to worry about it and my mister bottles are already to go:-)

Yeah, obviously having a written FAQ is one thing, and enforcing it is an entirely different thing. Hence why I wrote "technically." But it's good to know the rules, in any case.

[JustSteve]

She is a very mature 2. It is the first time for myself, my husband and my daughter. We will be with another family who has a 3 1/2 year old and a 9 month old.

what the heck is a "very mature 2"? and i ask that as a parent of a 6 and 3 year old.

edit: see guedita already asked. ignore this.

[blackchango]

Sounds like a lot of time and planning has gone into your family experience.I would just remember to do the obvious sunscreen, hydrate, shade etc. Just like you and others have mentioned here before, you know your baby better than anyone else. Just follow her que's and know when she's had enough. Other than that you and you're baby are gonna have a great time! All the best to you!

[JustSteve]

So while I am it, I suppose I need advice on how to handle trolls without coming off as "bitchy".

you can act like the adult you are and ignore it.

[blackchango]

you can act like the adult you are and ignore it.

Sorry but this also applies

[guedita]

what the heck is a "very mature 2"? and i ask that as a parent of a 6 and 3 year old.

If only you had let them start sipping on scotch at 18 months.

Also, I like seeing young children at Coachella and other music/cultural events, as long as it's evident that they are being cared for properly. I'm quite thankful that my parents took me to a bunch of festival like things when I was young.

[lt.roast.a.botch]

Browsing this only affirms that I am nowhere near ready to have kids

[Goatchella]

Country fair has the headiest wooks.

This is a mature two year old. He can play the mandalin and grows serious dank.

[Courtney]

It's partly that a babysitting relative isn't available and partly because we think she'd enjoy it. Just curious as to what you think the potential risks are (besides overheating, which is a risk every June-August anyway). She won't be allowed in the beer tent and we'll be with her at all times (when she's not with the babysitter, who will be doing that back at camp). So what am I missing?

Honestly, I didn't even think about it being this big of a deal because our friends always only talk about how much fun their son had, not how much danger he was in every minute or who didn't approve of him being there.

For me, I'm not really that concerned about kids at music festivals being possibly exposed to drugs/nudity/sex etc. I consider our culture's constant exposure to violence way more potentially traumatizing than showing a kid that people like to smoke pot and make out. But IMO, the major risks/downsides are:

1) Your kid may be miserable/grouchy/whatever and you therefore may have to miss the bands you are most looking forward to hearing
2) Your kid may get dehydrated/sunburnt/heat stroke/sun poisoning/etc if you're not super careful
3) You are going to have to deal with diapers or portapotties or both
4) You will not be able to stay for a full day and will have to choose to come late or leave early or probably both
5) You may have difficulty finding good food for your child
6) Coachella doesn't make it easy -- you're technically not allowed to bring chairs, blankets, misters, food, etc.
7) You may have a difficult time sticking to your child's normal schedule including meals and naps and bedtime, so your child may get unusually grouchy
8) You are going to need to be always paying attention to the kiddo -- just like at any event with thousands of people walking around where a kid could easily get lost

For me, it just seems like the positives are drastically outweighed by the negatives. But of course I recognize it does depend to a certain extent upon the individual child, and also upon the parent's expectations and priorities. For me, the priority is getting to hear the music I want to hear.

[amyzzz]

Try to smuggle in food. That's what I'm doing. I'm bringing my 9 & 11 year old for the first time. I'm worried about how long they'll last. We will probably be making lots of trips to the blue room or the video game area and buying lots of ice cream or frozen lemonade.

[tigermilkboy]

For me, I'm not really that concerned about kids at music festivals being possibly exposed to drugs/nudity/sex etc. I consider our culture's constant exposure to violence way more potentially traumatizing than showing a kid that people like to smoke pot and make out. But IMO, the major risks/downsides are:

1) Your kid may be miserable/grouchy/whatever and you therefore may have to miss the bands you are most looking forward to hearing
2) Your kid may get dehydrated/sunburnt/heat stroke/sun poisoning/etc if you're not super careful
3) You are going to have to deal with diapers or portapotties or both
4) You will not be able to stay for a full day and will have to choose to come late or leave early or probably both
5) You may have difficulty finding good food for your child
6) Coachella doesn't make it easy -- you're technically not allowed to bring chairs, blankets, misters, food, etc.
7) You may have a difficult time sticking to your child's normal schedule including meals and naps and bedtime, so your child may get unusually grouchy
8) You are going to need to be always paying attention to the kiddo -- just like at any event with thousands of people walking around where a kid could easily get lost

For me, it just seems like the positives are drastically outweighed by the negatives. But of course I recognize it does depend to a certain extent upon the individual child, and also upon the parent's expectations and priorities. For me, the priority is getting to hear the music I want to hear.

This pretty much nails it. We brought my daughter 2 year old to Coachella some years ago, it worked on a level but it definitely took away from our overall enjoyment of the weekend because it is a constant stress. We have done Glastonbury several times, but there is milder weather and more kid friendly activities. Main problem at Coachella is the heat, so we didn't arrive till 3pm each day, which for me means missing a good portion of the festival.
On the plus side we missed Coldplay headline.

[profchaos]

I saw you wrote that your kid wont be hanging out in the beer gardens, That's a shame that's where he would get the most shade.

[captncrzy]

Oh, look. It's the same debate as last year. And the year before. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that.

[profchaos]

YAY the big 16,000, and here is to more post's after that after that after that after that after that after that

[GeezrRckr]

I'm not trying to be snarky or judgmental, but I am interested in knowing more about what constitutes being a "very mature 2."

She's a server at Spicy Pie during the shitty sets.

[Lynn163]

I've taken my boys (now 3 and 7) to lolla and ACL mult times, but never to coachella. I save that trip for myself. Hopefully some of this will be helpful:

1) umbrella stroller is key. we used a mclaren with the added pocket attachment. Worked better than the bugaboo, which handled the terrain better but was extra bulky. stay out of the extremely crowded areas and forget about navigating close to the stages. this will be especially true at night near the main stage. you will be better off at a distance or without the stroller.
2) don't get upset about having to leave, and plan for disruptions. depending on where you are staying, this may mean giving up on the rest of the day
3) extra shirt/pants for both you and your child. leaky diaper at festival = total disaster.
4) if your child is on your shoulders, be mindful of blocking other people's views. wish some adults would do the same.
5) there are plenty of places to sit and relax. sometimes making a home base and taking turns traveling out makes sense.
6) have fun

good luck!

This is what I noticed people with small children doing in the past.

Will you be camping or staying in a hotel/condo?