6 items you’ll need to pack for your first music festival with the kids

Brought to you by Electric Ireland. 

As adults, we'll never truly understand why, but kids LOVE camping.

There's something about pitching a tent in the great outdoors and sleeping under the stars with mum and dad that stirs a joy and excitement in children unlike anything else. Throw a music festival and hours of quality family time into the mix and you've got all the ingredients for a weekend your kids will never forget. Before you head off to Electric Picnic with the family however, do yourself a favour: make a big list of the essentials and check it twice. Here are the six items that seasoned happy campers recommend: 1. Microfibre towels These clever towels absorb at least three times more than a normal towel, yet they're lighter to carry and fold into a smaller size for easy storage. They also dry twice as fast - ideal for tent living. You'll find them near the fitness gear in most department stores. 2. Drinks and snacks Fill a bag with healthy snacks such as cereal bars, nuts, oatcakes and cheese for when hunger strikes (busting some serious moves at the Electric Ireland Throwback Stage has been known to help one work up quite the appetite). A few large bottles of water and some juice boxes can be worth their weight in gold when someone is thirsty in the middle of the night too. 3. A camera Camping trips are photo-album gold but festival camping trips are even better for filling those pages with super sentimental shots. Don't miss that shot of your son and heir catching his very first Duran Duran gig, sippy cup in hand or your daughter busting her first moves on a dance floor to S Club Party. 4. Baby wipes We can't stress this one enough. Pack them into every available bag and rucksack, pack pocket-sized wipes for when you're on-the-move. From wiping noses to removing face paint, make-up and mud, baby wipes are a lifeline to pseudo-cleanliness while you're roughing it. 5. Eye masks The neon lights of the campsite can keep little minds alert and curious eyes open long after bedtime has passed. Eye masks are fun to wear (help kids to decorate and personalise the outside of their mask before the festival) and they help everyone nod off. 6. Dryer sheets Pop some dryer sheets between your clothes and sleeping bags to maintain that 'just washed' scent while you enjoy the great outdoors. Electric Ireland is the official energy partner of Electric Picnic. And we're bringing 90s chart sensations 5ive, S Club Party and Jenny Berggren from Ace of Base PLUS a heap of nostalgia-filled fun and frolics, to our ultimate Throwback Stage at Stradbally this September.