We are honoured to be hosting you and your family this summer. We know that any new experience can be daunting. Once you’ve arrived at Camp and are all set up, any stress will vanish and you’ll be having the time of your life together!

Camp Kindling is a family-only event so everyone is in the same mindset. The atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming! It’s part festival, part adventure holiday, and a very unique experience. This guide will give you an overview of what to expect and give you some tips and tricks on how to make the most of it.

Planning in advance can help, but once you are there, it's best to be flexible and go with the flow, following your curiosity and adjusting your plans to suit your energy levels.

Our team is here to help guide and support you with anything you need, so please reach out if you have any questions.

Book your tickets 6-12 months in advance as they sell out fast. You can save money by booking Super-earlybird or Earlybird tickets.

The Standard Ticket type is generally the best option. If you aren’t sure how many credits you want, you can book Elementary tickets to secure your space and upgrade to a higher tier later.

You must book the same ticket type for everyone in the family (e.g. all Elementary).

Your tickets include camping with your own equipment in general camping. You can upgrade to reserved, pre-pitched or boutique camping until about a month before the event.

You don’t choose your activities and entertainment when you book. That happens later as part of Enrolment.

Join our online communities to meet other families and exchange information and advice.

All Attendees Group

Solo Parents Group

Accessibility Group

Once you’ve booked, it's fun to start getting in the Camp spirit. You can do this by choosing a Patrol and planning some outfits for the weekend. This can make a great school holiday activity. Sketch some ideas. Then, spend time scouring charity shops or ebay for items in your Patrol colours to customise. You can dress up as much or little as you want. You might want to create one daytime outfit suitable for adventures and games, and one night time outfit suitable for dancing! (If you don’t manage to prepare anything, the Wildkind Stores onsite will have everything you need to get decked out!)

Enrolment is the process of choosing your activities and entertainment for the weekend. It's a huge topic in itself so we will send you more information ahead of its opening, including dedicated guides as to how it all works. Here is an overview of the process and some key dates for your diary.

Tuesday 9th July 2024

The activity, games and entertainment programme for this summer will be announced. At this point you will be directed to your account on our website to explore the hundreds of options and create favourite lists ready for enrolment.

10:00 on Tuesday 16th July 2024

Priority Enrolment opens for Dynamo ticket holders.

19:00 on Monday 22nd July 2024

Standard Enrolment opens for Elementary and Standard ticket holders. There are plenty of spaces in activities for everyone attending to create a full schedule, but specific activities can fill up quickly so ensure you are ready at 19:00 for the best availability.

Check through our packing guide 2-3 weeks ahead of attending, so that you have time to find or buy anything you need. We’ve found that getting our kids involved in packing can teach them life skills and help them feel more comfortable about the adventure.

Phone signals are not very good for most networks, so it is best to have your tickets and schedules downloaded before you leave home (or even better, printed out).

Roughly planning your approach to meals at Camp can be helpful, your approach will be personal to your family. Some choose to eat all their meals from the food villages to save the hassle of having to carry and cook food. Others prefer to cook some of their meals themselves to save money or because they have very specific tastes.

Your exact journey plans will depend on where you are coming from and your method of transport. Here’s a few general tips;

If you are travelling a long way then you might consider staying in the local area on the Thursday night, so you can arrive feeling fresher on the Friday. There are lots of hotels in the local area. Some families choose to meet up at the local garden centre for coffee before heading over together.

The gates to the festival open at 12:00 on Friday. You can arrive in the car park from 11:00 and the station shuttle-bus runs from 11:00, if you want to be there ready.

Most families arrive between 12:00 and 15:00, so it can get very busy at this time.

Once you are parked up or dropped off, make your way to the campsite gates where your ticket QR codes will be scanned and exchanged for wristbands.

Your kids will be given wristbands with space to write your phone number on. Pens will be provided for this.

For everyone's safety you will be searched on the way in to ensure you are not bringing in any prohibited items.

Once you have your wristbands you can come and go as many times as you like, so if you’re in a car you don’t need to carry everything at once.

On your first trip through the gates into the campsite take your tent and anything you need to pitch it. Go back for clothes and bedding once your tent is up, so that they are always kept sheltered.

If you drink alcohol, you’ll also need to bring your alcohol allowance in on your first entry, as no alcohol will be permitted on re-entry.

It's only a short walk from the car park to the campsite (max 10mins). A Porter service is available to help you carry your things for a small fee if you need.

You will be given a map on entry with the locations of all the activities, facilities and entertainment.

General Camping is festival style camping, which means there are no marked out pitches.

There is plenty of camping space for everyone, but some spots are more coveted (flat spots not too far from facilities but not too close to pathways) so if you want those make sure you arrive early!

It is worth taking the time to make your camping setup is comfortable as it will be your home for the next few days. Entertainment doesn’t start until 16:30 to give you plenty of time to do this.

Get to know your camping neighbours, it makes for a great atmosphere and creates a little support network nearby.

Once you are pitched, familiarise yourself with the campsite. Make a note of the location of key services like water points, toilets, showers, info point and medical tent.

Agree on a meeting point with your kids in case they get lost, and point out what the staff look like so your kids know who to ask for help if they need it.

Once you feel settled, have a drink and some food. Get ready for the magical first evening of Camp, which all starts with the Patrol Initiations and the Parade.

Quick Camping Tips:

For more check out our Top Family Camping Hacks

The food available on site is delicious, reasonably priced and available all day. Most dietary requirements and preferences are catered for. Kids portions and snack options are available across the site.

Queues can build up at peak times but tend to clear quite quickly.

Many families have a simple breakfast at their tent to save time and money. They carry snacks in their daypacks for refuelling. Then, they have lunch and dinner from the food villages to avoid missing out on any of the excitement by having to go back to the tent.

The ground conditions are a mix of grass, woodland floor, wood chip paths and gravel roads.

If you are bringing a buggy, bring one with the biggest wheels possible to make it easier to push around. A more useful alternative to a buggy is a festival trolley.

Camp is spread over a large area. Plan your activities in a sensible order to reduce walking time, and prepare your tribe with comfortable footwear for moving around.

If you have any babies with you, bring a sling or baby carrier.

The afternoon is for arriving, getting pitched, meeting people and feeling settled.

Take everything you will need for the evening with you to the Patrol Initiations as once it gets going you don’t want to have to go back to your tent.

The real fun kicks off with the Patrol Initiations at 16:30 and the Parade at 17:00 which lead straight into the Patrol Games and the evening's Entertainment. (If you're confused just follow the music and the people!)

Head to the Patrol Games to let your kids blow off some steam for an hour before dinner. The Patrol Games are high energy and can get busy, so if your kids find these spaces overwhelming then opt for the Quiz or Board Games.

Take some time to explore, locating the entertainment stages and activity areas ready for your first activities on Saturday.

The entertainment is all family friendly; if you like dancing then head to the Discotheque and Clubhouse, if you want something calmer head to the Auditorium.

Enjoy your first evening partying in the forest, but don’t go too hard too early, there is a lot still to come.

It will get light from about 6:00, so unless you have a blackout tent, you are likely to be up early; embrace it! Having tea or coffee and watching the sun rise in the countryside is a beautiful experience. You can always take an afternoon nap to make up for lost sleep.

Being up early can help you beat the queues for breakfast and have a more relaxed time navigating to your first activity.

Take time to check your daypacks. Run over the day's plan together. Plot your routes, activity points, and meal stops on the map, so everyone knows what to expect.

Ensure you arrive at activities on-time, as you will lose your place if you are more than 5 mins late.

Make sure you stay hydrated and take plenty of rest throughout the day. If your kids need a bit of down time then the Board Games tent and The Retreat are great spaces to go and chill out.

The last sessions on Sunday can be a great opportunity to get onto any activities you are waitlisted for. By this point, some people get tired and drop out. This is especially true for more energetic activities.

Don’t Miss:

The morning is for packing up, saying goodbye and setting off for home.

Establish some ground rules with your kids, such as respecting other people's space and property whilst participating in activities.

Make a plan for where to go if they get lost; show them the information points and point out the Camp staff.

Check daily that your kids wristband is still on and your phone number is visible. Do not write your kid's name on the wristband.

Youths (12-17) are allowed to roam free until 8pm and generally enjoy the experience a lot more when given some independence. Agree a curfew and meeting point with them; a favourite food stall to have dinner together works well.

Enhanced hand washing and sanitising practices are a good idea when in a new environment to help prevent catching any bugs.

Familiarise yourself with the location of the medical tent for any minor injuries. In any emergency speak to the nearest staff member who will call for the medical team.

Don’t start any fires or light any BBQs anywhere at the event, and if you smoke ensure that cigarettes are safely extinguished and disposed of.

It’s best to take the Monday morning slowly as you will be tired from the weekend. It's a small event so there aren’t any queues or traffic when leaving.

Break up the packing into sections with tea/coffee/snack breaks in between.

Make taking down your tent the last thing you do, so that you have shelter in case it starts raining, and if you have a trolley make that the last thing you pack up.

The Porter service is available on the Monday to help you carry things too.

Take a family photo just before you leave so you can compare it to one from the start of the weekend and see how tired but happy you all look in a before and after!

If you were drinking alcohol on Sunday night, make sure you are safe to drive before setting off.

Allow your kids time to say goodbye to their new friends, and exchange contact details so you can stay in touch.

Make sure you pick up your free copy of the group photo as a memento of your weekend.

Here are some top tips we’ve collected from families over the years;

“Make sure to have fun yourself; it's not all about the kids!”

“Try to use technology as little as possible; having a few days away from screens can be incredibly nourishing for the soul“

“Normal bedtimes are going to go out the window this weekend, but the campsite is generally quiet by 22:30 for a decent night's rest”

“Keep everything you need in your daypacks during the day, then in the evenings you can create more of a ‘base’ near the stages and the kids can nap or play whilst you have a dance”

“Talk to new people. Everyone is there for the same reasons and shares the Wildkind values. Leaving with new friends is one of the best elements of the experience”

“Grab some souvenirs from the Wildkind stores; you’re kids won’t take their Patrol T-shirts off for months!”

“Using the showers and visiting food villages outside of peak hours can save on queueing time”

“Keep some toilet roll and hand gel with you at all times just in case the toilets run out (if they have just tell a member of the team and they will be refilled)”

“If it rains; embrace it. There are lots of sheltered places onsite to carry on the fun”

“Dress for the weather, doesn't matter how awesome your outfit is if you're too hot or cold to feel comfortable!”

“Utilise the drop-in activities to fill any spare gaps in your day and keep the kids occupied”

“Take some time to appreciate the natural beauty of the location, there are rare pine trees from all over the world and some of them are over 200 years old!”

“Be open to trying new things and getting involved in things you wouldn’t normally consider”

“If you get any spare time; take a wander around the activities to see what they're like so you know what you might like to try next year”

We will keep you updated via email (and SMS where possible) with key information such as Enrolment opening.

If you have any questions or need any support don’t hesitate to ask one of our team; we are here to help with whatever you need!

In advance of arriving, the best way to contact us is using the webchat in the bottom right corner of our website.

Once you have arrived the best option is to head to one of the information cabins, who can help with anything, including making changes to your activity enrolment and booking you into the spa etc.

You can extend the magical afterglow of Camp Kindling (and fend off the post festival blues) by doing simple activities to relive the experience.

We will release official photo albums and videos in the 6 weeks following the event; see if you can spot yourselves and if you like a photo get it printed and framed.

Search for #campkindling on socials to see how other families experienced the weekend and to share your stories!

Keep in touch with the new friends you met via social media or by becoming pen friends!

Make a scrapbook or collage picture with your photos, wristbands, neckers, patches and anything else you collected at the event.

Stick your group photo on the fridge and make sure you utilise your exclusive Veteran Tickets access to make huge savings on returning for next year (they are only available for a short time)!

There are bound to be highs and lows whenever you are pushing your boundaries, but we guarantee that at the end of the weekend you'll have giant smiles on your faces and feel closer than ever.

These could be the outstanding memories of your kids' formative years. Allow yourself to live it fully with them and take in the special moments together.

You’ve got this!