Choosing and Securing the Right Patch of Ground

Before a single toy comes out of the van, walk the site with fresh eyes. You want a flat, well-drained patch, ideally on higher ground, set back from the main stage so the bass isn't rumbling through the mats at bedtime. Being near accessible toilets is handy; being right next to them is not. Aim for a spot that families can find easily but that isn't a through-route for the rest of the festival.

Fencing does the heavy lifting. Rigid mesh panels around 1.2 metres high, properly braced, with a single entry point and a double-gate arrangement so a child can't slip out the moment a parent turns to leave. Keep the perimeter clear: no guy ropes, no tent pegs, no climbable frames within two metres of the fence line. Protect play zones with rubber matting rather than loose bark, and do a litter sweep every morning before opening. Glass, stray pegs and sharp stones are the three things that ruin a day fastest.

Shade, Shelter and the Scottish Weather

It's tempting to think shade is a July problem. In Scotland, a hot afternoon in a field with no cover is just as uncomfortable as horizontal rain, and young children overheat quickly. Use shade netting rated for UV, and make sure at least one covered zone stays open-sided for airflow rather than sealed up like a tent.

Wind is the real threat. Weight gazebo legs with 20 to 25 kilogrammes each, or use water barrels and sandbags, and never rely on guy ropes inside a child area. Angle roofs so rainwater runs away from the play space, and keep roll-down panels on hand for driving rain. Midges deserve a plan too: fine mesh screens on the quiet area, head nets for older children, and repellent applied by parents at drop-off rather than by staff.

Hand-Washing, Nappies and Hygiene

Festival sites are muddy, dusty and full of animals, so hand hygiene is non-negotiable. Provide a wash station roughly per ten to twelve children, with warm water, liquid soap and paper towels. Foot-operated or lever taps reduce contact, and waste water must go into a holding tank, never onto the grass, as most event licences prohibit grey water discharge.

• Hands washed before snacks, after the toilet and after any animal petting.
• A screened nappy-changing area well away from food preparation, with a wipe-clean mat, gloves and nappy sacks that are double-bagged.
• Bins emptied at least every session, more often in warm weather.
• A spill kit, a cleaning rota and a daily check of any sandpit or water tray.

Keep the changing area stocked and checked hourly. Nothing slows a drop-off queue like a missing pack of wipes at 10am.

Registration, Wristbands and Collection

Mobile signal at festivals is unreliable, so run a paper registration card system alongside any digital list. Print your backup. Every child gets a wristband with a unique number, and the parent or carer gets the matching band. Write the child's name on theirs and make sure it can't be pulled off easily.

Record authorised collectors, a password and a photograph at sign-in. Children are signed in and out by name, never waved through, and anyone new on the collection list gets photo ID checked. Follow Scottish ratios as a minimum: one adult to three children under two, one to five for two and three year olds, and one to eight for three to five year olds. Add a floater at peak drop-off times. Every member of staff should be PVG checked and at least one paediatric first aider should be on shift at all times, with no adult ever left alone with a group.

Quiet Corners and All-Day Comfort

A creche at a festival has to work for eight or nine hours, not two. Plan for naps, overwhelm and hungry patches. A buggy park with labelled spaces, a shoe rack and a row of hooks for waterproofs keeps the entrance manageable and stops wet gear being tramped through the play area.

• Soft matting and a darkened corner with clean sheets for sleepers, checked every ten minutes.
• A labelled water bottle for every child and a snack routine that respects allergy lists displayed on the wall.
• Spare clothes in named bags, because someone will always end up in a puddle.
• A low-noise sensory zone with cushions and simple toys for children who need to come down from the excitement.

If you can't hear a child at arm's length, the quiet zone is too close to the stage. Move it, or add screening.

Working With the Festival Site Team

Get to know event control before the gates open. Share your risk assessment, confirm fire lanes stay clear, and identify two exits plus an evacuation assembly point. Walk the route with your team so nobody is guessing in an emergency. Swap mobile numbers with medical and security, agree a radio channel, and check wind speed forecasts each morning, because gazebos come down in gusts and children should be moved before that point.

Keep a written incident log, confirm public liability cover is in place, and brief staff daily on weather, numbers and any child with additional needs. A well-run creche is quiet, calm and slightly boring in the best possible way, and that only comes from doing the groundwork before the first family arrives.