Kids Zone

Kids Zone
28/29/30th July 2000

The Kids Zone at this years Guildford Festival was very good with numerous toys and things to do that would entertain children of any age. A small area had been cordoned off for the children near the Aladdin's Cave stage, beyond the market. It was well decorated and provided some shade for little one's from the hot sun.

There were toys scattered about in a shady area for under-5's including a sand pit and music making space. Children could use batons to hit bells, cymbals, tubular bells and a xylophone, all placed on a big structure for their pleasure. There was also a paddling pool (a little unsafe perhaps?) and brilliant water sprayer that the children spent hours enjoying in the heat.

Older children were entertained in a large open-sided tent by clowns, performers and belly dancers! These entertainers continued to thrill crowds throughout the kids area as they strolled around the field with jokes and laughs. The clowns were walking around with a 'chair of nails' on which they were getting people to sit. This caused much hilarity from children and adults alike.

The tented area also provided older children with a challenge with a trapeze and tight rope for them to try. This was very popular and the children patiently queued for their turn. Other circus skills were to be learnt throughout the kids area as diablo's, stilts, juggling bean bags etc. were simply laid out all over the field for people to have a go. Children enjoyed this thoroughly, as did the adults.

One part of the children's field was dedicated to 'make it' things where children could make and paint crafts. This was particularly successful on Sunday when the children made lovely tall sticks decorated with ribbons to use in a parade. The parade consisted of a drumming band going round the site with lots of stilt walkers including a wonderful blue stilt dragon. The obligatory face-painting in the kids area meant that the kids in the parade were fantastically decorated too.

Over half the area dedicated to kids was taken up with fair rides - particularly aimed at children. These were a little annoying as they were costly at £1 a time for most rides. The bouncy castle cost 50p, which was a better deal, but still the cost of it all confused the kids and irritated parents who had come to the area to relax for a while. The placing of a healing and massage tent in the middle of the kids field, next to the huge bouncy slide seemed rather strange too.

Overall the kids area at Guildford was good - it's smashing that the children are provided for. It is small and the fair rides were annoying, but the children had a great time. In such a family oriented festival the provision for kids seemed particularly relevant.