Festival season is almost upon us once more and their are more family friendly festivals than ever before meaning that taking the kids does not have to be a painful experience with face-painting and ’boutique babysitters’ all part of the equation.

There are so many new festivals popping up but the ones mumzine are eyeing up are:

Alex James presents Harvest Food and Music Festival (19-12 September)

Line-up: KT Tunstall, Fat Freddy’s Drop, The Feeling and Gilles Peterson.

Family fun: Lot’s of it, amongst other things they have Holland Park’s operatic adaptation of Road Dahl’s classic Fantastic Mr Fox, Charlie and Lola and kid’s cooking classes. Also has babysitting service.

Food: Alex James has carved out a name for himself in food so you can expect this to be laden with treats.  If your a foodie this could be for you as comes with packed with chefs including Sir Hugh.  Yotam Ottolenghi and critic Jay Rayner as well as farmers markets, master classes and much more.  I am already salivating.

Price: Basic package for family weekend camping £290.

Camp Bestival (28-31 July)

Line Up: Includes Blondie, Eliza Doolittle and Katy B, Primal Scream and Mark Ronson, plus an entire line-up for children.

Family Fun:  There are ballet workshops from the English National Ballet, face-painting and arts and craft tents — plus a Britain’s Got Talent-style talent show, Shrek the Musical and Peppa Pig, as well as a fairground and Zippo’s Circus.

Food:  This is the Isle of Wight Festival’s younger, smaller and better mannered relative. Set in a 17th-century former hunting lodge, the organisers have lined up a real ale festival and pop-up restaurants.

The cost: Weekend tickets (including camping) priced at £170 for adults and £85 for children aged 11 to 17. Under-tens are free, but must apply for a ticket.

The Big Chill (4-7 August)

Line Up:  Headliners Kanye West and The Chemical Brothers are on the big stage.

Family Fun:  This year sees the first Little Chill — a festival-within-a festival designed to keep the little ones entertained with a circus tent, funfair, fancy dress and midnight movies.  Look out for the special secure ‘green campsite’, for families with children under 15, located right next to the kids’ area.

Food:  Wouldn’t say this is a foodies paradise but there is plenty of options and you can guzzle in perfect surroundings, sipping Fairtrade tea and organic hot chocolate.

Cost:  Weekend tickets (including camping) cost £165 per adult, £85 per child (aged 13 to 15), plus £5 for under 12s.

Vintage At Goodwood (TBA)

Family Fun:  Promising to celebrate 5 decades of cool and sounds great fun – the family-friendly vibe comes with the plethora of classic toys and games on display, lots of hands-on creative activities, and a few old school favourites like Space Hoppers and Space Invaders. Plus a Butlins holiday camp with Red Coats on hand to serve up campsite fun from its heyday!

Food:  On-site accommodation available from glamping and including chefs who will cook you breakfast with organic produce from The Goodwood Estate.

Line Up:  The brainchild of Red of Dead’s Wayne Hemingway and Lord March, it’s an extravaganza of creative British cool from 5 decades from the 40′s to the 80′s featuring top DJs, bands, collectors, lots of cool vintage retailers selling from each decade

Cost: Ticket details TBC

And the newcomer that is getting us packing up our tent is the fab sounding Wilderness (August 12-14)

Family fun:  Wilderness is brand new and promising to bring together art, music, theatre and food. Wilderness have put family activities are at the heart of the festival with a dedicated children’s area, that they promise will enchant, entertain and educate children across the weekend.  Plus baby sitting on offer so parents can have some time off to enjoy what’s on hands-free.

Food:  YUM! Michelin-starred Skye Gyngell from Petersham Nurseries Café, Sam and Sam Clark from Moro restaurant.

Line Up:  Not the usual festival fare but loads of interesting bootique stuff to see like The Old Vic Tunnels, Antony and the Johnsons and Heritage Orchestra, Laura Marling, Daniel Johnston, The Low Anthem, Intelligence Squared, The Idler, The Wilderness Spa, boutique camping plus much more.

Cost:  £250.00 for Early Bird family ticket (two adults, two children) and children aged 10 years and younger go free.