BEING a parent with a young child can inadvertently turn you into a recluse.

Going out as a family with all your baby stuff requires planning with military precision while going out as a couple comes with all the technicalities of having a babysitter.

Nothing is simple so sometimes you might not bother.

That is why events like Geronimo at Tatton Park are so well received.

The festival, the first of its kind, was held over the bank holiday weekend and was exclusively for families with children under 12.

One of the conditions of entry is that all adults must be accompanied by a child.

So the beauty of the festival is that everyone is in the same boat and everything is geared up to make it as fun for the kids and as easy for the parents and grandparents as possible.

Imagine Glastonbury but with all the musicians replaced with CBeebies stars and you should have a pretty good idea.

We visited with another couple on Saturday. We both have toddlers who are about 20 months old so the zip slide was out and short attention spans meant we did not see much of the shows.

But the best thing about the festival was wandering around the various 'zones' and discovering things as we went along.

Dance troupes gave impromptu performances, a comedy duo were mucking around with a rope reel and people were walking around with giant butterfly wings.

The site was well thought out and was a reminder how vast Tatton Park is.

Some of the trees on the border were used for den-making and the kids had fun in the teepees.

The 'inflatable village' did not live up to expectations though as it was just a series of regular bouncy castles.

We also enjoyed soft play, a taster session at Tumble Tots, Punch and Judy, Brio wooden train sets and taking a swing in the hammocks.

But the highlight for our son was the donkey and pony rides while for us the sheep shearing demonstration in 'The Pasture' was lively and informative.

Festival goers would all have had different experiences depending on the age of their kids but for us it was a hit. especially with the sun shining.

The facilities deserve a mention too with a clean, well supplied, baby changing area in a luxury bell tent and when our son was napping we even had the chance to have a real ale from a London bus-style bar.

And the day ended in style with a vivid parade.

DAVID MORGAN