When somebody says the word "festival", what is the first thing you think of? A big muddy mess of a field? Those festival hats that were oh-so popular with indie bands in the 1990s? Or maybe it's the feeling of waking up somewhere and not really knowing how you got there.

We've all been there in our youth. Many years ago. Way before we succumbed to old age and settled down and had a family. Ahhhh, the good old days, right?

Well, times have changed slightly since we were young. Festivals aren't scary hubs of teenage debauchery anymore and they can actually be quite a cool place to take the family.

Facilities are better and cleaner than ever before and there are dedicated areas for children. Many sites also provide quiet corners where mum can breast feed and now, bookable accommodation is available as well.

A common misconception about the festival is the variety of entertainment available. It's not just about the music anymore, there's so much more to see and do at today's festival. Performers of all shapes and sizes are scattered across the sites, including circus acts and extreme skateboarding displays.

Personally, I would be more than happy wandering between the different stages and enjoying the likes of Foals, Hot Chip and LCD Soundsystem, but with kids in tow, it would be selfish not to think about their needs as well. And at today's Glastonbury and tomorrow's Bestival, there's so much to do that you could easily forget about the music side of things altogether in favour of the fun and games offered to youngsters.

I am yet to taste a festival as a family man, but it's something I am very much looking forward to. I have two children; Stanley, aged four, and Emmerson, seven months.

For our first festival we are going to stay local. That leaves two main events to choose from: Lounge on the Farm in Canterbury and the Hop Farm Festival in Paddock Wood, both in Kent. 2 Many DJs are playing at the latter and it's probably the best chance I am going to get to see them this year so I think we'll head there for the first weekend in July.

Am I worried about taking the children? Not in the slightest. I have done my research and found there's enough entertainment to keep both boys interested all weekend. And if I remember correctly, the festival atmosphere is one of the most relaxed and friendly places on earth.

I look forward to broadening my children's experiences and who knows, if it goes well, we might end up at one of the bigger events in 2010. I hear that Barcelona's Benicassim is a good one.

Here are my top ten family festivals in 2009

Hop Farm Festival
Paddock Wood, Kent
4-5 July, 2009
Paul Weller, Editors, Doves, Echo, 2Many DJs, Scratch Perverts, The Mystery Jets, The View, The Fratellis
www.hopfarmfestival.com

Lounge on the Farm
Canterbury, Kent
10-12 July, 2009
Mr Scruff, DJ Format, DJ Food & DK, Edwin Collins, Cage the Elephant
www.loungeonthefarm.co.uk

Bestival
Isle of Wight
5-7 September, 2009
Massive Attack, Lily Allen, Kraftwerk, Doves, Bat For Lashes
www.bestival.net

The Cropredy Convention
Cropredy, Oxfordshire
13-15 August, 2009
Steve Winwood, Buzzcocks, Richard Thompson, Fairport Convention
www.fairportconvention.com

Cornbury
Cornbury, Oxfordshire
11-12 July, 2009
Scouting for Girls, Sugababes, The Magic Numbers, The Pretenders
www.cornburyfestival.com

Latitude
Henham Park, Southwold, Suffolk
16-19 July, 2009
Pet Shop Boys, Nick Cave, Doves, Gossip, Regina Spektor
www.latitudefestival.co.uk

The Big Chill Festival
Eastnor Castle, Hertfordshire
7-9 August, 2009
Orbital, Basement Jaxx, Norman Jay
www.bigchill.net

Camp Bestival
Lulworth Castle, Dorset
24-26 July, 2009
PJ Harvey, Will Young, Florence and the Machine, Mercury Rev, Dan Black
www.campbestival.co.uk

The Secret Garden Party
Huntington, Cambridge
23-26 July, 2009
Jarvis Cocker, The Holloways, Dan Brown, Rodrigo Y Gabriela
www.secretgardenparty.com

The Wicker Man Festival
East Kirkcarswell, Scotland
24-25 July, 2009
The Human League, The Zutons, Idlewild, Billy Bragg
www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk