It was during Bad Blood that I realised that my daughter was experiencing one of her first core memories. As streams of fire shot up around Taylor Swift, she turned to look at me, eyes wide as saucers, mouth agog like a cartoon character. She couldn’t believe that you could literally feel the heat across the 89,000 people who’d flocked to Wembley Stadium for the hottest concert of the summer – quite literally.
For years now, my daughter and I have listened to Taylor Swift songs together. We blast out the lyrics to ‘You Belong With Me’, discuss the verse, chorus, verse, verse, chorus structure of ‘Fearless’ and she tells me off when I refuse to fast forward ‘The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived’ despite the swear words. So, when I was invited to one of the London dates for Taylor Swift’s tour, there was only ever one person I wanted to take. And I wasn’t the only one. Looking around Wembley Stadium I saw countless similar iterations as mothers and daughters sang, danced and sobbed together – united in their love of an artist who has transcended generations with her clever mixture of angst and positivity.
‘It was a very unique experience because Taylor is so positive and uplighting,’ says designer Savannah Miller, who also loved being able to take her kids to the London Eras tour. ‘For a small person to see somebody so – and I say this in inverted commas - "normal" being that open and receptive to joy is really powerful. It was profoundly moving for all of us to feel that collective euphoria.’
But, for a three-and-a-bit hour show that’s also become famous for adults wearing nappies to avoid loo breaks, it can also be an overwhelming experience for kids. So, like anything in the parenting world, it’s worth preparing for.
If you’re lucky enough to have scored tickets for her remaining dates on the Era’s tour here are some tips to think about...
You’ll need to buy a friendship bracelet kit now
Sure you’ve probably got a few half used friendship bracelet kits floating around your kids’ bedroom, but have you got enough left to create the Taylor Swift lyrics you all love? If not, stock up and set aside a few nights where patience and precision will be required. ‘My child spent the entire weekend making bracelets, so she turned up with her whole arms covered in bracelets,’ says Miller. I can verify; most adults, let alone kids, had stacks of them. Still, forewarn your kids that swapping them is all part of the experience and work out which they’re prepared to give away. When I traded LOML for MIDNIGHT, I was in big trouble.
If you’re not wearing sequins, you’ll stick out!
Sequins don’t have the best reputation for being eco, we know, but the sequin dress code has taken off. So if you’re not wearing them, you’ll be in the minority. I decided to see the positive in this and dig out the Arket sequin dress my daughter got for Christmas and give it another outing. But there are loads of sequin pieces on sale from the festive period, like this John Lewis dress, H&M skirt and Next number, if you do want to buy something new.
Taylor Swift kids outfit ideas
1 of 3John Lewis Kids' Sequin Ombre Dress
2 of 3Next Sequin Sparkle Party Dress
3 of 3H&M Sequined skirt
For more outfit ideas, here’s our fashion team’s best round up of what to wear.
Plan your timings
With two support acts, on weekday nights Taylor Swift usually comes on stage at 7.15pm. But on Sunday night at Wembley, she was on at 6.30pm to allow people to get home safely after the 3-and-a-half-hour gig. So, plan your arrival time so you have time to get there calmly and soak up the sequin-filled atmosphere.
Eat beforehand
Journalist Alison Perry, who creates brilliant parenting content on her Instagram @iamalisonperry, cautions that her kids weren’t a huge fan of the food in the stadium. ‘They don’t let you take food in and the options are limited. I found myself scraping off hot dogs covered in garlic, mayo and onions with a tissue, proper mum style,’ she says, wisely advising you make a day of it and head to the stadium early to eat beforehand. Note too, that metal water bottles aren’t allowed in most stadiums either so you’ll have to check them in or chuck them – neither of which are great options.
Bring ear defenders just in case
The NHS recommends ear defenders for young children who’ll be exposed to loud noises and kids who may feel scared or stressed when they experience loud, unexpected sounds. But, as Alison Perry advises, it’s worth taking ear defenders, even if your kid isn’t sensitive. ‘It’s mostly the record-breaking scream that everyone does after Champagne Problems,’ she says. ‘I saw a five-year-old looking a bit distressed as the screams went around the stadium.’
Amazon have a good a selection of ear defenders that’ll arrive quickly.
Consider your exit strategy
Whilst it feels criminal to leave a gig you’ve probably spent a fortune on tickets for, with kids it can be worth it. I studied the set list beforehand and worked out which songs I was willing to skip to avoid the crowds to get home. For me, that point was after Anti-Hero, but each parent will know their kid’s tolerance for crowds and late nights. Saying that, the queues we did find ourselves in for tubes and loos weren’t stressful: the atmosphere was like a hen do but with sequins not shots.
And finally…
One last valid thought from journalist Emily Cronin, who travelled to Stockholm to take her 10-year-old daughter to see Taylor. 'Acknowledge that if you're taking your child, the show has to be about their experience, not yours,' she advises. 'If he needs a wee during your favourite song, you're going to the toilets. If she wants to back away from the stage to a spot where she can dance and sit on the floor (this happened to me, sigh), you're moving back. If they're tired and ready to leave before Karma, don't try to talk them out of it – just be super-positive and supportive and make it an unambiguously great memory.' Wise words....