Ticket holders for the Olympic and Paralympics events have to adhere to many rules and regulations. With each ticket holder having to go through security, not being aware of what you can and can’t bring before arriving at the arena may lead to long delays and queues.

Here are the basics of what you need to know.

Update: The first event of the 2012 Olympic games saw excessive queues and delayed entry to the football event at the Millennium Stadium for many spectators as many fans brought big/too many bags. The Olympic organisers wish to remind visitors that they must adhere to the recommended baggage allowance for smooth security checks at each venue (see point 1 and 2).

• What can I bring to the Olympics?
• Prohibited items
• Restricted items
• Olympics family tips

What can I bring to the Olympics?

1. Each ticket holder is allowed to bring only one medium-sized soft sided backpack. The bag must be able to fit under your seat or on your lap. A 25 litre capacity bag is the limit.
2. If you’re attending a football event – bringing no bag is strongly recommended and will reduce queuing times. If you bring a bag to a football event your entry will be delayed and you may miss the beginning of your event.
3. If your baby is under six months, he/she can come into the venue with no ticket providing you are carrying him/her in a sling, baby carrier, papoose or similar. This policy applies to all London 2012 venues except the following — Wembley Stadium
   - St James’ Park
   - Old Trafford
   - North Greenwich Arena
4. Baby food, baby milk and sterilised water are allowed into venues but must be carried in containers with a maximum capacity of 1 litre per baby. You may be asked to verify baby food by tasting it.Examples include soya milk, sterilised water, formula, breast milk or cow milk specifically for babies and baby food of various consistencies.
5. Baby changing facilities can be found inside every venue. If catering staff have suitable equipment to perform bottle warming safely, they will assist.
6. bring appropriate clothing for both you and your children – sun cream can only be brought in if a bottle under 100ml
7. Only cash and VISA branded card will be accepted in the Olympic venues and all cash machines nearby will only take VISA cards
8. Pushchairs, waterbottles, clothing in which the “manufacturer identification is larger than 12cm” are all also banned so cover up any logos before arriving
9. If you bring empty water bottles in your bag for you and your little ones, you can fill them up inside for free and avoid costs of £1.60 per bottle

Prohibited items

1. Liquids, aerosols and gels in quantities larger than 100ml
2. Alcohol
3. Tents, placards and spray paints
4. Glass bottles larger than 100ml (excluding medication)
5. Walkie-talkies, phone jammers and radio scanners
6. Personal/private wireless access points and 3G hubs
7. Laser pointers and strobe lights
8. Items too large to be electronically screened
9. Bicycles, folding bikes, roller-skates and skateboards
10. Pets or animals (excluding service animals)
11. All types of knives and bladed items, including pocket knives and knives carried as part of cultural dress (excluding the Sikh article of faith kirpan/ceremonial dagger
12. Offensive weapons or implements such as bayonets, flick knives, extendable batons, sharpened combs, modified belt buckles and loose blades modified into weapons
13. Personal protection sprays such as CS or pepper sprays
14. Firearms and ammunition
15. Fireworks, explosives, flares and smoke canisters
16. Hazardous and toxic materials
17. Controlled drugs, including substances which look like controlled drugs
18. Items that resemble prohibited items such as replica guns or hoax explosive devices

Restricted items

1. Large flags (bigger than 1×2 meters), banners and poles
2. Oversized hats
3. Large golf-style umbrellas
4. Large photographic and broadcast equipment over 30cm in length, including tripods and monopods. You cannot use photographic or broadcast equipment for commercial purposes unless you hold media accreditation
5. Excessive amounts of food
6. Balls, rackets, frisbees or similar objects or projectiles
7. Noisemakers such as hunting horns, air horns, klaxons, drums, vuvuzelas and whistles
8. Any objects or clothing bearing political statements or overt commercial identification intended for ‘ambush marketing’
9. Flags of countries not participating in the Games (this excludes the flags of nations under the umbrella
   of a participating country such as England, Scotland and Wales)

Olympic family tips

• If in doubt, seek out the volunteers on hand to point the way and answer your questions.
• Visit the riverisde garden in the centre of the Olympic Park. People with park-only access tickets and families gather here because there is plenty of green space to relax in.
• If you have a noisy baby / toddler visit a noisy venue where the crowds are noisy too. The precision events such as diving are very quiet. Team sports tend to be noisy.
• Bring pens and paper if you want to take notes. Souvenir programmes are £10 and daily programmes are £5.
• Take empty bottles to fill up with water from the fountains once you get in.
• There are zil lanes for buggies to prevent queues and keep people flowing through the park.
• Give your self plenty of time to get across the Park if you are visiting different venues.
• Its the United Kingdom and when the rain falls it can be heavy. Take a light brolly, sun screen (less than 200ml) a light mac and empty water bottles.

Photography: Jon Candy @Flickr

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If you’re lucky enough to have tickets for the Olympics, read these tips to make sure your little ones are kept safe at the events.