April 2019 | Coombe Mill New

The Coombe Mill Easter Egg Hunt is one of the big events of the year here on the farm. Reserved especially for guests staying on Easter Sunday, it is a little chocolately fun the kids adore. It takes some careful planning to set it up without anyone seeing and much finger crossing for half an hour of favourable weather to make it enjoyable. I thought last year was good, but this year we succeeded on every level.

The morning starts early for me placing my premade the clues around the length of Coombe Mill at strategic points including popular play areas the children will guess. By the time we greet the guests for the 9am animals feeding, the clues are hidden and the eggs divided into bags for Clio to hide while we are on the farm.

Easter Day Animal Feed Run

We had the most amazing weather with the first heat wave of the year for Easter. All the children were soon excited by the farm, our new born lambs and driving the tractor. There is even the fun of Cadbury Crème Eggs laid by our Chickens on Easter Sunday!

Easter Egg Hunt Rules

By the time the tractor came home I was worried the eggs Clio had hidden could be melting as the heat was really beginning to break through. We agreed a quick 10 minute comfort break before meeting back for the Easter Egg Hunt. I made a hurried change into my DIY Easter Bunny outfit, added some bunny make up before heading back out to explain the rules and start the hunt with the first clue.

No pushing.
Let younger children have a head start.
No grabbing all the eggs, be considerate and share.
Search for the next clue at each stop and bring to me to read for everyone.
No running ahead and skipping / second guessing where the trail will go.

Let the Heat wave Easter Egg Hunt Begin!

As I read out the first clue the children were super excited guessing my first clue of “Ahoy Maties come and see, what treasures you can find on me” as the pirate ship play boat. They raced ahead and scoured the ship from top to bottom to start their egg collection.

The next two clues led them round the train routs and onto the Den building zone.

From here we skipped off to my favourite ‘the fairy garden’ where there are so many lovely places to hide sparkly eggs amidst the trinkets.

A rush along the lodge path via the Games room took the children to the kindness trail and on down to the end play area for their last clue.

I do like to finish at a play area as it is a great way for the kids to hang around and play, whilst munching on their haul. It made a full morning’s entertainment with the feed run as well and a lovely start to the holiday for all our guests. A Heat wave Easter morning no one will forget.

Our 2019 Heat Wave Easter Egg Hunt

You won’t be surprised to hear we are already taking bookings for Easter week 2020. We’d love you to join us if you can!

For nature and animal lovers the new book from Quarto Kids is simply a must. Sounds of Nature: World of Forests explores 10 different forests across the world, each on a double page spread. Packed with interesting facts and information, the book can’t fail to delight. The interactive sounds really bring each forest to life for the reader. Read on to discover more about the book and for your chance to win a copy here with us.

More about Sounds of Nature: World of forests

The clever sound system to play on each page keeps the reader matching each sound to an animal following the number guide. The deciduous forest of the New Forest in the UK will be the most familiar to most with easily identifiable animal sounds, however even here there are some surprising facts to learn. Did you know there are wild pigs in the forest to eat the fallen acorns and other nuts that might otherwise be poisonous to the grazing ponies and cows? We know how much Sally, our holiday farm pig, loves the fallen acorns here.

Move away from familiar territory, especially outside of Europe, and the sounds of the forest become more mysterious and intriguing. We enjoyed the sounds from the Boreal forest, Mangrove Forest and Desert forest. Though our Alpaca at Coombe Mill are camelids and sound rather like the Dromedary camel of the desert forest.

What we love

Interactive sound system with number guide to match each animal with its sound.
Colourful illustrations which build the forest scene.
Informative facts for each animal
Quick paragraph detailing each forest habitat
Education made fun

Video of Sounds of Nature: World of Forests.

Need to Know

RSP	£14.99
Age Range	5-7 years
Illustrator	Robert Frank Hunter
Book format	Hardback 24 pages Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 0.6 x 12.4 inches
Publisher	Wide eyed Editions (Quarto)
ISBN-10: ISBN-13:	1786033275 978-1786033277
Stockists	Quarto Kids online, Amazon,
Sound System	Comes with 3 AG-13button cell batteries (3*1.5v = 4.5v) replace with similar.

Win your copy of Nature: World of Forests with Quarto and Coombe Mill

For your chance to WIN a copy of this lovely book with sounds simply follow the instructions below. Good luck to all taking part.

Sounds of Nature World of Forests

Disclosure

We were sent our copy of Sounds of Nature: World of Forests for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. A copy of the book can be found in the Coombe Mill Games Room for our holiday guests to borrow.

Easter Holidays bring Easter crafts. Here on the farm the weather has been dry and sunny inspiring plenty of fun on the farm and friendship building. We have been rounding off the Easter weeks with a lovely nature inspired outdoor Easter card and decorative log craft session.

Setting the challenge

It is always a joy to be able to set up outdoors in the sunshine for our craft session. I was soon joined by some eager crafters keen to discover what we would be making. I showed them my example Easter card and Decorative log pointing out that none of the things to make theirs were in sight. This had them a little confused, until I handed out a list of things for them to go and find for themselves in the fairy gardens.

They didn’t need telling twice and raced off with their lists in search of all the things they would need. There was quite a few items to collect and it kept them busy hunting.

Easter Decorative Log Craft

Once back at the craft table, the children set straight to work on their log craft. In anticipation of a large group I had a big tub of flour and water paste ready for them to all dig in and start designing. I love the creativity that emerged, they may have taken inspiration from my log, but they certainly added their own Easter design and took an enormous amount of pride in their creation.

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Easter Cards

As the finishing touches were added to the decorative logs I began to explain how to twist the wool around their Easter card frame.

Next they scoured the surrounding field for pretty spring flowers and leaves to weave into the frame. Finally they opened their cards to write and draw their chosen Easter Messages.

A treat from the Easter Bunny

They were some delightful results with both the Easter cards and decorative logs. With so many attending I was glad I had prepared well with all the basic elements, leaving the children with the creative finding and decorating. I know from our Christmas Logs and Halloween Logs just how much time they can take. There was just one final treat, the Easter Bunny had revisited the Fairy Garden while the children were working and hidden some little chocolate bunnies for them to find.

See how we made both crafts on Video

Don’t you just love spring? The countryside is transformed as hedgerows come to life in vibrant greens and colourful flowers. Here on the farm uplifting change comes not only from the trees and meadows but also from new life. There is something quite magical about the first spring lambs, little piglets and kid goats. However alongside our farm animals, wildlife is responding to the spring conditions too. Imagine our surprise and delight when Farmer Nick discovered a perfect little robin’s nest hidden in a cunning location within his shed. We have watched from eggs through to baby robins flying the nest.

A safe nesting spot

If finding the perfect home preoccupies us as humans, imagine how important it must be in the wild. One clever little robin opted for the middle tray in Farmer Nick’s nuts and bolts collection. We were quite oblivious to this homemaking until Farmer Nick pulled out the draw in search of a 2 inch screw only to find the most perfect nest, Mummy Robin and a clutch of eggs sitting in there. She must have taken a liking to Cornwall’s Pirate fm radio, which is always on in there, or more realistically the dry windproof conditions!

They could be Cadbury Mini Cream Eggs.

The little robin eggs really do remind me of Cadbury Mini Eggs in looks and size. I popped my ring in next to them just to show how little they are. It has given me some wonderful inspiration for my Easter crafts with the holiday makers this year!

Newly hatched baby robins

Mummy Robin continued to sit on her clutch of eggs and listen to the radio as Farmer Nick pottered about his business, until he noticed she was flying in and out more often. A closer inspection revealed 5 perfect little baby robins all reaching up for food. No wonder she had been flying in and out.

Nature is harsh

Sadly within the week, despite her cunning nesting location, there were just two baby robins in the nest. Nature can be harsh, but looking at how they fill the little nest I can’t imagine there being space for more. Curiously made me research this, according to the RSPB website site only around 57% of a clutch will make it to fledgling chicks, so our Mummy is typical after all.

Almost ready to fly

The two survivors gradually put on weight; we watched their wings grow in preparation to fly the nest.

Farmer Nick get’s his screws back.

They have now flown the nest and Farmer Nick can reach his precious screw collection again. If you wanting encourage nesting birds, recommend a trip to a DIY store for these organisational trays and a nice sheltered spot in a shed or garden to attach them!

We all know kids are a source of creativity and imagination. Without the wisdom and experience of life the world is full of possibilities. Lonely Planet kids aims to fuel this creativity and expand young minds with their fun to create themed sticker world books. We have looked before at Sticker World Zoo, Museum, Theme Park and know how much fun they are. Imagine my delight in discovering there is now Sticker World Farm! This is an opportunity for kids to create their very own farm just as they want it. Farmer Nick watch out, there could be some little experts joining you soon full of farming ideas! Alongside Sticker World Farm, in the new series there is Sticker World Castle and Airport. We have all 3 to giveaway to one lucky winner. Read on to discover more about the range and for your chance to win.

More about Sticker World Farm, Castle and Airport

Create your own farm or airport or restore your own castle. The books guide you through the process giving just enough information to keep ideas realistic, yet allowing creative minds to flourish. With over 500 stickers in each book there is no shortage of options to make your farm, airport or castle bespoke. Create a map, choose your crops or animals, design your coat of armour or create a colourful luggage tag. Each book is packed with information and challenges making learning fun and creative.