Posted on June 9th, 2017 - Fiona
Welcome to Country Kids from Coombe Mill
Country Kids is the original outdoor family fun linky designed to:
“Encourage family fun outdoors, in an age where technology and screens are such a draw to a sedentary indoor life”
Welcome back if you are a regular to Country Kids and if you are new please join in. You will find plenty of inspiration for enjoying outdoor space and please do share your own adventures. We support the National Trust #30DaysWild along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Summer days
I hope you have had a good week and managed to dodge the showers. We have been away with our older boys for a few days leaving Farmer Amber in charge of the farm and younger kids. We made the most of the outdoors despite the rain and chillier temperatures and returned just in time to take all the family to the Royal Cornwall Show which is something we all enjoy. I hope to hear about your latest outdoor adventures on the link up below.
Guidelines for Joining in:
- Post must be predominantly outdoors such as in the garden, the park, the woods or the beach with crafting, learning, exploring or playing.
- Despite the title, both countryside and urban outdoor adventures are welcome.
- Unheated covered areas like a barn or tent count as outdoors.
- Please comment on my host post and a minimum of 3 others of your choice.
- If you use #CountryKids when commenting the post owner will know where your found them and hopefully come back to visit your post.
- Please take my badge, without it you won’t be considered for winning the lovely Rockfish Wellies.
- Linked posts should be written and made live within the last 2 months.
- I understand sometimes you need to do catch up posts and write about something from a couple of months ago but the publish date should be within 2 months.
- By joining in with Country Kids you’re giving me permission to email you weekly as a reminder.
- There is no restriction on the number of posts that can be linked up, however please be sensible, if you have more than 3 consider linking over a few weeks.
My top commenters from last week:
- Helena from Queen of Collage who commented on 19 posts.
- Louise from Little Hearts Big Love & Merlinda from Pixiedusk who commented on 15 posts.
- Emma from Bubba Blue and Me who commented on 13 posts.
We have no bloggers link dumping this week, although do remember I comment count on Thursday after lunch so get your comments in before then if you want them to be counted.
Rockfish kindly sponsor Country Kids
Win a pair of wellies from Rockfish Monthly
I am delighted to have Rockfish as the sponsor for Country Kids. Rockfish are a local Cornish company specializing in stylish quality wellingtons for all the family. We have been offering their country wellies in our borrow room here on the farm for over a year and they are always popular for their style, comfort and durability.
Each week my favourite #CountryKids posts, which include my badge or a link back here, will be considered for a free pair of Rockfish Wellies at the end of the month; the perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whatever the weather throws your way. Keep your posts coming, it could be you winning next!
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the June Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter : Helena from Queen of Collage
Kippers and Curtains makes festival going look very appealing with these lovely photos.
Little Steps enjoyed a lovely day out at one of our local beaches.
Country Kids Communities
I’d love you to join me:
Pin on the Pinterest Board Just ask for an invite to pin and include Country Kids on your pins for me to stop by on your boards too.
Follow Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays’s board Country Kids from Coombe Mill on Pinterest.
Join the growing Country Kids Instagram Community with #CountryKidsFun.
I'll like and comment on all and share my favourites from the week with a tag on a Friday on Instagram and Twitter. With over 3800 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @ladybirdsadventures, @cindytrodden, @calana_stud_farm & @kiddiesingermany. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following
Loading InLinkz ...
Posted on June 9th, 2017 - Fiona
I feel like we have been so lucky this year with plenty of dry weather and if you follow my Country Kids posts you could be forgiven for thinking the sun always shines on Coombe Mill. However sadly this isn’t always the case and the rain caught up with us just in time for my life underwater studies. Thankfully it was warm enough to still be outside but due to the frequency of the showers I based our activities under the eaves of the games room. At least water was in the theme for the afternoon.
We began with a gorgeous little mini game I’m reviewing from Orchard Toys at the moment as the children were the perfect age. It is called little bug Bingo and since many of the bugs were to be found on or around our lakes and river it felt like a good link. The children soon picked up the idea of the game taking it in turns to turn over the cards and match them to their place mats.
.
We moved onto a delightful story from Quarto Kids about life under the ocean. The children really took to this with the lift up flaps despite only being in black and white. There was a treat at the end as I handed out colouring pens and every one had a chance to turn the pages from black and white to colour.
We still have tadpoles in huge quantities in our lakes so we had a little look at the Frog life cycle using our bingo matching skills to place the elements of the frog life cycle into place
That was enough studying for my little ones and they were keen to see some real life underwater. In case we couldn’t get out on our underwater search I had brought a bucket of underwater life from the pond up to the table. The children crowded round to look at the tadpoles and water boatman swimming among the reeds in my bucket. After a quick lesson in how to use a magnifying glass they were captivated.
I promised if the rain stopped we could all go to release them and see what else we could spot on the way. However first I had a fun fishing game lined up. A bath mat became my pond with bracken leaves as fish. The children used sticky weed on sticks as fishing lines and had great fun trying to catch a fish. This is such a simple game we have used before and would be ideal to play down at a park or by a river too just by collecting things from nature.
Finally we had our break in the rain and set off with tick sheets showing life underwater in our lake and river. We spotted sticky weed and bracken in the hedges from our fishing game, stopped to look for fish swimming upstream on the bridge over the river and spotted plenty of tadpoles in the lake while I carefully replaced our bucket full.
There were plenty of tadpoles, carp popping to the surface and more bugs on the surface to tick off on our water life spotters worksheets
We came back a different route stopping to check the frog hiding under the bridge.
I was so pleased we were finally able to complete our walk and the children could see the pond life in the lakes and not just in my bucket.
Life Underwater studies for preschool children
Posted on June 5th, 2017 - Fiona
Here at Coombe Mill we love to encourage education that is fun and creative. Our weekly activity hour is based around just this, making the most of the outdoors whilst learning and developing young minds. I have worked with Quarto Kids on many occasions as I know their books are designed to make learning a joy for children. Their nonfiction books always have a clever slant that makes kids want to learn. The latest Lift-The-Flap and colour books have been published in association with the Natural History Museum to inspire young minds about the ocean, jungle, forest and African animals. Each book has 5 scenes to colour and simple facts to read aloud. Lift the flaps on every page to reveal the full story and make learning fun. Read on for your chance to get your hands on a set.
What we thought about the Lift-The-Flap and Colour books
We used the ocean book as part of our water themed activity hour. I first read the story to the children who were all age 2 to 4. It was fast paced enough to capture their imagination
Afterwards they choose which page to colour in together.
The thick black outlines are perfect for little hands just learning dexterity and the art of colouring between the lines and the matt finish is ideal for crayons, felt pens or paint for a careful hand. When the colouring is complete, the black and white pages spring to life.
I’m already lining up a forest themed activity hour with the children here next, taking advantage of animals here on the farm. There is a lovely page about deer which tells you not to go too close, something we are always reminding the children here on the morning tractor rides.
Need to know
| About the Lift-the-flap and colour books | - 5 scenes to read and colour in every book
- Simple facts to accompany every page
- 4 books in the series
|
| Suitable from | age 2+ |
| Retail price | £5.99 |
| Available from | Quarto Knows |
| Illustrated by | Alice Bowsher |
| Published in association with | the Natural History Museum |
Win your Lift-The-Flap and colour books from Quarto Kids and Coombe Mill
If you fancy a set of these delightful colour in books just follow the instructions below. Good luck to all taking part.
Lift-the-Flap and Colour Books from Quarto Kids
Disclosure
We were sent our Natural History Lift-the-flap and colour books for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Posted on June 4th, 2017 - Fiona
Welcome to a new month of Trash 2 Treasure. With summer now well and truly with us, we have been taking advantage of nature for our activity hour here on the farm. From flowers to herbs we have been identifying and creating with plenty of learning for little ones too. Below is our DIY cereal box herb worksheets. However my post this month takes advantage of the collection of vintage tea cups and saucers we were given. Whether you are sewing, crafting, cooking or sawing I love to see all your upcycled ideas.
Joining in with Trash 2 Treasure
- Trash 2 Treasure is all about upcycling. Posts should be about making something foraged from nature, household throw away items or low value items you have added value to.
- Posts can take any form, all that matters is that the item made has primarily been upcycled. Whether you cook, sew, make or create I’d love you to join me.
- The linky will run on the 1st Monday of every month and stay open for the full month.
- There is no post limit as the link up is open all month.
- Old posts and new posts welcome.
- Please comment on my host post and at least 2 others and use #Trash2Treasure in the sign off so other’s know where you came from and can pop back to see what you have made too.
- Do remember to pop back during the month to check on later posts linked up. I will share linked posts during the month as a reminder to pop back and as a thank you for joining in.
- Please add my Trash 2 Treasure badge to help others find the link up and to be in with a chance of winning the lovely Duck Tape Colours (see below).
Most of my Trash 2 Treasure tutorials will come from fun keepsakes we have made with the children in our farm activity hour, but sometimes I share bigger upcycling projects from the farm too. I hope through the linky to acquire some new ideas from you.
A little extra from the awesome folk at Duck Tape Colours
Trash to Treasure is sponsored by Duck Tape Colours, makers of colourful tape to add pattern and sparkle to all your upcycling projects. My favourite upcycling post each month will receive 3 colourful rolls of tape to inspire their next project (UK delivery only). Do check out the website for plenty of creative ideas.
|
Congratulations to Fiona from Saw it, Pinned it, Did it who is my chosen post for May with this lovely post about turning a sheet into a pretty lampshade cover. |
 |
Trash 2 Treasure Communities
Please use the hashtag #Trash2Treasure for your makes, I’ll find you and promote your post or picture on
If you link up below to Trash 2 Treasure March I’ll also send you an invite to pin on the Trash 2 Treasure Pinterest board
Please grab the badge and join the #Trash2Treasure linky
Loading InLinkz ...
Posted on June 4th, 2017 - Fiona
We saw this idea on a market stall in Sussex. There was a stall filled with different bird feeders but one really took our eye. It was made from a teacup and saucer. We bought it and took it home with us. As luck would have it we were staying with Farmer Nick’s Mum who has an antiques business. She kindly gave us a box full of her odd china which wasn’t worthy of her shop. Nick bought the rods from a DIY store and had the bolts already and back in Cornwall we set about repurposing the old china. I had a plan forming in my mind for where to put the bird feeders so that all our holiday guests could enjoy them too.
What you’ll need
- Rod with screw grooves
- 2 bolts
- 2 washers
- Tea Cup and saucer
- Drill with tile drill piece
- Silicon
|
 |
Method for Making a Tea Cup and Saucer Bird Feeder
 |
Drill a hole in the saucer the width of the rod |
|
Drill a hole in base of the tea cup |
 |
 |
Place a washer and bolt onto the rod |
|
Add the saucer and cup silicone each layer as you go |
 |
 | Add the final washer and bolt and tighten |
| Leave the silicon to dry |  |
 | Push the rod into the ground and fill the cup with water and the saucer with bird food got pic |
A few alternatives you could try.
You can make it without the silicone, which was how we saw ours for sale and offer two forms of food instead of water and food.
If you don’t have the facilities to drill the tea cup you could glue it and hang it from the tea cup in a tree.
We made a trail of 8 bird feeders along our old welly walk filling each with different goodies for the birds. The children made toilet roll binoculars to go on a stealth walk and see what they could spot.
Nb: Although food is plentiful for the birds in summer, by winter I think they will be glad of our bird feeders.
Short Video Tutorial on how to make a tea cup and saucer bird feeder
Page 3 of 252«12345...102030...»Last »
Loading InLinkz ...
