Posted on November 18th, 2016 - 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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Ruston our little blue engine has been in charge this week as our regular Coombe Mill engine goes into the shed for maintenance and a re paint before turning into our Santa Express for Christmas. Ruston is as popular as ever with the children, I suspect as he mirrors Thomas the Tank in colour! Our outdoor pursuits this week have included a fair bit of shower dodging but it has been very mild for November.
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.
- Large 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.
As I failed to do comments last week being away I am catching up with 2 weeks worth this week. I promised all those commenters would count so here goes:
My top commenters from 12th November
1st Heidi from Him Me and Three with 25 comments
2nd Emma from Bubba Blue and Me with 20 comments
3rd Cheryl from Time to Craft with 17 comments
There was 1 link dump and run culprit.
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.
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Posts from last week in with a chance of winning the November Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter : Heidi from Him Me Three
This year’s harvest turned into a fab afternoon of autumnal fun for Time to Craft, Cheryl’s post is linked above where she was also a top commenter.
The Ladybird Adventures enjoyed a full day of outdoor fun at Coombes Valley RSPB Reserve.
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 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.
My Favourite photos from last week were: @lifecookscabin @verymuchsoblog @sands_heard and @bubbablueandme check them out on Instagram if you are not already following.
Thank you to those joining in last week again, please keep the tags coming, I love to see them all and we now have over 550 photos in there.
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Posted on November 18th, 2016 - Fiona
Kite flying is something I remember fondly from my own childhood. The hours I would spend on our campsite in Cornwall with my kite “touching the sky”. Here with my own children I have grappled with twisted strings and complicated designs down at the beach and more than often given up. However I wanted to give the old fashioned one string kite flying a go again and thought we could try to make them for activity hour. The forecast was for heavy wind and rain ahead that night; I was banking on the wind arriving ahead of the rain so that we had a chance to try it all out.
How to make a simple kite
Luck was on our side and we were bless with sun and a real gust building. I risked laying blankets outside with all the materials while the children set to work following my prototype.
It’s amazing how much fun some colourful ribbon, bamboo and bin liners can create, although I was grateful to the parents for lending a hand too as tying all the string is a little fiddly for little fingers.
Time to go kite flying
With decorative tails in place and string secured the children couldn’t wait to give their kites a go. There was a handy little slope just up from where we had been constructing them that was perfect to fly a kite.
There followed a mad half hour of running hither and dither with kites following on behind.
More and more completed their kites and added to the buzz of children dashing around flying their newly made creations.
Just as I was thinking how lucky we had been with the weather the sky clouded over and the rain drops began. It was already time up on activity hour but the children were feeling cheated of their extended kite flying time so as I had all the coloured wool out with me anyway we moved into the games room to make friendship bracelets and hair braids. The children were thrilled with their braids, though I fear I have now cheated the beach side stalls out of their business from this group!
By the time we finished the sun had returned and it was time for the evening train ride. There were some happy passengers complete with hair braids and having enjoyed the chance to make and fly a kite.
Posted on November 14th, 2016 - Fiona
With my own daughter approaching the teen years I feel a little out of touch with toys for young girls, yet even I have heard of the Baby Annabell Range. You know a product has a following when the accessories and siblings come along. Mia So Soft is the new kid on the blog launched as Baby Annabell’s little sister.
About Mia So Soft
As the name suggests, Mia So Soft is perfect to cuddle. Just like her sister’s, her body is made from a soft cuddly filling. With big blue eyes that stare at you through luscious dark lashes, it is hard to resist her cute little rosy race which pleads cuddle me. Mia comes wearing a pretty rose coloured romper suit with a cute lamb design in a velvety soft fabric together with matching baby bonnet. However the real treat for little ones is the interchangeable dummy and feeding bottle that fit perfectly into her delicate lips.
What we thought of Baby Annabell: Mia so soft
My own daughter may be too old, but I knew the little girls on holiday with us would give me an honest reaction to Mia.
It is fair to say there was no prompting needed from these little ones. Mia was cuddled, fed, winded and taken out to play. From shopping trips to soft play Mia certainly had a busy day here on the farm and was never once left feeling lonely. I think there may be some Mia So Soft requests going onto Christmas lists now!
Our Baby Mia is being kept for the new playroom in Polzeath holiday lodge now in building. Look out for her and give her a good week if you are staying in Polzeath on holiday with us.
Mia So Soft: Need to know facts
|
Pack contents |
Doll with soft body romper suit and hat Dummy Bottle |
|
RRP |
£24.99 – £28.99 |
|
Stockists | ToysRUs, Smyths, Amazon |
Suitable for | Age 2 – 5 |
Learning Opportunities | Creative Play Roll Play Develops early responsibility and empathy |
Win your Mia So Soft from Baby Annabell with Coombe Mill
If you have a little one that would love to open a Baby Mia this Christmas why not enter to win with us here. Simply follow the instructions below.
Good luck to all taking part and do check out all the lovely products in the Baby Annabel range
Baby Annabell – Mia So Soft
Disclosure
We were sent our Baby Annabell Mia So Soft for the purpose of this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own based on watching the children here interact with Mia.
Posted on November 12th, 2016 - Fiona
Watch out Jack Frost is about! After the excitement here of our Halloween Fun Day and then taking our own children to the Lewes Bonfire Night Celebrations last weekend it was with sheer delight that I woke to a frosty morning on Monday. Coming home from the school run I headed straight for my camera and some frosty morning photos.
Our holiday cottages and lodges are almost empty this week, with just a couple of regular fishermen come to take advantage of our lakes and river. I feel it is such a shame more people can’t get away at this time of year; with heating and wood burners, indoors can be toasty with outdoors refreshingly cold and simply stunning. The winter sun takes it’s time to reach our sheltered valley and melt away the frost, giving me plenty of time for a good walk round. However this morning frost will surely be the death of the last hydrangea on the farm.
A frosty morning gives a bluish tinge to the grass and make spiders webs glow. My fingers tingle as I walk and I hear my feet crunch through the leaves and crispy blades of grass. Steam rises from the river making it appear deceptively warm. Sunlight creeps down the valley, eventually reaching the bottom turning the blue hues to gold and reflecting on the river.
The golden shades of autumn are still clinging to some of the trees, while the fallen leaves pile up on the road bridge and behind dams in the river made by the children back in the summer.
My fingers begin to fail without gloves and I head back for a steaming cuppa refreshed and ready to begin my days work. The animals now need hay as the grass is no longer growing and low rainfall means all the water feeders need checking. The longer the rain holds off the better, I wonder if this might even be the year we see snow? My triplets at age 12 can barely remember what snow feels like; it must be 6 years since we had any here in Cornwall.
Have you enjoyed a frosty morning yet this season?
Adding this last photo from a run yesterday evening. By the time you read this post I will most likely be accompanying my scouts for parade. Fingers crossed it is dry and not too cold if you are at an outdoor service too.
Posted on November 11th, 2016 - 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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Autumn is beginning to fall from the trees to the ground this week on the farm. The fairy gardens look quite magical with their autumn dusting of leaves. Add a few bubbles and you may spot a fairy! While our guests have been enjoying autumn on the farm, Nick and I took the triplets for a quick night away to experience the Lewes Bonfire Party. More of that in my post this week, for now I do need to apologise for the disruption I caused to the link up in going away. I promise normal service resumes today!
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.
- Large 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.
As I failed to do comments last week being away I am catching up with 2 weeks worth this week. I promised all those commenters would count so here goes:
My top commenters from 5th November
1st Heidi from Him Me and Three with 27 comments
2nd Louise from Little Hearts Big Love with 15 comments
3rd Michelle from Mummy from the Heart 12 comments
Link dump and run culprets: 3 (boo to you)
and Wow to My top commenters from 29th October:
1st: Jenny from Odd Socks and Lollipops with 37 comments
2nd: Samantha from Chocolate and Wine and I’ll be fine with 36 comments
3rd: Sanna from Wave to Mummy with 33 comments
Thanks you to you all, that is really going the extra mile and so appreciated.
There were 2 link dump and run culprits but thank you to Joanne from Kiddie Holidays who commented on 6 posts without even linking up herself.
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.
For more more information on the Rockfish Wellies on offer with us and terms and conditions to win see here.
Posts from last week in with a chance of winning the November Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenters from the last 2 weeks: Jenny from Odd Socks and Lollipops and Heidi from Him Me Three
Sherry from Life at Cooks Cabin had a colourful Halloween and a magical first fireworks night out
Mary from Over 40 Mum to One enjoyed a different sort of Halloween fun on the Watercress line
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 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.
Thank you to those joining in last week again, please keep the tags coming, I love to see them all and we now have over 500 photos in there in just 6 weeks!
My favourites last week were @susankmann @twotinyhands @thishappenedtometoday and @hollowayfamilynorth Do pop over and follow them on Instagram.
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