Posted on January 20th, 2017 - Fiona
We have various seasonal activities through the year where we go that little bit further as a holiday business to make your stay here memorable. New Year’s Eve is one such time. We have built up a bit of a tradition for having a little party and celebration which has grown year on year. This year we combined our weekly activity hour into the day making a full afternoon and evening of fun for our guests.
New Year’s Eve Activity Hour
I enlisted the help of Guy and Clio and began over in the games room. Our first activity was turning empty toilet rolls into Chinese lanterns as it is Chinese new year this month too. It took some careful cutting to get these right and we even added pretend flames.
My second activity was more straightforward. The children ran off in search of a stick to make a sparkler. They then chose strips of floristry ribbon to tape to one end and as simple as that their sparklers were complete and ready to wave around. These were a huge hit and best of all for the parents, they were the safest sparklers around!
With two crafts completed I was keen to get every one up and running around. I handed out the first clue for a firework treasure hunt. Not real fireworks I hasten to add, but laminated firework clues hidden around the farm in riddles. I had the children chasing all over to find the answers.
The last clue took the children to Guy in the den building zone, who was ready and waiting with a camp fire. As promised in the last clue the children each took marshmallows to toast. It was just chilling down as the light began to fade and the fire gave us a welcome winter warmth.
A few were worried they might miss the evening train ride, however as the train driver was still busy cooking marshmallows no one could miss out. With tummies full of marshmallow and sparklers still in hand the children headed over to the train.
New Years Eve Party
I had an hour spare from our afternoon activities to dress the games room ready for our new year’s eve party. As everyone arrived, corks were popped, nibbles munched and the music played. Everyone was in high spirits to welcome in the new year, although we actually hold our party in the early evening to make it a truly family event.
There was just one more surprise for everyone; crowding outside the games room and looking up the hill, Farmer Nick gave us all a magnificent firework display.
We are now taking bookings for new year 2017. If you fancy joining the fun please check out our availability.
We offer short breaks from the 27th of December, or ten nights for the price of seven from the same date.
Posted on January 13th, 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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
A bleak January week when outdoor time becomes ever more important.
Lets face it, mid January isn’t the most exciting time for outdoor fun, however our bodies and more importantly our kids bodies still need some fresh air and to run off some energy. It releases happy hormones and makes the January blues fade – I promise! I was hoping for some snow fun but that has eluded us as usual, however the kids have still got filthy in rugby matches, jumped on the trampoline and helped around the farm. Whether you have Christmas holiday posts to share or managed a few hours out this week, I hope you will join me 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 7th January:
1st Karen from Two Tiny Hands with 25 comments
2nd Rachel from Coffee, Cake, Kids with 22 comments
3rd Louise from Little Hearts, Big Love with 20 comments
We have 3 guilty bloggers linking up again and not commenting on any posts (as of Thursday pm when counted). Come on you know who you are please go back to be fair to others.
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 January Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter : Karen from Two Tiny Hands
Keitha’s Chaos wrote about their annual trip to visit family in Canada which was filled with snow, friendly birds and wonderful memories.
Two Tiny Hands joined us here on the farm for the Christmas break, I really enjoyed reliving our Christmas experience from Karen’s perspective.
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 1000 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @jos_pictures @sophiedowler @lateforrealityblog @mrs.chellebelle Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following.
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Posted on January 13th, 2017 - Fiona
Last week I promised to share the second part of Christmas Eve here at Coombe Mill. It feels a little odd in January to be reliving Christmas but I was so busy making events happen and enjoying the moment writing about it has been put back till now. The Santa Express has become a feature of Christmas Eve on the farm and something those returning to us for a second or third Christmas were really looking forward to. I know I had a lot to live up to after last year but I had an Ace up my sleeve.
The Santa Express with Poppy the Steam Engine
Poppy the steam train made a guest appearance. Watching Poppy be fired up was great fun for the children out the front of the tunnel while Father Christmas snuck into the back entrance!
I was a little worried some of our youngest guests may have been scared by the steam engine so we elected to keep Guy with a carriage on our electric Train with Poppy’s owner in charge of the other. They took it is in turn to draw up at the station, take the children round the line and into Santa’s Grotto.
Once inside some friendly elves were on hand to dish out Santa’s presents before the Santa Express chuffed onward returning to the station for its next passengers.
My biggest thanks to Amber’s family for the loan of Poppy and of course to Father Christmas for stopping by on such a busy evening!
A Christingle Service for Children
We didn’t have long after the excitement of the Santa Express before strapping into cars for a Christingle Convoy to the local village. It is a lovely service aimed at the children which finishes up in the street with guess who….. Father Christmas, who had miraculously hot footed it from our Santa Express to be ready and waiting outside Church to greet the children with more presents. A glass of warm mulled wine was on hand for the adults.
A Christmas Eve Party
Meanwhile back at Coombe Mill I had left Farmer Nick and my eldest heating food and popping corks in the games room ready for the Coombe Mill Party to begin on our return. It was the perfect way to round off a very busy day before little ones headed for home ready to put out the Santa and Reindeer treats we made earlier in the day.
I don’t think I left anyone with enough energy to keep their eyes open for long on Christmas Eve, myself included!
If you fancy joining us this Christmas, we are now taking bookings and running the popular 10 nights for the price of 7 again ( 17th to the 27th December).
Posted on January 6th, 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 100 things to do before you are 11¾ along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
A new year of Country Kids
I hope you and your family have enjoyed a wonderful festive season and managed plenty of outdoor fun between the turkey and chocolates! Christmas and New Year were action packed here on the farm. From seasonal activities to our own family days out, we did ourselves proud. It make take me a few weeks to share everything but I’m enjoying reliving the memories as I do. I do hope you’ll join me sharing yours too.
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 17th December
1st Steph from Renovaion Bay-Bee with 23 comments
2nd Hiedi from Him Me and Three with 16 comments
3rd Stacey from A Mums Blind Love with 15 comments
4 guilty bloggers linking up again and not commenting on any posts. Come on you know who you are please go back to be fair to others.
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 17th December added to the shortlist for winning the end of year Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter : Steph from Renovation Bay-Bee.
Longleat Safari Park put on a magical festive light show which combined with a Santa visit looked an amazing pre Christmas day out enjoyed by Steph at Renovation Bay-Bee
Mottisfont Abbey had a wonderful 12 days of Christmas trail running which Sherry from Life at Cooks Cabin completed. I’m seriously considering copying this one at Coombe Mill for Christmas this year.
The December year end Rockfish winner is Steph from Renovation Bay-Bee. There were some gorgeous Christmas posts to choose from and some great top commenters making this decision so hard. In the end the lovely night photos and mix of activities during the day made this post my favourite. Well done Steph. Please take a look at the lovely Rockfish site and email or DM me your choice from the items in stock. |  |
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 1000 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
I have two favourite selections to share from the festive Christmas and New Year weeks. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following.
@mumfriendlyjo @coffeecakekids @klikphotocy @littleheartsbiglove @mytwomums @pixiedusk @jugglingskates @goingonanadventureblog
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Posted on January 6th, 2017 - Fiona
Christmas on the farm has been a whirl of fun and laughter. Coombe Mill was fully booked and with many returning for a second or third Christmas with us, expectations were riding high for our special Christmas Eve activity Hour following the success of last year. I spent some time planning and preparing and it was worth it with so many joining in.
Dressed as Mrs Claus, I explained to an attentive audience all the things I hoped to complete in the afternoon. First off was baking biscuits for the children to leave out for Santa as I had been tipped off that these were a favourite of his.
With biscuits baking we set about making our Christmas Gift Tree Decorations. I have a lovely tutorial for this one over on #Trash2Treasure if you fancy doing them next year. They are really simple and fun and made a great way to decorate our Christmas Tree ahead of the party later that evening.
Moving on we made some fun Christmas Eve Reindeer and Santa Tags ready for when our biscuits came out of the oven. The children were really thoughtful with their messages to Santa on the back.
The Games room was smelling delicious as the biscuits came out of the oven. However they were still very hot so we took everyone off on the elf trail we had laid out beforehand. Each child had a sheet to tick off the elves as they found them and to make a note of the letter hidden behind each elf.
At the end of the Trail the children rearranged the letters to make the word “Rudolph”. Such a simple idea but they had a wonderful time and were thrilled to complete their sheets.
And there was more Elf fun!
At the end of the bamboo tunnel my little elves were waiting to hand out reindeer food to go with the tags the children had made earlier and chocolate pennies for discovering the word.
The children queued to visit the elves and then took advantage of a little adventure play while everyone had their turn.
There were a few wet welly boots by the time we returned to the games room but everyone was refreshed and ready to wrap and tag their Santa biscuit parcels and reindeer treats.
I was amazed we managed to pack everything in with so many, but we were on a tight timescale with the Santa Express firing up in the distance. I’ll be sharing all about that one next week. It’s safe to say children staying here are more than ready for their beds by the end of Christmas Eve at Coombe Mill!
I hope your Christmas Eve was fun packed too.
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