Posted on June 30th, 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 #50 things along with all other ideas for family fun outside.
Catching the Magic
This little one is holding out her hands to receive a duckling from Farmer Nick. I love the first day of farm fun with our guests; the expressions and wonder at the animals is so special. While the activities continue all week, and the children grow in confidence, there is nothing quite like the magic of the first day. I missed that magic this week as Farmer Nick and I have been on holiday in Greece. Everyone seemed like experts when we returned for the feed run on Wednesday and what happened to the sun? We left in a heatwave and returned to rain. I hope summer will return over the weekend. Whether you have been sheltering from the rain or the heat, home or abroad, I hope you have a few adventures to share 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 The Queen of Collage who commented on 22 posts.
- Clare from Mudpie Fridays who commented on 21 posts.
- Anne from Raisie Bay who commented on 15 posts.
We have 1 guilty blogger link dumping this week, please go back and be fair to others, you know who you are! Do remember I comment count on Thursday after lunch so get your comments in before then if you want them to be counted.
On a more positive note huge thanks goes to Joy from Pink Oddy who not only commented on 9 posts but also shared many more on Twitter. Thank you Joy, your time was much appreciated.
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.
May Welly Winner
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Congratulations to Helena from Queen of Collage Blog, who is our May Country Kids welly winner. Helena embraces outdoor fun and regularly spreads the blog love on joining in the linky commenting on many of your posts, she was top commenter last month this lovely visit to Roves Farm and starts July as top commenter again. Helena please email or DM me your choice of wellies showing in stock from the amazing Rockfish selection and a UK delivery address. |
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Favourite posts from last week added to the shortlist for winning the July Rockfish Wellies:
Top Commenter: Helena Queen of Collage
Laylat al-Qadr in Ramadam is beautifully told with garden craft activities from Multicultural Motherhood
A delightful post about the simple pleasures of fruit picking in the garden from Little hearts Big Love
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 4700 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @debridgew, @emma_lucym, @wavetomummy & @organisedjo. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following
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Posted on June 30th, 2017 - Fiona
Our afternoon of fun began earlier in the week when one of the guests asked me why there was a trampoline in the goat field. I replied that it was for the goats and that I was waiting for Farmer Nick to make a ramp for them to reach it. Actually I have been waiting for over a year. The young lad was really taken with the idea of trampolining goats and asked if we could do it while he was here. Finally I had Farmer Nick taking my plan seriously and he began to build the ramp with the help of two our boys. It was harder than he first thought to ensure it was safe for the goats, would withstand the weight of the children climbing up and attach securely. I was a little disappointed I couldn’t attach it with the children but it was just too complicated.
All was not lost; sometimes my husband is a genius. He attached the old otter fencing posts with hollow centres to the edges so that I could bring the children up and fill them with twigs to line the edge of the ramp and temp the goats up. This was just what I needed and my afternoon of goat grooming and trampoline tricks began to form.
Billy Goat Gruff bridge challenge
When the children arrived at the games room for activity hour we began a two team challenge. My little toy Billy goat gruff had to cross from the table to the balcony using just the supplies I put out on the table and anything the children collected in nature. They relished the challenge and soon began to plan and build their bridges.
Both teams proudly completed the challenge.
Nature wreaths
Next we made two nature wreaths for the goats using my printed list of allowable plants. Generally evergreens are a no and most deciduous plants are OK with a few notable exceptions. Rhododendrons are very poisonous to goats and ours were in full bloom so I made sure all the children knew which bushes to avoid with a helpful chart.
Goat grooming and trampoline lessons
Our last job on the way to the goat field was to collect leafy twigs to line the edges of the ramp and a handful of their favourite cornflakes. Our friendly goats came rushing over to greet us and wasted no time investigating the ramp to reach the twigs as fast as we could put them in the holes.
To my delight they ventured onto the trampoline with the children and happily bounced between mouthfuls of cornflakes while the children groomed them.
Rocky and Queenie were agreed as the best trampolining goats and the most willing to be groomed so the children crowned them with their wreaths. Needless to say the goats showed their appreciation by chomping straight into them!
When all the food had gone and the goats finally left their newly accessible trampoline the children moved onto grooming the ponies.
For these children it was the perfect end to their farm holiday with us. I think goat grooming might feature more often in our activities, the goats loved it.
Posted on June 23rd, 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.
Summer Sun from the farm
So mid summer is here and Nick and I are away in Greece for a few days this week while the children manage the farm with Farmer Amber. Fingers crossed they have remembered to wear sun cream as the sun really is strong this month. Remember to cover up with cream and hats when you are out and about and I hope you’ll have a few adventures to share 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:
- Helen from The Princess and the Pickle who commented on 27 posts.
- Helena from The Queen of Collage who commented on 26 posts.
- Clare from Mudpie Friday and Aly from Bug, Bird, Bee who commented on 22 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 : Helen from The Princess and The Pickle
Adventuring off the beaten track in Champagne Daisy the Bus created some great memories.
Time to Craft discovered wildlife at the bottom of the garden.
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 3850 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @goingonanadventureblog, @bebe.voyage, @adevonmum & @steph_baybee1. Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following
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Posted on June 23rd, 2017 - Fiona
After making vintage tea cups and saucers into bird feeders I was keen to find a way to use these as part of our activity hour. As is so often the case, once I have an idea for a theme, then the whole afternoon plan begins to fall into place. A bird spotters trail along the old Welly Walk would replace my old tin can flowers with my 7 tea cup bird feeders and 2 bird houses to find and fill with goodies.
Every good bird spotter needs some binoculars
These were so easy to make and put the children in the right mindset. A couple of toilet rolls stapled together and some ribbon and we were ready for some creative painting.
With a gentle breeze and a glorious hot day, we hung the binoculars out to try ready for going on the trail.
Goosey Gandar in the grass
While our binoculars dried we set to work turning paper plates into geese just like the ones at Coombe Mill. A little clever cutting and folding gave some surprisingly good results. We showed them off against blue craft paper, picked grass for the geese to sit in and mounted them on card ready to hang.
This took just enough time to allow our binoculars to dry and everyone collected their bespoke coloured binoculars ready for the bird spotters trail.
To keep little legs motivated on our trail I handed out bird spotters trail sheets and pens packed with things to tick off and do along the way.
On an adventure along the bird spotters trail
The first thing to spot was the welly walk signs telling us the way to go. From here we were looking out for old wellies, tea cups and bird houses. I had a watering can ready to collect water from the brook and some birdseed with me; the children helped to add the seed to each of the saucers and fill the cups with water.
At each step the children ticked things off. There were birds to try and spot through the binoculars and bird songs to listen for. Annoyingly the most prevalent bird was the crow after our chicken eggs from the adjacent field!
Bird spotters treat
My cane tunnel was still looking great and the children ran through to discover the lovely shallow paddling area in the brook the other side and the tree swing. This was the perfect place to play and enjoy the afternoon sun before the trek home.
I am planning to work on the bird spotters trail sheets a little more and leave laminated copies in our reception for holiday guests to take and work though in their own time. Without a big noisy group of us there will be more birds to spot!
Posted on June 16th, 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.
It’s mid summer already!
I hope your summer is going well? Personally I can’t believe it is mid summers day this week and that the nights will begin drawing in again. I am such a fan of the long June evenings and we have been taking advantage of them after school with the French exchange students we have staying. My own children may take Coombe Mill for granted, but for these boys from an inland mountain town the farm is heaven from the play areas to the river and animals.
I hope you have been enjoying the long summer days and will share your latest adventures with 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 last week:
- Helena from The Queen of Collage who commented on 32 posts.
- Kim from Northumberland Mam who commented on 21 posts.
- Cheryl from Time to Craft who commented on 20 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
Trips with a Tot enjoyed a lovely looking day exploring the National Trust’s Harwick Hall
Otis and Us fell in love with the stunning Pembrokeshire coastline at Church Doors Cove
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 4450 posts this community is flourishing with outdoors photos.
My favourite photos from the week came from @wildwoodland @claire_nowmynameismummy @four_acorns and @jennihorsley . Please do check out these lovely folk on Instagram if you are not already following
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