Guest Post- Fiona from Coombe Mill
Monday, 27th January 2014
Today on the Blog we are pleased to welcome Fiona from Coombe Mill Farm Holidays. Fiona is one of our ten new 'Activity Toys Direct Play Ambassadors' and juggles a hectic, if enviable lifestyle, with Farmer Nick and their six children on a beautiful holiday farm in Cornwall.
Holidays where children come first
Here at Coombe Mill Children are the focus of our holidays. With six children of our own growing up here on the farm we understand the needs of parents and how to provide a holiday environment for children to socialise, learn and play safely.
Each morning Farmer Nick takes the children round the farm on the specially designed tractor and trailer. A great way for children and parents to meet and discover the animals under supervision. The children really do help out and are even rewarded with a farm hat and certificate at the end of the week, perfect for show and tell back at school.
After the morning feed run the day at Coombe Mill is yours to enjoy. With local beaches and Cornish attractions like the Eden Project all within half an hour there is plenty out and about to fill a family holiday at any time of the year. However holidays are also a time to relax and enjoy a slower pace of life together. The 30 private estate in this lush valley with the river Camel, lakes, play areas and plenty of open meadows in addition to the farm makes a day on site an adventure itself.
This is where working with Activity Toys Direct becomes so exciting. The grounds are constantly needing new play equipment as we work hard at ensuring everything is kept clean and safe and up to date for all our holiday guests. There are endless new ideas and products across all categories of the Activity Toys web site which would fit so seamlessly at Coombe Mill. This Choo Choo Train would be the perfect way for tots to get around our estate and move effortlessly from play area to play area. Such an ingenious idea and perfect for multiples too. As a Mum of triplets I know how hard it can be just to get about with tots and this would make it such fun.
Our large play area is missing a see-saw and I love the study no rust look of this Teeter for Tots and such amazing value at just £44.99.
At Coombe Mill nothing is wasted, when a piece of play equipment reaches the end of its life for safe child play the animals often benefit. The play house you can just see in the corner of the photo above is now a shelter for the wallabies and chickens and somewhere for the children to check for eggs in the morning.
However we desperately need a replacement now for the play area and Activity Toys Direct have just the thing in this wonderful looking welcome home playhouse.
Trampolines are fun for all ages and a great way for older children to enjoy play equipment. Waiting for our afternoon train rides on the delightful Coombe Mill Railway, the guests often congregate on the nearby play area cementing friendships made on the farm rides earlier in the day. Here the trampoline is so popular I would love to be able to offer a second and Activity Toys do have a perfect looking 14 foot one which would be perfect for us and bigger than our current one.
Perhaps my favourite of all the Activity Toys Direct range is this Roller Coaster Ride. It is such an original idea and one I would love to have again near our train to keep little ones entertained while they wait for our resident train driver to call them over.
Over in our ride on play area we have steps to a lovely big play house which is lacking anything inside. My plan has always been to have a play kitchen in there to inspire children with imaginative play. A house with a kitchen and cars below, what could be more perfect for playing houses for boys and girls alike?
I have seen a lovely kitchen set reviewed Emmy's Mummy which would be ideal to fill my empty house.
Accommodation at Coombe Mill ranges from some little budget riverside lodges to some lovely old stone Cornish cottages and modern contemporary Scandinavian lodges. With such a range there is something to suit everyone. One of the most popular features over time has been the introduction of play rooms. All our new builds and refits now include an indoor play area which is invaluable to parents on a less than perfect day.
We are currently building a lovely new cottage for ten called Tree Roots. This will again have its own play room as well as refitting Two Chimneys later in the year and incorporating a Play area. Both these properties will need a range of toys to fill them. I think I could use all of the Activity Toys Direct Creative Play Category for these projects and much of their furniture too, but what I really love are these storage units to keep the toys tidy.
No wonder I am excited to be an Activity Toys Direct Blogger with so many possibilities to work together as we continue to develop the family holiday experience at Coombe Mill over the coming year.