Tag: fun

Children, Families, Family Life, Festivals, Holidays, Large Families

Just A Week To Go:Camp Bestival

by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment on Just A Week To Go:Camp Bestival

My excitement is building by the minute as we get closer and closer to our trip to this years Camp Bestival.
Memories from last year keep flooding back and we are all looking forward to visiting old favourites and trying out lots of new experiences that will create a whole host of new memories for us all.

It may only be a week until the fun begins but there is still a few tickets available if you want to come along and join in the fun.

If you are a visual person like me and are still a little undecided if it’s the kind of thing for you then take a peek at this Camp Bestival video and see what a fabulous place it is to be!

 

Children, East Sussex, Families, Family Life, Festivals, Holidays, Kids Days Out, Large Families, Learning

Back To The Fun At Elderflower Fields

by thejoyoffive16 Comments on Back To The Fun At Elderflower Fields

You know when you leave a place and you are already planning your next trip back next year that it is place to remember.

This is exactly how we feel about Elderflower Fields and why we have just had our third and equally as fantastic trip there.

Our first taste of Elderflower Fields was as day visitors and it captured our hearts the moment we set foot in the field…so much so that last year we returned for the whole weekend and had our first ever experience of camping as a family.

This year was set to be just as good…if not even better than the last and we were all itching to get there and start the fun.

We were lucky enough to be trying out Pitch this year that is a fabulous company that sets up luxury bell tents for you that are beautifully kitted out and ready for you on your arrival. 

I have lots more to tell you about this, but as they say a picture paints a thousand words so I will leave you with this picture of the most incredible tent I have ever had the opportunity to stay in!

With setting up being completely pain free we doned the glitter and sparkles and made our way down to the main field to see what was going on this year.

The familiar main stage was alive with fantastic music and a sea of families relaxing and taking it all in.

For us one of the big pulls of this festival is the food and the children all made their way to grab an ice cream before they got going on the activities.

What I love most about Elderflower Fields is its relaxed atmosphere.

You can slowly wander without any pressure to get to planned activities all the time. There are of course a few things that have timed slots, but the majority you just turn up and have a go.

This year there was the addition of the Woodland Tribe that was a huge hit with the boys.

It saw Daddy uncharacteristically put his DIY hat on and hammer and saw with them all to help create a super cool den.

Another activity the children returned to plenty of times was the trapeze workshop.

The boys had no fear at being twisted and spun in the silks and it left Izzy with a real want to take it up as an activity once we got home.

Circus skills were up next and they tried their hands at everything on offer. I however wasn’t so skilful!

Grabbing a bite to eat was on the agenda before the evening fun.

Food is a huge part of this festival with something for everyone from meat lovers to vegans, savoury fans or those with a sweet tooth all tastes are catered for.

The potato stall has us coming back every year without fail and this year the Thai stall was my favourite with its beautifully flavoursome dishes, in fact I didn’t visit anywhere else all weekend.

As the sun came down we settled on the main field to listen to more bands and have a few cheeky cocktails before heading back to the comfort of our beautiful tent.

Fully refreshed from a great nights sleep we made our way down to the campfire to take part in the Campfire Cookout.
This is new to Elderflower Fields this year and something the children all really enjoyed taking part in.

Alongside cooking up some yummy chocolate waffles on the campfire the children got to take part in a drawing lesson that saw them making their very own comic strip.

My all time favourite face painter Nam Nam’s were back creating their masterpieces so we couldn’t pass up this chance.

I always feel so sad when I have to take their wonderful creations off.

Still pretty full from the waffles it was time for the So Sussex Family picnic.

Last year this was something I felt a little worried about as the theory behind it is to get together with twelve people, friends or strangers and select one leader to go and collect your picnic of delicious local products to enjoy together.

 

This year we met up with one of my husband school friends and some others they were camping with and thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous food and great company.

It was then time to get out of the sun and take a stroll through the Art Trail.


Some unbelievable sculptures had been created and there was something new and unique round every corner, including a lookout tower that the children played in happily trying to spot all sorts with their binoculars.

 

I simply can’t fit everything in that we got up to over the course of a few short days as there was just so much going on. 

For me this festival offers more than just music and dancing, although they are big parts of it to!

The activities offer the children new experiences they can take home and further if they wish to and gives them a real understanding of nature and the world around them through the fun of play.

This magical festival keeps us coming back time and time again and I would highly reccomend a visit to see the brilliance yourselves!


Country Kids

Christmas, Families, Family Life, Large Families

Family, Fresh Air And Precious Moments

by thejoyoffive20 Comments on Family, Fresh Air And Precious Moments

When all the hype of Christmas and New Year is over and the rushing around like headless chickens has commenced one of my favourite parts of the season begins…outdoor adventure!

Although I love the excitement and magic of Christmas I equally love getting out in the chilly winter air and spending quality time with my family before the routine of school and work sets back in.

This year we managed to have a trip to Knowle Park to spot the dears, collect some sticks and get VERY muddy!


We also took a trip to Brighton to grab some delicious seafood as a welcome break from the richness of all the Christmas food and blew some cobwebs away with a long walk along the seafront.


The beginning of January can be a pretty depressing time with the miserable weather, the come down after all the fun of Christmas and those purse strings a little tight. So why not get out into the fresh air and release some of those feel good hormones and I can guarantee it will perk you up no end!

Country Kids

Children, Families, Family Life, Festivals, Kids Days Out

Our First Camping Trip At Elderflowerfields 

by thejoyoffive21 Comments on Our First Camping Trip At Elderflowerfields 

Last year we went along to Elderflowerfields to experience or first taste of festival life.  I feel in love with it more than I ever thought I would and knew from that experience festivals were going to be something I wanted our family to experience a lot more of.

Last year we only attended for the day so getting ready for a few nights of camping was going to be a challenge.

With my mud and rain fearing husband and the weather being a little unpredictable we decided to ease ourselves into the experience by taking a camper van instead of braving it under canvas!

VW campers are a bit of a passion of mine so having the opportunity to take the award winning Ladyboy from Honeys VW Camper was a dream come true.

We packed up the van with everything we needed and took a slow drive to Pippingford Park where we were guided towards our pitch by the enthusiastic volunteers and set up our  for the next few days.

We had a small tent to store all our bits and pieces in but soon realised we had a lot to learn regarding camping when we looked round at everyone else’s great set ups!

I couldn’t wait to get down to the fun so made our way down to the main field.

The music was echoing across the fields, the smell of beautiful food was wafting from the stalls and I knew that the next few days were going to be wonderful.
We always start with food in our family and the potato twists were a hit on more than one occasion.

That along with belly fulls of ice cream, burgers, veggies nibbles, fish and chips; well the list really is endless and I challenge anyone to not find something to take their fancy.


Number three went of and took part in the fabulous sports and craft workshops that are put on while we wandered round with the youngest two getting messy with the paints and exploring the woods.


all of the activities are included in your ticket price so the children are free to try anything out as often as they like.

There are way to many activities to name but rock climbing, scooting, slack lining, canoeing, pond dipping and mountain boarding are just a few things on offer.  Take a look here for the whole list of things you can get up to.

We made our way back to the van for a BBQ and to try out my chocolate cones and a little rest before joining in with the evening fun.

Being at the festival after dark is what the children were most excited about and they were not disappointed.  We listened to some super talented bands and grabbed a cocktail at the cocktail shack while the kids took to the stage!


With some very weary children we headed back and got a fantastic nights sleep which I really wasn’t expecting.

I got up nice and early to take a shower where I was plesently surprised with beautifully clean showers and no queue!

Once breakfast was wolfed down we headed down for day two of fun.  We did some more exploring and had fun with plenty more activities.


The biggest queue is always the facpaint but it was more than worth it.  The kids loved it and I couldn’t resist joining in.

 

Lunchtime came round and it was time to take part in the So Sussex Family Picnic.
I wasn’t entirely sure how this was going to work as you had to meet by the main stage and find people to get together with to make a group of twelve people.

Lunchtime with my lot is more like feeding time at the zoo so picnicking with strangers was a little worrying.  I needn’t have worried as I found two lovely families in the queue and spent a blissful afternoon getting acquainted whilst sampling some of the finest food all local sourced from in and around Sussex.
We ripped apart crusty, fresh bread to dip  in creamy pate, picked at flavourful olives and tender meats.  But the favourite part for me was the gooey, rich chocolate cake that I really wish I hadn’t had to share!

Our final evening was spent sipping hot chocolates, listening to more fabulous music and a huge hay fight that the children declared as the best part of the trip.

We sadly made our way back to what would be our last night at Elderflowerfields and I can honestly say we had the most magical introduction to camping.

The lack of technology, the open space and the atmosphere of the festival were just the perfect combination.

All my worries of losing the children or them getting bored were completely unfounded and this was mainly due to the  festival being run by a group highly passionate people that work tirelessly to create a wonderful experience for all who visit.

If you can’t wait for next year to get your tickets to joint in the fun then take a look at the Into The Trees event daytime event that is running on the 3rd and 4th September. I can’t wait to get there and would love to see some of your lovely faces!


Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Children, Children's Books, Families, Family Life, Kid Bloggers, Kids Days Out, Reviews, Reviews, Theatre, Toddlers

Dancing Along At In The Night Garden Live

by thejoyoffive3 Comments on Dancing Along At In The Night Garden Live

In The Night Garden has been a part of the bedtime routine in our house for over  eighteen years!

The cute characters and catchy songs find it a show that is hard not to like so when we were asked to come along and take a look at In The Night Garden Live I knew there would be some happy faces.

The show in running until the 21st of August and is moving around London, Birmingham and Manchester.

We chose to go and see an early performance in Richmond Park and there are still a few tickets to grab if you are lucky enough.

Upon arriving we were greeted at the huge purpose built show done by a host of super happy ushers that took our tickets and explained to us what would be going on.

We were pointed in the direction of the massive buggy park which I normally find a nightmare to navigate, but there was ample space to get buggies in and out.

We were fashionably late and the dome was almost full as we entered.  There are only thirteen rows of seating set out in a bench style format.  This makes for an intimate setting that if perfect for little ones.  The benches allow the children to move freely without annoying anyone else to much.

As soon as the characters such as Iggle Piggle and Upsy Daisy took to the stage there were screams of fun and laugher from the children – well and a few adults too!

Number four who is the ripe old age of four had told me the he wasn’t really wanting to go as it would be to babyish for him.  Strangely enough though he was singing, dancing and clapping along to the whole show.


The mixture of puppetry, costumes and panoramic projection were perfect, and keep tiny eyes and minds glued to the stage for nearly a whole hour.


We have been to many theatre shows as a family and this is by far the best equipped for children.  Every little thing has been thought of down to little steps and seats in the toilets to microwaves for bottle and food warning.

Sadly I didn’t realise that you could pre ok to meet one of the characters as a family which sounded like a great experience and something we will add if we visit again next year.

If you are looking to introduce your children to the wonders of the stage this is the perfect place to start.

I have come away with a fuzzy feeling in my tummy from the brilliant performance and the magic in every child’s eyes.


*we were gifted tickets to this show and they are all my own, honest opinions.

Children, Families, Family Life, Holidays

A Special Camper Van Break in ‘Ladyboy’

by thejoyoffive9 Comments on A Special Camper Van Break in ‘Ladyboy’

We were all booked up to experience our first time camping at Elderflower Fields festival under canvas when panic set in!

All of us in a cramped tent, the threat of the great British weather and a mud fearing husband did not seem the best combination for our first time camping.

With a lifelong dream of owning a VW camper van what better way to ease ourself into life in the great outdoors than hiring one for the weekend.

I came across Honey’s VW Camper a super friendly, family run business that hire out their exquisite ‘Ladyboy’ for a number of different events.

We had been to see hundreds of camper vans at Brighton Breeze last year and I can say that ‘Ladyboy’ blows them all out of the water.  I have never set my eyes on such a beautiful, perfectly restored, individual van.


First to catch your eye is the spotless exterior which is then matched with the pretty interior of cream leather and vintage accessories.

Every little thing has been thought of to make your stay completely home from home.  Not only do you get the essentials they you need for camping they have lovingly added some extras including books and toys to keep the children amused and a wonderful hamper of chocolate, coffee, wine and a delicious homemade lemon cake that was warm and smelt mouth watering on our arrival!

With my less the perfect driving skills I passed this over to the other half and after a few jumps and bumps he soon got the hang of it and loved the drive which was made even easier by the addition of power steering which is not always something you will find in a van of this age.


Once we got ourselves pitched up it was time to see how we were going to get on staying in such a small space for the next few days.


We bought along a small tent with us that we pitched up to store all our clothing and dirty bits which left the van free to be used as a more than ample living space.  There is a fridge to store all your cold items and surprisingly lots of cupboard space to hide away all the other food that you may wish to bring along.

A cup of tea made on the hob and a slice of tasty cake and we were all set up and more then happy to make this our home.

After a full day of partying at the festival we were not looking forward to coming back and setting up for bed, but we needed have worried as both the large double bed in the main part of the bed and the pop top were really easy to put up and really comfy to sleep in.  The only issue we had was me forgetting the pillows! 

I was worried that the children wouldn’t sleep well above us as it was going to be very dark and a bit breezy but they went out like light and slept right through.



This trip really did fulfill a dream for me and has only ignited the fire in me even more to have one of our own.

We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect van.  It had everything we needed and more and we felt honoured to be able to have the opportunity to stay in her.  She really is a showstopper, heads turned as we drove down the road and we were stopped by a lady to complement us on such a beautiful van.  I was tempted to pass her off as our own!

Aside from the van the service we received was outstanding.  The love and passion for the couples pride and joy really shone through and they genuinely wanted us to enjoy the van as much as they do.

I cannot fault anything at all and would love another trip very soon.  If it is something you are thinking of doing then the ‘Ladyboy’ would be by far your best option.  I can hand on heart say that this is an experience that will stay with us and one the everyone should experience.
Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Children, Families, Family Life, Food, Kent, Kids Days Out, Memories, Uncategorized

Retro Fun At Dreamland Margate

by thejoyoffive1 Comment on Retro Fun At Dreamland Margate

Dreamland in Margate was an amusment park that my Mum has very fond memories of from her summer holidays in the 1950’s/60’s.

Fun filled days of good old fashioned rides and fairground stalls, of which my grandparents favourite was ‘Spin A Disc’ where they won some beautiful cut glass that is still in the family to this day.

Many years have passed since then with Dreamland having a change of name for a few years and sadly a long period of closure.

Thankfully last year a regeneration program was started on the site and we went along to check out how much our little ones would enjoy this iconic amusment park.

Unfortunately we had a midweek trip which meant that the rides outside were not open for us to try out, but we will be back very soon to give them all a try.

There was still a whole host of activities to get involved in inside and we headed straight to the roller disco to see how we got on, on four wheels.


Luckily enough for me number five was to little to join in so I got to sit on the sidelines and watch my husband and number four slip and slide around the rink.

Let’s just say neither of them were naturals but they had a good try and enjoyed bopping along to the upbeat disco music whilst making their way round.

If you fancy watching instead of skating like me there is a run of great diner style booths along the edge of the rink where you can relax and grab a drink or something to eat while watching all the fun.


From here we made our way into the Octopus Garden which is a soft play with a real difference.


You have your usual ball pit, soft bricks to play with and areas to climb and slide down that all children love. 


But they have kept a seaside theme and added some great features such a several sandpits, a dressing up area, role play sections where they can do some shopping or get their hair done and a gallery that they can create their own chalk masterpiece in.


If all of this gets to much and a refreshment break is needed there is a great little cafe where you can grab hot and cold drinks, sandwiches, salads and lots more.

We filled our bellies with some really tasty chips whilst sitting in a really cool beach hut before heading out to the amusement arcade.

Slot machines are normally a pet hate for me!  Poring money into machines with the hope of getting something in return which rarely happens.

I have to say though I was very impressed with the machines that Dreamland have to offer.

There was a whole section of vintage machine that gave the children the opportunity to play with games that my Mum my have played with all those years ago.

They had all the other games you would expect to see in an arcade plus lots of machines that allowed the children to earn tickets that they could then exchange for something of their choice at the till.

While my husband and number four were busy earning tickets number five was keep amused by trying to pick up the money from this super cool floor!

We all had a wonderful, fun filled afternoon at Dreamland and have created some wonderful memories in a fabulously restored amusement park that is steeped in so much history that the restorers have managed to withhold perfectly.

We can’t wait to come back and try out the rides later in the year and tell you all about it!

*We were gifted tickets for the purpose of this review and they are all my own honest opinion.