bookbard Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Hi, My Dad is running some apple orchard tours in our summer - families come and pick their own apples, see where the fruit comes from. I was thinking it might be fun to make up some packs for kids, say aged 4-10. With crayons and a scavanger hunt list, maybe an activity sheet, and for fun a cheap pair of plastic binoculars. Would you buy something like that, and if so what would you want included? I'm trying to decide whether it will be worth the $$. Keep in mind most families travel at least an hour to get here and so it tends to be an entire day out, often they have picnics etc. I thought of it because the local gardens offered kids' packs with a 'treasure hunt' as part of it, and my kids loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 We have bought small activity books when doing family activities. I think it's a sweet idea - definitely kept mine occupied when the talks were a little over his interest level. :) We've never been to an apple orchard, though, so I don't know what I would want included. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 Not necessary. We live in Apple country & go pick all the time, with family or field trips with a group. The kids like to just run around, look at smooshed apples on the ground, pick a few, eat one, etc. Our orchards tend to have other stuff to attract families who come for the day- a corn maze, hay bale mazes, little petting zoos with a few goats & ducks to feed, a big sandbox play area and swing set, etc. The play area is usually near the picnic tables so kids can run around free reign there, not near the apples for picking. The usually sell apple donuts, pies, ice cream, cider for snacking on too. Wagon rides pulled by the tractor and pony rides are popular as well at orchards. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs_JWM Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 I would do the scavenger hunt and offer an edible apple-themed prize - donut or something similar. I wouldn't bother with the cheap binoculars. I know I don't want anymore cheap plastic in my house! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 I think a scavenger or junior ranger (orchard master?) type activity would be perfect. We absolutely loved that stuff when my kids were small. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) Sorry, no. At that age, we had too many little packs, crayons, and cheap plastic toys. Is this your orchard, or a commercial place? The commercial places we visited always had lots of activities, as pp mentioned, things like hayrides, corn mazes, stacked bales of hay/straw for kids to climb and slide down, etc. Edited September 16, 2017 by Alessandra 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookbard Posted September 16, 2017 Author Share Posted September 16, 2017 (edited) Thanks for the replies, I had a look at some of the orchards in the US online, quite different from over here! (meaning with the mazes and so forth - all the orchards around here are simply orchards with a shed out the front). Edited September 16, 2017 by bookbard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted September 16, 2017 Share Posted September 16, 2017 If my dc were still little... I would not want any little plastic toys or crayons and I would not expect to pay for a scavenger hunt. I think a little scavenger hunt would be a nice bonus to a paid tour or paid apple picking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookbard Posted September 16, 2017 Author Share Posted September 16, 2017 So interesting to hear the different experiences people have had. Here, it's free to go through the orchard, people just pay to buy apples etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 Thanks for the replies, I had a look at some of the orchards in the US online, quite different from over here! (meaning with the mazes and so forth - all the orchards around here are simply orchards with a shed out the front). You can start a new trend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth86 Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I would do the scavenger hunt and offer an edible apple-themed prize - donut or something similar. I wouldn't bother with the cheap binoculars. I know I don't want anymore cheap plastic in my house! Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk I agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmandaVT Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 This is the orchard we go to every year: Burtt's Apple Orchard One neat thing they do is hide a wooden apple in the orchard. Whoever finds it wins an iPod. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 17, 2017 Share Posted September 17, 2017 I've seen fancy orchards and I've seen tiny little orchards. If you want to make some extra money, sell bags with the dry portions for apple crisp with instructions tied to the bags (sugar, flour, cinnamon, etc.) I wouldn't do the pastic toys or crayons, etc. I hated getting those things when the kids were tiny and would toss them when the kids weren't looking. Incidentally, we went apple picking today. Our favorite bit was kicking the apples that were on the ground and tossing one in a nearby lake (what a glorious plop it made.). They also had apple cider slushies which were heavenly. What might be nice for little kids is making a maze out of bales of hay, if you have bales of hay. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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