There is so much to do on a campsite holiday in our glorious corner of Devon, kids of all ages can fill their days letting their imagination and their feet run away with them! Explorers, pirates, fairies and mermaids, whatever takes their fancy. Here at Cofton, we’re fortunate enough to offer campsite holidays close to both peaceful woodlands and sandy beaches, so you can not only take away some great family memories, but also handmade keepsakes of your time spent exploring. We’ve seen some wonderful keepsakes our guests have made over the years and we’re always surprised by the creativity shown by the kids to make something out of seemingly nothing.
Beach Crafts
Sand bowls can be tricky to make, but as a messy craft it’s one kids will undoubtedly love! Here’s what you need:
- Glue/adhesive (PVA works fine)
- One plastic bowl
- Clingfilm
- Sand
Sand bowls make a unique ornament and can even be decorated with patterns/pebbles. All you need to do is find lots of sand, mix with an adhesive to form a good consistency (the key is that it needs to be really thick, but still pourable) and then place over the top of a bowl so the sand ever so gradually drips down. Leave the sand to dry over the bowl for a day and it should become solid. Probably not recommended for your morning cereal, but fun and funky to look at none the less!
Shells are always fun to collect and their uses are plentiful. Collect lots of small shells to create a neat little necklace or strike gold with bigger individual shells to add to the outside of candles as decoration. Shells and other beach rocks can also be drawn on with chalk and pen to make a cool little collection. You could maybe even collect various shells across South Devon, from Starcross to Shaldon and track the beaches you’ve been to on holiday.
Forest Crafts
You won’t be short of resources for DIY gifts on Dartmoor. As one of the most stunning natural environments there is, there is always something spectacular you can pick up and form into a craft. With an eclectic range of wildlife, landscapes and lakes you’ll be able to find something for everyone but don’t forget to be gentle with the countryside. We usually find that a great scavenger hunt is perfect for creating some competition among the kids!
Or why not try a twig raft race in the winding Dartmoor lakes. Here’s what you need:
- Rope/wire/twine
- Twigs and anything else you can find!
Collect some driftwood and get inventing! You can be as elaborate as you want with your craft and there are plenty of leaves and twigs to strengthen your craft, but don’t forget to collect them afterwards.
The varying colours, materials and environments of the Devon countryside and coastlines make for a melting pot of craft creation. If you’re not sure what to do you can always take your materials back to the campsite and create an artistic medley of your found materials. Lots of our guests have created wonderful canvasses and collages using materials straight out of Dartmoor or Dawlish Warren and our wonderful surrounding woodland area.
Kids will also find plenty to get excited about at our kids club located on site, which takes place daily. From bug discovery to circus fun, there’s always something on to keep the kids occupied. Our bug discovery, which takes place every Saturday, challenges the kids to make their very own insect home in the forest. There is always a good competition as to who can make the best insect campsites… 🐞