If you are a regular visitor here on the blog, you already know how much we love Oreo in our family. It’s like the family “go to” cookie when I have no time to bake. On those nights where I have cleaned up after dinner and we are all relaxing on the sofa looking for something sweet to finish us off before we hunker down for the night, someone will say OREO and then another someone will look for the milk. Everyone knows Oreos and Milk are #BetterTogether…right?
I will be the first to admit that on a bad good day I have been known to finish a full sleeve or Oreos on my own. I’m not sure how many cookies that is exactly, but to be honest, I’m not counting so you shouldn’t either. (My mom told me it’s not polite to count how many or how much someone is eating.)
Besides cookies and milk being “Better together”…the people over at Oreo also understand the importance of PLAY. This is why we were all able to enjoy our time together with our kids at The Fun Farm during #PlayWithOreo event.
We have been getting quite a few holidays these past two months and since I’m no one to shun a mid week holiday, I love that we were able to take a little break with the kids and get out to the country.
I’ve been to The Fun Farm before and I totally loved it. Teaching Kids Yoga at The Balik Bukid Fair has been something I look forward to. The Balik Bukid Fair also brings so many different people together for good old fashioned outdoor country fun.
I really wanted our day to be filled with family fun, but since we weren’t complete it would be family fun for the four of us 🙂
Gelli is so lucky to have her older brothers to look after her. I’m lucky too. This means that when I want to sit on the picnic benches and chit chat with the mommas whom I haven’t seen in a while, I get to do that because Mig and Jegs will chase her and let me rest.
There was lots of fun to be had before all the Mommas got together.
But I told the kids once we found our home base, they just had to keep checking in so that I knew they were ok.
Of course…Home Base was well equipped with snacks…
So after we all knew where we would be meeting up every now and again, all the kids went off to play. Gellibean didn’t explore too far from where I sat…but that was for no other reason than that’s where the Oreos were. (She takes after her mom in her fondness for these cookies.)
The kids were able to fish… (Photo Credit: Michelle Lim)
We were able to go horseback riding. Photo Credit: Lawrence del Mundo
And the kids visited the petting zoo. Photo Credit: Lawrence del Mundo
And take rides with Choc-Nut the Carabao… Photo Credit: Lawrence del Mundo
After playing and exploring, Gellibean would come back for a snack…
Which of course, I happily obliged with more Oreos… Photo Credit Lawrence del Mundo
But after that…it was more play time again. And for this, I am so thankful that my friends were taking pictures of everything! My photo album from the event is mainly comprised of photos from them! Thanks ladies for snapping pics of my kiddos, too!
Like this one taken by Michelle Lim, which clearly shows my son’s affinity for the sand…so much so, that he didn’t mind being covered…completely.
We were washing sand out of his hair and ears for days…
And of course there was more petting zoo shananigans. For the record, I miss this lil’s momma big time. BIG TIME. Photo Credit: Lawrence del Mundo
After which these two came back to the swing…
Gellbean loves to swing…we are still working on her kicking her legs together so that she can swing by herself.
“Play is a natural state of childhood.” According to a piece on the 5 Benefits of play for children there is so much more going on when we let our kiddos have fun in a completely unplanned, outdoor run around ragged way.
Playing outdoors unguided is important for the following reasons:
- Imaginary play helps kids prepare for their brains for the challenges that they will come across as adults.
- Kids who play outside for more than 15 minutes every day behave better because they can blow off steam and extra bottled up energy.
- Children play nice when they have had time outside with other kids. They create an awareness for other kids’ feelings too. In turn, they can regulate their own emotions.
- Simple fact…kids running around outside will have healthier hearts! Get them moving for heart healthy activities!
- Even the 3 R’s are reinforced by outside play…think hopscotch and numbers, team play and keeping score.
Playing outside is also really important therapy for Gelli. The above benefits are for typical kids who play outside often. With Gelli, there are even more benefits to her playing outside with friends because it’s easy therapy for us. We are reinforcing her gross motor skills. Playground and outdoor play for Gellibean is even more vital for her, than for her siblings who are typical.
Think about it…as adults, we need breaks. We have happy hour, me time, and dates with our hubbies.
Why don’t we give our children the same breaks from electronics, and video games, and computer time so they can get the fresh air that we know we all grew up with? I tell my kids (all the time) how I was always outside and had to be called in for dinner after playing in the neighborhood all afternoon.
The Fun Farm even has a mini zip line that is perfect for our kids.
After all the play time that was completely free and devoid of structure, YBS was also able to prepare a few games for us so that we could also play together. In this first game, the kids and the mommas were asked to use chopsticks to stack their Oreos in a relay race. Remember, all play has benefits so even these structured games have benefits for our children.
Games like these are not only good for “Team Play,” and “Playing Together,” these particular games were also good for hand eye coordination, and for fine motor skills.
Relay Teams are ready to get started! Photo Credit: Michelle Lim
After our relay teams tested their chopsticks skills, volunteers were asked to identify the Oreo flavored fillings and beat the clock for the best time!
Diego is super competitive…but he’s also a good cookie eater too…Photo Credit: Lawrence del Mundo
Miguel had a different tactic…he chose to only lick the filling…taste it so that he wouldn’t waste time chewing the cookie…Photo Credit: Michelle Lim
Each of the kids has their own flavor that they love. (Gellibean loves them all.)
Double Stuff-Diego’s Favorite
Regular-Miguel’s Favorite
Chocolate-Gelli’s Favorite
Mint-Gia’s Favorite
Oh-and the new flavor we are all loving on??
STRAWBERRY!!! Have you tried the Strawberry flavor?
After all that excitement, and cookies for our appetizers, we enjoyed a healthy and super fresh lunch from Holy Carabao.
You haven’t had fresh salad, until you had greens that were picked the morning of your lunch! Even the kids enjoyed the Kale and Bacon Pasta! Hindy and Mel explained that the bacon comes from an all natural farm in Bukidnon. My kids asked me to take what they couldn’t finish home, so they could eat it later.
With sister farms all over the Philippines, Holy Carabao continues to put out the freshest, and healthiest ingredients for you to prepare for your family.
Photo Credit: Michelle Lim
Playing with our kids so important. Aside from the benefits, I know that when we do things like these or participate in activities where we get them moving, play with our food (#PlayWithOreo), we are also creating memories for our children. Oreo was part of my childhood, and I’m glad that it’s part of my kids’ childhood as well.
We had so much fun playing with our friends. Check out the fun that Didi had with her kids by clicking here.
Check out Oreo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for new flavors as they are released, fun activities to look forward to, and different ways to #PlayWithOreo!
Wanna try making Oreo Polvoron? Check out my post here 🙂
Thank you Mondele and Oreo PH for all of the wonderful activities that we have participated in which have provided great memories for me and my kiddos. From Bento Box making, to Halloween Fun, and Good OLD outdoor fun at the Fun Farm. Together with our kids, we have created fantastic memories and captured those moments to be treasured forever.
