At Orchard Fostering, we strive to make the fostering journey as fulfilling as possible for all our carers and the children in their care. We do this by offering cutting edge trainings, providing access to pre-established support systems, and by ensuring our carers (and the children in their care) are looked after every step of the way. As well as all this day-to-day work, we sometimes like to kick back and just celebrate our carers and the children in their care.
In August, we gathered our care families together and descended upon Castleview Open Farm in County Laois for a day of fun-filled activities. Read on to find out more about our foster family day out.
If you’re interested in foster care, please reach out to Orchard Fostering today. We’re available on the phone or via email – you can also fill out a form directly on our contact page.
Where did the foster family day out take place?
At Orchard Fostering, we understand the importance of getting out and about with your family. There is nothing more invigorating that a great family day out – so we decided to host our own. When we were casting around for places to have our foster family day out, we knew we wanted somewhere family-friendly and fun-filled. Castleview Open Farm is all that – and more! With fourteen acres of looped walkways, 110 animals with which to interact, loads of play areas and a lovely café, we knew that every member of the family would have a brilliant time. While we were blessed with a beautiful summer’s day, we knew that if the weather let us down we could pop inside to Castleview’s excellent indoor facilities.
What events took place on the foster family day out?
Castleview is filled with fun activities for all the family, so there were lots of options for everyone. The biggest hit of the day was the Fairy Garden, where young people could write wishes and put them in a magical well. This was great fun and allowed the kids a moment of reflection in a hectic day of running around. Other popular activities included mini-golf and go-karting – two great ways of getting active, that could encourage some young people to pursue the sports further. Perhaps we saw the origins of the next Rory McIlroy or Lewis Hamilton in Castleview!
As well as the more strenuous activities, we also had fantastic face painters and balloon modellers from Magic Wand on site. These tireless professionals tackled any and all requests that flew their way – truly making the days of some young people with their detailed and dedicated work.
What did you do for food on the foster family day out?
Food is, of course, the most important part of any day out. We’ve written before about the importance of bonding with your foster child over food. As such, we knew we would have to bring out A-game to the food portion of the day – there are no finer food critics than young people who’ve been traipsing around a farm all day. Working with Events Clinic, the excellent Pinchos food truck was on hand to provide us with delicious food that really helped make the day a great success. As well as the hot food from Pinchos, we were also able to avail of Castleview’s excellent on-site café, who provided lovely drinks and ice creams for all.
If you’re interested in foster care, please reach out to Orchard Fostering today. We’re available on the phone or via email – you can also fill out a form directly on our contact page.