Growing up in the countryside I am all too accustomed to the joys of farm life. For this reason raising kids who are essentially growing up in inner city Dublin, is a funny contrast. As an accolade to my roots, I have always made a point of teaching the boys all the excitement country life has to offer. Our trips to the west are always the welly wearing, mud rolling, tractor spotting kind. Nothing fills me with more pride than Luke differentiating between a John Deere and Massey Ferguson tractor when out for a drive! Needless to say, when it comes to play time, my boys love nothing more than a tractor and farm animal scenario. Earlier this month all their farm life dreams came true when the epic Farm Field toy from arrived at our door. We’ve been manning the farm field pedantically since it’s arrival and the boys continued excitement for this beautifully handcrafted toy isn’t surprising.
About the Farm Field
How the field came to be is a heartwarming story that gave me all of the feels. A son who needed a pasture for his farm animals to graze and a creative Dad who was more than happy to oblige. Roscommon Dad Padraic just so happened to have an artificial grass company. This came in handy when crafting hedges, fields and gateways for miniature play. The Field is a simple concept, but that doesn’t make it any less brilliant. The beauty of it is, it gives kids an opportunity to create all sorts of incredible imaginary adventures. Crafted by hand in Ireland, the concept has gone from strength to strength. What started off with a simple field, has now expanded to a range of toys including:
Small World Play & Language Development
I am a firm believer in low-tech, traditional and simple toys which capture kid’s imaginations. When I choose toys for the boys, I am mindful of buying things that will encourage pretend play. Encouraging small world play and supporting our children’s language development go hand in hand. Small world play gives kids an excellent opportunity to expand their vocabulary, organise ideas and develop sequencing skills. As children explore through imaginary play, it allows them to develop their narrative skills and helps them in becoming effective story tellers. As far as I’m concerned, The Field Toy range is the epitome of imaginary exploration. Literally a field of dreams, where all and any sorts of adventures can come alive. We’ve had traditional farm life, to car rallies, and zoo expeditions to green quicksand situations during playtime with the field. Little imaginations aren’t confined to a ‘right’ way to play, and so seeing what inspired ideas kids can come up with is both fascinating and impressive.
Professionally as a speech and language therapist, I feel the range of field toys are perfect for therapy or teaching environments. I can’t think of a classroom or clinic that wouldn’t welcome these beautiful grassy pastures. I am so delighted to be able to use the field with clients to work on expanding their vocabulary, describing skills, story telling and imaginary play skills. Language learning and play time are inextricably linked, and the field toy makes for an incredible tool to support the development of both.
Tiny Human Verdict
Without a doubt, the field has been one of the most played with pieces of kit that has entered our house for as long as I can remember. It is sturdy, robust and hard-wearing. The boys have been known to get a little wrapped up in play and ended up sitting in the field, along with the dog. We’ve played with it on the floor, we’ve played with it on the table. We have played with it under the table. We’ve even played with it outside. What we love about it is it’s simplicity and the opportunities it gives the boys to come up with mad scenarios and games. They love the gates – opening and closing them – repeatedly. Never would you think a few hinged gates could bring two little boys such joy, but there you go! The Field Farm is easily stored under a bed or the couch – meaning you can slide it out of site without disturbing your grazing animals (which it seems, is very important!).
Details
The entire field range is available online from their site thefield.ie. For a list of stockists around Ireland and the UK, click here.
The Field Farm pictured retails for €79.99 and would make for a fantastic Christmas gift for any little farming enthusiast. There are different sizes and styles of field available from the website to suit every budget.
Fancy Winning A Farm Field of Your Own?
The great news is I have a Farm Field to giveaway to one lucky winner! This would make the perfect Christmas or birthday present for a little person with a big imagination! To enter, simply leave a comment below with your favourite brand of tractor!!
Alternatively you can enter by commenting on the Life With Tiny Humans Facebook page. Don’t forget to tag friends and family and share the love!
The closing date for entries is Saturday 13th October and the winner will be announced on Sunday Oct 14th 2018.
We were kindly sent our Farm Field to try out for the purpose of this review. As always, all opinions, images and thoughts are my own.
Love this Emma, looks like the type of game i would have spent hours playing with my sister as a child. Plenty of space for imagination and creativity. Must get this for Ruán when he is a little older!
Author
Isn’t it just gorgeous Niamh! I love traditional toys that are simple! It’s amazing the mad scenarios the boys can come up with together! 🙂
Favourite tractor would be a john deere 💚
Hey Emma, those toys look great. My fave tractor has to be a Massey!!
Author
Massey all the way!! Best of luck 🙂
our son kaekon adores tractors and farming. he would have to a massey is his fav after his grand dad’s tractor but he loves them. with a new baby due next week kaelon would get so much enjoyment out if this prize.
Author
This would be a great toy to keep him busy!!! Best of luck with baby and fingers crossed for the competition!! 🙂
We don’t have a favourite brand of tractor but my daughter loves playing with farm toys
Author
Ah bless her! wishing you the best of luck! 🙂
Love the versatility of this! I am a teacher but would definitely keep this at home for my minis! The possibilities are endless! Great product! Also, John deere feature in our farm set 😊
A blue Ford same as Grandad and Uncle Aidan 🚜
Looks like a fab toy! John Deere all the way for us!
This looks fab! My 4 yr old would love this must def have a look for his birthday 😍
This is fab and I am godmother of a little farmer that would for sure enjoy it, so I am entering with Lamborghini, because even in tractors we have to keep the style 😂😂 and even if don’t win I have my Christmas present already sorted so thank you!!
Ford! Fantastic fun for any budding farmer. Great prize.
Farm toys are favourites in this house. My two love playing with tractors and farm animals. No greater excitement than spotting new Holland’s and John deeres!
Great post as always Emma. This is brilliant, I didn’t know about this before your post, such a great product. We are only getting into all things tractor/farming since the Summer so John Deere is a fav at the moment. ☺
We’re John Deere fans in this house🚜🚜
Massey Ferguson all the way! My dad is doing up two vintage Masseys at the moment, he’s very excited to string them up with Christmas lights and go on charity tractor runs 😂 thanks for the chance to win 🙂
Love the idea of bringing the outdoors indoors for winter play… Big Massey fans in our house..
New Holland Ross O’Sullivan
What a great toy! My 3 year old would love it. Fave tractor is a blue Ford 3600, like my uncle has, learned to drive in that tractor! I was 12!!!
This is a fabulous competition. My little son is tractor mad. His favourite would have to be a Claas as his daddy has one. But in small world play any tractor would will do to carry out all his jobs that need doing. The farm field would be a great addition to his cardboard shed! 😊
Fantastic review Emma. The perfect open-ended toy. It would tie in very nicely in the Aistear classroom as well as at home! Tim has all John Deere paraphernalia ever created for toddlers and Rose is following suit with her hand-me-down wellies and wet gear at the moment! No gender specific toys in this house. Keep up the brilliant posts x
Aw Emma this is amazing…Cian would love it! The ride on John Deere in the garden is for the summer and he is heartbroken that he won’t be able to play with it when the weather turns. He would be made up and so would I!!! 🤞🤞
A pink john deere for us smallies 💗
My 2 year old is just mad about tractors and cows, he wud spend all day on the floor playing with farm animals and driving around little tractors New Holland in particular as thats what his Dad has!
My son ted would love this. He loves all animals and spends hours playing with his toy animals
Fantastic prize Emma! I have a little lady who would love this-farm obsessed -as long as the animals keep a distance! She does better with the plastic/wooden variety at the moment! Having moved to Kildare from Dublin (thats as country as I was prepared to move) I actually know the name of a tractor make-only one..but still, Im learning! John Deere!
Brilliant prize! Zetor are the favourite tractors in our house (my little lad is obsessed with his daddy’s tractors)
Oh this is just the cutest. My little nephews would absolutely love it 😍 They are obsessed with tractors. John Deere all the way! 😂
Never stepped foot on a farm so the only tractor I’ve heard of would be a John Deere,, great prize for my nephew who other family live on a farm..
Fabulous prize Emma!!! It looks like so much fun (and not only for the little ones 😉 ). It has to be John Deere if picking a favourite.
Fingers crossed and best of luck everyone!
love the massey Fergusons here! red all the way!!
Big John Deere fan in this house – her tractor and her cows keep her happy for ages😀👍🐄🚜
Lovely prize. My little boy would absolutely love it. Favourite has to be a Massey 😍
the Massey Ferguson is a big hit in our house.
What a fantastic prize for any young farmer!! My boys love the New Holland tractors but will happily play with any tractor once it has wheels!
What a lovely prize, the little ones in my family would go mad for a farm field of their own. They are obsessed with farm animals and love to visit the zoo too. Has to be John Deere for us! Please pop me in the draw and fingers crossed xx
Massey
John Deere
Massey Ferguson is my nephews favourite -copying his grandad of course!
My son Dara lovely tractor and farm machinery, tractor was one of his first words. He will be three next morning and would love a mini farm.
Oh can’t beat the Massey Ferguson..every farmers pride and joy
Ah this is fab my little one and the cousins would get hours of fun out of it.
ha got so caught up in the loveliness of it I forgot to tell you my favourite tractor – got to be a John Deere 4010 – heralded a new era of tractors and became the template for what we see today.
This is beautiful, would love to use it with my Junior Infants class!
I’m reliably informed by the boys in school that John Deere is the best 🙂
Massey Ferguson. And it has to be red : )
You can be classy in a massey but its better with a zetor!!😀😀😀😀
I’m a tots Dubliner who only learned the very basics of farming in my 20’s. I’m hoping to avoid the same with my own children! My favourite would be a John Deere
A Massey Ferguson for me 🤗
It has to be John Deere 😍
New Holland all the way. My wee man Sean is tractor mad and spends his days looking out the window for tractors😂
Best of luck with the new arrival from a fellow Mum of boys 💙! My little man is 2 on the 25/10 and this would make his day. John Deere is our current fav