The boys were so excited to go to the Telford Q Hotel Golf Club and Spa, they love their Q Hotel visits but for them this one was a little bit special, the lovely people at Q Hotels had asked them to complete a secret mission.
Jack was looking forward to it, but Joe was beside himself, all we knew was that it was a survival activity that they had to test and report back for a potential new guest activity.
When we arrived in our room our Mission, in form of Battle Box equipment was waiting for us with an introduction letter. There was an army rucksack waiting for Jack and Joe, containing all of the equipment you would need to survive in the great outdoors.
They each had tent pegs, there was a rubber mallet, walky talkies, ground sheets, sandbags, string, and pen knife to cut the string, a flag, plaque, mini bombs (harmless just noisy) and a small survival tin with lots of essentials should you get stuck in the wild.
Straight away there was no question with the boys that this was a competition, and Joe was feeling very confident being in his own words “an outdoors expert.” Jack was grinning knowingly, clearly he had done this before?
I would have thought this activity lent itself to a team building effort for the whole family which would be a very enjoyable event. But no the Christie boys had decided it was a competition and that’s how it would be!
We set off excitedly with all the kit to have a strategy meeting over a diet coke and glass of wine, but the boys were raring to go. The first important decision was where to set up camp, and to a 9-year-old this is a big, important decision. Jack pointed out they needed a tree so they set off with a walk talky to find the perfect spot.
Once said spot was located the boys came to find us to direct us to the location, and from that moment on it turned into a mini Hunger Games. The only problem here was they had to share the rubber mallet so Chris and I found ourselves becoming mediators of the mallet.
Jack had a clear strategy and worked in methodical order laying out his kit, planning measuring rope and worked quickly and effectively. Joe on the other hand was a little more like an excited chicken running around in circles getting all of his kit out of the bag, then having to retrieve it when it blew away in the wind. I tried to intervene and offer him advice and suggestions but he was ok, he didn’t need anyone’s help.
After 20 min’s Joe eventually accepted help off Chris and allowed him to offer a few helpful suggestions, which he changed accordingly to suit his plan, whist Jack and I watched on in hysterics. But they got the job done in the end.
Once the command bunkers were complete we retreated to the patio of the beautiful golf bar and a well deserved glass of wine (and trust me after all that mediation we needed one) to watch the boys from a distance chilling in their tents, then decamp and re-pack their bags.
So, how did we enjoy the activity? It was so refreshingly different, not at all what you would expect to carry out in a hotel, the boys got so into it, and as I said this could be played out as a team building activity or a competitive activity. And there was only one way for the Christie boys, but they loved every minute.
In fact days later they were still hailing it as the best activity ever. And at the weekend when Joe had his best friend Fin to visit they recreated the activity in our garden, he couldn’t wait to replay it.
One little tip, the small tin is incredible lots of great survival kit in it and every boys dream, but I would say not at all necessary to the task. I would leave this out in the future.
Thank you Q Hotels and Battle Box UK for another fantastic experience, we all loved it.
Ah it looks like lots of fun, my girls would have loved to have completed a secret mission. We have been to the Telford Spa a couple of times as it is near where my grandparents live. x
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Thanks Katie, yes the boys loved it, it was so exciting. I loved the Telford Q it was such a lovely friendly, chilled environment x
That sounds amazing, it’s a great idea which my kids would love. I could imagine my two being rather competitive about it too!
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Ha ha siblings, it was a really fab activity that we all got so involved in x
Aw this is a lovely idea from The Hotel and how fantastic to be involved in a secret mission. Q certainly value families coming to their hotels which is great to hear xx
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Thanks Tracey and yes they really do value families the boys so love visiting x
aaa that looks like so much fun and so different to the normal day out!! #twinklytuesday
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Chantelle it was, we had so much fun, really loved it x
This looks like so much fun! I think I would have loved this myself let alone if I was a young boy! Love that they took to it like complete pro’s and got the job done. Brilliant! Thanks so much for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
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Ha ha thanks Lisa, yes it was so much fun we all loved it, but the boys were in their element x
what a fun and unique experience!
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Thanks Tianna it was fab, we had a great time x
This sounds so much fun! And like you say so different the perfect activity for families I love that you two were mallet mediators haha x
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Ha ha god only knows what would have happened with the mallet if we hadn’t monitored it use x
This looks amazing, what a great idea and I love your video, you can tell your boys loved it. Like you say it is so different but a great idea to keep them entertained xx
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Thanks Hayley, it was so amazing we loved every minute of it such a fun activity x
What a great, unique experience to involve everyone in! Looks like a lot of fun! #SummerDays
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Thanks Cindy, yes it was so fantastic we all had such a great time x
Wow! That sounds like unbelievable fun! My boys would absolutely love an adventure like that!!! #summerdays
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Thanks Claire, it was so fab we really loved it x
This sounds so much fun – I can only imagine what my daughter would do with a rubber mallet. Love the video #countrykids
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Ha ha I know, they loved the rubber Mallet, it was such a fun acivity x
What a cool activity, something boys would definitely like! Good day for it too weatherwise from the photos. I love the photo at the end, with the binoculars, like yes job done! #summerdays
Sabrina xx
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Ah thank you yes it really got them so excited a a bit competitive but they loved it x
Oh wow! This looks like so much fun – and I have to say that the wee one really did look like a headless chicken running after that sheet! Lol.
Loved this #summerdays
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Ha ha yes he did Katie, what made me laugh is that he was convinced he was a tent building pro x
I love the idea of the battle box kits they are great for getting kids out in the great outdoors and looks like your boys had plenty of fun setting theirs up, a great idea to do it in the hotel grounds, all part of a lovely night away. Thank you for sharing on Country Kids.
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Thanks Fiona, yes it was such fab idea and a great thing to involve the whole family x
This looks like so much fun – I hope that this kind of thing will interest my girls when they get older. Q Hotels are amazing putting together these activities for you to enhance your stay with them. Glad you all had a wonderful break, and thanks for joining in with #SummerDays
Hi Sarah
The team here at BattleBox are chuffed to bits you and the Boy’s had such a great time! Looks like it was just the start
Hi Sarah – The team at BattleBox are chuffed to bits you had such a wonderful day and that the boys enjoyed the Adventure Den Building Kit so much. Your Blog makes a wonderful read! It certainly sounds like you had a great week too with Q hotels! My girls had an equally great day, for my daughter’s 8th birthday last month, with the Glorious Girls Den Kit – we had similar issues with the ‘one mallet’ too, which made me smile! Wishing you and your family all the best and plenty more great Blogs!
Rachel and The Battlebox Team xx
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Ha ha glad its not just my two Rachel, yes it is such a fantastic idea we all loved it so much, and thank you so much xx