It’s time to get acquainted with some indoor family-friendly options, especially if you’ve got toddlers or preschoolers at home. You can only drag them to the mall so many times, before standing out in the rain at the monkey bars almost starts to sound good.

What to do in Vancouver: Granville Island Indoor Fun

The Parent and Tot Gym Time at the False Creek Community Centre is open most Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30am to 12:00pm.  Active play areas run alongside imaginative play areas leaving something for every child.  Highlights include a bouncy castle and a plethora of ride-on toys.

False Creek Community Centre

vancouver.ca/parks/cc/falsecreek/
1318 Cartwright Street, Vancouver

What to do in Vancouver: Parent Participation Play Time in Kits

With Parent and Tot Gym sessions on most Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, your toddler is sure to burn some energy before nap time at the Kitsilano Community Centre. This active parent participation class is just one hour long but doesn’t require registration in advance. Certain drop-in times require a one-on-one parent to child ratio, while other times permit two or even three siblings per parent. Be sure to check the online schedule to choose the right day and time and to check the dates of operation.

Kitsilano Community Centre

www.kitscc.com | Twitter | Facebook
2690 Larch Street, Vancouver

What to do in Vancouver: Mini Play Palace in Kerrisdale

If you’re familiar with the very popular summer-time Play Palace at the Kerrisdale Arena, the off season Mini Play Palace at the Kerrisdale Community Centre is a bit underwhelming by comparison, but a great time nonetheless. With all sorts of toys and activities to choose from, your little one will stay occupied the whole time you’re there. The Mini Play Palace runs on most Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00am – 3:00pm. Check the website before you go to be sure of the dates of operation.

Kerrisdale Community Centre

vancouver.ca/parks/cc/kerrisdale | Twitter | Facebook
5851 West Boulevard, Vancouver

Where’s your favourite community centre drop-in? Leave us a reply and tell us!

Something for Everyone

Most kids love swimming, but they’ll be thrilled when they see what’s on offer at Hillcrest. This gorgeous new pool has so many kid-friendly features: spray jets, water cannons, a lazy river, beach entry, tons of toy boats, balls and pool noodles, plus several racks of life jackets for babies and small children. For the older kids and adults, Hillcrest’s 70-person hot tub, steam rooms, sauna, one, diving boards and huge lap pool are sure to impress.

Their family change rooms make it easy for moms or dads to get the kids ready for the pool. There are lots of generous-sized private stalls so you can contain your kids while you all get changed and showered. Bring a quarter for your locker and you’re all set.

Affordable Family Fun Anytime

There are Red Cross swimming programs for all ages from four months to adult. Check out the lesson schedule on the Vancouver Parks Board website for more information. If you just want to come to Hillcrest for fun, don’t worry about the schedule: the pool is open for public swimming all day! Though it’s a brand spanking new facility, Hillcrest Pool is still an affordable place for families to go. Monday and Wednesday afternoons you can come during the ‘Discount Dip’, or take advantage of the family rate any day where adults get to pay the child price of $3.25 each.

More than Just Swimming

If swimming isn’t your thing, Hillcrest Centre offers a wide variety of other options. The centre also houses an NHL-sized ice rink, the Terry Salman Vancouver Public Library branch, the Vancouver Curling Club’s eight-sheet curling rink, a dance centre, drop-in sports and a state-of-the art fitness centre overlooking Queen Elizabeth Park. Take advantage of daily child-minding from 9:00-11:00am and get in a kid-free workout! Flip through their program guide to get ideas of what to do in Vancouver. They even have musical theatre camp for preschoolers!

Hillcrest Centre

www.rileypark.ca | Facebook
4575 Clancy Loranger Way, Vancouver

A Toy Store with Something for Every Occasion

From the outside, the toy store isn’t much to look at. Although, it is also quite a bit to look at in some respects. Life-sized Playmobil figures and bins of bouncy balls and other toys draw your attention to this average sized store-front. But despite its small size, the inside feels spacious and holds shelf upon shelf of all types of toys for kids of all ages. The various sections of the toy store are well organized and neat, making it easy for you to narrow your search based on the age and preferences of the child you are shopping for. Six year-old boy who loves to build things? There’s a section for that. Five year-old princess who loves all things pink? There’s a section for that. Budding musician who is ready to move on from your pots and pans? There’s a section for that, too.

One the most unique features of the toy store is their fairly large section of small toys. These items are great for filling up a holiday stocking or a birthday party loot bag. They’re the kinds of things you sometimes wish you had with you in your purse so you could pull them out in that long grocery store line-up or on that traffic-plagued car trip. If you need a small white-elephant gift for a holiday party or a humorous prize for a workplace game, you might just find what you’re looking for at Splash Toy Shop. They also carry a good selection of helium balloons.

Gift-Wrapping Service

The best part of Splash Toy Shop though, which any busy mom will appreciate, is their free, on the spot gift wrapping service. Wake up Saturday morning and realize that you’d forgotten all about that birthday party? Splash will wrap the present right when you buy it. We can all use a time-saver like that every once in a while.

Splash Toy Shop

Facebook
4243 Dunbar Street, Vancouver, 604-228-8697

Summer’s never over at 6Pack Indoor Beach. It’s Vancouver’s only indoor beach, in an 18,000 square foot facility with 700 tonnes of the softest sand in the city. There’s perfect beach weather year-round for beach volleyball, beach soccer, sports days or sandcastle building. They invite you to come celebrate a day at the beach for your next birthday or event, and they’re pleased to be offering a party giveaway to two lucky readers!

Giveaway: 6Pack Beach Birthday Package

6Pack Beach and VancouverMom.ca are joining forces to throw your child the ultimate beach party. Two birthday packages for children under 14 years old are up for grabs. Here are all the prize details:

• First prize – Two beach courts for two hours, plus four large pizzas and two 2-liter bottles of pop for up to 24 kids. Total value: $336
• Second prize – One beach court for two hours, plus two large pizzas and one 2-liter bottle of pop for up to 12 kids. Total value: $168

How to Enter

Mandatory entry:
Please enter your name in the form below:

Additional Entries (optional):

1. Like 6Pack Beach on Facebook.
2. Comment on the VancouverMom.ca Facebook page, and tell us about your favourite beach activitiy.

Contest Rules for the 6Pack Beach Giveaway

• Contest runs until November 28, 2011 at 11:59 pm.
• Winners will be randomly selected and contacted by email. If a winner doesn’t claim their prize, then another name will be randomly selected from the list.

Good luck!

6Pack Indoor Beach

6packbeach.com | Twitter | Facebook

1. A Rainy Day Calls for Good-Quality Rain Gear.

I know it may not the most attractive outfit you or your child will ever wear, but a small fashion sacrifice is worth it to be warm, dry and comfortable on a wet and rainy day. Anyone going for a puddle jumping adventure needs full rain gear, including waterproof boots, rain pants and a rain jacket.

Good quality items can be pricey, but well-made gear will hold up to repeated wear and will end up being a better value in the long run. Look for children’s boots at GumDrops on 4th Avenue or Room for 2 on Commercial Drive, and hit up MEC for durable rain jackets and pants for children and adults at reasonable prices. A full-body rain suit is perfect for toddlers who are liable to plop themselves down in a muddy puddle.

2. Keep Moving.

Children can play for ages outdoors in cold or wet weather as long as they’re running around and engaged in their play. Adults are often on the sidelines, getting cold because they’re standing still. Put aside your self-consciousness and run around with your toddler, jump in a few puddles yourself or join in a game of tag. You’ll have some rainy day fun of your own and stay warm longer, too.

3. Bring a Large Dose of Patience and Wonder.

Toddlers are just discovering the amazing wonders of our world, so to them squishy mud, dirty pine cones and wet dogs are fascinating mysteries just begging to be explored. Plan on allowing yourself enough time to meander along at your inquisitive toddler’s pace, especially if you’re puddle jumping on your way to another destination.

4. Have a Hot Treat Afterwards.

It doesn’t have to be big or sugary, but a hot drink like a steamed milk, herbal fruit tea or milky hot chocolate is a nice way to end a rainy day adventure. Bundle up in a nice warm blanket together and enjoy getting cozy again after your time outside in the cold, wet weather.

It can be difficult to look out the window at the pouring rain and say, “Hey, let’s go jump in some puddles!” But it is often the case that once you’re out there you’re fine as long as you’re doing something interesting and dressed appropriately. Whether you’re puddle jumping around your block or exploring the beauty of the Pacific Rainforest in the rain, it’s possible to make the most of our rainy season.

It’s a pretty picture, but not one that really exists where I live in downtown Vancouver. Instead of houses, there are highrises, instead of doorbells, buzzers and enterphones. How do you celebrate Halloween with a kid when there’s nowhere to trick or treat?

Oh, but there is! There’s no shortage of places to get your Halloween on. Here’s what’s happening for you and your kids in downtown Vancouver this October:

The Roundhouse

Pumpkin Carving

Date: Saturday, October 22nd

Time: 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

All the materials and tools you need to unleash your inner ghoul.

Cost: $3 per pumpkin. Pre-registration and adult supervision is required.

Halloween Carnival

Date: Monday, October 31st

Time: 4:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Bring your little ghouls, goblins, pirates and princesses to celebrate Halloween with games, crafts, and a “Creepy Hollow” forest to explore.

Cost: $6 per child. Pre-registration is recommended as spots fill up quickly, and adult supervision is required.

www.roundhouse.ca | 604-713-1800 | 181 Roundhouse Mews (Davie and Pacific)

West End Community Centre

Halloween Howl

Date: Saturday, October 29th

Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Bring your two to six year olds in their creepiest costumes for crafts, games, a mini-haunted house and a bouncy castle. From 11:45 – 1:00, you can even ice skate with the Pumpkin!

Cost: $5 advance/$6 day of, per child. Skating is free for registered children, $2 per adult (not including skate rental). Pre-registration is recommended as space is limited.

www.westendcc.ca | 604-257-8333 | 870 Denman Street

Barclay Manor

Haunted House

Date: Friday, October 28th and Saturday, October 29th

Time: 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Ideal for six year olds and up, take a five minute tour through this heritage house made spooky for the occasion.

Cost: $3 per person. Buy tickets in advance or get them at the door.

www.barclaymanor.ca | 604-257-8333 | 1447 Barclay Street

Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch

Hallowe’en Howl

Date: Saturday, October 29th

Time: 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm

Bring your five to eight year old witches and superheroes for stories, puppets, and crafts.

Spooky Fun

Date: Saturday, October 29th

Time: 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

Stories, puppets, and crafts tailored for the preschool set.

Cost for both events: Free. Held in the Harvey Southam Room of the Children’s Library at the VPL Central Branch.

www.vpl.ca | 604-331-3603 | 350 W. Georgia St

The Stanley Park Hallowe’en Ghost Train

Dates: October 7th – 31st

Times: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm Sundays – Thursdays. 6:00 pm – 11:oo pm Fridays and Saturdays

Get everything in one place! Your ticket includes the train ride (with a mix of fear and fun provided by the Circus of Disaster), face painting, crafts, and a haunted maze. October 25th is Costume Contest Night, with prizes awarded in four different age categories.

Cost: Children/Seniors $6.25, Adults $9.82, plus tax. Get tickets in advance through ticketmaster.ca or for same-day tickets, the booth on site opens at 3:00 pm.

vancouver.ca | 604-257-8531 | Pipeline Road, Stanley Park

Trick or Treat with Neighbourhood Businesses

Yaletown celebrates ten years of their annual trick or treat route this year. Pick up a map of participating businesses at the Roundhouse on October 31st and head out with the kids 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm. Last year, most of the merchants on Denman Street had treats for costumed munchkins, and Denman Place Mall went all out with spooky decorations and goodies. My little firefighter made out like a bandit!

If you live downtown, what do you plan to do for Halloween this year? Have we missed any family-friendly events? Let us know in the comments!

*Photo credit – D. Sharon Pruitt on Flickr.

Toddlers now entertained, we could concentrate on the vast menu. We had come to this Vancouver restaurant for the pannekoek, so we narrowed it down to that section. If you haven’t had a Dutch pannekoek before, it’s somewhere between a crepe and the fluffier pancakes that are typical in Canada. They’re large, plate-sized concoctions, with just about any possible topping you’d like: fruit, whipped cream, syrup, ham, eggs, cheese and more. The meat, cheese or fruit can be either baked in or on top. The traditional way to eat pannekoek is to roll the toppings up inside and slice it, eating with a knife and fork.

The Verdict on this Vancouver Restaurant

The service was friendly and attentive: we were never lacking for coffee refills or waiting to ask for ketchup. My ham, mushroom and edam pannekoek also arrived with thick tomato slices and whipped butter. Yummy! The little guys shared a kid-sized apple and whipped cream pannekoek from the children’s menu (which comes on a sheet with word puzzles and pictures to colour for the older kids).

I would definitely go back. It’s not a place for a romantic date night, but it is a relaxing place for a family brunch. Just a block from the Canada Line Station and close to the shopping on Cambie Street, De Dutch is a nice reliable Vancouver restaurant to visit for a meal and a play break on a day of errands, or a destination to hang out and catch up with friends while the little ones meet some new friends in the play area. They’re only open for breakfast and lunch, though, so go before 3:00pm or you’ll miss out!

De Dutch Pannekoek House

Website
410 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver

Kid-Friendly Vancouver Restaurant

Some restaurants are kid-friendly because they have kid sized meals on their menus. Other restaurants are considered kid-friendly because no one looks at you funny when your toddler has a tantrum and kicks and screams under the table. Then there are places like the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co., which are uniquely kid-friendly by not only offering a fresh and delicious kids menu, but also by having an amazing play space right in the dining room.

Their adorable wooden play kitchen, complete with child-sized aprons, pots and pans and plush fruits and vegetables, is the perfect thing to keep your child busy and entertained while waiting for your meal to be served. The best part is that they do all of this for children, while still maintaining a grown-up atmosphere that makes it the kind of place I would go to with my girlfriends on a Friday night.

The kids menu is amazing. They have pizza, obviously, but also macaroni and cheese, organic free range chicken and a grilled cheese sandwich, to name just a few. They even have a pretty appealing veggie plate which my toddler happily tucks in to each time we go.

This Vancouver restaurant even offers some fun and memorable experiences. Every Sunday and Monday evening from 5:00 to 7:00pm, kids can make their own pizzas: roll out their dough, spread tomato sauce and add their toppings.  Or better yet, they also host birthday parties, where each child can make his or her own pizza at a cost of $13 per child.  Sure, you could probably host a pizza making birthday party at home for less money, but then you’d have to clean up the mess!

Pizza, Pasta and More

Everything I’ve ordered at the Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. tastes fresh and flavourful. My recent favourite is the Farmer’s Market pizza, which changes almost daily and has four or five local seasonal toppings in addition to pesto and goat’s cheese.

The restaurant isn’t all pizza. Their menu is also filled with pastas, sandwiches, salads and more. The varieties are flavourful and unique, and the daily specials are always particularly interesting.

A Business that Gives Back

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. claims to buy as much produce as they can from local farmers.  I like that, not only because it supports the local economy, but also because I think it makes for a better tasting dish.

This Vancouver restaurant also offers fundraising programs to help local schools.  You can hold a Tuesday night fundraising event in the restaurant (where 10% of all sales goes to your school) or organize a frozen pizza sales fundraiser (where $3 from every pizza sold goes to your school). It sounds like a pretty tasty way to make a difference in the community.

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co.

www.rockymountainflatbread.ca | Twitter | Facebook
1876 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver, 604-730-0321

An all-season, all-activities reference guide

52 Best Day Trips From Vancouver contains lots of features that make it easy to use for families, whether you’re looking for a dog- and stroller-friendly walk or a canoeing adventure.

The book contains detailed maps, lots of photographs by Jack’s wife, Louise, and an activities index, which allows you to look up destinations according to the type of activity you want to do. There’s an outdoor activity for everyone, including paddling, cycling, birding, boating, group functions, dog walking and playgrounds.

In our recent interview, Jack said, “There’s a really great playground we have at Redwood park, which has been specifically designed for children of all ability levels. It’s constructed especially so the surface of the playground is very soft and cushiony, so that if you have a developmentally-challenged child, they can absolutely enjoy themselves as much as any other child.”

Day trips save families money

Day trips are great for enjoying outdoor activities, but they’re also great for saving families money.

As Jack said, “All of these day trips are free. There’s nothing in the book that requires an admittance fee. And in fact, there are a number of hints in the book that will actually save readers the price of the book itself. For example, there are places that you can go for free and have just as good an experience as a place where you would pay, [such as] the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge, which is free, and it’s only blocks away from the Capilano suspension bridge, where you have to pay an admission.”

Getting kids out into the magic of nature

Spending time in nature has so many benefits for adults and kids – it helps lower stress, increase awareness of ecology and the environment, and outdoor activities help increase physical activity.

If your challenge is getting resistant kids out the door, Jack has a few tips. “One thing I learned from my parents is they always sugar-coated a trip like a picnic or a day trip by stopping in and enjoying something that the whole family enjoyed, like french fries or ice cream. There are lots of neat little places, like Ladner, for example, right on the harbour, where you can turn any kind of trip into treat time. Because once you get there, I find that kids really enjoy themselves. Even if they say ‘I really don’t want to go’, once you get there, there’s something magical about being outdoors.”

Worth a read

52 Best Day Trips From Vancouver is a great book for anyone who wants to explore some of the outdoor activities that the Lower Mainland has to offer, whether you want a universally accessible trail or a challenging hike.

Jack Christie’s warmth, experience and enthusiasm really shone through during our conversation, and he invites his readers to learn more about his adventures or contact him with questions and feedback at jackchristie.com.

Michelle Carchrae is a freelance writer and homeschooling mom to two girls. With a serious love for Vancouver and an equally serious need to get out of the house with two young kids, Michelle searches out the best kid and parent friendly places to go. Michelle also writes about parenting at her blog, The Parent Vortex.

Summer is nearly upon us, and pretty soon the schools will be closing their doors for the summer holidays. There’s always lots to do during the holidays, like going to the PNE, visiting relatives or just heading down to the beach. But just because school’s out, it doesn’t mean the learning needs to stop. Here are some fun brain drain-busting activities that will keep your kids learning–and having fun.

Do some baking

Baking is a great brain drain-buster! Depending on the age of your child, baking involves reading, math, reasoning and motor skills. You can have fun baking with children of all ages because the older they are, the more they can do. To take this activity a step further, encourage your children to set up a stand and sell their baking to neighbours.

Tip: Check out The Dizzy Whisk for kids’ cooking classes and camps in Vancouver.

Make a storybook

Allow your children to take charge of the camera for a day, and then together make a storybook of your day. Print the photos and have your children write a sentence or more explaining the picture. This activity can include writing and math too if you make the book from scratch.

A fun add-on to this activity is to mail the book to a relative once it’s complete. It will add more meaning into the project for your children, and make a lovely gift at the same time.

Tip: Stop by Paper-Ya on Granville Island and choose some special stationery.

Visit the library

Looking for something to do on a rainy day? Don’t forget your library over the summer holidays. Many have fantastic free summer programs to entertain children. Encourage your children to talk to the children’s librarians and ask for book recommendations.

Not only is it practice for your children, but it’s a great way to uncover hidden gems amongst the shelves that unlock your child’s love of literature.

Tip: Look into the Vancouver Public Library’s summer reading program.

Explore at the beach

Next time you head down to the beach, take some extra buckets. Encourage your children to sort the stones and shells that they find along the beach.

You can inspire an interest in science and math by asking questions like:

• “How many ways can you sort them?”
• “How do you think those stones were formed?”
• “What kind of animals live in shells?”

If they don’t know the answers, don’t tell them. Instead, help them find out the answers for themselves.

For younger children, take some old measuring cups to the beach and let them play with them in the water and the sand to learn first-hand how volume and addition works.

Tip: Pack a picnic and enjoy a lunch at Jericho Beach. There are lots of tables around.

Ask questions

The key in turning play into playful learning is in the questions you ask your children. Ask open-ended questions that move the play on from being repetitive, and encourage creativity and imaginative thought.

Good luck and enjoy those lazy hazy summer days!

Nicola Lott focuses on supporting parents who want to teach their young learners naturally through play-based learning techniques. An award-winning presenter, Nicola runs fun, interactive workshops, develops play-based learning literacy programs through Notch Hill and inspires others through her work with Discovery Toys.