Kids First Saturdays happens on the first Saturday of every month and is an opportunity for families of all kinds to create an art project, based on the exhibitions being shown at The Polygon Gallery. The projects are geared towards children ranging in age from 4 to 14 years old, though there is no age requirement to participate. Admission is by donation.

Advance registration for Kids First programming can be done on the Polygon’s website. Same-day registration can be done by telephoning the admission desk at 604-986-1351.

Kids First Saturdays adheres to WorkSafeBC guidelines, so space is limited.

In these classes, students develop acting skills integral to all theatrical disciplines including ensemble-building, storytelling, and character creation. Not only are students expanding their physical, vocal, and communication skills, but they are also learning transferable skills such as confidence, focus, listening, and trust-building.

Acting Intro is for ages 6-7 and will run Saturdays 9:30 – 10:30 am.

Fall Session: Sept 18 – Dec 11

Winter: Jan 8 – Apr 23

Please visit our website for more information and registration!

In these classes, students develop acting skills integral to all theatrical disciplines including ensemble-building, storytelling, and character creation. Not only are students expanding their physical, vocal, and communication skills, but they are also learning transferable skills such as confidence, focus, listening, and trust-building.

Acting C is for students ages 14-18 and meets Sundays 1-4pm. Please visit our website for more information and registration!

http://www.gatewaytheatre.com/fall-winter-sessional-classes/acting-classes-theatre-education-children-youth

Expanding on the successful Young Ravens Yoga program, we have created a play therapy, yoga inspired group, giving young people an opportunity to build resiliency through intentional, evidence based activities.  Led by a Registered Social Worker/Yoga Instructor, we utilize movement, games, art, and music, to assist children in developing resilience, self reliance, and coping strategies for managing big feelings. 

We offer weekly sessions, allowing children to create safe and nurturing friendships, while building on skills from the week prior and recommend this consistent approach for optimal results. 

Additionally, we have four specialty workshops focused on specific skills for building resilience. Workshops include all required supplies. 

Fall 2021 workshops dates will be released soon!

Grateful & Empathetic –  We will begin by exploring gratitude through sharing circle and using art to create a gratitude jar to take home for daily gratitude practice. We will then work on developing empathy through discussion, role playing, and games, exploring how through the service of others we can feel good about ourselves by creating an art project to give to others.  

Release – Children will explore movement, breathwork, and journaling as forms of releasing big feelings. Each child will be able to select a journal of their choice to keep and continuing journaling. 

Pause & Stillness –  Children will be placed in teams to complete an outdoor sensory scavenger hunt fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and opportunities to pause and activate different senses, followed by an opportunity to explore different meditation techniques and breathwork. Each child will have a chance to develop their own guided meditation to share with friends/family at home. 

Calm – Under the supervision of a professional seamstress and therapist, children will discover the joy and calm of the repetitive motion of sewing (proven to release dopamine in the brain!) creating their own upcycled weighted stuffie to use for calming. 

All Resilient Kids programs are led by a Registered Social Worker/Yoga Instructor and are eligible for extended health coverage where counselling by an RSW is a benefit. Receipts will be issued where applicable. Please contact dawn@rvnwellness.com if you are uncertain about your benefit coverage. 

*If you do not see a date/time that works but would like to enroll your child in a class or workshop, please reach out to dawn@rvnwellness.com. We may be able to add an additional class time with a minimum of 3 children*

Expanding on the successful Young Ravens Yoga program, we have created a play therapy, yoga inspired group, giving young people an opportunity to build resiliency through intentional, evidence based activities.  Led by a Registered Social Worker/Yoga Instructor, we utilize movement, games, art, and music, to assist children in developing resilience, self reliance, and coping strategies for managing big feelings.

We offer weekly sessions, allowing children to create safe and nurturing friendships, while building on skills from the week prior and recommend this consistent approach for optimal results.

Additionally, we have four specialty workshops focused on specific skills for building resilience. Workshops include all required supplies.

Grateful & Empathetic –  We will begin by exploring gratitude through sharing circle and using art to create a gratitude jar to take home for daily gratitude practice. We will then work on developing empathy through discussion, role playing, and games, exploring how through the service of others we can feel good about ourselves by creating an art project to give to others.

Release – Children will explore movement, breathwork, and journaling as forms of releasing big feelings. Each child will be able to select a journal of their choice to keep and continuing journaling.

Pause & Stillness –  Children will be placed in teams to complete an outdoor sensory scavenger hunt fostering teamwork, critical thinking, and opportunities to pause and activate different senses, followed by an opportunity to explore different meditation techniques and breathwork. Each child will have a chance to develop their own guided meditation to share with friends/family at home.

Calm – Under the supervision of a professional seamstress and therapist, children will discover the joy and calm of the repetitive motion of sewing (proven to release dopamine in the brain!) creating their own upcycled weighted stuffie to use for calming.

All Resilient Kids programs are led by a Registered Social Worker/Yoga Instructor and are eligible for extended health coverage where counselling by an RSW is a benefit. Receipts will be issued where applicable. Please contact dawn@rvnwellness.com if you are uncertain about your benefit coverage.

*If you do not see a date/time that works but would like to enroll your child in a class or workshop, please reach out to dawn@rvnwellness.com. We may be able to add an additional class time with a minimum of 3 children*

In these classes, students develop acting skills integral to all theatrical disciplines including ensemble-building, storytelling, and character creation. Not only are students expanding their physical, vocal, and communication skills, but they are also learning transferable skills such as confidence, focus, listening, and trust-building.

Acting A is for ages 8-10 and meets Thursdays from 5 – 6:30pm. Please refer to our website for more information and registration!

http://www.gatewaytheatre.com/fall-winter-sessional-classes/acting-classes-theatre-education-children-youth

In these classes, students develop acting skills integral to all theatrical disciplines including ensemble-building, storytelling, and character creation. Not only are students expanding their physical, vocal, and communication skills, but they are also learning transferable skills such as confidence, focus, listening, and trust-building.

Acting B1 is for students ages 11 – 13 and meets every Thursdays 7 – 9 pm. Please visit our website for more information and registration!

http://www.gatewaytheatre.com/fall-winter-sessional-classes/acting-classes-theatre-education-children-youth

Connect with nature, uncover a trove of scientific wonders, and see that
science is everywhere—including your own backyard! Backyard Adventures, presented by Windsor Plywood Foundation, invites you and your little learner to experience the world from inside a travelling backyard.

Join master storytellers from Play Abby on a themed and interactive journey of crafts and fun with your little ones. Totally Free.

Beginning October 5, Storytime & Craft will run every Tuesday from 9:30AM – 10:30AM inside Community Room, located across from Envision.

By order of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), proof of vaccination is required to participate in indoor organized recreational activities for attendees 12 years old and up. All attendees over 5 years of age must wear a mask.

For more information, please visit Guest Services or call 604-381-3934.

The BeaYOUtiful Foundation is hosting a FREE Six Week
Confidence Program for girls ages 8-10.

WHEN : Wednesdays, Nov 3 – Dec 8 : 6pm – 730pm PST
WHERE : Wonder of Learning (1346 Kingsway, VANCOUVER)

Pleas click here to register!

We aim to provide a safe environment for confidence building tools, goal setting, body positivity, learning to express our most authentic selves through movement, yoga and healthy communication.

Please note our in person programs will follow COVID protocols.

Please contact our Program Coordinator, Marica Morales at programs@thebeayoutifulfoundation.com for any questions.

Be a Caring Neighbour!

At Family Services of Greater Vancouver (FSGV), we are committed to ensuring our clients have access to the programs, services, and basic necessities needed to thrive as a family. But the Covid-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on many inequities in our communities, including food insecurity.

This time of year can be particularly challenging for the most vulnerable members of our community, and providing a wholesome, festive meal and gifts for loved ones shouldn’t be a source of stress or anxiety.

As a Caring Neighbour, your donation directly supports low-income families from right here in Metro Vancouver. With your support, FSGV can provide hundreds of gift cards to people in need so they can buy the food and gifts that make the holidays special to them.

Legendary Creatures

Dive into the spirit of the season with Holiday Splash at Vancouver Aquarium! Discover an aquatic winter wonderland of twinkling lights and festive decor, new scrumptious chef-made seasonal treats, and plenty of holiday fun for the whole family. Wave to Scuba Claus during his twice-daily dives, immerse yourself in returning favorite THE POLAR EXPRESS™ 4D Experience® , and capture the perfect family photo with our Jelly Snow Globe. Explore Canada’s largest aquarium to discover hidden holiday surprises and reconnect with our 65,000 amazing animals. Make a splash this holiday season. Plan your visit today!

Santa’s back, and so is our big red chair.

With safety measures and enhanced cleaning protocols in place*, we are excited to welcome you to Santa’s Shop.

Click here to book your Santa Photo appointment.

NEW THIS YEAR: If you are unable to book an appointment with Santa this year, we are excited to offer a digital Santa portrait featuring an existing photo with your family. Just send us your favourite photo.

Click here for more information, and to purchase your Santa Portrait.

The Polygon Gallery welcomes you to join the makers each Thursday from 4pm to 8pm to enjoy music and drinks, alongside an ongoing exhibition of acclaimed Vancouver artist Steven Shearer. 

Join us at Meet the Maker on November 25th, December 2nd, 9th,16th and 23rd to browse all of the sustainable, one-of-a-kind gifts of creatives from Vancouver and around the world.

Toque Craft Fair

Since the early 1970s, Western Front has held a winter holiday craft fair for local artists to showcase and sell handmade goods, and as a fundraiser for our artistic program. For a second year, Toque Craft Fair will take the form of a vibrant online marketplace.

The craft fair runs from Wednesday, December 1 until Sunday, December 5. During this time, browse and buy online from a curated selection of textiles, ceramics, jewelry, flowers, books, crafts, and home and body products by 30 BC-based artists and designers.

Purchased items will be available for pickup at Western Front, 303 E 8th Ave, Vancouver, on Saturday, December 11, 12–7 p.m. and Sunday, December 12, 12–4 p.m.

Toque is all about goodwill, community, and fostering sustainability for artists and artist-run culture in Vancouver. The participating artists and designers generously donate 30% of all sales to support Western Front’s artistic program.

Stay connected and check out the work of the participating vendors on our Instagram account, @toquecraftfair.

CBC British Columbia’s Food Bank Day

Where: Online

When: Friday, December 3, 5 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Info: cbc.ca/foodbankday

CBC British Columbia’s annual Food Bank Day is back on December 3 – but with a virtual twist! Join us from the comfort of home for special broadcasts of The Early Edition, BC Today, North by Northwest and On The Coast and virtual Meet and Greets with CBC hosts, all in support of B.C.’s food banks. For more information, go to cbc.ca/foodbankday.

The Doulas for Aboriginal Families Grant Program (DAFGP) provides funding for Indigenous families to access doula care in BC. In Vancouver, Indigenous families who live in the city and who travel to the city from rural and remote communities under the birth evacuation policy rely on the DAFGP to access doula support. However, the DAFGP recently announced that they have run out of money until the new fiscal year (April, 2022). As a result, there is no funding for families trying to access doula services between now and April 2022. To address this problem, we are fundraising on behalf of the ekw’i7tl Indigenous doula collective to cover the cost of doula care for 20 families until the DAFGP is restored.

Currently, members of the local ekw’i7tl Indigenous doula collective are serving several families impacted by the DAFGP outage. ekw’i7tl members also routinely serve Indigenous families experiencing emergency birth evacuations, whose requests for doula support often come at the last minute. Due to the DAFGP outage, ekw’i7tl members are faced with the choice to work without pay or decline caring for families who need it most. This is simply unacceptable when we know hospital and healthcare settings are unsafe for Indigenous families (see: In Plain Sight) and COVID-19 restrictions mean families are more isolated in pregnancy and birth than ever before.

The ekw’i7tl doula collective is a network of Vancouver-based Indigenous doulas and student midwives that provide culturally relevant care to Indigenous families through the full-spectrum of reproductive-health related experiences, including pregnancy, birth, postpartum, pregnancy loss, family planning, menstruation, abortion, and infant loss. They offer Indigenous-led educational workshops and training for community members and health systems partners. The ekw’i7tl collective works alongside midwives, doctors and other health systems partners to educate and advocate for Indigenous women’s health and gender inclusivity in reproductive health care. For more information, please visit: https://ekwi7tldoulacollective.org/our-story/

To raise funds for this vital program and ensure these families get the care they need, Massy Books is holding a reading series with local children’s authors in November and the beginning of December. At each event, there will be representation from ekw’i7tl to answer any questions related to the program, or if any new parents have questions. All attendees will receive a free signed book and get the chance to win:

– SIGNED copies from all the authors at the event,

– 30% coupon to Massy Books

– Julie Flett Print! By supporting this series and fundraiser, you are actively engaging in the work of reconciliation and directly impacting the lives of Indigenous families.

Donations are:

$25 Meet the authors, get a free book!*

$75 Meet the authors and get signed copies of ALL the books!*

$500 Sponsor a Family! Get signed books from ALL the authors from the entire series, a free Signed Julie Flett Print, AND 30% off everything you buy at Massy Books until the end of the year!*

*Please note, proof of vaccination and masks are required to attend events at Massy Arts Society and Massy Books. 100% of all tickets and donations will go to the ekWi7tl collective. All books have been donated by PRH, Orca, Greystone, and Massy Books.

We thank all the authors for donating their time, Penguin Random House, Orca Press, and Greystone Books, for their donations and coordination! What a beautiful coming together of folks to make this happen. Kinanaskomitin!

This weeks event includes readings from Bree Galbraith (Hold That Thought!, Wednesday Wilson Gets Down to Business, Usha and the Stolen Sun, etc.) and Tiffany Stone (Little Narhwal, Not Alone, Wood Could, Tree Song).

BREE GALBRAITH likes writing stories that inspire kids and adults to think critically about the world around them. Her books include Usha and the Stolen Sun, Milo and Georgie, and the Wednesday Wilson series. Bree holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, and a Master’s degree in Communication Design from Emily Carr University. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family.

Tiffany Stone is a children’s poet and critically acclaimed picture book author. She was inspired to write Little Narwhal, Not Alone by her lifelong affinity with the North (her dad worked in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland) and by her volunteer work with new immigrants. She lives in B.C. with her family and a plethora of pets.

See Santa this festive season!

Santa’s sleigh will again be touching down on the Machine Shop roof this year, spreading holiday joy and giving kids the chance to drop off their wish-lists.

Santa’s Mailbox will also be on site, for those all-important letters, so don’t forget to bring all your messages! We’ll make sure they’re sent off to the North Pole.

Santa will be safely in his bubble, and every family will receive a digital picture with him. Kids enjoy a complementary hot chocolate and Christmas cookie after their visit!

PLEASE NOTE: prices are for photos with Santa only – there is no underground experience or BOOM! included. If you wish to enjoy the full experience and have your photo taken please select full experience at the booking portal to ensure your place.

——–

Date: 4/5 and 11/12 December
Time: 11 – 3
Location: Santa’s Workshop

From 3pm-8pm on Saturday, December 4, McArthurGlen will be hosting a luxury ice bar so guests can continue to celebrate the holiday season!  Guests are invited to bask in the warmth of an afternoon filled with holiday shopping, family & friends topped off with a signature festive drink in the McArthurGlen ice bar. Step inside an icy, winter wonderland, and enjoy some cheer. 

Guests can purchase a hot chocolate, a seasonal mulled wine, or a Spirit Trail (whisky, lemon, chai spice syrup, peach nectar, and angostura bitters).

Join Coquitlam Heritage and Place des Arts for a Heritage Square celebration around themes of transformation. Make a craft, listen to A Christmas Carol and hear the wonderful songs that make the season bright.

All day: Tours of our Coquitlam’s Heart of Gold exhibit

1:30pm: A reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (kids version) in the Mackin House Parlour

2-3pm Amy Newman and the Christmas Revelers perform outdoors by the caboose

Free. No Registration Required.