We interrupt our regular programming. . .
Filed Under Events, Tips & Tricks | July 24, 2007
You and your kids are bouncing off the walls after all the rain, day camps are cancelled and play gyms and pools are closed. What’s a mama to do? We’ve undertaken the creation of a list of things to do with your under-fives that aren’t affected by the strike. This list is by no means comprehensive, so feel free to add your ideas on the site. We’ll keep updating this list from day-to-day, so bookmark this page on the site and keep checking back if you’re looking for things to do.
New listings are marked with a 
.
To keep things relatively concise we’re providing basic info with links to more details on locations, hours & programs.
We always start off our plans by checking out the weather report, here’s our favourite weather site: www.weatheroffice.gc.ca
The next step is to check what exactly is not happening: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca
Finally, here’s what is happening:
Ideas & miscellaneous
Family Places & Neighborhood Houses
Museums & Art Galleries
Granville Island
Beaches
Pools
Libraries
Science World and beyond
Summer camps
If yourre downtown you can freshen up your little one’s wardrobe this week by visiting the Joe Fresh Retail Pop-Up Trailer. At 898 Seymour Street (between Nelson & Robson) from Thursday the 4th to Saturday the 6th from 10 am – 8 pm and on Sunday from 11 am – 5 pm, you can check out their great baby, toddler and kids clothes, plus there’ll also be activities for tots. We just wish H&M would go mobile as well.
Now that summer’s bounty is being harvested, why not learn about foods that can be grown indoors, in kitchens and on balconies over the winter? Think greens, garlic and sprouts. At free upcoming Winter Growing Workshops you’ll leave with your own sprouter, seeds to sprout, garlic to plant and started greens. Workshops take place at 6:30 pm on Monday, September 17th at Frog Hollow Neighborhood house and 6:30 pm on Wednesday, September 19th at Cedar Cottage Neighborhood House. RSVP via email to David or Samantha or call 604.689.4446.
Sure, you know the beaches and parks are still open, but with this spate of late summer sunshine, have you been to the playground at Second Beach in Stanley Park lately? Three yoyomama readers sent in their recommendation for the newly revamped playground, and their collection of tots were entranced by the aquatic life (and mud) revealed by the low tide.
Well, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory at Queen Elizabeth Park may be closed because of the strike, but have you spent time at the plaza at the very top of the park? Recently upgraded it includes seven covered Tai Chi arbours (which make great shady places for snacking) and lots of trails to wander on, but the piece de resistance is the 1,000 sq ft Celebration Pavilion and dancing fountain, which is perfect for cooling even the tiniest feet during this spell of late summer. The pavilion is great for stroller pushing, bike riding and plain old puttering.
On September 5th, at Whole Foods in West Vancouver from 11 am – 3 pm, you can drop by to get ideas for easy & healthy snacks and also sample new products. Yum.
For the last few days of summer kids can get crafty daily at the Granville Island’s Kids Market. There’s ceramic painting on the main floor and Craft Works on the second floor at the Adventure Zone.
Have you considered using your recycling for fun? One mama we know wrote in with a great idea. They dug around in their (very full) recycling bins and found a large box which they transformed into a race car with the help of lots of duct tape, an ice cream bucket lid, plastic drinking cups and other imaginative odds and ends. Since then the race car has been transformed into a house, a spaceship and a boat. . .
Since it’s supposed to be (a bit) sunny for the rest of this week, what about a trip to La Casa International Ice Cream for ice cream in every flavour under the sun, and some that perhaps shouldn’t be. With 218 flavours on location at all times you’re bound to find something to tempt the pickiest palate and choosing your poison should kill quite a bit of time. La Casa Gelato, 1033 Venables Street
If you’re exploring downtown don’t forget to keep your eyes open for the Downtown Street Beats Summer Busker Series. Shows rotate between TD Square and London Drugs (corners of Granville and West Georgia), outside Tip Top Tailors (Granville at West Pender), the Vancouver Art Gallery (Robson Street side), Granville Square (foot of Granville Street at West Cordova) and the park at Hornby & Hastings. For schedules and showtimes click here.
What about teaching your tot to ride a bike? If you don’t want to spring for the bike of moment, The Skutt Push Bike, Cheapskates has lots of inexpensive bikes and trikes. Once you’ve mastered your local sidewalk why not try a promenade at Jericho or Kits Beach. Make a morning of it, picnic and all.
And while we’ve mentioned Science World before, this is your last chance to catch their Grossology exhibit (it ends September 3rd). Billed as the Impolite Science of the Human Body, we know a few little folk who would find it fascinating (if they haven’t already).
What about making your own modeling clay with salt, cream of tartar, flour and water? Use Google to find easy recipes. Let it harden then paint it. Use a straw to make a hole in the top of flat creations for tying a string for hanging. Make signs for your kids’ rooms, Christmas ornaments, the letters of their name, etc.
Older kids may find EcoWalks on Sundays at Stanley Park interesting and a great way to explore the natural world around them.
On August 23rd, the Lower Mainland’s first ever H&M (finally!) opened in Coquitlam Centre, which we think calls for a little road trip. Ostensibly to stock up on great kids clothes at great prices, but we see no reason not to spend a little time looking for yourself. If you can wait, H&M will also be opening in the space deserted by Holt Renfrew next spring.
Older kids may enjoy a double decker bus tour of Vancouver, especially as they can hop on and off at will to explore their favourite sections of the city more.
We talked taking the seabus to Londsale Quay, but what about if you live in North Van? How about going the other way? Lonsdale Quay has great ice cream, fountain and sometimes concerts and the cruise ships downtown are fun to see too. See our list of things to explore downtown and at Lonsdale Quay further down under “Ideas”.
Have you fed the birds yet? The birds at Lost Lagoon, Jericho Park and Granville Island, are shameless in pursuit of your food, and kids have a great time running around with them. But don’t feed them stale bread, instead use proper birdseed (available at your local hardware store), it’s better for them. Here’s a great blogpost on why bread’s not good for birds, and it could be a good springboard to discussing nutrition with your kids as well.
It’s the premiere of The Nanny Diaries at Movies for Mommies at the Ridge this Wednesday – you can’t even catch this one in theatres yet! showtime is 1 pm, doors open at 12:30 pm.
Dinosaur aficionados will be pestering you to take a trip out the Aberdeen Centre to see the Jurassic Alive exhibit. While there you can also enjoy their Musical Fountain show which plays hourly starting at noon and you’ll need to shop Daiso of course…
Burnaby has lots of fun things to do with kids. You can visit the Burnaby Village Museum and ride on the historic carousel. And the Burnaby Central Railway in Centennial Park is a must-ride for budding engineers.
What about making a time capsule and burying in your garden to unearth at some agreed upon future date? Here’s a great article on how to go about it.
This is more something to look forward to than something to while away the last days of summer – Rock.It Boy Entertainment is presenting a live show featuring Max & Ruby (originally from Rosemary Wells’ books, now seen on Treehouse Television) at three different locations in October – October 18th at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver, October 20th at the Bell Performing Arts Centre in Surrey, and October 21st at the Abbey Arts Centre in Abbotsford. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
And speaking of October, one enterprising mama we know has her kids fully involved in planning their Hallowe’en costumes. As she said, she has the time now. . .
Weekdays from 1:30 – 2:30 pm at the Richmond and Coquitlam IKEA are Kid’s Club Days. Mondays and Thursdays there are crafts, Tuesdays they offer Storytime, and Wednesdays and Fridays IKEA throws a sing-along-dance party. They have Preschool, Kindergarten and Elementary programs, call ahead for details on how to join. IKEA Richmond – 604.273.2051, IKEA Coquitlam: 604.636.1000
Why not splurge on a roll of butchers paper at the post office or hardware store? Decorate it to use for wrapping paper for birthdays or Christmas. Wrap your kids in it. Have them lie down on the paper, trace their outline, cut it out and let them decorate it.
Make your own bubble blow and bubble wand. Mix a batch of homemade blow by putting a teaspoon or so of dish soap into a cup and then adding about three teaspoons of water, stir and test. Unbend a large paper clip and fold in into a triangle with small handle and pour the bubble blow onto a small plate for easier access. Experiment with different shaped wands and see what they do for bubbles.
The week of August 13th is the last week of mosaic workshops for kids at Broken by Design on Main Street. Perfect for kids five and up, they’ll take you through creating picture frames, coasters, garden stones, and more. Call to see what’s available: 604.871.0900
If you’ve got kids who are good at sitting still and like a little bit of ceremony why not go for tea at The Secret Garden or Notte’s Bon Ton. Make a morning of it, choosing outfits, packing a bag, choosing a pastry. . .and we know this isn’t a great fit for some kids, but we can think of a few who’d get a thrill from it.
Good news for those of us whose tots like to cool off in the spray – in addition to Granville Island, the following spray parks are now all open: Lumberman’s Arch in Stanley Park, McLean Park, Hastings Park, Harbour Green Park at Coal Harbour, Chaldecott Park: www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/Parks/services.htm
And if you were tempted by our article on family yoga, on Saturday Morning Little Tree offers family yoga at 9 am and YogaKids for three and ups at 10 am. Both classes are at Unity Yoga and Teahouse.
Why not go anti-techno and spend some time making a card or writing a note together and then walking to the post office to mail it.
Have you visited your local firehall lately? Here’s a map of Vancouver’s firehalls, call ahead and see if they’re up for a tour: city.vancouver.bc.ca/fire/about/map.html
Festival Vancouver runs August 5 – 19th, and with 55 concerts over two weeks, and the ability to search their site for family oriented events, there’s probably something for everyone: www.festivalvancouver.bc.ca/home
Keep exploring downtown and visit the Robson Square Waterfalls. This three block area boasts stairs for climbing, multi-layered waterfalls, pools and fountains. You can dabble your fingers in the water, track the flow from the upper levels to the lower pool and enjoy a picnic in the gardens.
Phoenix Gymnastics programs are still running and there are some spaces still available in their summer programs. Plus new member registration starts August 3rd and it fills up fast.
Have you looked out at Vancouver yet? Take an exterior glass elevator (very Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) to the top of Harbour Centre and the Vancouver Lookout and explore a 360 degree view of the city from the viewing platform. The kids section on their site has some colouring sheets of the views to get your kids in the mood: www.vancouverlookout.com/kids.html
Go “sailing” at Canada Place. Kids love running up and down all the stairs at the back of the building, viewing the docked cruise ships and using the telescopes to check out Stanley Park and North Vancouver. www.canadaplace.ca/cpc/
We’ve had some requests for berry picking venues that are a little bit closer to home so we found this U Pick Blueberry Farm in Richmond that follows organic practices – No. 5 Blueberry Farm, plus here’s a list of all the u-picks across BC. It also includes great tips for canning, picking, freezing etc.
And here’s a link handily provided by CBC for where you can drop your garbage during the strike. Alas, it’ll mean a bit of a roadtrip.
Why not take a walk through the Camosun Bog? Almost fully restored, the bog is a little gem in Pacific Spirit Park and has entrances on 19th & 21st Ave. and has a stroller-friendly walkway that winds through the trees.
Our resident kiddie lit expert recommends reading Blueberries for Sal with your little ones and then hitting the berry patch to do some picking. Here are a few tips for berry picking with your little ones and few places for (relatively) local berry picking, call first to see what’s in season:
- Bissett Farms, 2170 Westham Island Rd, Delta, 604.946.7139
- Driediger Farms Strawberries,23823-72nd Ave. Langley 604.888.1665, www.driedigerfarms.com
- Formosa Nursery grows organic blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, oriental pears and more, 12617 – 203rd Street, Maple Ridge, 604.465.3359, www.formosanursery.com
- Krause Brothers, 6179- 248th St. Aldergrove, 604.856.5757, www.krausebrothersfarms.com
And now the libraries are behind picket lines how can you refresh your kids’ book supply? What about a book swap with a friend with kids of similar ages? As long as everything’s clearly marked and you don’t mind the odd toothmark it helps keep things fresh.
Taking public transit may not strike you as special, but for your little ones it can be a big adventure. Why not take the SeaBus across to Lonsdale Quay, give your tots some pennies to throw in the fountain and enjoy the change of scene. This also works with the SkyTrain and the Westminster Quay Market.
What about gathering some mum friends together and creating your own play gym? Decide which of you has the best lawn (or garage if the weather’s inclement), bring your own push and pull toys, and snacks and/or lunch, and let your little ones roar around for a few hours. Make it easier on the hostess by packing out what you bring in, except for that bottle of wine you leave chilling in her fridge.
In rain or shine why not explore the tide pools on English Bay and then head over to the Sylvia Hotel (where mums and kids are always welcome) for some lunch and people watching?
If you have the 2007 Entertainment Book check out the highlights/tourist section for ideas (and discounts)
Every Wednesday Movies for Mommies screens a mama-friendly flick in a kid-friendly environment at the Ridge.
Family Places & Neighborhood Houses
- West Side Family Place
- Eastside Family Place
- Marpole Oakridge Family Place
- Mount Pleasant Family Place – 604-872-6757
- South Vancouver Family Place
- Vancouver’s Neighborhood Houses and their programs are all open
Before you expose your kids to culture you may want to check out our guide for taking little ones to museums:
Ride the False Creek Ferries, visit the Kids Only Market, continue your introduction to culture with the Model Train Museum and the Model Ship Museum. And by fortuitous chance we found out yesterday that the Granville Island water park is still operating (and supervised).
All beaches (including Trout Lake) are open, lifeguards are on duty and concession stands are open.
All libraries and library services are now closed for the duration of the strike.
- YWCA downtown pool
- Aquaventures – have summer swim camps as well
- UBC Aquatic Centre
- West Vancouver Aquatic Centre
- Science World
- Vancouver Aquarium:
- H.R. Macmillan Space Centre (aka the Planetarium)
- Playland, including Kids Playce, a special zone filled with soft-play areas and rides for children aged 2-8
- Nitobe Gardens
- Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden
- Maplewood Farm is back up & running
- Capilano Suspension Bridge – the admission fee is steep at about $28 but did you know two things – 5 & unders are free and BC residents can bring their admission receipt to customer service (just inside the gates) and get a one year pass! The pass also gives you a discount at the restaurants and the gift shop. I’ve had a pass for the last three years and my kids love going there – the big suspension bridge, the treetops adventure (8 smaller suspension bridges in the trees), the cliff walk, the fish ponds, the hourly entertainment (excellent little singing groups), and the artists onsite make it a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. It’s fun in the sun but also very pleasant in the rain. Also, it’s beautiful at Christmas with the seasonal light display. I probably take my kids once every few months or so and we always have a good time: www.capbridge.com. Thanks to yoyomama reader Ellen for this great tip.
We haven’t checked these for space, but all these camps offer options for five and under.
Okay, what are you up to? Use our comments section to share your plans and tips and tricks for a summer where some of the fun’s been cut short. And don’t forgot to check out other mum’s ideas.
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How about Fit 4 Two Stroller Fitness? We have classes all over – just visit http://www.fit4two.ca It’s a great way to get a workout, meet other moms and bond with your baby. You are welcome to come a try a free class.
I took our kids to “Go Fish” (on the seawall just west of Granville Island) for dinner. After playing in the park, we arrived at 5:30, just before a big rush at 6. The kids were very excited by the idea of eating “with the boats.” There’s limited seating so I kept my toddler in her stroller, my preschooler sat on a bench and I pushed them both up to a spare stool as a table. The staff happily split a 1-fish order ($9) into two baskets for the kids but don’t forget to ask. It was a lovely change of routine for me and the kids ate more than ever – they must know great fish n’ chips when they see it!
My partner, my 11 month old son and I just went for a weekend in Tacoma and Olympia and were pleasantly surprised to find they had “children’s museums”. Our son loved playing in the playrooms that had lots of safe areas for babies to crawl and play safely. There were lots of very cool rooms where older kids could make believe they were vets or dogs,shop keepers and farmers etc. I did a quick google search and found the closest childrens museum to be in Bellingham but they are all over the US. Maybe someone will start one here!
IKEA! We go there at least once a month for lunch and to play. Seriously. It’s clean, cool, family friendly, baby friendly. They sell toddler/kid friendly meals and even jarred baby food. A bit of heaven for a mom of 2 – let me tell you. We live DT so I try to schedule it so one of my mommy friends from coquitlam can join us. Fun fun fun.
I took my two, 4 and 1.5 years, downtown to Pacific Center Mall where we had our photos taken in the booth – you know, the 4 in a vertical row?! They got to pick the colour of our background, put 4 loonies in the slot, and say “Cheese!” When we got home, we decorated the back with felts and stickers, and gave the photos to Dad as a gift! The photo booth is located in the hallway that leads to Vancouver Center, near Guest Services and Sears.
After picking my husband up at the airport, he, the kids and I headed to Iona Beach to catch up and spend some time together in tranquility. Don’t bother with swimsuits – this is more of a bucket-and-spade-type beach – and bring a long-sleeve as it’s a bit windy. But it’s a beautiful, quiet spot with lots of logs on which to practice balancing and, on the other side of the parking lot, there’s a little walk beside a bog filled with lovely flowers and blackberry bushes (yum!). There are clean washrooms to use too. We also stopped in a parking lot to watch airplanes and it felt as though they were going to land right on top of us. I think it was most exhilirating for me, but everyone loved it! Cross the Arthur Laing Bridge, take the first exit to the right after the exit to Richmond and follow the signs to Iona Beach (about 7.5 km).
We went down to Granville Island today and took the Aquabus “False Creek Family Fun Cruise”. For $6/adult and $3/child (4 and over) we got to go on a 25 minute round trip. My pre-schooler *adored* the ride – as did my out-of-town guest.
We’ve also recently discovered Little Nest (www.littlenest.ca) off Commercial (on Charles) – this little cafe has the whole child-friendly thing down. It has a well-stocked play area, fun (local and organic) food, good coffee and a great atmosphere.
an impressive list of great stuff to do with kids!
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I would like to recommend Music Together Program for infants to preschoolers and grown-ups who love them. It helps child to grow musically and make lifetime bond with parents through music.
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