Welcome to yoyomama’s weekend guide! Your go-to list of family friendly fun things to do with kids in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. It’s also easy to get these event listings in our handy new app, OnTheGoKids, which takes our weekend guide and makes it mobile!

It’s the first weekend of the New Year, and things are slowly getting back to normal in the Lower Mainland. From winter crafts to LEGO, and predatory birds to fire-adapted plants, there are some interesting events coming up. The city of Port Coquitlam is launching their 100th birthday year; make sure not to miss the party! It’s also a big weekend for tree chipping (all the locations are listed below), and if you’re in Port Moody, you can recycle all the wrapping paper leftovers from Christmas. Some of the holiday events are still running as well, so check our holiday events for details if you’re not ready for Christmas to end.

You’ll find all these events and more in our interactive events calendar.

Raptors Ridge Birds of Prey
Friday, January 4th, 3 pm – 5 pm & Saturday, January 5th, Noon – 1 pm, Science World, 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver
Get up close and personal with live birds of prey, and find out more about their lives and habits. Regular admission applies: www.scienceworld.ca

Young Naturalists’ Club: Animal Origami
Saturday, January 5th, 10 am – Noon, Stanley Park Ecology Society – Salmonberry Room, 610 Pipeline Road, Vancouver
Learn the art of origami as you create your favourite animals from Stanley Park and around the world. Pre-registration and adult participation required: stanleyparkecology.ca

Fire-Adapted Plants Are Way Cool Because…
Sunday, January 6th, 1 pm, Beaty Museum, 2212 Main Mall, UBC, Vancouver
Sometimes wildfires can burn down huge forests. But did you know that some plants have adapted to burning, and have found ways to survive through the flames? Join this monthly, family-friendly lecture to find out more: beatymuseum.ubc.ca

Parent Education Seminar – Sibling Rivalry
Wednesday, January 9th, 7 pm – 8:15 pm, Grand Boulevard Parent Participation Preschool, 520 East 20th Street, on the school grounds of Queensbury Elementary, North Vancouver
Do you have two (or more) kids who don’t seem to get along? You might benefit from this workshop with counsellor and consultant Colleen Drobot. Pre-registration required: gbppp.com

Christmas Tree Chip-Ups

• UBC Botanical Garden, Wednesday, December 26th – Wednesday, January 9th, UBC Botanical Garden, 6804 South West Marine Drive, Vancouver
• Ambleside, Tuesday, January 1st – Sunday, January 6th, Noon – 4 pm (on weekends 10 am – 4 pm), Ambleside Park, 13th Street & Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver
• North Vancouver City Firefighters, Saturday, January 5th, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Rona Parking Lot at Park & Tilford, 333 Brooksbank Avenue, North Vancouver
• Grand Boulevard Parent Participation Preschool, Saturday, January 5th, 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, Queensbury Elementary School (parking lot), 520 East 20th Street, North Vancouver
• Kerrisdale, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Kerrisdale Ice Rink (parking lot), 5670 East Boulevard
• Kitsilano Beach, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Kitsilano Beach, (parking lot), Cornwall Avenue & Arbutus Street, Vancouver
• Sunset Beach, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Sunset Beach (upper parking lot), Beach Avenue & Broughton Street, Vancouver
• Rona Home and Garden Grandview, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, 2727 East 12th Avenue, Vancouver
• Kingsgate Mall, Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Kingsgate Mall, 370 East Broadway, Vancouver

Farther Afield:

Welcome 2013!
Thursday, January 3rd, 10:30 am, New Westminster Public Library, 716 6th Avenue, New Westminster
Drop in for a free session of winter themed stories and crafts. For ages 4 – 10: www.nwpl.ca

Bricks 4 Kidz
Friday, January 4th, Noon – 2 pm, River Market, 810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Create holiday crafts with LEGO robotics technology! Build a robot or machine using LEGO, and watch as the machine makes crafts for you. Pre-registration recommended: rivermarket.ca

100th Birthday Launch Party
Friday, January 4th, 5 pm – 9:30 pm, Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex, 2150 Wilson Avenue, Port Coquitlam
The city of Port Coquitlam is 100 years old, and that means party time! While there will be events throughout the year this will be the official launch party, so dress up in historical attire and join a community dinner with your neighbours and friends (get your tickets beforehand). Later, enjoy a free public skate with lots of music and entertainment for everyone: www.portcoquitlam.ca

Centralized Recycling Day
Saturday, January 5th, 10 am – 3 pm, Heritage Mountain Community Centre, 200 Panorama Place, Port Moody and Kyle Centre, 125 Kyle Street, Port Moody
All the gifts are unwrapped, and you’re left with a huge pile of wrapping paper, packaging, and Styrofoam. Now you can drop off all those recyclables in one place and keep them out of the landfill. But no garbage, please: www.portmoody.ca

New Year’s Resolutions
Saturday, January 5th, 11 am – 3 pm, Fraser River Discover Centre, 788 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Drop in and discover how pollution affects the Fraser River. Maybe one item on your list of New Year’s resolutions could include being kind to nature: www.fraserriverdiscovery.org

Music Box Open House
Saturday, January 5th, 11 am – 3 pm River Market, 211 – 810 Quayside Dr, New Westminster
Bring your musical ears and head on over to the Music Box Open House in New Westminster.  Check out their new space, meet the teachers and learn about their classes.  Crafting with the kiddos, door prizes and dancing galore the whole time.  Sign up for a free demo class while you’re there: www.musicboxnw.ca

Christmas Tree Chip-Ups

• South Delta Recreation Centre, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, South Delta Recreation Centre (parking lot), 1720 56th Street, South Delta
• Memorial Park, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, Ladner Memorial Park, 5010 47th Avenue, Ladner
• Sungod Recreation Centre, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, Sungod Recreation Centre, 7825 112th Street, Delta
• Seaquam Secondary School, Saturday, January 5th, 9 am – 4 pm, Seaquam Secondary School, 11584 Lyon Road, North Delta
• Ridge Meadows Search & Rescue, Saturday, January 5th & Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm; Saturday, January 12th & Sunday, January 13th, 9 am – 4 pm, 23598 105th Avenue, Maple Ridge
• Port Moody Firefighters, Saturday, January 5th & Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, Port Moody Firehall # 1, 200 Ioco Road, Port Moody
• Port Coquitlam, Saturday, January 5th & Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, Fire Hall #1, 1725 Broadway Street, Port Coquitlam
• Coquitlam Canadian Tire, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 3 pm, Canadian Tire, 1200 Seguin Drive, Coquitlam
• Coquitlam Town Centre, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 9 am – 4 pm, Coquitlam Town Centre Stadium Parking Lot, 1290 Pipeline Road, Coquitlam
• Mundy Park, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Mundy Park Gravel Lot, 641 Hillcrest Street, Coquitlam
• Surrey Firefighters, Saturday, January 5th, 10 am – 4 pm, Newton Athletic Park, 7395 128th Street, Surrey
• Art Knapp Plantland & Florist, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 20th, 10 am – 4 pm, Art Knapp Plantland & Florist, 1300 Dominion Avenue, Port Coquitlam
• New West Firefighters, Saturday, January 5th – Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Canada Games Pool (parking lot), 65 East 6th Avenue, New Westminster (also a bottle drive for the Scouts)
• Knights of Columbus, Saturday, January 5th, 10 am – 4 pm – Sunday, January 6th, Noon – 4 pm, St. Matthew’s Parish (parking lot), 16079 88th Avenue, Surrey
• Cloverdale, Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 2 pm, Adams Road Elementary School, 18228 68th Avenue, Surrey
• White Rock Firefighters, Sunday, January 6th, 10 am – 4 pm, Centennial Arena (parking lot), 14600 North Bluff Road, White Rock

You’ll find all these events and more in our interactive events calendar.

Do you have an event you would like to see in our weekend guide? Then send us your details and we’ll help you get the word out. Looking for a feature listing? Contact Erin, our Director of Sales and Marketing, for more information.

And we wanted to remind you to always call or visit the website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!