The Aquavan is Coming!

As part of the Province of British Columbia’s Year of Science, the Vancouver Aquarium’s award winning BC Hydro AquaVan will be arriving at the Okanagan Science Centre with live animals from marine habitats of British Columbia’s coast. Touch a sea star, examine a barnacle and discover the connections between aquatic life, the environment and ourselves.

This FREE event will be held on April 30 from 11am to 4pm at the Okanagan Science Centre

Vancouver Aquarium educators will be on-hand with interactive and educational displays of British Columbia’s invertebrates, fish, sharks and marine mammals. A 200-litre mobile touch table will be on-site which will let you get up-close and personal with cold-water marine invertebrates and fish. Don’t miss out on the props, activities and interactive games which will help make this educational experience fun for the whole family!

When you’re finished exploring BC’s marine life, join us inside the OSC for some hands-on science!  Activities will be set up for your science discovery all day!

• ‘Make and Take’ station: every child can make their very own Tippy balancing creation to take home!
• Microscope Madness station: check out what’s alive in local pond water samples using the OSC microscopes!
• Static Electricity station: have some hair-raising fun with the Van De Graaff generator!

FREE for OSC members; regular admission applies for non-members

See Science in Action – North Okanagan/Shuswap Regional Science Fair!

Celebrate the achievements of our community’s young scientists at the North Okanagan/Shuswap Regional Science Fair.

The Okanagan Science Centre is hosting the 2011 North Okanagan/Shuswap Regional Science Fair.  Students from all over the region will be taking part in the Fair, which will be held April 9^th and 10^th at the Okanagan College, Vernon campus.

“The projects that the kids have come up with are amazing; they have worked very hard,” says Sandi Dixon, executive director of the Okanagan Science Centre. “There’ll be something for everyone at the Science Fair – from bottle rockets to cloning.”

Students will be competing to win prizes totalling up to $8,000.  Judges will visit each project Saturday afternoon and the winners will be announced Sunday morning. “The student with the top project from the North Okanagan/Shuswap Regional Science Fair will go to Toronto for the 50^th annual Canada-Wide Science Fair in May, where they will compete for over $40,000 in scholarships,” says Dixon.

Students from Grades 4 to 12 will be showcasing their science projects at the Fair and everyone is welcome to check out the stellar work they’ve done.  Bring the family and see some cool experiments.  Youth are encouraged to come out and get ideas for doing their own Science Fair project next year.  The Fair will be open to the public from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturday, April 9^th and Sunday, April 10^th.

“Okanagan residents will be inspired by the students competing in the science fair,” said Dr. Moira Stilwell, Parliamentary Secretary for Industry, Research and Innovation to the Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation. “We want to encourage young people to get excited about taking math and science, to discover that science is fun, and that a science education can lead to a variety of rewarding careers.”

Okanagan College is accessible by the #6 College bus route on Saturdays or visitors can take advantage of free parking during the fair.

To learn more about the 2011 Regional Science Fair, or if you’d like to volunteer at the event, please contact Jennifer Miles at the Okanagan Science Centre or visit: www.okscience.ca

Join the Fun for Family Literacy Day

“Reading, ‘Riting and ‘Rithmetic… The Three R’s of a good education,” my mother used to say. Well, even though her spelling was a little off, she was right. Nowadays we call it literacy, and the “Three R’s” are arguably the most important tools you can give your children to start them on their journey toward success in their lives.

January 27th is Family Literacy Day in Canada. It was started in 1999 by a charitable organization known as ABC Life Literacy Canada, and serves as a reminder for all of us to practice our reading, writing and math skills. It doesn’t have to be a boring chore, though. There are lots of fun family things we can do every day that can actually help to improve our skills, and the kids won’t even know that all this fun is teaching them important stuff they will use in the future.

One obvious activity for January 27th is a trip to the library. Some local libraries near you will have something going on to celebrate Family Literacy Day. If they don’t have a special event planned, it’s still fun to go and do some reading and find a few new books to take home.

The theme for this year’s Literacy Day is “Play for Literacy.” One idea is an afternoon or evening of board games, which everyone loves. Learning just happens while you play, whether you like it or not! You can do this as a family, or invite friends and relatives to join in. “The more, the merrier,” I always say. Have a look at this link for a whole bunch of information and ideas for your game day.

http://abclifeliteracy.ca/en/fld/play-literacy

This page has some fantastic resources, including an activity book and all kinds of interesting facts and suggestions.

http://abclifeliteracy.ca/en/fld/tips-activities-and-resources

A simple idea to build important skills is to do some baking or cooking together with the kids. Learning how to follow a recipe includes math and reading and comprehension, but it’s also great fun and you get to eat the results – should make everyone happy, don’t you think? A big plus is that when they grow up and move out on their own, your children will know how to feed themselves and not have to survive on packaged or take-out junk food. Cooking skills have so many long-term benefits, I could write a whole book about why you need to make sure your kids know their way around a kitchen.

So dust off the old Scrabble or Yahtzee game or any other board games you have laying around. Haul out your favourite cookbook. Do a crossword puzzle together. C’mon, it’ll be fun! If you don’t have such things in your house, there are online versions of many old and new board games and a zillion recipes at your fingertips. All I can say is that every day should be Literacy Day and the rewards will be lifelong for everyone who participates.

Ring in the New Year Family-Style!

Everyone in the family should have a chance to say goodbye to the old year and get excited about what the New Year has in store. How your family chooses to celebrate will depend a lot on how old the kids are, but there are many ways to create your own fun. Maybe so much fun that your activities may even become annual traditions that you all look forward to.

 

Let’s begin with a little decorating. Is your Christmas tree still up and looking lonely now that the gifts are all gone? How about a makeover for year-end? Take down all the Christmas ornaments, but leave the lights on, or use new lights with different colors. You could create a new tree skirt to dress up the bottom, and a new treetop ornament too. Add some silver or gold tinsel and streamers or garlands, and make or buy a few unique New Year’s decorations. It could be a clock theme, or calendars, or family photos and keepsakes from the past year, or anything else your imagination can dream up. It’s a great way to set the mood, and get some extra mileage out of the tree before it gets taken down for good.

 

Families with very young children may want to stay home and have a quiet December 31^st, with some good movies, music or board games and an early bedtime. Throw in some special snacks or treats that you don’t have on “ordinary” days and a bottle of sparkling apple juice in fancy glasses, and you have the beginning of a family celebration that will grow as the years go by. Don’t forget to watch the ball drop in New York City – it happens three hours earlier there so you can catch it on TV or online and still be in bed before 9:30 if you want to.

 

If your kids are a bit older (school age,) this could be the one big night when they get to stay up till midnight and really ring in the New Year. Maybe you want a few friends or relatives around to make things more exciting. How about a sleepover party? Build a tent in the family room and fill it with sleeping bags and pillows. Have everyone make their own party hats and noisemakers, or buy a bunch and have them waiting under the tree. Lots of music and dancing, finger foods and sparkling beverages should make the time go by pretty quickly. You could watch home movies that each family has made in the past year, and make a new video of your party as it is happening. Give each person a chance to record a greeting or a resolution or a prediction for the coming year. When you do your midnight countdown, everyone can run outside and make some noise! Since you have your tent all ready to go, anyone who needs to can crash early if they can’t make it to the magic hour.

Then comes New Year’s Day. What a fantastic excuse to go for a walk or a drive and start things off with some exercise and fresh air. Maybe visit someone you haven’t seen for a while, go tobogganing, or see a hockey game. It could also be a day just to relax and unwind after the busy holiday season, before you all go back to the daily routine. However you choose to spend the day, keep it positive, and look forward to all the exciting things your family will do together in the months ahead.

 

Okanagan4Kids.com wishes you and yours all the best for a fun-filled 2011. Happy New Year!

Grandma Lou on Nurturing the Spirit of Giving

You know, I think most children are born with a giving heart, and a desire to help and please other people. It’s up to us as parents and caregivers to recognize this spirit in them and nurture it as much as we can. The sooner, the better, because the older a child gets, the more egocentric he or she becomes – a natural part of growing up, but it needs to be balanced with a responsibility to think about others and help out where we can.

There’s an old saying, “Charity begins at home,” and it couldn’t be more true. When you go through all your old clothes and toys and pack them up to drop off at the thrift store, you are supporting a charitable cause. Involve the kids in this, and talk to them about the charity that benefits from the sale of these items, and where the money goes. When you go grocery shopping, buy an extra item or two to drop in the food bank bin by the door, and tell them why you are doing it. When you drop some change in the Salvation Army kettle during the holidays, explain the many ways the money will help people. Children learn by example, and watching you is the most important way for them to see the giving spirit in action.

As they get older, they will hear about all kinds of worthwhile causes from TV, friends, school, church and elsewhere. Whenever you have an opportunity, talk about these organizations and their needs, and about how people can help. It doesn’t always need to be about money – many times they are looking for volunteers to donate time instead. If a particular cause interests your child, explore with them how they may be able to offer some of their time and energy. Maybe you can make it into a family project, or a class project at school. What a great feeling when you can inspire others to get involved too! The more, the merrier, I say, when it comes to helping your chosen charity.

Sometimes it IS about the money. When your children are old enough to manage an allowance, you can suggest that they regularly allocate a portion of their money to their cause. Save it in a jar or start a special bank account until they have reached a target amount, send it off, and then start again for the same or a new charity. Of course, it helps for you to model this behaviour too. Let them know when you make a donation, and why you chose the particular organization you are sending money to. Or put your jar next to theirs so you can save together.

You’d be surprised at how generous your kids might become and how many ways they can dream up to make a difference in their little corner of the world. We’ve all heard stories about young people who have raised huge amounts of money or started their own very successful charity. All we need to do is nurture that giving heart they were born with, and make a few simple suggestions here and there. It’s a great way tohelp them put all their youthful energy to good use. One day they will thank you for it.

 

Grandma Lou is a wife, mother and now a grandmother to a darling little grandson.  She haa a Diploma and a background in the Human Services field, and spent many years working with foster parents and social workers in British Columbia. Her family also spent 5 years as a foster home for teenagers when her own children were quite young. She now enjoys a pre-tirement career as a freelance writer and editor.

Jedi Mind Tricks for Parents

Have you ever found yourself saying any of the following to your children?

“This is the last time, I’m warning you, eat your dinner.”

”Stop hitting your sister. If you hit her again you are going to be in big trouble.”

“Johnny, I’m counting to three, 1…2…” -you never really want to count to 3, but you find you count to 2 a lot and start over.

”No you can’t have more money. Besides what happened to the money I gave you 2 days ago?”

”I don’t care if your friend is going to the party, no you are not going.” – and they end up going anyway.

If you are like me you have probably found there are certain battles you have with your kids that happen over and over and over again. It seems like every family has their unique problems, but I am telling you there is a better way. I call it, Jedi mind tricks for parents…

 

Read more at Scott Peckford’s blog. Scott Peckford is the owner of Mortgage Architects in Kelowna, BC and father to three children.

 

Note: The opinions expressed in this blog do not reflect the opinions of Okanagan4Kids.com. 
As such, Okanagan4kids.com are not responsible for the accuracy of the information supplied.

Free Family Cheer for the Holidays at the ORL

Branches of the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) throughout the region will be hosting special events in the coming month to celebrate the holiday season.  All programs are free, and more details can be found on each branch’s webpage at www.orl.bc.ca.

 

In the Central Okanagan, families are welcome to enjoy the following events:

• The Kelowna Branch on Ellis Street is hosting three puppet shows of “Grumpy Badger’s Christmas” on Tuesday Dec. 7 at 10:15 a.m., Thursday Dec. 9 at 11 a.m., and Friday Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. This show is 30 minutes long and best-suited for children aged 3-6 years. Donations for the Kelowna Food Bank are being gratefully accepted.
• In Plaza 33 Mall, the Rutland Branch is having their family Christmas puppet show on Saturday Dec. 4 at 10:15 a.m.
• Santa will visit the Westbank Branch in Westridge Mall on Wednesday Dec. 15 at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome, no registration required, and donations to the Westside Community Food Bank will be accepted.

 

In the North Okanagan and Shuswap region, families can enjoy these special programs:

• The Vernon Branch on 32^nd Avenue is holding two sessions of their holiday special event on both Thursday Dec. 9 and Friday Dec. 10. Both sessions are from 10:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. and require advance tickets to be picked up at the branch.
• Visit the Sicamous Branch in Parkland Shopping Mall for their “Christmas in the Library” event on Friday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. featuring stories, songs, treats and special guests.
• Children aged 4-10 years are invited to make holiday crafts at the Salmon Arm Branch in Picadilly Mall on Saturday Dec. 18 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. No registration required.
• The Falkland Branch on Hwy 97 is holding “Christmas at the Library” on Monday Dec. 20 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Children aged 3-12 years (with caregivers for younger children) will enjoy holiday stories, crafts and a visit from Santa.

 

Branches in the South Okanagan and Similkameen regions are hosting these events:

• The Christmas puppet show at Oliver Branch, located on 93^rd Street, will feature “Grumpy Bear’s Christmas” and “Guess Who is Coming Around the Mountain?”. This event will be held on Saturday Dec. 4 at 10:30 a.m. and is recommended for children aged 3-7 years. Drop-in, and donations to the Oliver Community Food Bank gratefully accepted.
• The Oliver Branch is also hosting a “Countdown to Christmas” craft and storytime event on Tuesday Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m. for 3-9 year-olds.
• The Princeton Branch on Vermilion Avenue is hosting a Christmas craft day on Monday, Dec. 13 from 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Bring your preschooler to the library to make decorations. Space is limited so register by calling 250-295-6495.

 

The ORL wishes everyone a safe and happy holiday season and encourages you to visit your local library branch to partake in these free events.

 

For more information contact:

Marla O’Brien

Public Relations Officer

Okanagan Regional Library

Tel: 250-860-4033   Ext: 1145

Cell: 250-826-6776

mobrien@orl.bc.ca

 

100 Things Every Family Should Do Together – Part Seven

Hello fun-seekers! The snow has started to fall here in the Okanagan and already it looks like we will have much more winter than we did last year. It’s time to find a few things to do to liven up the days ahead. Dress up warm and let’s get busy!

71. Have a Snowball Fight! Who can resist packing a snowball and surprising the first person who comes within throwing range? Make it a family affair after a fresh snowfall – everyone gets a little exercise and it’s a great excuse to warm up later with hot cocoa and marshmallows while you cozy up and watch an old movie (or a new one.) Just remember to play fair.

72. Go Tobogganing Down a Big Hill. Most communities have a favourite toboggan hill – if you don’t know where to find one, ask around. Someone is sure to tell you the best place to go. Somehow, climbing a big hill in the snow is a lot of fun when you are anticipating the thrill of sliding to the bottom on your toboggan (inner tubes work great too!) Here’s a shot of my little guy riding down his first snow hill!

73. Hit the Slopes! Whether you are a family of experienced skiers or you have never tried it before, you’ve got to take a trip to one of the nearby ski hills at least once. Every local ski resort offers a great variety of options for every skill level, plus tons of other activities for those who can’t or just don’t want to ski. However you choose to enjoy the mountain, it will be a fantastic trip, and the scenery alone is worth it. Check these websites for all the upcoming special events for the new season.

Vernon – Silver Star Mountain
Penticton – Apex Mountain
West Kelowna – Crystal Mountain
Kelowna – Big White

74. Go Ice Skating. Almost as soon as the kids have learned to walk, they are old enough to start learning how to skate. There is a community ice rink near you, and it doesn’t cost a lot to take the whole family out for some great old fashioned fun and exercise. If you’re a bit more adventurous, you can probably find an outdoor rink too. Check out the local Parks and Recreation Center listings on the Activities page at Okanagan4Kids.com

75. Decorate the House! It doesn’t even have to be Christmas, but you can enjoy making beautiful winter decorations for both inside and outside of your house with these simple and inexpensive crafts that everyone can help with.

Snowflakes

Sparkling Ice Crystals

Winter Sun Catcher

76. Go Christmas Caroling. Everyone appreciates hearing the happy sounds of carollers during the holiday season. Churches and clubs are great places to hook up with a group to sing with, and if you look at the Events Calendar on Okanagan4Kids.com you may find a few more. It’s a wonderful way to share the magic of Christmas with friends and strangers, and you will be sure to brighten up someone’s day.

77. Take a Christmas Lights Tour. Who has the best holiday decorations in your community? One sure way to find out is to take a tour and see them all! Mom and Dad don’t have to drive, so they can sitback and enjoy the sights along with the rest of the family. Many of these tours help to support the food banks and other charities, so you will feel good about helping a worthy cause. Keep an eye out for opportunities near you.

78. Ride the Kettle Valley Steam Railway Christmas Train. Here’s a fantastic trip that will take you back the “the olden days” as you ride the rails and see the sights. Book early to make sure they save you a seat!

79. Have a Night Out at the Theatre. See a live musical theatre performance of “Peter Pan,” the classic story of the boy who never grew up. Even the little ones will love the music, the costumes, the dancing and the lights.

80. Meet Santa Claus! What more can we say? Santa will be making appearances all over the Okanagan in the next month, so don’t miss your chance to see him and all his helpers. Besides the mall appearances, here’s a couple of other places to catch the jolly old guy.

Penticton Santa Claus Parade
Peachland Christmas Light Up and Santa Parade

There’s LOTS more to see and do and Okanagan4Kids.com is adding new activities and events all the time. Check in often and we’ll keep you posted on all the family fun we can find! If you know of an upcoming event that we have missed, please let us know allabout it.
Now go out there and get busy!

Okanagan Remembrance Day Events

All over Canada, we see poppies everywhere for a brief couple of weeks before Remembrance Day every year. November 11th is not just an excuse for a day off from school or work, but a day to learn about the work that our armed forces are doing all over the world to keep people safe and peaceful.
Those of us who are too young to remember the “big wars” may not really understand the reasons for this holiday, but it is never too late to find out why we observe Remembrance Day. There are many resources available to help us find information, and lots of activities you can do as a family to honor our veterans in your own way. Check out what’s going on in your community.

 

Vernon – Remembrance Day service at Wesbild Centre. Parade begins at 10am.

Kelowna – Remembrance Day Parade begins downtown at 10:15am from Kerry Park to City Park. Ceremony begins at City Park cenotaph at Veendam Gardens at 11am.

Remembrance Day Parade begins at 10am from 240 Dougall Road to Rutland Lions Park. Ceremony begins at Rutland Lions Park cenotaph at 11am.

West Kelowna – Remembrance Day Ceremony at Royal LePage Place begins at 11am. The Royal Canadian Legion asks that all residents arrive before 10:30 to allow time to settle into your seats.

Summerland – Remembrance Day Service begins at 11am at the cenotaph on Wharton Street. Marching and laying of wreaths begins at 11:45am.

Penticton – Service begins at 10:15am with a march-in to the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre followed by a ceremony and laying of wreaths.

 

The Veterans Affairs website has a fantastic Kids Zone featuring printable coloring sheets, stories, recipes, crafts and more for kids to learn about Remembrance Day.

We always love to hear from our visitors! Share your Remembrance Day activities by commenting on this post.

 

What Should We Do for Halloween?

Your family may be one of the many who are looking for new safer, cheaper and less spooky ways to celebrate Halloween. While dressing up in costumes is still one of the most fun things to do, and Trick or Treating is what the kids really want, there are other ways to have a lot of fun with family and friends and minimize the risks that have become associated with this annual “fright night.”

Everyone in the family can dress up and wear their costumes all day, if they like. It’s fun to see Mom and Dad join in, wearing a costume around home or to work if it is allowed. We spend so much time putting these outfits together, might as well show them off as much as possible before it’s all over.

Take advantage of the offering of local merchants who invite the kids to collect candy during the daytime downtown and in the malls. You can still go out later in the evening and do some trick-or-treating, but it may be better to keep it confined to a couple of blocks in your neighbourhood rather than trying to cover half the town. It’s always fun to walk around and see the displays people have in their yards and a great opportunity to work on your night photography skills.

There are a number of different public events planned in a community near you – haunted houses, a family Monster Bash, a lantern festival, or a community skating and soccer party, to mention a few. Look on the Okanagan4Kids.com events calendar for a bunch of activities all weekend long!

If you get home early, maybe everyone can participate in painting a glow-in-the-dark mural. Any craft store should have tempera paint and large rolls of newsprint that you can hang on a wall, and paint a Halloween picture that glows when you turn out the lights.

Make some hot cocoa and popcorn and cuddle up to watch a semi-scary, age-appropriate movie together. Check out this top 15 list of Halloween movies for families. Or pretend to be zombies and dance to the Monster Mash and other music on a Halloween CD. Paint a portrait of each family member on one of those little mini-pumpkins you can get at the grocery store or the pumpkin patch. Tempera paints work well for this too and you can even add glitter, bits of cloth and yarn or string, or whatever else you have on hand to dress them up.

Halloween is the most fun when the whole family can enjoy it together. Here’s to a great weekend of family entertainment that the kids will remember for a long time to come.

Happy Halloween!