Canada Day 2018 in Canada’s Capital Region

Looking for information on the official Canada Day 2018 festivities? Canada Day celebrations start June 30th at Major’s Hill Park and on July 1st at three official sites: Parliament Hill and Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa, and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau.

Parliament Hill

Known as the place to see on Canada Day, this year won’t disappoint with Canadian musical performances, a musical workshop, fun-filled activities, and more! Guests can enjoy Canada day on the Hill starting at 8 a.m.

Hosted by Lisa Charleyboy and Marième, the Canada Day Noon Show will include remarks from dignitaries, a fly past by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and performances by Canadian artists: Arkells, Lights, Brigitte Boisjoli, Iskwé, Jean-Marc Couture, Rose Cousins, Martina Ortiz Luis and Queen Ka.

At 5:30 p.m., there will be an aerial show by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

The Canada Day Evening Show will feature artists: Arkells, Lights, Brigitte Boisjoli, Iskwé, Jean-Marc Couture, Ruth B, Klô Pelgag, The Dead South, Rose Cousins, Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, DJ Shub and Boogát.

The evening will end with a dazzling 15-minute President’s Choice pyro-musical show at 10 p.m.

New this year on the Hill: the main entrance to the Hill is at the Supreme Court of Canada (corner of Wellington and Kent). To ensure a quick security screening process, only pack light and bring your Canada Day essentials, such as a hat, sunscreen and a reusable water bottle.

Major’s Hill Park

Canada Day celebrations start Saturday, June 30th on Major's Hill Park with all day activities for the whole family, including circus performances, games and a community culinary experience.

Kids can enjoy a ride around the park aboard a VIA Rail Miniature Train or get a unique musical ride aboard a bicycle made out of recycled material. 

You can also cheer on top Canadian artists at the Art Battle Canada live painting tournament (11 to 11:30 am) that celebrates creativity, courage and community in the visual arts. Their masterpiece is created before your eyes in only 20 minutes as you vote to help decide the winner!

Then enjoy local musical talent, including: Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine; MEGAPHONO Showcase featuring LeFLOFRANCO, SeiiizMikk and Jah’kota; and in the evening, Andréanne A. Malette and River Town Saints.

Then, on Canada Day itself, the activities and performances continue!

Jump up to 30 feet in the air on the Jumpaï (“jump high”). It's made up of four separate trampolines. Adults and kids over 36 inches tall can do an unlimited number of jumps—a mix of trapeze, bungee and acrobatics with a guaranteed wow factor!

There will also be performances by Charlotte Cardin, the Noubi Trio, The Beaches, Logan Staats, Jacobus and La Bronze, and so much more!

Canadian Museum of History

Head to the Canadian Museum of History on July 1st and enjoy free family-friendly programming and activities and then stay well into the evening to watch the pyro-musical show as it lights up the night sky over Ottawa–Gatineau.

During the day, activities include Hinterland's Who's Who where guests can find out about Canadian wildlife and meet a few wild critters in person; a nature-art workshop with Mélodie Coutou, La Ressourcière, where guests are invited to co-create a forest made from the interbreeding of different tree species; free airbrush tattoos, games and much more!

Canada Day celebrations in Canada’s Capital Region are made possible thanks to official sponsors President’s Choice, Manulife and Tim Hortons, as well as the valuable support of more than 500 dedicated volunteers.

To stay up to date regarding any changes or cancellations to the Canada Day schedule, click here.

This Canada Day post was sponsored by Canadian Heritage/Patrimoine canadien. 

Five ways to keep kids entertained at a cottage

We’re a cottaging family and spend at least two weeks at cottages every summer.

The packing list for the cottage may be long, but based on my years of cottaging with children I thought I’d make a list of my five favourites for keeping the family entertained.

I realized after writing it that my list falls to the less sporty type family so you may want to include some type of sporting equipment or balls or something too ;)

1) The super noodle

If you’ve ever been in a lake with children you know that, regardless of how well they can swim, their favourite place to be is attached to you. This is okay when you can stand up, but once you’re in water above your head, it can feel a bit like you’re about to drown. I quickly figured out that I needed multiple noodles in order to keep myself and a child up above water, but once I found the super noodles from Costco I was sold on spending $20+ on a noodle.

The super noodle will hold me and at least two, sometimes three children above water. It will even allow me to stay mostly above water as children catapult themselves off docks and into my arms. 

My general rule with the super noodle is that adults always get them first, as the only reason we invested in them is to help the adults stay afloat with the children who will undoubtedly try to sit on top of their heads while they’re trying to tread water. When all the adults are out of the water I’m willing to share and let the kids experience the fun of the super noodle too.

2) Child sized kayaks

We previously wrote about kayaks on Kids in the Capital and I still think they are one of the best investments if you go to a cottage with any regularity. They cost about $100 and I have seen children as young as four master them really quickly.

Kids can spend a lot of time just trolling around close to shore while you supervise, the ones who are a bit more nervous about swimming out further or who just are less inclined to swim a lot can kayak themselves to floating docks, and you can go on a family kayak ride. Note: make sure you have some kind of towing rope on your kayak or theirs and an easy way to attach the kayaks together. I often end up towing kids back, but it’s well worth it to have had them kayak independently to start.

3) An art kit

Arts and crafts are a must at the cottage - especially for rainy days or quieter evenings. We come up with all kinds of projects while we’re at the cottage and many include crafting.

·      Painting rocks and sticks.

·      Scavenger hunts.

·      Simple paintings and drawings.

·      Creating a memory game.

·      Box monsters.

4) Books

Adults and kids alike bring many books to the cottage. We have comics and novels and activity idea books.

You’ll find people reading in hammocks, in bunkbeds, and sitting by the lake.

We’re a bookish family so we may lean a bit more heavily to the books than others, but I think the cottage is a great time to get a lot of great reading done – make it part of what you expect at the cottage! The Ottawa Public Library allows you to take most books out for three weeks (and they can often be renewed for another three), which is usually a perfect length of time for a cottage vacation.

5)   Lego and puzzles

Some kids are less outdoorsy than others – I have one like that in particular. While they might love it if we’d let them play on electronics all day, that’s simply not an option. Instead we make sure there are Lego or 500-1000 piece puzzles to play with. These cottage projects are perfect for the kids who want to stay indoors while the others are in the lake, and they are great for quiet creative time.

We can rarely find an activity that all five of us want to do at once, and now that our kids are a bit older (with our youngest being 8) we’re able to simply accept that we can split up and do what each of us wants to do. Having lots of options for every personality type has really helped everyone enjoy their time at the cottages.

What are your cottage must haves to keep everyone busy and entertained?

New York City: A Family Vacation

Visiting New York City with kids is easier than you think and there is a lot to see and do – for both adults and children. Of course, it is a different NYC experience with kids than with adults - but it is still a memorable one (if not more so).

How to get to New York City

We chose to fly out of Syracuse International Airport – it was significantly cheaper and very convenient. Border crossing was done via car and then we only had the security line to deal with as a family. The flight was a mere 45 minutes both ways and we had no issues other than a minor flight delay heading to New York thanks to thunderstorms. We flew into La Guardia, which as of July 2017 is under heavy construction, so I advise against booking a hotel shuttle - depending on what terminal you land in, it could be tricky to get to. NYC's infamous yellow cabs, however, are everywhere. And for approximately $40 USD you can get into the heart of downtown Manhattan.

Once the construction at La Guardia is complete it will be a beautiful airport and the subway will go right into the airport, making it even easier, and cheaper, to get anywhere in New York City.

Where to stay in New York City

There are a plethora of hotels in New York City and the good news is you don’t have to stay (and pay) to be in Times Square. We stayed three blocks away from Times Square in the Garment District, which is the equivalent of a five-minute walk to the heart of Times Square. We chose to stay at a name brand hotel with breakfast included to make it easy and convenient to get food first thing in the morning; however there are food vendors everywhere in Manhattan and it’s just as easy to get a bagel for $1 USD right outside your hotel door. Just remember, many of the hotels are smaller than you may be used to because of limited real estate; but how much time will you be in your room anyway?

How to get around New York City

 We travelled by foot, subway or yellow cab. If you want to motivate your kids to walk purchase a step counter and challenge them to reach a certain number of steps each day (we walked an average of 20,000 steps a day!). We also relied a lot on the NYC Subway system. There’s a free subway app you can download to your smartphone that makes travelling via subway easy to understand; and don’t be afraid to ask someone – every New Yorker we spoke with was more than willing to help us.

What to see and do in New York City

1) Top of the Rock

Forget the Empire State Building - located at the top of the Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock offers incredible views of the entire city. We went first thing in the morning and there were no line-ups—apparently the lines can get quite long. So, go early, bring coins for the kids to use the viewfinders (it’s 50 cents each time) and make sure to grab a map from the visitor’s desk so you can play “I spy” with the numerous landmarks that can be seen from each of the three viewing decks.

Top of the Rock NYC

2) Central Park

You can easily spend a day at Central Park. There are gorgeous trails, bridges, and playgrounds to keep the kids busy exploring and playing. If you have a stroller you can stay on the main paths of the Park, including the famous Central Park Mall where many movies have been shot (you may even see a celebrity or two jogging through the park). There is a historic carousel near the south end as well as ponds with turtles. The little guys must be used to being hand fed, because as soon as they saw us they came swimming up. If you plan on spending some time in Central Park, I highly recommend downloading the official Central Park app – it has interactive maps as well as interesting audio information about various statues, etc. throughout the park and it is narrated by celebrities, such as Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis Dreyfus.

Central Park | Feeding the turtles

3) American Museum of Natural History

A museum is a perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon, which is what we did. My husband and I have been to the MET before and knew it would be a little big (and perhaps boring) for our daughter, so we chose to go to the American Museum of Natural History. If your kids love learning about animals and nature then they will like this museum; it’s a lot like the Museum of Nature combined with the Museum of History here in Ottawa. It’s big and easy to get lost in, so make sure you grab a map. Tip: there is a spot to refill water bottles for free on the lower level where the cafeteria is.

4) Ellen’s Stardust Diner

This restaurant came recommended to us and we are glad we went! The food here is not only fantastic, but so are the singing wait staff that break out in tunes throughout your meal and sing everything from hit Broadway songs to top 100 pop songs. We did not want our meal to end because the singing was so good. We went to the restaurant just after the lunch rush (around 1:30 p.m.) and only had to wait about 10 minutes for a table, so like everything in New York City, make a plan to go during a quieter time (unless you want to wait.)

Ellen's Stardust Diner

5)   Times Square

The bright lights, the tall buildings and the hustle and bustle of Times Square are entertainment in and of itself! We made a point to visit in the mornings and got a coffee (and juice for my daughter) and found a spot out of the sun in the middle of Times Square. There are always interesting people to watch and it’s a great place to rest while you plan what you want to do next.

Times Square NYC

6) M&M World

M&M World New York is three stories of everything M&M. From stuffed animals, to aprons to personalized M&Ms. It’s fun for kids of all ages… and adults too. We got to try the new caramel M&Ms there and I would be lying if I didn’t admit to going back and buying more than one bag of them.

7)   Staten Island Ferry

The best part about the Staten Island Ferry is that it’s free and on a clear day there are great views of the Manhattan skyline as well as the Statue of Liberty. Just don’t get swindled or confused by the numerous sales people who will attempt to persuade you to purchase the Ellis Island Ferry and tour the Statue of Liberty (unless you really want to go directly to Lady Liberty). Just walk through the Staten Island Ferry front doors and wait in line. The ferry comes every half hour, so don’t worry if you miss one.

8)   Broadway

Depending on the age of your children, indulging in a Broadway show can be a lot of fun. We bought tickets (in advance) to Hello Dolly! because I really wanted to see Bette Midler on Broadway, but we were tempted to see another show as well. There is usually a Disney on Broadway production going on, which is perfect for kids. Regardless, look at the show reviews online and so long as you pick a production filled with uplifting music, dancing, and colourful costumes, kids of all ages are sure to have fun. You can buy tickets from TKTS, which is a discount Broadway ticket vendor located in Times Square, but from what I saw the ticket prices there did not differ that much from purchasing them either from the theatre box office or online.

Broadway

9)   NYC Subway

While it is easy to take a yellow cab in NYC (note: from our experience there, Uber costs pretty much the same as a cab), the subway is fun for kids who have never been on one and it is easy to navigate. It’s also fast, inexpensive… and a great way to escape the weather on a rainy or extremely hot day.

10)    The High Line / Chelsea Market

The High Line is a public walking path / park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It makes for an interesting walk filled with great views of the Hudson River as well as modern and historic architecture. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th and 12th Avenues. We got off the high line at Chelsea Market, which is the home to unique shops, bakeries and restaurants, such as the delicious Sarah’s Bakery.

The High Line through Chelsea

11)   Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum

Ripley's Believe it or Not

So, these museums may not be all that unique to NYC, but when you have kids with you on any trip it’s always nice to do something that they will love. Madame Tussauds and Ripley’s Believe It or Not offer weird and wacky facts, wax sculptures and much more… so, if you find yourself in need of some way to fill an afternoon with kids while in New York City, these museums are right in Times Square and are guaranteed to bring out the giggles in your kids.

Tips

- If you know you will be seeing four attractions invest in the New York Explorers Pass from Costco. It gets emailed to you can save you a lot of money. If you plan on going to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty as well as visit the MET and/or the Museum of Natural History look at investing in this or a CityPass.

- There are also hop on, hop off bus tours, such as Grayline and Big Bus. Depending on the time of year, these tours can be quite busy, but it is a great way to see many of New York’s landmarks without having to worry about transportation.

- If you’re visiting in the summer, bring your own water bottle. We were grateful to have water with us at all times. New York City can get quite warm in the summer!

- Eat the street meat! Buying lunch and dinner from local food vendors is economical and yummy! You can buy more than just hot dogs too! There is Pad Thai, Philly cheese steak sandwiches, fresh smoothies and so much more!

10 things to do with kids in Ottawa this summer

Summer vacation is rolling out the welcome mat for kids all across the Nation’s Capital. And if your kids are like mine, then they are ready to run off some energy and have some fun! Every summer my family and I make a “bucket list” of things we must see and do as a family to make summer awesome! This year our list is a little longer than 10, but here are our top 10 things to do as a family in Ottawa this summer:

1) Visit the new Canada-themed park at Mooney’s Bay

If you haven’t been to the new Canada-themed park at Mooney’s Bay with the family yet, pack a picnic lunch and plan a day or even a few hours to take in the play structures, slides and swings that each represent a different province or territory. The park is located next to Mooney’s Bay Beach—a great spot to cool off on a hot summer’s day!

2) Check out the new Canada Goose Arctic Gallery at the Canadian Museum of Nature

The  Arctic Gallery at the Canadian Museum of Nature just opened June 21st and is filled with interactive activities, games, interesting facts and educational fun for the entire family. This new permanent gallery is full of unique ways to celebrate Canada's Arctic!

3) See the Northern Lights Sound and Light bilingual show on Parliament Hill

The Sounds and Lights show is always impressive, but with Canada 150 it’s a must-see summer event this year! Grab some snacks and a picnic blanket and head down to Parliament Hill in the late evening from July 11th to September 16th to enjoy Northern Lights, a show about the foundations of our nation and so much more. For tips on how to make the evening a memorable one, check out our tips here.

4) Check out MosaiCanada 150

MosaiCanada 150 is a FREE horticultural event featuring paintings, sculptures, artistic works, as well as 40 impressive horticulture arrangements (some larger than life!). MosaiCanada 150 is held at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau from June 30th to October 15th and is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. This unique horticultural event is a part of the ongoing activities celebrating Canada 150.

5)  Watch an outdoor movie

Every year we try to watch an outdoor movie and this year we not only plan on returning to the Port Elmsley Drive-In, but also grabbing a lawn chair and going to one of the more urban outdoor movies. Capital Pop-Up Cinema runs local outdoor movies that look like a lot of fun– here’s their schedule: https://www.capitalpopupcinema.com/2016-schedule.

6) Be wowed by La Machine at the end of July

I keep seeing the La Machine event pop up in my Facebook newsfeed and every time I see it, I can’t get over how impressive it looks. From July 27 to the 30th these big machines – including the dragon, LongMa, which according to the event website, stands 12 metres high, 5 metres high and weighs 45 tons, will be roaming the downtown streets of Ottawa. This incredible weekend is a part of the ongoing celebrations for Canada 150.

7) Visit a summer fair

Cotton candy, demolition derbies, carousels, concerts, live entertainment, and more, Ottawa offers many local summer fairs including these:
July 14-16: Almonte Fair 
July 28-30: Beachburg Fair
August 10-13: Navan Fair
August 17-20: Arnprior Fair
August 18-27: The Capital Fair 
August 25-27: Chesterville Fair 
September 7-10: Russell Fair 
September 14-17: Richmond Fair 
September 21-24: Carp Fair 
September 28-October 1: Metcalfe Fair 

8) Pretend we’re pirates at Pirate Adventures Ottawa

If you have ever wanted to bring out your inner Jack Sparrow or Jake the Neverland Pirate then this 75-minute interactive pirate-theatre cruise may be for you! Located at Mooney’s Bay this pirate ship adventure includes costumes, face painting, treasure maps, and much more!

9) Actually make it through the Mile Maze at Saunders Farm

Jumping pillows, an amazing play structure, and of courses mazes! Saunders Farm is a lot of fun and one of these days I WILL make it through the mile maze without having to ask complete strangers if they can help me find my way out. ;)

10) Connect with nature at Eco-Odysee

Beautiful scenery, water maze adventures, exploring and puzzle solving – Eco Odysee in the Outaouais is a great way to spend a summer’s day outside and in nature.

So, what’s on your must-do summer list this year? Share by leaving a comment! Happy Summer

Kayaking for Kids - They can do it!

We spend a lot of our summers up at our parents' cottages and something both sets of grandparents invested in (I know - we're really lucky to have access to TWO cottages) are kayaks for the kids.

My kids took to it in no time flat and the most common comment I get from friends when they come to the cottage and try out the kayaks is, "Wow! I can't believe they can do that!"

So my message to you is:

Your kids can kayak!

My kids started using the kid sized kayaks around the age of 4 or 5 and while not all of them were proficient at 4, at 5 they could definitely get the boat going where they wanted it to go.

At 8, my older son could handle a full sized kayak if all the kid sized ones were being used by younger children because he'd had enough practice with the little ones.

What about SUPs?

Stand up paddle boards (SUPs) have gotten really popular in the last few years. We have a kid sized one of those too and while all the kids can manage it, most of them seem to feel about it the way I do about the adult sized one - it's fine, but they prefer the kayak. My daughter however really enjoys the SUP and has such incredible balance on it she can practically do acrobatics on the water without falling off!

What if I don't have a cottage?

There are lots of great places to kayak in the Ottawa area and kayaks are pretty easy to transport thanks to roof racks and hatchback trunks (especially the kid sized ones). You can also bring kayaks with you camping! Bon Echo and Bonnechere Provincial Parks are great spots. So, pack some snacks, your kayaks and your lifejackets and head out to:

Dow's Lake Pavilion (you can rent kayaks here too)

Ottawa Valley - there are a bunch of great spots and this guide has all the details you need for your paddling adventure.

Petrie Island - You can launch your kayak at the free boat launch at the west end of the main parking lot in Crappie Bay.

Shirley's Bay - a popular spot and a great place to teach kids how to launch without getting in and out from a dock.

How much do they cost?

Ours all came from Costco and we know a lot of others who got them there.  I've also seen them at Canadian tire, and for a basic sit on top kids' kayak you're looking at about $100. They've been a great investment for our family!