Browsing “The Playground”

Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

There is lots to do in the Lower Mainland this weekend to make your Valentine’s Day extra sweet.

But no Valentine’s Day is complete without cards for your child’s classmates.  Courtesy of the very talented Robin Mitchell Cranfield, you can find Free Printable Valentines featuring the beloved Windy and Auggie, on her blog.  A great addition to the paper-bag Valentine mailbox come Tuesday.

Here’s a roundup of some Valentine’s Day activities you won’t want to miss this year:

Make Some Arrows at Collage Collage
February 11th
12:00pm-2:00pm
Collage Collage, Vancouver
Tap into your inner cupid and join the fun folks at Collage Collage for an afternoon of arrow making. No registration required.

Valentine’s Day Tea at London Heritage Farm
February 11th & 12th
12:00pm – 5:00pm
London Heritage Farm, Richmond
Enjoy tea and homemade goodies inside a heritage tea room at the restored and furnished 1890′s.  $8.50 per person.

Valentine’s Skate
February 11th
12:30pm – 3:00pm
Bill Copeland Sports Centre, Burnaby
Bring your sweetheart to enjoy ice skating, face painting, Valentine crafts and fun games.  Regular admission fees apply.

Valentine’s Day At River District Centre
February 11th
1 pm – 5 pm
River District Centre, Vancouver
Learn to make chocolates, create edible flower arrangements, and design hand-made cards from 1:00 – 3:00PM. From 3:00 – 5:00PM you can disappear in the land of pure imagination  with a screening of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sadie gets a drum lesson while checking out the pit at the Metro Theatre.

Some of my favourite memories as a child was seeing Karen Kain and Ross Petty in the annual Christmas pantos and seeing every Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that came to Vancouver. Going to the theatre is a tradition that I like to share with Sadie but will admit that it is too easy forget that there are shows and productions for kids in this city that don’t star Yo Gabba Gabba or Elmo.  When Sadie’s idols come to town I am happy to oblige, but something extra special happens when we take her to see a play.

Here is a list of upcoming shows in the Lower Mainland the will be sure to trigger your child’s imagination and hopefully spark a life long love of theatre:

WALL TO WALL PERCUSSION
March 4th, 2pm
Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Principal Percussionist Vern Griffiths plays everything including the kitchen sink! This spectacular concert that shows kids that music can be found anywhere – from professional orchestral instruments to everyday household items.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS
April 22nd, 2pm
Centennial Theatre (North Vancouver)
Based on adaptations of favourite fairy tales or Shakespearean classics, the stories are brought to life with tremendous wit and humour, and with a unique twist. Volunteers from the audience are invited to come up on stage and join in the story. Presented by DuffleBag Theatre which has become one of the most celebrated Canadian companies performing for young audiences.

EMILY SAVES THE ORCHESTRA
May 13th, 2pm
Orpheum Theatre
Award-winning Platypus Theatre presents a theatrical introduction to the instruments of the orchestra and the basic elements of music – melody, harmony, dynamics, rhythm and tone – in a concert that tells the story of a young girl’s battle to save music.

Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

For many, Boundary Bay is a summer destination.  Who can resist beachcombing the endless miles of sand or having a bbq at Centennial Beach? While we are months away from enjoying that Boundary Bay, there is still plenty to see and experience in the winter months.

Located in Tsawwassen, Boundary Bay is a stones throw from the US Border (hence the name) and and contains several easy hiking trails that will take you through the shoreline and sand dune habitats.  It is also a stop on the Pacific Flyway so there are always plenty of birds to see – owls and hawks were the ones we saw on our visit.

The tide wasn’t as out as it has been on summer visits, but there were plenty of rocks, seaweed and shells that Sadie was determined to put back in the ocean one at a time.

Not too far from the shore, we came across an expansive field filled with moss and mushrooms.  We loved squishing the moss with our boots and looking for tiny mushrooms.

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Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families.Every week I post a roundup of upcoming family-friendly events and activities. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sometimes it’s hard to like winter in Vancouver with its endless short wet days. It’s also easy to forget that we have three amazing mountains just a stones throw away that aren’t just for skiers and snowboarders.  All three mountains offer a variety of winter activities – tubing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and tobagganing.

We recently checked out the designated tobogganing park on Mount Seymour.  It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning and served as a good reminder as to why we have it so good in this city in the winter.  Located near the Enquist Lodge, tobagganing on Seymour is open to all ages and there are no height restrictions.

We took the scenic route to the tobagganing park.  Sadie and her pal Violet liked being towed around on the sleds so we were happy to oblige.

Once we got to the park, Sadie was a little concerned about the idea of sliding down it.   It’s the perfect tobagganing hill – not too steep for little ones (riding with adults of course) but steep enough to provide some thrills for us adults.  You can bring your own sled or you can purchase a sliding mat in the Enquist Lodge.  Admission is $9 per person or $36 for a family of four.

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Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families.Every week I post a roundup of upcoming family-friendly events and activities. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

There is no shortage of Christmas lights in Vancouver this time of year, but very few combine lights with heights.  We recently spent an evening enjoying the Canyon Lights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.   I’m not the biggest fan of heights but there was lots to see at the park that didn’t require being a couple hundred feet above the ground. Here are  few highlights from our visit:

Thousands of lights adorn the trails that meander through the Rainforest, which makes for a beautiful juxtaposition of traditional Christmas trees against the forest.  Lots of Totem Poles lined our path.

The suspension bridge is beautifully lined with lights and it’s an interesting twist to this tourist staple crossing it at night.   The same goes for the Treetop Adventures which is the closest I think I will ever get to being an Ewok.   This provides a great view of the entire park lights.   We also braved the Cliffwalk, the park’s latest attraction.  All are beautiful but high so I’m sure braver folks would enjoy these attractions more than me.
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Welcome to The Playground, a place for Vancouver families.Every week I post a roundup of upcoming family-friendly events and activities. I’m always on the lookout for fun stuff to do, so if there’s something happening that you think I should know about, don’t hesitate to contact me.

We recently went to check out this years Festival of Lights which runs daily (4:30 – 9pm) until January 2nd (closed December 25th).  Every night Van Dusen Garden comes alive as more than a million lights illuminate the 22 hectare garden in the heart of Vancouver.

Things start off a little differently this year as you enter through the new Visitor Centre.  It’s a beautiful space to escape the cold, look at Christmas trees and grab some hot beverages.  With our hot chocolates in hand we meandered through Gingerbread Wood, lit a candle at the Make-A-Wish Candle Shrine and spent a lot of time being mesmerized by the Dancing Lights on Livingstone Lake.  It’s a show that starts every half hour that features thousands of lights  programmed to dance with the water fountains to seasonal music.

There is lots to see and do including watching the Community Choir, visiting Santa in his Living Room (until December 24th) and the hilariously spirited Scandinavian Christmas Gnomes.  Plus plenty of  opportunities to splurge on festive treats throughout the park.

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