Summer Attraction Coupons

Check out the web site Attractions Ontario - Coupon Section for savings on many local attractions - you can also buy tickets online in one area.

I just went to the Science Centre with my family and it was a blast from the past fused with all kinds of new and interesting things to do and see. There is an astronomy show in a mini planetarium which my four year old said was "super cool". There is a fantastic play area for toddlers and young children which parents will think is really neat and kids can't get enough of - they even have a mini supermarket store for children to play in. I think the Science Centre is one of the most educational/fun places to visit in Toronto. There is parking,plenty of washrooms with nursing stations and the staff are extremely helpful. I can't say enough about the place. PS- Yes I did fulfill my childhood dream of touching the static ball. PSS- Starting June 9th receive 20% off Science Centre Admission. If you are keener - you could even buy the family pass - pays for itself after 2 visits.

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Why Put Your Children in Summer Camps?

Have you ever tried to search on the internet for recreation programs in Etobicoke? It is not exactly easy is it? I have created a new site focusing on recreation programs. Recreation is my passion. I have worked for a local municipal recreation department for many years and I can tell you for sure how much recreation means to children. It helps them to form meaningful relationships, learn new skills and most importantly it starts the important life lesson of how to get along with others - cooperation, respect and taking turns! Also, it keeps children active and out of potential trouble (with other less positive activities), especially as they get older. Many recreation departments have bullying policies in relation to their programs to protect children from getting hurt, both emotionally and physically.....good policies to have in this day and age.Also, many municipal recreation department have subsidy funds available to help children participate ... so that all children can play regardless of their income levels. Tim Horton's has a camp fund for children as does the Toronto Star (Fresh Air Fund) and the City of Toronto has programs called ARC and Welcome Policy. If you are in a position where you think you can't afford to send your children to summer programs please check these sources to see if they can help. If you are in a position to help... think about donating to these funds. Also, did you know that recreational swims are free in the City of Toronto?

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Birthday Party Planning

I was looking at my calendar recently, preparing for the summer ahead, and saw the note I made in there about 6 weeks ago to book the room on July 3rd for my son’s next birthday. Consider the details here – it is only now June, so I planned on booking the room back in April – and my son’s birthday is not until the end of September!

However, in today’s cut-throat birthday party planning world, being six months ahead of the game is a requirement. Gone are the “Ms. Manner’s” days of allowing 6 weeks for party planning. And the older kids get, the more elaborate the party required, which means more planning.

Stage One Birthdays - The Home Party
We started our party repertoire with family gatherings, that always turned into large gatherings, but were home based and casual none the less. Someone would contribute this, someone else that, and so on; before you knew it a party was made. At this stage it was more about the adults socializing than the babies / kids. The ratio of adults was larger than kids!
As more friends of the boys became involved, we moved to the world of indoor play spaces, utilizing our local Recreation Centres. The large space of the multipurpose room is perfect for crawling babies and toddlers, with minimal things to get into. It is also great to have a time limit, it keeps things rolling, and is perfect to minimize overstimulation, not only for the birthday person, but the parents of the birthday boy or girl!

Stage 2 - Indoor Playgrounds
We eventually moved to the “indoor playground” once we had a friend base with only a small percentage of babies or toddlers who could get run over. At this point too, we find more parents just want to drop off their child for the party, versus hanging around. Again, the time limit is great, and of course not having the mess to deal with is a nice bonus. The odd time we’ve tried the outdoor park party, and have been lucky enough to have had ok weather! It is the problem though, as much as it’s nice to be outdoors, to have fresh air and ample space for running, I always feel if you are counting on the weather, it’s more than likely NOT going to co-operate!

Family Gathering - Part B of Stage 2
And as grandparents always want to be involved in a birthday, and are rarely interested in hanging around an indoor playground with a group of screaming kids, we usual throw in a family gathering that is much more low-key.

Theme Parties & Attractions
My sons have also attended a spectrum of parties, from parties with insects, parties with themes, parties with scientists, and so on. Another alternative we’ve liked is having a birthday at a large attraction: the birthday person picks one friend, and one location, and we celebrate that way. It’s more focused family fun than the larger party.

Bottom Line
I don’t think they have ever come away unhappy from ANY party though – so for kids, I think it is really more about a PARTY than anything else! That does nothing to ease my stress as an organizer though, who wants nothing more than to make the birthday celebration of one of the people I love most in this world a perfect day for them! Even if I did forget the forks for the birthday cake at my last son’s birthday party – imagine, 14 kids, chocolate cake, and no forks! My son loved it, however, and declared it, “the best birthday ever!”.

Guest Blogger - Kristine Quan, Kristine is a busy and organized mother of two boys who
writes a blog for "Our Kids" Web Site on parenting

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