The Variety Heritage Adventure Park is now open and it's spectacular!

The Variety Heritage Adventure Park is a world class, one-of-a-kind adventure park whose play elements are based on the natural and human history of The Forks (and, by extension, Manitoba and Canada). Children and their families can see, touch and experience 6,000 years of Manitoba’s history through hands-on play, and on top of that, the adventure park and its play elements were designed to be accessible to children of all abilities. Access to the Variety Heritage Adventure Park is free, making this an affordable activity for all families! 

The adventure park features seven distinct play zones: The First Peoples, the Fur Trade, the Métis, the Settlers, the French Quarter, the "Iron Horse" and the Metropolis, each encompassing a distinct period in the region's history. Kids can climb on fort walls, take a slide out the back of a Red River cart, blow a train whistle and "row" a York boat. There a large musical instruments, an historic French streetscape, a tipi and a trading post. 

There is also a special river area featuring water spray pop-ups which operates from mid-June to September 3, which will be flooded and frozen in the winter to form a skating rink.  

What is great about this park is that it's a new and innovative way of getting kids interested in our history by combining learning and active play. momstown members be sure to check out the calendar. We've set up a few playdates at the park on August 12 and 26.

You can find out more information at http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/mb/forks/activ/papv-vhap.aspx.


All images are copyright to Parks Canada. Use of these photos without Parks Canada's permission is forbidden.

How to make sidewalk chalk paint

Checking off one more thing on my bucket list for this summer. I found a great sidewalk chalk paint recipe on pinterest that looked easy, affordable and a whole lot of fun!

What you'll need:

• Cornstarch
• Water
• Food colouring
• Bowls
• Tablespoon
• Paintbrushes
• Wipes for clean up

Directions:

Mix together equal parts of cornstarch and water. Start off with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Mix together until you have a smooth consistency.  You shouldn't feel any drag from the cornstarch, but it also shouldn't be too liquify either. It should pour off your spoon and not leave a layer of cornstarch goo in the bowl or on your spoon. 

Now add the food colouring! You will want to make a few batches so you can have a few colours of chalk paint.

I stripped my son down as he is still quite young and will get messy! Since it has food colouring be sure to wear play clothes. 

What I like best about making homemade sidewalk chalk paint is that it is safe for the wee little ones that still like to eat everything in sight! 

I took some Huggies Simply Clean wipes to wipe down my son. It came off quite easy. It also washes off the sidewalk nicely too. 

So there you have it. A fun activity to involve the kids with making and keep them busy this summer!

Here's another great blog on how to make sidewalk chalk from our friends at momstown Edmonton South.

Summer Vacation Bucket List

School's out and the kids are home. How to keep them busy so you don't lose your mind? Make a bucket list. There are a ton of great ideas that we found off pinterest, momstown.ca and of course many are part of our signature momstown events! And be sure to check your local community for upcoming festivals, local farms, parks, and splashpads.

So here it is. My bucket list of 25 things to do this summer:

1. Go swimming in the lake
2. Make a sandcastle at the lake
3. Have a car wash playdate
4. Attend our momstown Picasso's in the Park
5. Visit the new Variety Heritage Adventure Park
6. Have a Pudding Party Playdate and let the kids get messy
7. Invite the neighbourhood kids for Bubblefest - bubbles, bubbles, and more bubbles
8. Make homemade chalk paint with my kids and paint our driveway
9. Go to Birds Hill Park for a picnic and a hike
10. Have a lemonade stand
11. Go strawberry picking
12. Go fishing with my oldest daughter
13. Visit Fort Whyte Alive
14. Go to Assiniboine Park's Nature's Playground
15. Take the kids to the St. Norbert Farmers Market
16. Go to the zoo
17. Make this non-toxic home-made paint & let the kids go wild in the yard
18. Bring the kids to Tinkertown
19. Make a craft on those rainy days
20. Visit a local farm
21. Fly the kite my daughter got for her birthday
22. Visit at least 2 different splashpads
23. Go camping
24. Drop the kids off at Grandma's so mom can get a pedicure (I think we all deserve this!!)
25. Attend the momstown Winnipeg Birthday Bash this August (check your local city for the date)

So here it is! My bucket list. So go on and make one too! There are so many fun things to do around the home and through-out our great city.  momstown.ca also has a great list of activities to do this summer. Check it out here.

And check us out on Breakfast Television talking about our Bucket List: http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/1722339460001.000000/your-kids/

Don't forget the kids this time!

Having a party for your child, or a child in your life?  Don't forget the kids!  Sound like a funny thing to say?

I don't… I read party guides and posts all over the web, and beyond.  People pick a perfect cake (that the kids don't eat), a perfect banquet table (that the kids don't look at). Don't forget the invites… parents send out the perfect invite which the kids don't see on the sending or receiving end.  Don't get me wrong… I love all those aspects of party planning too. However, don't forget about the reason for the party. It's for the child!

When possible, let the children decorate the invites with crayons, stickers or markers.  

Let the child pick out the flavour of the cake, maybe the style, or even put on a few jelly beans. They love the involvement.  

Why not let the kids colour or draw some pictures to put up as decorations too. The other kids that come to the party will notice them when they are posted at a child friendly height. Try it, you'll see.

Finally, don't forget the activities. Plan them first if you can. Have several planned and maybe do a couple. Traditional games like treasure hunts, bean bag tosses, drawing and guessing games take virtually no supplies and children love them. Try it, you'll see. Don't be afraid to participate with them. It's a lot easier than chasing them around and trying to get them to not jump on the beds!

Have fun!

Cindy

This article was written by Cindy Despins, owner of Dress Up And Play Parties. Visit her site at http://www.dressupandplayparties.com and check out her imaginative and fun themed costume party packages and make party planning a breeze!

How To Make Your Own Chef’s Hat

In January, momstown Winnipeg introduced the Junior Chefs program. Kids learned how to read directions, measure, mix, bake, and the fun part.... decorate! Each child got a personalized Chef’s hat to wear and take home.

 

Supplies (for one hat):

1 – 14L Kitchen Bag, white

1 – 3” strip of poster board

Markers / Stickers for decorating

Stapler

Steps to making your own chefs hat:

1. Decorate poster board strip as you wish.  For our group, I put each child’s name in stickers on the hats. 

2. Measure the child’s head using the strip.  Don’t make it too snug, then the child won’t wear it.  Staple the ends.

3. Open the kitchen bag.  Using the open end of the bag begin stapling it to the poster board strip (as shown).  Remember to staple from the inside, so the rough staple edges are pointing out, not poking the child’s head.

4. Once stapled all around, shake the hat to get air into the bag to help it stand up straight.

Enjoy your new Chef’s hat! 

This article was written by Lisa B, one of our newest blog contributors. When she's not chasing her 2 boys outdoors, she's up to her elbows with glue and glitter!

Celebrate Chinese New Years with the Kids!

I am a firm believer of teaching your children your heritage and to also explore other cultures. Canada is such a diverse country and we should celebrate this. My children are a quarter Chinese from my husbands’ side so I wanted to teach them all about Chinese New Years.  Unfortunately their Great Grandma Chin past away last year and my Mother-In-Law was out of town. How was I to teach them this important Chinese celebration without the help of the pros?!?! In comes Google. I searched, and searched, and searched for some history, facts, ideas, and the superstitions. If you know anything about the Chinese culture, it is that they have superstitions and ‘what not to do’ lists! I didn’t want to screw this up! I even went to a Chinese market all alone! I was nervous. I’m not really sure why. Maybe they’d wonder what I’m doing in there. Do I bring my child in with me so they clearly get the Chinese connection! If you see my daughter the eyes are a dead giveaway.  So I immediately found the lai see, red envelopes used to give money.  I also purchased some oranges and fortune cookies. When I went to pay they lady smiled at me and said ‘Happy Chinese New Years’. She totally knew why I was in there!

I found some great craft ideas and downloaded Chinese music from itunes. What’s a party without dancing? My Latin background is in my blood. You can’t take the love of dancing out of me. Instead of the usually salsa I do with my daughter I was planning a dragon dance. After all, it’s the year of the dragon! I also got some ornaments from my Mother-In-Law’s and used the ornaments for decorations.  And I informed our guests to wear red. Believe it or not, I couldn’t find red for my daughter. But she has a few beautiful Chinese dresses, so I put one on her. I broke a rule!!! She wore pink! All well. Next year I’ll be more prepared.

So the day of the party came. Some momstown mama’s came over with their kids. We had circle time and talked about Chinese New Years. Here are some facts I gathered, courtesy of mindful mum and A China Family Adventure.

Chinese New Year is the most significant holiday in the Chinese calendar, where it is known as the ‘spring festival’. People celebrate the beginning of the new season as it symbolizes new life and marks an end to winter.

The most common way to wish someone a Happy New Year is Gung Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin or Gung Hey Fat Choy in Cantonese.  The meaning:
Gung Xi – are good wishes or congratulations
Fa Cai or Fat Choy – to become rich, acquire wealth

How is Chinese New Year celebrated?
Celebrations start in the first day of the lunar cycle, and end on the fifteenth day, when the moon is at its brightest. For 2012 it starts on January 23.

Before celebrations for New Year begin, however, it is considered prosperous to completely clean one’s house; this symbolizes sweeping away any bad luck that the previous year may have brought. After the house has been cleaned, brushes, dustpans and brooms are all put away, as cleaning at any time after this might sweep away the good luck that comes with the new year.

It is traditional for families to hang red lanterns outside their houses and to wear new red clothing, as it is believed that doing so will ward off any evil spirits. Fireworks are also set off for this reason. On New Year’s Eve, families will reunite and enjoy a large traditional meal together.

After our circle time we did crafts. The kids made red lanterns and dragons. Click here to see how to make a lantern. For the dragon, I found a great dragon craft on Kaboose. Print out a dragon head, have the kids decorate it and add a piece of streamer for the body. The kids used this during their dragon dance.

For a snack we ate oranges and fortune cookies. Then we used our dragon craft and danced to some Chinese music. The kids had a blast! They danced in a circle and also danced around the entire house chasing one another with their dragons.

After a half an hour of dancing it was time for home time. My daughter helped me hand out the lai see and we practiced saying Gung Hey Fat Choy as our guest left. I’m sure I didn’t quite follow the entire traditions of Chinese New Years but I think Great-Granny Chin would be proud that we celebrated and honored this very important holiday!

29 Activities To Keep The Kids Busy Indoors This February

As I write this letter I hear the wind howling through the house.  What a week it has been - fleece jackets and park outings to parkas and indoor activities.  I hope everyone is staying warm and safe.  I wasn't prepared to be stuck inside today, so I put together a list of inside activities.  The list includes one activity for each day in February.  Let's hope we will not need all of these!


1.  Spend the day in pajamas
2.  Exercise with the television or tape
3.  Do a craft
4.  Build a model
5.  Put together a jigsaw puzzle
6.  Organize photos
7.  Create an album or scrapbook
8.  Look through old photos
9.  Play a board game
10. Play cards
11. Play 20 questions
12. Play I Spy
13. Watch a movie
14. Read books
15. Set up the tent inside
16. Skype with distant family members or friends
17. Dance
18. Bake cookies
19. Clean
20. Organize a closet
21. Sort through clutter and find some things to give away or throw out
22. Indoor Scavenger Hunt
23. Make ice cream
24. Put on a concert or talent show
25. Make sock puppets
26. Build a fort
27. Video record your kids
28. Perform science experiments
29. Bring to Beach to Us with an indoor beach party! (It's a leap year)

If our mild winter weather does return, I hope to see you at the park!

Lisa B.

This article was written by Lisa B, one of our newest blog contributors. When she's not chasing her 2 boys outdoors, she's up to her elbows with glue and glitter!

momstown Winnipeg One Great Year

Have a Happy New Years Winnipeg Moms! Thank you for one great year!

How to Celebrate New Years with Toddlers

Want to celebrate New Years with your little ones but don't want to keep them up till midnight? Host a Noon Year Party and ring in the new year at noon. momstown.ca is celebrating Noon Year across the country, and here in Winnipeg we had two parties!

Anyone can host a Noon Year party. Send out invitations a few weeks before. During the holidays it gets busy so give them plenty of notice. Or if you are lucky enough to be in a city where there is a moms group, like momstown.ca, chances are they are hosting one already. Join in on the fun and attend your local groups Noon Year Party.

Have a potluck. Organizing a party when you have little kids at home is always a challenge. Make it a bit easier on yourself and have all the moms sign up to bring one item. Finger foods are best for young children.

Don't make your party too long. Have guests arrive between 10:30 and 11 am. End the party around 1 pm. This gives you time to have some activities before noon, celebrate the ball drop at noon, eat and then the kids can play. Longer then that and you will just have over-tired kids kicking, screaming and crying.

Have a ball drop! You can make this easily by cutting 2 large pieces of paper, like Christmas wrapping paper or easel paper, and tape it to the ceiling. Tape string on the paper. Place balloons under them. When noon comes, have a countdown and rip the paper by pulling on the string. Down comes the balloons. If you plan to have younger infants at the party just warn their mama's so they can hold onto them. Balloons are a choking hazard.

Plan an activity, like crafts. We love doing crafts at our momstown events. You can do a simple craft for a Noon Year Party like decorating foam crowns. Or you can make glitter fireworks! You can buy all the supplies at your local dollar store. Another great idea that our member Micheline had was to have a puppet show. Your kids can practice for a few weeks and have a show for their friends.

Get noise makers, party hats and crackers. The kids will love this! Bubbles are also a hit with kids. It's not as messy as confetti and safe for the younger ones.

Make a toast! Get some cute, fancy plastic champagne glasses and serve sparkling apple juice. Pink lemonade is another great alternative.

Most importantly, get someone to take video and photos of the big party. This is a party that you will want to remember for years to come!

Thanks to Lisa B and Micheline G for hosting our momstown Winnipeg Noon Year Parties.

Missed out on our Noon Year Parties? Sign up today to see our jammed packed calendar of events.

Decorating Gingerbread Houses

Looking for a great activity to do with your kids this Holiday season? Make a gingerbread house, or two, or three..... or a village! It is a fun playdate that you can do with your kids and their friends that will keep them all engaged and entertained.

We made our houses with graham crackers. It's economical and easy to handle when building the houses. Perfect size for toddlers. There are a variety of recipes for Royal Icing. I ran out of Cream of Tartar but found a great recipe that I was able to do without this ingredient.

If having a Gingerbread Decorating Playdate, ask each parent to bring a topping to be shared. As the host I provided and premade the gingerbread houses the night before to ensure the icing dried and the houses were strong enough for decorating. I placed each house on a disposable Christmas plate so it was easy for each child to bring home.

We set up around the table and placed all the ingredients in the middle to share. Everything from smarties, to candy corns, candy canes, marshmallows, coconut, little itty-bitty gingerbread men, and so much more. The Bulk Barn has a great selection of treats to decorate gingerbread houses.

Can you believe we were all gingerbread house virgins! It was all of our first times decorating a house. Needless to say the moms might have had a bit more fun then the kids!

Here's the Royal Icing recipe I used:

2 large egg whites
2 2/3 cup powdered sugar, divided

Wisk together the egg whites and 1 1/3 cups of the powdered sugar until smooth.

Add the remaining 1 1/3 cups of powdered sugar to the mixture. Beat on high speed until the icing holds stiff peaks. Add more powdered sugar if needed, until stiff peaks form. Place a dampened clean towel over the bowl of royal icing to prevent it from drying out while you work with it. Once you are ready to use it, fill a pastry bag (or ziploc bag with the tip cut off).
*recipe from www.simplyrecipes.com

We had lots of fun and can't wait to do this again next year. I might even attempt to make my own gingerbread houses from scratch! Okay, who am I kidding.... I so won't! Happy Holiday!

Alphabet Playgroup

This month we started a new playgroup for our toddlers to help them learn the alphabet. We have partnered up with Indigo, and once a week we will be meeting and learning one letter. We started last week with 'A' and read Alligator Baby by Robert Munsch.

And what's a playdate without circle time and crafts. We sang the alphabet and did a fun craft. Using the letter 'A' we made an alligator's head. You can find more great craft ideas around the alphabet theme on our Arts and Craft blog.

Join us at Indigo's on Kenaston. We'll be meeting up every Wednesday from 10:30am to 11:30 am and working our way to 'Z'. Hope to see you there!

Thanks to Lindsay at Creative Photojournalism for capturing some great photo's of our event!