The New Millennium Park

I visited Milleninum Park (on Trim Road in Orleans) a couple of years ago, when the giant slide structure had gone up, and baby trees lined the playground. It was HOT. Although the kids loved the play structures, I found myself choosing different parks with more shade.

Fast forward to the present, and the City of Ottawa has made major upgrades to the park, including an awesome new splash pad. My husband and kids visited the other weekend for the grand opening.

The multi-million dollar expansion makes it the biggest build and expansion for a park, besides the development of Lansdowne Park. The roads got an upgrade, new parking and sports field, and of course - the new splash pad. 

The splash pad was designed by architectural engineers, and all the water drains into to a rocky riverbed and then into the sewer (the environmentalist in me is cringing slightly - water recovery systems cost about $100,000, but that's around what the City will be paying for all the water that gets used here!!)

Of course, the two main play structures are still a big hit, and the trees are growing slowly to create some shade. A brand new shelter helps, as well as the ability to run to the water for a cool down - perfect for these scorching summer days.

Wondering about bathrooms? There are public washrooms right across the road, and a port-a-potty right beside the park for those brave souls ;) 

Our girls love pretending to be pirates and princesses atop the pirate ship, and a replica of the Parliment buildings has a giant slide and plenty of room for both parents and kids to climb. The twirly big top is also a hit (although watch out...they will get dizzy!!)  

All in all, we will definitely be back to Millennium again!

Have you visited Millennium Park? What do you love about it?

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!

Ottawa Parks: Cardinal Creek

We have our favourite parks around town - the one within walking distance of our house and then Brewer and Millenium are at the top of the list, but sometimes we want something a bit different and we go exploring. There is another great park in Orleans that is big and boasts a lot of different features and it's definitely worth a visit

Cardinal Creek

Cardinal Creek Park boasts a fabulous splash pad, a little kids' play structure, a bigger kids' play structure area, basketball courts and a children's garden.

Splash Pad

This park has a great splash pad and the day we were there it was packed. There are regular water canons, but also some really fun extra features like the flower tree, the ring things I always call the car wash, and the water that just shoots straight up out of the ground.

Play structures

There are swings, spinning ball things, big kid climbers and a toddler climber too. I loved that they had different stuff - stuff for climbers and stuff for kids who aren't as strong climbers. 

Children's Garden

I've been to the children's garden on Main and was excited to see that they have opened one at Cardinal Creek.  "The garden will have raised garden beds and an accessible pathway so that disabled children canalso have access to it. It has features such as a butterfly garden, strawberry patch, touch and smell area and a meeting place to encourage education and story-telling."

Such a great way to get kids to learn about growing food and to get together for play dates.

It's a great park for kids of all ages - definitely worth checking out!

Do you have a favourite park? We're going to be featuring a park a week all summer and if you want to write a post to highlight one of your faves send us an email at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com!

How to Host a Teddy Bears' Picnic

Summer is finally here and what better use of a warm day than to hold a Teddy Bear’s picnic!

Not too long ago I had an extra little friend in my daycare class and decided as it was a full house, that something special was in order. I sent home invitations asking the children to bring their favourite teddy bears the next day for an al fresco lunch.

We played games, sang songs, ate a yummy lunch and shared it all with our “bear-y” good friends! The children had a lovely time. 

If you would like to host your own Teddy bears picnic here are some tips:

Venue

We held the party in our backyard, but any spot outside with some grass to play on is ideal. Make sure you have somewhere shady to retreat from the sun's hot rays, and ensure all the children wear wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen.

Decoration

The natural environment, a park or a summer garden, all make the perfect natural décor, but don’t forget to make it extra special by laying out a tablecloth, a picnic blanket and have brightly coloured plates and cups on hand.

Food and drink

Any food eaten outside is fun, but a traditional picnic should include sandwiches, fruit, cheese and a little treat. We made sure to drink plenty of water too, as it was a hot day.

Songs and games

My group is used to circle time, but today instead of just saying their own name, when we said hello, the children also had to introduce their teddy bear and try to tell us all a little about their special friend. We had a black bear, a lamb, a teddy with a bow, a dinosaur and a blue bear in attendance.

No teddy bears picnic would be complete without singing the famous song:

If you go down to the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down to the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.
For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

We also sang “Teddy Bear, Teddy bear” and some other toddler favourites such as “The Wheels on the Bus,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider” and “Baby Bumblebee”.

Instead of “Duck, Duck, Goose” we played “Bear, Bear, Honey” and also enjoyed all the outdoor toys, including cooling off by playing at the water table.

Music

Although it’s nice to sing your own songs, it's not a party without music, so after we finished singing- we put the radio on and danced with our bears!

Sunday, July 10th is the official international “Teddy Bears Picnic Day”, so you still have time to arrange a party of your own - just grab a bear or two, pre-bear carefully and have fun! 

Fiona Tapp a Freelance Writer, Educator and Mum to one, can be reached at www.fionatapp.com

It's Strawberry Season! Let's go picking!

Every year my mother-in-law takes my daughter strawberry picking. It's a yearly tradition for them. My mother-in-law loves to pick multiple baskets of fresh, local strawberries and make jam, muffins and strawberry shortcakes with them. She even freezes them by the pound and uses them throughout the winter months for smoothies. Ottawa is lucky to have many nearby strawberry farms to both purchase and pick delicious local strawberries from.

Apparently this year the crop was delayed due to the brief cold snap and lack of rain, but according to my mother-in-law this coming week should be the peak time to grab local strawberries at their best! If you’re unsure how good the crop is, feel free to contact the farm in question – they know best!

Here is a list of some tried and true Ottawa strawberry farms with details as to whether or not they allow "pick your own" (of course this could change as the crop diminishes, so again, always best to check with the farm: 

Ottawa Strawberry Farms: 

Acorn Creek Garden Farm
928 Acorn Creek Road
Carp, Ontario
613-836-2613
http://www.acorncreek.com

Avanmore Berry Farm
16365 4 Road,
Avomore
613-346-2336
http://www.avonmoreberryfarm.com

Duquette Strawberries
2236 Champlain
Clarence Creek
613-488-3284
http://www.duquettestrawberries.com

Kinburn Berries
2795 Kinburn Side Rd.,
Kinburn, Ontario
https://murrayhawley.webs.com/
Pick your own? Yes

Orleans Fruit Farm
1399 St. Joseph Blvd.
Orleans, Ontario
http://www.fermedorleans.com/wpferme/
Pick your own? Yes

Miller’s Berry Farm
6158 Rideau Valley Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
613-692-2380
http://www.millersfarmandmarket.ca/
Can you pick your own? Yes

Proulx Berry Farm
1865 O'Toole Rd. 
Cumberland (Ottawa), ON K4C 1N2
613-833-2417
http://proulxberryfarm.com/
Can you pick your own: Yes

Purple Cow Strawberry Farm
1439 Sale Barn Road
Greely, Ontario
613-821-1345
Can you pick your own? Yes

Richmond Nursery Strawberry Farm
5740 Old Richmond Road
Richmond, ON
613-838-2282
http://www.richmondnursery.com/
Can you pick your own? Yes!

Rideau Pines Farm
5714 Fourth Line Rd
North Gower ON
(613) 489-3601
http://www.rideaupinesfarm.com/about.html
Can you pick your own? Yes

Shouldice Berry Farm
Three locations in Bells Corners, Barrhaven and Nepean
http://www.shouldicefarm.com/pick-your-own-strawberries.html
Can you pick your own? Yes!

What you need to know about strawberry picking

·      If you have a basket from previous years bring it with you, otherwise a new one will cost you a few cents (it can even be from another strawberry farm).

·      Most farms discourage eating too many berries while picking (especially when that year’s harvest isn’t at its best), so when going with small children make sure they have eaten well and understand the rules before heading to the strawberry patch.

·      Dress for the weather! There isn’t a lot of shade at most strawberry patches so don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and a bottle of water.

·       Local strawberries need to be cooled as soon as possible (so try not to leave them in a hot car all day or they may turn to mush) and plan on washing and consuming them within three to four days – maybe less if the weather is hot!

My favourite strawberry recipe

When I think of local strawberries I also think of rhubarb! Every June and July I bake this tried and true Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler Cake recipe from Dinner with Julie. It makes a large pan so it’s great for summer BBQs! I guarantee it will become a family favourite! Click here to get the recipe!

Did we miss a great Ottawa strawberry farm? Let us know in the comments below and we'll add it to the list!