Kids in the Capital Celebrating Ten Years (A Belated Anniversary)

Kids in the Capital turned TEN on March 30th! We were right in the early weeks of what I like to call “pandemic-land” and the anniversary got forgotten. Now that we’ve all settled in to a bit more of a routine, I thought it was time to belatedly celebrate a HUGE milestone in Kids in the Capitals’ existence.

On March 30th, 2010 I (Lara) launched Kids in the Capital with my friend Brie. I wanted to create a space where parents, who knew there was lots to do with their kids but were overwhelmed trying to figure out WHAT to choose, could get advice from other parents based on their experiences.

We had lots of people who regularly contributed content giving parents ideas on where to go, crafts to try, foods to cook, and so much more.

This is what the blog looked like when we launched (and our very first post!)

Kids in the Capital’s very first blog post and original layout - a header of a school bus going down my street wasn’t the very first header, but it was one of the first!

In those early days we ran playdates (mostly because I had a 3 year old and not even 1 year old twins and I needed to get out of the house) and photography challenges in addition to posts on places to go. Since then we’ve grown, we have a team that runs the site, and we’ve worked with a lot of great sponsors to help us keep the site going.

Thank you

I want to take a moment to thank the wonderful ladies who have made this blog possible over the years. Brie McManus who put so much love in to the blog in those early days (and hours of work!), Karen Wilson who was my second partner running the blog, Ali Goldfield who was our first community manager, Misty Pratt who has been helping run the blog for over 6 years now, and Tracy Noble who joined us in 2016. All of these ladies have helped run this blog as more of a passion project than a way to make an income, and I so appreciate their time and energy and commitment to helping create great content that parents in the National Capital value.

I also want to thank the Kids in the Capital audience who have always been so respectful, supportive and friendly. Thank you for still being here, engaging on our social channels and sharing our content.

Some of our most popular content

I wanted to do a list of our most popular content over the years and you know what - the content all feels like an in your face list of things we can’t do right now while COVID-19 still impacts us. So instead, I will share our most popular post ever (so you can work on a bucket list) and ask you to share in comments what kind of content you’d like to see from us for a summer that is not going to look like other summers.

Most popular post of all time: 50 things to do in Ottawa

Some of the promo images from 2010

What’s next

I don’t know what’s next for Kids in the Capital other than we’re not going any where. As the blog has aged a lot of the content has aged with my kids, making the content for older kids and not toddlers. We’d love to have more toddler content so are always looking for contributors. We don’t have a budget for paying for posts at the moment, but can often get people free tickets in to attractions so we can write about them (once we can get back in to places again!).

In the first weeks of the pandemic we held our first workshop on becoming an unexpected homeschooler and we are open to having more workshops over the summer, some for parents and some for kids (I know we’re all looking for ways to keep the kids busy right now!) If you have thoughts or ideas on what you’d like to see, please comment and let us know!

Thank you for being a part of the Kids in the Capital community!

Pandemic Summers: Routine or Free-for-All?

Just when you think you’ve got this homeschooling thing under control, summer arrives! With overnight camps being canceled, and day camps up in the air, parents continue to live under a cloud of uncertainty as we juggle work-from-home and childcare.

Going solo or getting help

Before we talk about routine, one consideration for summer is whether you need some help. We could fill this post with Pinterest-worthy activities to do with the kids, but that takes major planning and coordination by parents. If you aren’t working, maybe this is your jam. But if you’re still trying to work from home throughout the summer, a post with a million activity ideas might be overwhelming (although if you’re keen on activity lists, keep reading for a few ideas below, and stay tuned for our Summer Pandemic Bucket List post!)

One option depending on the situation in your own province would be to get some help with childcare. At this point it’s possible that day camps in Ottawa will go ahead, although they will look very different from past summer camps. Some facilities may take things outdoors, where there’s a better chance for kids to practice physical distancing. However, children will still need shelter during thunderstorms, to cool off in heat waves or to use the bathroom.

If a day camp isn’t something you want to risk, hiring a teenager may be the next best option. Having one person coming into your home, instead of having your children encounter multiple different people every day, may be preferable for you. A few things to consider would be:

• Where do the parents or siblings of the teenager work (outside of home? Front line?)

• Is the teenager fully aware of the risks, and willing to communicate openly about their own exposures (e.g. a boyfriend/girlfriend, other friends they are coming into contact with)

• How will babysitting work if you’re working from home? Will the babysitter be expected to take your children outside? Will you consider allowing them to go to museums or libraries if they are open?

Alternatively, some parents will rely on grandparents or an aunt/uncle to help out. Of course there are risks associated with that option as well, but that’s a personal decision you can make together as a family. It may also be easier to manage the number of people your family members come into contact with in your “bubble.”

New businesses are being launched as we speak, such as online babysitting and Rent-a-Counsellor, where you can hire a camp counsellor to come to your home and do activities with your kids (at a distance of course!) These are really cool alternatives, and we’d love to hear from you if you’re aware of these services being offered here in Ottawa.

Routine vs. Free Time

Whether you’re going it alone or asking for outside help, you will need to consider how to approach this unique summer situation. As a parent, you know your kids best. Some children thrive with a lot of structure, while others will balk at the idea of keeping a “schedule” over the summer months. The choice of how to pass these looong 10 weeks will depend on what works best for your family.

The case for routine

Many parents find that routine provides structure and sanity. Kids know what to expect, and screen time can be scheduled. Routines can include an educational component (but shhhhh, we won’t tell your kids they’re learning) - but they don’t have to. Check out the links for some fun ideas below. The first is from the blog A Little Bit of Momsense, and is a free printable for weekly themed “mom and dad” camp. The second is our Pinterest board for daily schedules, which we’ll be adding to as the weeks go by:

Weekly “themes”

Daily schedules

Some kids will push back against schedules, as it can feel too much like school or camp. TOO strict of a schedule and you risk stifling some of your child’s creativity. Try to include your children in writing up the schedule so that they have a say in what they’d like to focus on. Adjusting the schedule as you go may be helpful and necessary.

The case for Free Time

You may choose to do away with schedules and routines and just let your children roam. OR perhaps you do a bit of both!

Many children thrive when given the opportunity to focus on what they want. A surprising amount of learning takes place even when you think your child isn’t doing anything “productive,” and summer is the ideal time to reframe learning as fun. Also, mounting evidence shows that letting kids be bored leads to some awesome brain growth and creativity!

Of course, the downside is that they choose to do something that you don’t want them doing - like video games or other screen activities. It’s good to head into the summer with a realistic idea of how much screen time you’re willing to let your kids have - are you fine with unlimited time? One or two hours? None? It’s a personal choice and depends on your family situation. If you’re still working from home without any help, screen time will probably be essential for your sanity.

Another potential issue with free time is that kids will want to explore the neighbourhood, and will inevitably come into contact with friends. Maybe your street is already teeming with kids! Depending on how the situation unfolds, it may be possible to “bubble” with one other family that you’re close with so that your kids can play together. Or, maybe your kids are old enough that they will respect social distancing rules while still spending time with friends. Most research is showing that small group outdoor activities carry a low risk of the virus spreading (based on what we know so far) - check out this handy article for a risk assessment of common summer activities.

Regardless of how you approach this summer, remember to be gentle with yourself. Parenting in a pandemic is not regular parenting, and we’re in this for the long haul. Taking things one day at a time is our only way through.

How to Stay Cool in your Backyard this Summer

The COVID-19 pandemic means many of us are sticking close to home this summer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and stay cool in our own backyards! With a little creativity your backyard can be a fun, outdoor paradise that is functional and keeps you cool.

Have fun getting wet 

Sprinkler Games

I don’t know about you, but as a child in the 80s, the sprinkler was my main source of coolness on a hot summer’s day. Nowadays, sprinklers come in different colours and shapes and are so much fun to run through to cool off!

Add to sprinkler fun with games such as Sprinkler Freeze Tag where the players run and dance around the turned-off sprinkler while someone stands by the tap. Turn the water  back on, and players must freeze (in the sprinkler spray!) until the water is turned off again. Any player that moves while the water is on is out!

Or turn Simon Says into a sprinkler game! Players can circle the sprinkler and each of Simon’s directions have something to do with the sprinkler, such as “Simon Says, put your right hand in the water.”

Water Table 

A good water table can provide hours of entertainment as kids use their imagination and find plastic toys to slide, float, and sink in the water table.

You can add even more fun to water tables by having kids create their own boats out of LEGO, sticks or leaves and having them race them around the water table.

Tag Along Toys at 1500 Bank Street (check them out on Facebook as they’re constantly getting in fun summer toys!) sells Sublife toys that are fun for kids to play with in a bathtub, water table or a swimming pool! These submarine-like toys go underwater like real submarines. They can dive to over 6 feet deep and re-surface by themselves again and again!

Water Balloons

I am not a fan of the waste created by water balloons, but the good news is you can find reusable, more environmentally friendly water balloons that can be found locally.

The water balloon version of 'Hot Potato' is a fun twist on the original. Participants sit in a circle and start passing around a water balloon. Play music and then, at random intervals, turn off the music.  Whoever is left holding the water balloon or whoever makes it burst it is out. The last participant is the winner.

Find creative ways to make shade 

If you’re lucky and have shade trees in your backyard, this is a perfect place for a hammock or for a backyard picnic, but if you don’t have any shade trees get creative and make outdoor forts out of old light-coloured cotton blankets or invest in a big umbrella that will cast enough shade for kids to play or to create an ideal backyard picnic spot. For more permanent shade, consider investing in a pergola, awning or gazebo.

Make a splash! 

Not everyone has a permanent above ground or in-ground pool, but luckily there are many different types of pools available that fit every space and budget. From pop-up pools from Canadian Tire to kiddie pools that are just deep enough to sit in and splash around the important thing is getting wet and having fun! Just make sure to cover the pool with a tarp or pool cover when not in use to keep the bugs out and to keep the water just cool enough without getting too hot from the sun.

Fun Pool Toys

If you’re looking for fun pool toys, support local and shop at Tag Along Toys, at 1500 Bank Street. From fun floats to toys that make a big splash, they have pool toys for all ages. Including these Tropical Kahuna Balls that are not only durable but also bounce on water! They make for a fun came of catch in the pool!

Or if you’re a fan of fun floats, like I am, check out the melting ice cream pool float also available at Tag Along Toys.

I bought a pink flamingo float, similar to the white swan below, from Tag Along Toys three summers ago and it’s still going strong! They are built to last (and believe me, I use mine A LOT!)

Stay hydrated

Stay cool by drinking plenty of water, especially on hot days. You can also stay hydrated by eating fruits and vegetables such as cucumber, watermelon and celery that will help keep your body hydrated and cool. Kid-approved smoothies work too!

Of course, frozen treats such as popsicles are always a welcome treat, even if they are healthy ice pops.

If you have any creative ideas on how to stay cool in your backyard this summer, leave a comment and let us know! Have fun this summer and don’t forget to apply sunscreen!

Celebrating Mother's Day During a Pandemic

Mother’s Day this year may look a little different for many people. The ability to browse for the perfect gift at your favourite local shop or go out for brunch at your favourite breakfast spot may not be possible, but the good news is, there are still many ways we can celebrate Mother’s Day during a pandemic, including a good old fashioned homemade craft, made with love!

Breakfast in Bed

What is your mom’s ideal breakfast? It could be as simple as a coffee or tea with toast or as elaborate as a soufflé with maple bacon. Why not add a homemade piece of art or a little note expressing your appreciation for everything mom does?

If you usually go out for a Mother’s Day brunch, see if that restaurant is offering home delivery for Mother’s Day this year. Many are!

Whatever you decide to do, make sure kids can help and make sure to have fun! It’s the thought (and mom not having to do any work) that counts!  

PowerPoint of Favourite People or Places

If mom is an avid traveller, why not put together a slide show of her favourite places travelled and set it to music? You can even add some of the places she is looking forward to visiting in the future.

If your mom lives in a different city, you could ask other family members to get involved and help put together a PowerPoint presentation of everyone holding up signs individually with their favourite memories, messages or jokes.

Take an online class together 

There are so many online classes available right now – from art classes to yoga or cooking classes, why not book an online class for you and your mom to take together! There is something for all age groups, and for moms with young children as well as moms with adult children - a great way to get grandma involved too!

Watch a movie online together

If you have Netflix of another streaming service, book a day and time, grab a bowl of popcorn and watch an old favourite or a new movie together! If mom or grandmother is in another city and they have Netflix, you could do the same activity together - virtually!

Host a Virtual Happy Hour

A virtual happy hour is perfect for adult children looking to celebrate their mom, but don’t live at home. Whether it’s wine or tea time, book a time where you can have a drink and chat together with mom or grandmother and any other siblings. You could even play a game virtually, such as Battle Ship or cards, or make it fun by choosing a theme, such as Wild West, fancy hats, or the 1980s.

Book a Virtual Wine Tasting

If mom or grandma is a wine lover, send her and yourself some new wines and, if you’re an adult, schedule a time to have a virtual wine tasting together. Wine Country Ontario has a great list of wines you can order online.

How do you plan on celebrating Mother’s Day during the pandemic?

Online Educational and Leisure Resources and Activities for Kids

Looking for online educational resources and fun activities for your kids that are also interesting? We’ve compiled a list and separated it by area of interest or subject. Let us know if you have any to add!

Animals and Nature

The San Diego Zoo has a website just for kids with amazing videos, activities, and games:  https://kids.sandiegozoo.org/

Tour Yellowstone National Park: https://www.nps.gov/…/lea…/photosmultimedia/virtualtours.htm

This Canadian site FarmFood 360 offers 11 Virtual Tours of farms from minks, pigs, and cows, to apples and eggs: https://www.farmfood360.ca/

Play games and learn all about animals: https://switchzoo.com/

National Geographic, geography and animals: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

Animal Cams list: https://www.adventure-journal.com/2020/03/if-youre-stuck-inside-might-as-well-enjoy-this-list-of-animal-cams/

Space 

Explore the surface of Mars on the Curiosity Rover: https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/

Television Characters

Play with favourite TV show characters and learn too: https://pbskids.org/

Around the world

This Virtual Tour of the Great Wall of China is beautiful and makes history come to life: https://www.thechinaguide.com/destinati…/great-wall-of-china

35,000 pages of online content on the cultures and countries of the world: https://www.countryreports.org/

Live WebCams, Virtual Tours, and Virtual Field Trips: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/1/d/1NGi3CzD0gY7Dq83dtX_Oa4LDVdU0qkew251N6LQk-Fw/htmlview?usp=sharing&fbclid=IwAR3clQcJcC-Mwyc8uylWUnuarob_OJFJN22KXqDYEhAwHNeZJqXBmv7MZaY&sle=true

Math and Science

Math and Reading games: https://www.funbrain.com/

Math practice from counting to algebra and geometry: http://www.mathscore.com/

High school chemistry topics: https://www.acs.org/…/hi…/chemmatters/articles-by-topic.html

Math and reading games: https://www.abcya.com/

Math and language games: https://www.arcademics.com/

Elem science videos: https://www.backpacksciences.com/science-simplified

Elem Math through 6th grade: https://boddlelearning.com/

Math as a fun part of your daily family routine: http://bedtimemath.org/

Biology: https://www.biologysimulations.com/

Geometry: https://www.canfigureit.com/

Science, Math, Social Studies: https://www.ck12.org/student/

Chemistry: https://www.playmadagames.com/

Kindergarten to Grade 5 Science lessons: https://mysteryscience.com/

A wide range of math content from middle school through AP Calculus: https://deltamath.com/overview 

Kindergarten to Grade 8 online math program: https://www.dreambox.com/at-home

Interactive video earth science-based curriculum supplement: https://www.everyday-earth.com/

80+ do at-home science activities: https://elementalscience.com/…/n…/80-free-science-activities

Science and math labs and simulations: https://phet.colorado.edu/

Learn all about earthquakes: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/

Learn all about the periodic table: https://www.chemicool.com/

Space science: https://www.nasa.gov/kidsclub/index.html

Math Games, Logic Puzzles and Brain Builders: https://www.mathplayground.com/

Smithsonian Learning Lab: https://www.si.edu/kids

Science Mom fun science videos:  www.youtube.com/sciencemom 

Skype a Scientist - https://www.facebook.com/annfro/posts/10157039487963873

Languages, Literature and Spelling

Phonics skills: https://www.starfall.com/h/ 

Resources for Spanish practice: https://www.difusion.com/campus/

Chinese learning activities: https://chalkacademy.com/

Grammar practice for middle grades: https://www.classroomcereal.com/

Reading passages for grades 3-12: https://www.commonlit.org/

Vocabulary, grammar, listening activities and games in Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Korean, and Latin: https://conjuguemos.com/

Multiple Foreign languages: https://www.duolingo.com/

Magic Spell is a carefully crafted spelling adventure: https://brainbox.games/

Spelling grades 1 to 4: https://www.spellingtraining.com/

Free stories online ages 3-12: https://www.freechildrenstories.com/

Read, play games, and hang out with Dr. Seuss: https://www.seussville.com/

Fave kids books read by famous people: https://www.storylineonline.net/

Free printables library with activities for children 0-6: https://www.littlesparkcompany.com/printables-library

Interactive games based on the book series: https://www.magictreehouse.com/

General education

Curio.ca is the educational platform of CBC/Radio-Canada, and gives students, from primary through to post-secondary levels, streaming access to educational content from CBC and Radio-Canada. This includes thousands of programs and resources, from television and radio, documentaries, to news reports, archival material, and more: https://curio.ca/en/

Educational games Kindergarten to 12: https://www.breakoutedu.com/funathome

Scholastic multi-interest projects: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html?

Three Free Weeks of Maker Stations to keep your children creating at home! Each challenge includes simple instructions using materials around the house, QR code video resources, and a student recording sheet. bit.ly/freemakerstations

Online homeschool platform & curriculum for Pre-K to 12th grade. All main subjects are covered, plus extra-curriculum courses. http://discoveryk12.com/dk12/

Farmer's almanac for kids... Date, weather, moon phase:  https://www.almanac.com/kids

PreK-12 digital media service with more than 30,000 learning materials: https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/ 

Music

Music is for everyone: https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Experiments

Poetry and music: https://www.thewell.world/mindful-mu…/mindful-poetry-moments

Learn guitar or ukulele: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9cvVvlvr-qBssphm1EdYGQ

Learn piano: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpzgTNTgQsR9YYsyOm3k3KQ

QuaverMusic is offering free access to general music activities: https://www.quavermusic.com/info/at-home-resources/

Museums

Ottawa Museum Tours: https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/tour-ottawa-museums-from-the-comfort-of-your-living-room-1.4853809?fbclid=IwAR3-ca0Kdq0P7gUba6PfhB6qG40tEdmI-TNA02BKRcXpm-rSFNILQJcARg8

The Louvre: https://www.louvre.fr/en/visites-en-ligne

British Museum; discover the ancient Rosetta Stone and Egyptian mummies:. https://britishmuseum.withgoogle.com/

Arts, Crafts and Games!

This comprehensive guide from Common Sense Media will help you find the best teacher-approved apps, games, and websites to support your kid - broken down by grade! https://www.commonsensemedia.org/guide/essential-school-tools

Lunch Doodles with Mo Willems: https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/mo-willems/

Crafts, activities, mazes, dot to dot, etc.: https://www.allkidsnetwork.com/

Fun games, recipes, crafts, activities: https://www.highlightskids.com/

Printable board games, activities and more: https://dogonalogbooks.com/printables/

Online photograph jigsaw puzzles You can set the pieces from 6-1000+: https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/

Physical activity

Free at-home kids yoga lesson plans: https://littletwistersyoga.com/online-store/

Kid-friendly workouts: https://app.sworkit.com/collections/kids-workouts

Cosmic Kids Yoga: https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga

Cooking with Kids

Illustrated recipes designed to help kids age 2-12 cook with their grown-ups: https://www.nomsterchef.com/nomster-recipe-library