Chamberfest Bring The Kids Series - Summer of Awesome

by Lynn Did you know that Ottawa has this thing called Chamberfest, and it is not, as you may fear, about monks chanting or flueglehorn playing or chamber decoration? Rather, it is a celebration of all sorts of different types of classical music, in unique and interesting venues, by talented, unique, and internationally feted musicians?

And did you know they have a program called Bring The Kids, which invites children of all ages to come and explore music? I know! Just when you think you know of everything there is to do in Ottawa, you hear about something amazing like this, and wonder where the heck you've been all this time.

Chamberfest runs from July 23 through August 5, and there are dozens and dozens of concerts happening all over the place. You can get tickets and/or passes for the grown-up events on the Chamberfest site - there's tons of great stuff to choose from, something for everyone.

But the best part about the Bring The Kids series is that it is free. Let me say that one more time: FREE. Fabulous music in a gorgeous setting, feeling like a supermom for exposing your kids to the classics, and a cool way to get out of the house for the afternoon? PRICELESS.

I took my three little ones to the first in the series on Monday. It featured brass quintet True North Brass, playing at the Dominion-Chalmers United Church downtown. The quintet was just SO good. They talked about their instruments and what makes them similar yet different, and what it means to be a brass instrument. They pulled out a shell and a garden hose - and then played each one - to demonstrate the basic physics behind their instruments. They were funny and entertaining and did not seem phased at all by crying kids, crawling toddlers, random light saber duels, or the crunch of goldfish crackers.

I was pretty impressed with my kids - they actually sat and listened. The older two are 8 and 6 1/2, and they were entranced, actually listening and paying attention and learning stuff. My youngest, at age just-turned-4, got a little squirmy after about a half hour (the concert was just about an hour long). But between a snack (totally allowed) and some energetic clapping and lap-bouncing from me kept her going. Other younger kids had varying levels of concentration but no one complained or felt awkward. It's all good.

The concerts are aimed at kids aged 3 through 8, but there were a few older kids there who seemed to especially enjoy it, so don't hold back. The chamberfest volunteers were absolutely welcoming and friendly and obviously really enthusiastic about music and the whole event just had a great community feel to it.

I even learned stuff - did you know that O Canada has a few totally ripped-off lines, including an opening stolen almost in whole from The March Of The Priests from Mozart's opera The Magic Flute? I feel cheap.

There's just one more concert left in the Bring The Kids series (although many more Chamberfest concerts remain). The last kids' concert features the Sounds Of The String Quartet and it's this Thursday, July 28, at 3 p.m. It's at the Dominion-Chalmers United Church downtown and you'll want to come early to get a good seat.

But most of all, you'll just want to come. I'll see you there - this one is such a big winner that we won't miss a chance to go again.

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.

Yoga on the Hill

by Brie My kids love to do yoga. And given that they are kids it is easy for them to move in and out of downward dog and cobra. Way easier then it is for me! Sometimes they even love to do their own versions of yoga poses. What? Haven't you heard of astronaut post?

I thought for sure the kids would like to check out the weekly Yoga on the Hill classes every Wednesday at noon on the front lawn of the Parliament Buildings. (Find out more here along with other free things to do on Parliament Hill). It definitely seemed like the place to be with over a hundred people sitting on their yoga mats waiting for the class to start.

My kids didn't last as long as I would have liked, although they did get in some downward dogs and cobras.

I am pretty sure that my four year would have stayed for the whole class but my two year old was ready to go after ten minutes. I was okay with that though. We came, we did some yoga, we left. Then we went to visit the cat houses behind the Parliament Building and watched a raccoon eat cat food for ten minutes.

Yoga on the Hill would be a summer great outing for older kids, even if they aren't too familiar with yoga. There is an instructor leading the class and lots of other participants to watch and follow. The front lawn isn't shaded though, so bring lots of water and sunscreen because the sun will be hot at noon!

Have you been to Yoga on the Hill?

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.

A Company of Fools: Shakespeare for everyone

by Coreen Last summer we spent an evening in the park with four enchanted lovers, a fairy or three, a king, queen and a donkey.

A Company of Fools dropped by our neighbourhood park for a performance of Midsummer Night's Dream, and as we've come to expect it was entertaining for kids and adults alike. They certainly have a knack for 'de-stuffing' Shakespeare and appealing to everyone. The physical comedy (popping balloons anyone?) appealed to the younger children and the little things like the MC describing one of the actors as a long-form census taker (unemployed) got the adults chuckling. But back to the popping balloons:

These are all-ages shows. Our 2.5 year old was captivated by the whole thing, and we brought her the year before, and even when I was pregnant *g*. Last year she watched the audience, she watched the picnickers (note to self: Bring a snack this time. She was watching two boys behind us so intently they finally offered her one of their crackers - little mooch!), and she even watched the show. She stood on my lap and clapped every time they popped a balloon. I was amazed that she didn't lose it during the 1.5 hour show. We sat back far enough that she had room to play in front of us, and that kept her happy. She was finally moved to the point of using one of her purses as a prop for her own re-enactment:

This year between July 4th and August 20th they are putting on 'Shakespeare's funniest tragedy' Antony and Cleopatra and I cannot wait to attend a show! Chances are there's an Ottawa performance near you, their schedule is in that link above. Since we missed the show in our new neighbourhood, I'm torn between the one they're holding in our old neighbourhood, and the one in Hintonburg...maybe we'll hit both!

Here are some 'pro tips' for first timers (and the perennially disorganized (aka me)):

-This ain't your high-school Shakespeare (in case you didn't get that from the pics), they are comedic interpretations (the 'Fool's twist') and all ages are welcome. -The shows start at 7, so for many of you, be prepared to ditch bedtime, but it's totally worth it. Shows are about 1.5 hours long, but it's an open air park, so leave if you need to. -Bring lawnchairs or blankets to sit on. Also, bugspray if there's no helpful breeze. -As I mentioned bring snacks, I plan on looking like the got-it-together parent this year. -Shows are free but they do suggest a donation of $10 - well worth it. V loved bringing the money to the actors as they pass the hat at the end of the show. -Prepare to be entertained by the great acting and choreography, all forms of comedy, lightning fast costume changes and always be on the lookout for that moment where the actors amuse themselves and lose it a bit on stage - my favourite part.

Hope you can make it out to a show!

Coreen is a geriatric mother living with her husband (hubby) and 3.5 year old daughter (V). She works in IT Security but doesn’t yet know what she wants to be when she grows up. She's a contributor at Losing It In Ottawa and she blogs at One Day this Blog will have a Snazzy Name (and is open to naming suggestions because - really.)

Canada Day with Airplanes

by Alison One of our favourite places to spend Canada Day is at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. It's open from 9 am to 5 pm and admission is free. There's plenty of free parking and also overflow parking at the Rockcliffe Flying Club, with a free shuttle.

There are various activities and crafts inside and outside the museum, but the good thing is there's a lot of space so it doesn't feel crowded. We enjoyed touring the Museum Storage Hangar and chatting with the volunteers involved in the aircraft restoration. Some were great at explaining details in a way that everyone understood. There was also a band playing in the hangar, with a shady place to stand and listen or dance along.

When we went two years ago, there was also a Citizenship Ceremony in the morning. I found it quite moving but my daughter was more interested in the cupcakes and juice boxes, which were offered to all museum goers. This year, the Citizenship Ceremony does not appear on the events ( http://www.aviation.technomuses.ca/visit_us/at_the_museum/events/canada_day/.)

The vintage aircraft demonstrations were a nice opportunity to relax on the grounds. There's also the possibility of a Snowbirds fly-by. I'd recommend packing a picnic and blanket to fully enjoy the museum's offerings.

Alison is a mom of two energetic children, ages 5 and 1. She just started a blog, Ali’s Adventures.

The Main Event for kids

by Brie For the last two years we have made sure to hit The Main Event, the Old Ottawa East yearly neighbourhood party. It reminds me of some of the country fairs I used to go to as a kid. It's pretty small, don't expect anything like WESTFEST, but it is fun. This year's event is happening Saturday, June 18th. Rain or shine!

The Main Event includes a Friday night outdoor movie screening, a neighbourhood garage sale and, our favorite, the Family Fun party on the grounds of St. Paul's University (223 Main Street).

The Family Fun party is always a hit with the kids because of the inflatable structure (one year it was a bouncy castle, another year is was an inflatable slide). There are also crafts and games to occupy the kids. The community stage has music throughout the day and it is always fun to watch the kids, especially the little ones, get up and dance.

The Family Fun Party has a BBQ, but you can also hit up the Main Street Farmers' Market (also at St. Paul's) for great cooked food and produce. And if you are wandering around the area looking for garage sales, make sure you stop by the fabulous Children's Garden!

Do you have any neighbourhood or community parties that you and your family attend every year? I am always looking to add more to my list!

Brie is the mom of a 4.5 year old daughter “the girl” and 2.5 year old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.