Hush-A-Bye Babies

by Lara About a year ago my friend Jenny told me that she and her baby (who was probably about 4 months old at the time) were going to be signing up for a singing class called Hush-A-Bye Babies.

I was skeptical. The class was an hour and a half long - seemed too long for little babies. And really, what is a 4 month old going to get out of a singing class?

She took the class and LOVED it, and when Vicky asked me a few months later if I'd be interested in taking the class with my twins I decided to go for it (it was especially appealing because she doesn't charge extra for twins, even if you bring a second adult to every class.)

And it. was. perfect.

Alice is one of the warmest and friendliest people you'll ever meet. She'll make you and your baby feel welcome in a second. The hour and half format means that you can be late if you need to, or leave early if you need to, and still get to take part in the class (I tried a different class after this one and the half hour format was so brief I made it to two classes total).

This class is as much (if not more some days) for the moms as it is for the babies. There is a break in the middle where the moms have a chance to chat with each other - many becoming friends and support networks for each other. And Alice always provides a snack - fresh fruit and a HOMEMADE baked treat.

The songs are fun and easy to learn, and Alice takes you through them slowly making sure you'll be able to sing them for your babies at home later.  The "La La" song is pretty much a miracle song and worth the cost of the class right there. She also emails you all the words to the songs you've learned so you'll have them if you forget them later.

This would be one of my most recommended things for a new mom to do with her baby. And if you go, say hi to Alice for me!

Lara is the mom to 3.5 year old Kiernan and 10 month old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can find her at her blog Gliding Through Motherhood.

Binoculars

by Brie I am not crafty. I would like to be, but I'm not. I sometimes pretend to be, but even that doesn't last very long. Still with two kids it is sometimes necessary to do something creative. My easy craft? Binoculars.

We always have a few empty toilet paper rolls around. Who doesn't? After letting the kids play with them as is for a while I take some masking tape and wind it around and around two rolls until they are firmly stuck together. Then I hand them over.

Once the novelty of that wears off I wrap them in coloured construction paper (more tape please!) and get the kids to decorate them. Paint, crayons, stickers and stamps all work great. When the masterpieces are finished I punch some holes and thread through some ribbon to make a strap.

The first time I made binoculars the girl, then two, played with them for days. She went on jungle expeditions. She searched for moose. It was a hit!

As you can tell I am all about finding projects to do that will entertain my kids for the longest amount of time possible.

This is an easy craft and one kids can make themselves. For the little amount of time and energy spent to make a pair of binoculars, there are hours of enjoyment.

Gymboree Play and Music - Playgyms

by Vicky If you are looking for a place where your kids can burn off some energy on a rainy day, you must check out a Gymboree Play & Music. They offer developmental classes for kids ages 0-6 years, but they also have lots of drop in sessions for free play, and it's nearly impossible not to have a good time here.

Kids can play on many different structures, slides, rocking horses, bounce on huge inflatable tubes and balls, shoot some basket balls, hide in nooks and crannies, or under parachutes and in tunnels. The boldly coloured equipment is rearranged every two weeks, so it's always different. There are baskets of bean bags, balls, bells and other toys to play with too. Upbeat and lively music is always kept on. Basically it's a juiced up indoor playground that's better than any trip to the candy store. The equipment, toys and bathrooms are also cleaned and sanitized nightly. The only thing missing is a coffee bar for parents, but with a Tim Hortons around the corner you could always bring a coffee with you.

I have to say, I'm slightly biased because I used to work at Gymboree. But I've met many friends and their kids there for playdates and it's been pretty unanimous that the kids love it and are sufficiently worn out by the time we leave. It's well worth the $8! If you join Gymboree, you can attend as many Play gyms as you want as part of the $40 membership.

I would say that the Playgyms are ideal for children 10 months - 5 years. You don't need to worry if they aren't walking yet, because most of the equipment is padded and is really great for developing gross motor skills. Joel was a late walker, so the bumpy ramps and slides were great for helping him build up strength in his legs and also confidence. By the time Joel turned 3, he had pretty much exhausted all that Gymboree had to offer, but that was partially due to the fact that I worked there and he got to enjoy playing several times a week, on top of his weekly class.

The schedule changes seasonally, so you should check it out often. If you are looking for a little more structure, you can always sign up for a free 45 minute class. When you do check out a Playgym, make sure you ask for a Gymbo stamp on your way out the door!

Gymboree is located in Orleans, but it's not easily visible from Innes Road (I missed it the first time I tried to go). It's tucked in behind Stereo Plus.

And here's a tip - once your kids have experienced Gymboree, you won't be able to drive by it without them insisting that you go in and play!

Vicky is mom to a 3.5 year old boy Joel and nine month old girl Mieka. She also blogs at Some kind of Wondermom.

Playing on the Hill

Parliament Hill is a symbol of Ottawa. It is the seat of the Canadian government and an architectural masterpiece. It is also a great place to bring the kids. We have never taken the kids inside the buildings, but we have often visited the grounds. The husband loves to take the kids to Cat Hill (a post will be forthcoming on that). I enjoyed taking them to Yoga on the Hill last summer. We didn't last for the whole class, but the girl enjoyed pretending to do some of the moves.

Given the symbolism of the Hill to Ottawa, we thought we should load up all of our kids and head down there for a photo shoot for the blog this weekend.  I will be there. Lara will be there. Vicky will be there. We hope you will too!

If you are interested in joining us for the first Kids in the Capital meet up, please join us at 1o am on Saturday, April 3rd at the Centennial Flame. Bring your camera! Bring a picnic snack/ lunch! 

We hope to see you there.

Brie is the mom of a 3.5 year daughter "the girl" and eighteen month old son "the boy". You can read her blog at Capital Mom.

The Children's Museum

We are really lucky to live in a city with so many fabulous places to take the kids - indoor and outdoor. There are still many that we want to explore, but there are a few that are tried and true favourites that we make visits to at least once a year.

The Children's Museum over at The History Museum is one of them. We've been going at least once a year since Kiernan turned one. The museum is great because there is so much hands-on stuff for the kids to do, and they can enjoy it at so many ages.

I also love that by going to the same museums over the years, you get to see how much your children have grown in size and development.

Here is a peek at the Children's Museum from Kiernan's perspective over the last 3 years.

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Kiernan and Daddy put on fabulous puppet shows.

Miss Carmelina went to the spa this past year and buffed up a bit it looks like.

Our budding musician. This has always been a highlight of the museum for K.

As the kids get older they have more and more intricate things for them to do and work on. Here the kids were actually embroidering.

These photos give only a small snippet of the stuff to do at the museum. The kids can get dressed up in costumes, serve their parents lunch at the kids' cafe, swab the deck and load and unload freight onto the cargo ship, do arts and crafts and when there are special exhibits there's even more to do. I highly recommend the museum as something fun to do with the kids. And the family pass (2 adults and up to 3 kids) for $30 is a pretty good deal!

Lara is the mom to 3.5 year old Kiernan and 10 month old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can find her at her blog Gliding Through Motherhood.