MWF Seeking New Friends

I am not good at making friends. Before Twitter I just had a small group of friends, but connecting online has brought me into a whole community. The problem is that the majority of the community I built as a mother lives across the city from me. (Stittsville–Orleans is not always doable, and once the kid starts school we're screwed).

It was easier when we lived a bit less west, but a year ago we moved into Stittsville, which makes even meeting centrally difficult when there pick-ups and drop-offs to manage as well.

And so I am trying to find a way to make friends, and find friends for my daughter and I feel like a stalker at the park.

Any time the kid talks to another child or seems to get along with them I have to try to find out a name, push myself out of my comfort zone and try to talk to the mother, and I've gotten friendly with a couple of parents, but then it's time to leave and I just can't seem to, as they say, close the deal.

After gymnastics last weekend my daughter ended up playing with another little girl while I talked to her mom. The girl is in the same class and we had exchanged pleasantries waiting for them to finish over the three classes they've had so far. It was thrilling to see my daughter play so nicely with someone, making up games, building sand castles and swinging. Behind me my husband kept hissing "Get her number!" – A West end play date! A friend!

In the end I suggested that next week my kid could bring her sand toys and maybe they could play again, hoping to build up a relationship and move things forward.

Meanwhile, my daughter invited the girl over to our house to play on her play structure.

So how do you do it? How do you 'date' friends for your children?

Amy is mom to two year old Maggie and a 6 year old schnauzer named Henry. You can read her blog at amyboughner.ca where she writes about motherhood and anything else that’s on her mind. She also shares a blog with her husband at boughner.ca where they talk together about parenting a daughter.

Star Wars Identities opens in Ottawa May 10

by Tanya On the last day of our vacation last summer, we took a special trip to the Montreal Science Center to visit Star Wars: Identities.

What is it?

Yes, yes, a Star Wars exhibit. Big surprise, I know. But this was more than just costumes and props. Identities is a socio-psychological look into what makes us who we are.

The tour requires a headset and RFID bracelet, which allows for an interactive component. The exhibit consists of a dozen stations with monitors which play videos on a loop. Each video explains some component of personality and individual identity, exploring how our identities form from our upbringing, our social networks (IRL, not online ;) and our choices. [Yes, they do talk midichlorians. Can't ignore those, sadly.]

There are RFID stations where you get to build a character by selecting their appearance, their planet of origin, and then responding to a series of questions about their behaviour and actions. You can associate your character with that of other visitors, so in our case, hubby, The Dude and I are all connected. What I loved was that the final choice is whether to join the dark side: in the end, it's always a choice regardless of where you come from :)

The final station is where you can see your character as a whole and email their backstory to yourself for future reference.

This is my character, ElanalE. (I decided I wanted to create a name that was a palindrome; you know, balance in the force and all that). #nerd She's a senator who fights with the good guys. [Click on the image if you want to see what a full profile looks like.]

The Verdict

This was a lot of fun. First of all, we'd never been so close to so many Star Wars props and costumes in our lives. In addition to our excitement over seeing the Yoda puppet and Anakin's podracer (which is HUGE), we were stunned by the size of the battle droids, which were over 7 feet tall! They always seemed so much shorter in the movies.

The audio-visual stations were all interesting, even for the Dude. Granted he is 9, and this was not his first audio tour. I did wonder whether the content would go over his head, but his knowledge of the movies helped keep him interested. There are definitely some younger kids who couldn't care less about the audio portion of the tour, and who could not read so the RFID stations were redundant for them too. I'd suggest that this is best for kids who can read and who have enough attention span to listen to 20+ minutes of audio broken into 10 stations.

The RFID stations were the most fun. The Dude worked alone, which forced him to read the quizzes and answer questions himself. In the end, we all enjoyed comparing our characters and our selections. The dinner conversation consisted of comments such as, "Da-ad! I can't believe you joined the dark side!!!"

It took us about 90 minutes to get through the entire exhibit, reading a good majority of the panels, listening to all the stations and doing all the interactive components. We arrived early and took in the other two science activity rooms open in the museum (think Toronto Science Center, only much smaller) which kept us somewhat busy but didn't fill the entire time we had before our tour. All in all, we totally loved it. (And before you ask, since we did such a comprehensive tour, once was enough for that exhibit.)

Tips

• If you don't know the movies, you can still enjoy the exhibit. The psychological approach means that the content is relevant to anyone interested in humanity, not just the movies. Although knowing the movies does make the content much more relevant.
• Little kids seemed pretty bored. And when they tended to get loud, it made it hard to hear the audio tour. If you're little one has no attention span, best to keep them out of the way of audio stations.
• If you get to a station when a video is already playing you're better off touring the neighbouring displays and coming back when it starts over.
• Buy tickets in advance; it's too busy to just show up and hope you get in right away. People commented on the site that they arrived early in the day and got turned away until mid-afternoon. Some days are even sold out.

(Editor's note: the exhibit opens in Ottawa this Friday, May 10th and runs until September 2)

For geeky goodness 5 times a week, visit spydergrrl.com, Like the Facebook page or follow @spydergrrl.

What To Do In Ottawa This Weekend

With the weather warming up and the smell of flowers in the air (sort of), there is a lots of fun kids friendly things to do in Ottawa this weekend. If you’re stuck for ideas, here are some great outdoor, interactive activities that the whole family will love: The Tulip Festival

Running from May 3-20^th, the Ottawa Tulip Festival boasts food, dancing, music and a whole lot of tulip. There are free concerts and live performances from Thursday to Sunday nights at the Tulip Plaza in front of City Hall.

For more info: http://tulipfestival.ca/site/capital_sounds/en

Spring on Sparks

Sparks Street is gearing up for a family friendly, fun-filled spring extravaganza. Come and enjoy a giant 50 foot ferris wheel, merry-go-round, games, food and whole lot more! From May 3 until May 12.

For more info: http://sparksstreetmall.com/spingonSparks.html

Intergalactic Star Wars Day

For those of you who would not be surprised to see a Wookie walking down the street, May 4^th is known among Star Wars fans as Star Wars Day. Use your imagination to have light saber battles, watch reruns of the two trilogies and remember, “May the fourth be with you!”

For more info: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/May_4

Canadian Museum of Agriculture

On Saturday, May 4^th is the Grand Opening of the Learning Center at the Museum of Agriculture. They’re celebrating with a fun-filled day of activities like ice cream making, butter making, grooming a calf, crafts and demonstrations of big tools and farm machinery in action. And of course, who could argue with free cake!

For more info: http://www.agriculture.technomuses.ca

25^th Birthday Celebrations at Centrepointe Theatre & Ben Franklin Place

This family friendly event will feature Juno-nominated children’s performer Jennifer Gasoi and a Musical Petting Zoo. Tweens & teens can check out the skatepark, take a juggling workshop, or get a henna tattoo. Making anything from remote control robots to making laser cardboard cut-outs. A great day will be had by all.

For a full list of activities and performance times visit www.centrepointetheatre.com

So get out there, Ottawa families, and start to enjoy all the awesome spring activities that our great city has to offer. What are your plans this weekend?

Bugs and Birds: Spring Into Spring with the Ottawa Public Library

  By Aileen Latulippe Children's Programs and Public Service Assistant Hazeldean Branch

Bugs and Birds:  Spring is here and kids of all ages are curious about birds and bugs in evidence. Check out these new books at the Ottawa Public Library.

That's Creepy! By Kate Riggs (2013) is a sturdy board book that uses bright, expressive illustrations to introduce curious children to wonderful creepy crawlies like centipedes, spiders, and worms. The text is simple and rhythmical for young learners and each page highlights a different insect. A hit for the toddler who like to examine bugs up close.

Bugs Galore by Peter Stein and illustrated by Bob Staake (2012) is a rhyming picture book that’s fun all the time! Bugs of all shapes, colours and sizes aren’t named but are pictured doing the things that bugs do: “some bugs fly in loop-de-loops, some bugs land smack dab in soups.” Not an informational book, but your kids will want to read this one over and over again to examine the illustrations.

This is a perfect book for your independent reader with an interest in bugs. From the ‘All About Nature’ series, Can You Find These Bugs? by Carmen Bredeson (2012) highlights common North American bugs like ants, crickets, ladybugs, dragonflies, mosquitoes, stink bugs, earwigs and honey bees. The text is large, easy to read, gives clear information and the photos are bright and clear.

Tom Jackson’s Spot the Bug (2013) is the perfect introduction to bug hunting for young nature lovers. It’s a colourful and fun beginner’s book aimed at 5 to 10 year olds and introduces kids to bugs in the backyard and the neighbourhood. Here’s where they can discover more than 100 best-known insects, from leaping grasshoppers to battling stag beetles. They’ll soon be telling you all the interesting facts: where bugs live, what bugs eat, and how to tell bugs apart.

DK Publishing’s Pocket Genius is a small encyclopedia of bug information, recommended for children 8 and up. The 160 pages in BUGS: Facts at your Fingertips  (2012) includes countless kinds of insects and other bugs, from beetles, butterflies to spiders and scorpions. Curious kids can find out all about them, what they eat, where they live, and which ones are poisonous.

It’s impossible to list bug books without including my favourites, the Very Insect series by Eric Carle, the best known of which is The Very Hungry Caterpillar (1981). It has delighted millions of children, and introduced them to a world of bugs, counting and foods.

Under a moon, on a green leaf, a small egg is laid. A caterpillar is born and over a week a large and varied amount of food is eaten. After a final binge, he forms a cocoon and goes to sleep. Toddlers follow the caterpillar’s diet by placing their fingers through the die-cut pages, count the food items, days of the week, and celebrate his transformation into a beautiful spring butterfly.

Puffin Peter by Jonathan and Martha Horacek (2013) is a bright, colourful picture book about a best friend puffins Peter and Paul. They keep each other laughing until Peter is lost in a storm.  After the storm, a whale rescues Peter and offers to help find Paul. Peter’s description of Paul as “funny and noisy” lead the pair to several islands and different birds before Paul is found. This is a reassuring book for preschoolers about being lost and found, having an older or larger presence in the search, and fun facts about funny, noisy birds.

Busy-busy Little Chick by Janice Harrington (2013) and is the retelling of a central African folktale. Mama Nsoso's baby chicks complain that they are cold and damp in their nest every night. Mama assures them that they'll get to work building a more sturdy ilombe (home), but every day Mama and the chicks are distracted by the good things to eat. All except one … Little Chick stays busy gathering sticks and mud to build the house. Your preschoolers will love the repetition and see what’s coming, cheering for the youngest chick hero.

Can you be different and still be friends? If you have children sharing a bedroom, a playroom, or a classroom, they’ll enjoy goslings Jasper & Joop by Olivier Dunrea (2013). Jasper likes to be neat. Each morning he tidies his nest and puts on his cap and bow tie. Joop likes to be messy! Each morning he rumples his nest and musses his feathers. Despite their differences, Jasper and Joop are two very good friends – birds of a feather! But what will happen when one friend gets into trouble with some busy bees?

Do your children love being in on a secret? Bird Talk: What Birds Are Saying and Why by Lita Judge  (2012) decodes the fascinating and funny things birds are saying to one another. One of 28 birds kids will enjoy is the large gray Palm Cockatoo described as ‘a regular one-man hard-rock band.” With rosy cheek patches and a burst of top-knot feathers, he whistles, bobs his head, then breaks a stick and bangs it against a tree to deliver the message, “Stay away! This is my tree!”

Another book for your independant 6-8 year old interested in nature is Can You Find These Birds? by Carmen Bredeson (2012). Four to seven sentences on the right face a full-colour photo of nine easily-identifiable species on the left. Birds include cardinals, house sparrows, blue jays and robins.

Bird Guide of North America by Jonathan K. Alderfer (2013) is subtitled ‘The Best Birding Book for Kids from National Geographic's Bird Experts’ and it’s certainly fun and informative. Every day is a birding adventure with this guide - your backyard, farm, the city or anywhere you go. Organized by region, you and your kids can learn the sounds of 100 birds, what they eat, and where they like to hang out. Tips are included for building bird feeders, nests, and bird baths.

Birthday Magic Done Right

by Robin Redmond “Come one, come all! Step right up to the Greatest Show on Earth!” shouted my husband as he stood on the doorstep ushering birthday guests into the house.

After having been to the circus last summer, my daughter, Avery, was pretty sure she wanted a circus birthday party (but with a frog -- huh). Luckily, a chance to review BirthdayPartyMagic.ca services came up. I’d never hired a children’s entertainer before and I wasn’t certain if I’d ever go that route—but I knew that a magic show full of mystery and wonderment would certainly save me and my husband from having to put together our own circus show. (I’m not much of a tightrope walker!)

Ian Quick of Birthday Party Magic was wonderful at helping us plan the perfect magic show, tailored specifically for Avery’s party. Prior to the party, we discussed the number of guests and the ages of the children. Ian typically recommends magic shows for kids over six or seven because those under that age don’t really have the cognitive ability to believe that what they are seeing is impossible. Since we had nine children ranging in ages from two to nine, Ian offered to give us a mini-magic show and then spend the other half of his show creating elaborate balloon sculptures for the kids. I don’t know a kid who doesn’t love balloons, so I thought that was the perfect compromise! Done.

Many Pinterest ideas later and the day of the party finally arrived. Avery and her sister, Brooke, couldn’t have been more excited. With the decorations and circus-themed food in place, we were all set to go.

Ian arrived just before our scheduled time and the kids nearly went crazy with excitement. They all gathered around to watch as he set up his equipment. Once he slipped into his purple magician’s jacket, the kids knew it was time for the real show to begin! The parents couldn’t help but gather around too, all curious and eager for to be amazed. I think this is the first birthday party we’ve thrown where my husband and I have actually gotten to sit down and enjoy the party!

And enjoy we did. Ian was great with the kids—he was funny and entertaining and he involved each kid in one of his magic tricks, making it very interactive. The kids loved it and really got into it! And, so did the parents. They were laughing and oohing and aahing right along with the kids. And, the true magic of it all? I finally had a chance to sit down and actually enjoy my children enjoying their party. After about 15 or 20 minutes, Ian performed his grand finale (making a string of colourful scarves appear from within an empty box), inviting birthday girl Avery to come and be his assistant. She couldn’t have been happier to be the star of the circus show!

Then, as promised, Ian strapped on his balloon apron and true to his name—he quickly twisted away some amazing sculptures out of balloons while telling the kids more jokes. He made whimsical unicorns, colourful ladybugs, big-eyed turtles, adorable piggies and even a one-eyed red squid as per my nephew Hunter’s request! After that, we had a whole menagerie of rubber animals under our circus tent.

Upon speaking with Ian before he left, we learned that he is a bilingual magician who has been entertaining young and old alike within the Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec area for nearly 20 years now. His magic shows run the gambit from close-up, sleight-of-hand magic to grand illusions and he even offers special Harry Potter themed birthday parties for up-and-coming wizards. Besides magic and balloon art, he offers an assortment of other fun entertainment services including face painting and bouncy castle rentals and he has performed at a wide range of venues—from small house parties like ours to school shows, community festivals and even extravagant corporate events.

Having never had an entertainer at one of our parties before, I wasn’t certain whether or not the expense would be worth the service, but after having seen what a great show Ian put on and how much both the kids and the parents enjoyed it, I don’t think I’d ever hesitate again. BirthdayPartyMagic.ca did not disappoint. Ian's show truly helped make Avery’s circus birthday a magical and memorable event!

By day, Robin is a professional writer and a slave to the paycheque. By night, she is a mom to two very active little girls (with a third on the way) and wife to a wonderfully patient hubby. She enjoys writing, photography, scrapbooking, thinking up ways to be a better housekeeper without actually having to clean and playing dress-up with her daughters.