Why You Should Send Your Kids to Camp

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0Sending your kids to camp, whether it’s a day camp or sleep away camp, is a scary experience for most parents, myself included. It’s hard to entrust your most precious possessions to counselors, often kids themselves, and hope that they can calm your child’s fears and wipe away their tears as well as you can. As you’re considering your summer plans, I thought I’d offer my reasons why I think summer camp is the place to be when you’re a kid:

Responsibility: While there are counselors at camp to help children move successfully through their day, being away from home will give your child a strong sense of responsibility. They are expected to pick up after themselves, keep their areas neat and keep tabs on their possessions.

Independence: In today’s world, there are many helicopter parents who are afraid to let their children walk to the park on their own (ok, I admit I’m one of them). But at camp, in a controlled environment, kids get to feel that they’re on their own and responsible for making their own decisions.

Friendships: At camp, unlike at school, you create friendships out of shared experiences and a sense of mutual dependence. It’s an opportunity for your child to branch out from their regular circle of friends and learn how to connect with other kids in positive ways. It can also help teach them about diversity and tolerance of others.

Self-esteem: When a child learns and masters a new skill, they feel good about themselves. Camp is all about learning new skills and having new experiences.

How to work together: Whether it’s working together on a canoe trip or trying to win a camp-wide competition, camp is made up of a community of campers, counselors, instructors, and the camp director. At camp, your child will learn to live and get along with children from a variety of backgrounds

Learning to Slow Down: With no technology or electronic devices allowed at most camps, kids learn how to slow down, write actual letters, play cards, take walks and appreciate the wonder of the world around them. By unplugging and relaxing, they learn how to appreciate the slow lane for a while.

camp3Whether your kids are 3 or 13, I think camp is a great place. In Ottawa, there are so many different specialty camps to choose from that it's pretty easy to find something your kid would be interested in. My two girls are going to sleep away camp this summer, as they have for the past few years. And even though I miss them terribly, I know that it's the best place for them.

Will you send your child to a day camp or sleep away camp this summer? Please share your favorite Ottawa area camps with us!

 

Capital Kids and Car Shows

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By Kamerine Have a kid who loves cars? You're in luck: Ottawa hosts two car shows every spring. My lucky little guy got to go to both this year!

IMG_3863 (Medium)The first was the Ottawa Gatineau International Auto Show downtown. We had planned a family outing but were derailed when my daughter got sick in the car on the way there. I dropped of my 3.5 year old son and my husband and took my sickie home.

The boys had a great time exploring at the car show but the highlight for my son was actually the bus ride home. It was his first time on a city bus and he loved it.

The show itself lasts from Thursday to Sunday and has special events like a cruise night, family day and fun day. So many cars to look at including concept cars which are always so sleek.

IMG_3838 (Medium)The second show was the Ottawa Classic and Custom Car Show at the new Ernst and Young Center. This time the whole family made it. This show is smaller but has some really interesting custom cars with funky displays.

The big highlight were the Batmobiles, two of them, and a Batman statue that the kids loved. I loved seeing all the little kids dressed up like Batman. Coming in a close second was being able to sit in a police car and multiple race cars.

While not a typical outing, the car shows were adventures for my little family. We will definitely be back next year.

If you went I would love to hear what you thought!

Kamerine is mom to 3 year old Little J and 1 year old Baby K.  She documents her life with two toddlers, a husband and a cat at followk.blogspot.ca.

Giveaway Closed: Go Green with terra20

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While some of you (lots of you, hopefully) have already heard of Canada’s first eco-friendly department store, we’re hoping that in the very near future many more will recognize the name terra20 and will want to experience the strength of their commitment to both the consumer and the environment.

These days, many of us are trying to live a bit more mindfully and shop a little greener. That means thinking about where the products we use come from, how they impact the environment and whether the products support fair trade initiatives by sourcing products made with fair trade ingredients. Living mindfully means thinking about where to shop and how and what to buy in order to leave the world in a bit better shape for our children and grandchildren. That’s where terra20 comes in.

Upon entering their store, you’ll be amazed by their warm and welcoming layout, with easy to understand logos and labels on all of their products to let you know what you are getting from an item. But even more than that, you’ll be wowed by their friendly and knowledgeable staff who are more than willing to answer any question you may have, no matter how basic it is.  You can chat with their resident eco-parenting blogger, stay for in-store demonstrations and take a visit to their huge eco-bar.  In fact, we’re so sure that your experience will be a great one that the folks at terra20 are giving two lucky Kids in the Capital readers a $50 gift card to help them start making more eco-friendly choices in their daily lives.

Giveaway Guidelines

In order for your entry to qualify you must answer the following questions in the comments below:

  • Have you ever experienced terra20? If yes, what brought you into the store?
  • If you haven't visited terra20 yet, why not and what would encourage you to do so?

One entry per household please. We want lots of families to have the opportunity to win. The winner must pick up the gift card at terra20 in a timely fashion. If it’s not picked up within 14 days we will draw again and choose a new winner.  The winner will be drawn randomly on Friday, May 30th, 2013

Saluting the Sun and Climbing the Walls

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  A little while ago my daughter saw me doing yoga at home. I have a DVD that I pop in occasionally and she was very interested in what I was doing. The next day we looked up some videos online, but I wanted to take her to a real class and I got the opportunity when my friend Amanda told me about a Little Lotus Yoga parent and preschool class at a new location in New Edinburgh.

When I asked her if she wanted to go she got very, very excited and made sure to ask when it was happening.

When it was finally time to leave the house she wanted to carry the yoga mat.

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We got there early and settled in as the other moms and kids arrived. The instructor, Nicole was excellent with all the kids. I was worried that my daughter wouldn't be able to stay still for the class, but quickly found out it didn't matter, the kids were allowed to roam and invited to talk. The first portion of the class when we played a game called Huckle Buckle got my daughter into the class. She had been shyly hanging on to me, but when we were told to get ourselves belly to belly I took the opportunity to pick her up by her feet and hold her upside-down to do it.

After that, when she was given the opportunity to be a butterfly, a spider on the wall and a starfish on my back she went for it.

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Yoga is something that I need to do for myself more, and it was wonderful to be able to do it together. It didn't have quite the same calming effect, but I like to think it's something we'll grow into together.

 

Closed: The Ottawa International Children's Festival Giveaway

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This giveaway is now closed

images-1The Ottawa International Children’s Festival is an annual 5 day celebration of the best in live performing arts for children ages 4 to 15. For over 25 years, the OICF has been attracting award-winning artists from around the globe. THe OICF is made up of free and charged events for all children. Events, shows and activities take place both indoors and out, so it goes on despite the weather! As usual, the lineup this year looks fabulous. Some of the scheduled shows, programs and events taking place in the 2013 festival are:

spring2009 073The Festival is also jam-packed with tons activities and attractions for the whole family, complete with an interactive play-space designed by YOWlab, the 100 Watt Earth Stage, the Baobab Community West African hand drum workshop, circus workshops and so much more! And don’t even get me started on the face painting. When we went a few years ago, the face painting was not only amazing, it was a truly interactive experience as well!

The Festival runs from May 28-June 2 at LeBreton Flats Park and the Canadian War Museum. Showtimes vary so be sure to check out their website for more information.

Giveaway Details:

We’re so excited about the Ottawa International Children’s Festival that we’re offering tickets to one awesome show at the festival.  In addition to the show, you will have access to all the other activities and programming.  To enter just leave a comment below telling us you’re interested and what you’re looking forward to doing.  Giveaway ends May 24th at 8pm.