Worth a Visit: Quitters Coffee

We're introducing a new series here on Kids in the Capital - every Tuesday we'll be sharing a place that's worth visiting with your kids in the Ottawa region. It could be a store or restaurant, a park, an event/activity, you name it! Have a special place you'd like to share? Submit your ideas to kidsinthecapital@gmail.com.

There are many great coffee shops around town, but Quitters Coffee (which opened in late 2014), is a real gem. Never mind that it's owned and operated by a famous Ottawan (which is cool enough), but the ambiance, treats and yes, coffee, make it worth the trip with your little ones. Just make sure you're feeding your kids the treats and not the coffee ;)

My 2 year-old daughter and I took a trip there several weeks back, while en route to drop something off to a friend. I'd heard of Quitters, and had wanted to check it out, but living in Orleans makes it quite the drive. I can now say it's worth it! I don't think I'll be stopping by for my morning coffee, but it's a great place to meet up with friends once in a while (and lucky you if you live in Stitsville!)

Croissants were warm and fresh, just out of the oven. My daughter gobbled one down in no time, and I enjoyed a really nice coffee. 

I was encouraged to see several other children there, and a mama breastfeeding her baby. The openness of the place makes it suitable for kids, although it might be difficult to deal with your stroller - I would park and use a carrier or sling instead! Also, the bathrooms need a change table, but they're so clean, I just changed my daughter on the floor!

My favourite part? The beautiful dog wandering around greeting customers. Anyone who is cool with allowing dogs hang out in a coffee shop has to be a pretty awesome person, in my humble opinion (but those with allergies, take note!)

Have you been to Quitters? What did you think?

Choosing the Right Camp for Your Child

As a child, I attended some really amazing day and overnight camps (thumbs up Toronto Zoo and Scarborough Music Camp!!) I have so many fond memories of camp – meeting new friends, honing new skills, learning independence and eating SO MUCH SUGAR. I also attended some not so good camps, and a couple of really, really bad camps.

It’s stressful as a working parent to find childcare for March break and the summer months. We would love to have 12 weeks of vacation each year to spare, but alas, The Boss limits us to 3 or 4 (more if you’re lucky!)

So when it comes time to pick a day or overnight camp, many parents struggle to find the right one. “Will my child enjoy themselves? Will they be safe? Will they learn something?” These are all important questions we ask ourselves once registration begins.

I turned to a friend of mine, local photographer and mother Kim Brooks (of Breathe In Photography). In a past life, Kim was a camp director, and eventually went on to consult with camps around health, safety, and camper and staff experiences.  She gave me some questions she would be sure to ask before she sent her own daughter to camp. 

“There are standards set out by the Ontario Camps Association (OCA), for example, that would be a great starting point” says Brooks. These standards deal with all aspects of a camp – leadership, training, direction, safety and financial management. Camps don’t have to be approved by the OCA to be well-run, but the website provides information to parents on how to choose a camp (see 10 Questions to Ask a Camp Director)

Ultimately, Brooks says it’s up to us parents to do our research. “If you can meet the directors of the camps you hope to send your child to, that’s a great plan. Get a good vibe, and ask some questions around emergency procedures, camper to staff ratios, training that the staff receives, menu plans,  the age and qualifications of the staff, and the rate of turnover for both campers and staff.”  Many camps have open houses which is a great opportunity to learn many of these things and to meet the staff.

Here are some more tips:

1.  Leadership: how long has the director been there? Do they seem passionate about their job, and willing to answer any questions you have?

2.  Site: will your child stay on-site, or be bused to another location? “Going off-site for swimming, for example, would lead me to ask more questions around how they manage off-site visits.  Who is responsible for lifeguarding?” says Brooks. Also, if children are near a body of water, very clear safety measures need to be in place. Brooks advises parents to find out about life jacket policies, and ensure children wear them at all times on the water.

3.  Head counts: how often will camp staff do head counts? How quickly will they learn campers’ names?  “I feel more comfortable when my child’s leader knows her name by day two - to me that shows camper focus and that is very important to her experience,” says Brooks.

4.  What will campers do when it rains?

5.  If the camp is overnight, how are children supervised during the night? Is there a nurse on-staff in case of illness?

6.  References: check with other parents in your area. Everyone will have a different experience, but word-of-mouth is a great way to weed out the camps that are poorly managed vs the ones that children and families return to year after year.

7.  Gut feeling: don’t discount your spidey senses! If you don’t get a great feeling from the camp director or other staff, begin to look elsewhere.

We’re all strapped for time, but doing your due diligence will make a big difference in your child’s experience. They’ll either leave with lifelong memories, or run screaming the next time you mention the word “camp.” That said, don’t stress if your child has a less than stellar experience at camp. Sometimes it’s out of your control – which makes me think of the story of my uncle, who discovered he was allergic to horses…at horse camp :)

Happy Camping!

Beat the cold!

It looks like we're going to have a slight reprieve from the cold tomorrow (and although warmer weather always means snow, I personally enjoy extra snow than I do bitter cold!)

The Weather Network is predicting a high of 1, but I've heard it might be as high as 3 - yipee!

That means it's time for our first skate of the year on the canal! Skating with little ones can be tough - last year we turned around and went back home after only 20 minutes. With both girls crying their eyes out and freezing, it wasn't an overly pleasant trip.

My Mom and granddaughter enjoying 5 minutes without crying last year!

But 1 degree is doable I think! And a bit of bribing with beaver tails and hot chocolate is not above me ;)

If skating is not your thing, check out my post on Capital Parent, where I talk about snowshoeing with kids!

Feathery Fun

by Little Lotus Yoga Founder Amanda DeGrace

There are so many fun props that you can use in your child's yoga classes. We often use stickers, buttons, pom poms, puppets, stuffed animals, sticks, balloons and so many more. Today I want to share with you one of my favourite props: FEATHERS! Who doesn’t love a tickly colourful feather?!

Here are some ways that you can incorporate feathers into your child’s yoga practice and how to have some fun with them at home:

1.    Body Wake Up: Take your feather and start to tickle your cheeks, your head, your ears, your shoulders and make your way down your body towards your feet! Start off your yoga practice by waking up all parts of your body with your feather. 

2.    Blowing: Place your feather in front of your mouth and gently blow on your feather. Now place one hand on your belly and see if you can feel your belly moving as you blow on to your feather. Next close your mouth and blow through your nose to see if you can make your feather move and dance. 

3.    Downward Dog Feather Fun!: In downward dog place your feather under your doggie nose and see if you can blow your feather really far. Chase your feather around the room as you wag your tail in down dog and practice blowing your feather.

4.    Counting Toes: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out. Melt your belly towards your legs and reach your feather to your toes. See if you can count your toes with your feather!

New Year, New Us!

By Misty Pratt

Kids in the Capital has a new look! Due to some technical difficulties we experienced over the holidays, we decided to take the plunge and redesign. You will recognize our signature look, but I think the new design is cleaner and much more efficient.

Sponsors now have better visibility, and there are more ad space options. Are you a business that serves parents and kids? We'd love to talk about working with you! Sponsors make it possible for us to manage this blog, and allow us to continue to share all the wonderful information we have compiled over the years.

And in terms of sharing, we also welcome new contributors. This is YOUR site, and we would love to hear what you're doing and seeing in Ottawa. Inquiries and submissions can be sent to kidsinthecapital@gmail.com.

Tell us, what's your favourite thing about Kids in the Capital?