Hanging out at The Loft

A few months ago there was a Worth a Visit post on Kids in the Capital about The Loft. Last weekend my husband and I finally got the chance to take our five-year-old, who we are hoping will share our love for board games. 

We invited a cousin out, headed downtown and picked a few games to start. We ordered some food and started to play.

We ended up staying there for four hours. And I'm not sure any of us were entirely ready to leave when we did. 

We started with the games we knew the kid would like – Hungry Hungry Hippos, Kerplunk and Jenga – games that require no real skill but offer lots of noise and action. 

Being very, very careful

Then the kid and I walked up and down the shelves looking for something else that could be fun. There are so many options it's a bit overwhelming, but since we were looking for games suitable for younger ages, that narrowed it down a bit. We settled on Pictionary, teaming up in twos, which proved to be a good laugh as we critiqued each other's drawing skills.

Then moved on to Headbanz, in which Daddy got to be a toaster and a potato and Cousin Trisha was a turkey. 

Potato

We finished up with a game of Trivial Pursuit – one of my favourites. And this was the family edition, which was much better than the circa-1970s Genus edition we had when I was a kid. This game is probably why four hours seemed to pass so quickly. And, though I got all my pie pieces first, the kid managed to win. 

While we were playing we sampled from the menu. Though I didn't get to try the S'mores waffle (darn, I'll have to go back), we did get one of their pizzas, some good coffee and a most excellent brownie. When you order you give them a name – it can be your real name or a made up one – so we were the gymnastics family: Flips, Cartwheels and Somersaults. 

The Loft is also licensed if you plan to hang out with grown-ups. 

We will be going back, both with the kid and without. It's definitely a visit I'd plan for a rainy day. It's great to have such a wide selection of games for different ages and skill levels without having to store them in your own home!

Planning Tips for Children's Birthday Parties

People often think that planning a child’s party means filling a room with toys and snacks. That’s not a bad start, but a really memorable party will have some kind of structure. This isn’t about dampening the fun, but giving it some variety. Here’s a glimpse at what a well-planned party might look like…

Stage 1 – The arrivals

Most children arrive at a party with a gift for the birthday boy or girl – and feel a bit embarrassed about handing it over. So instead of just having a table in the corner, you could make this stage a little more fun. Why not have a colourful mail box, or a papier-mâché crocodile with its jaws open, as a creative gift drop-off? Giving everyone a little something to do when they arrive helps to make sure that all the children feel involved, right from the word "go." 

Stage 2 – Free play

It’s during the first third of a party that kids will have the most energy. To encourage free play at the beginning, you might want to leave some ‘treasure chests’ (cardboard boxes) around the place, each filled with a small assortment of materials – soft balls, dress-up clothes, basic musical instruments, etc. This period can be a sort of ‘ice breaker’ for those children who don’t know one another, and can get everyone used to the space. It also lets you and your party helpers to start getting ready for stage 3…

Stage 3 – Lunch (or snacks)

If the children are five and above, they will probably be able to read their own name – so why not include personalized place cards? This might sound a bit formal, but it can really help grab everyone’s attention, and get them sitting down for 15 minutes. Encouraging the children to sit down at this stage helps to make sure that the ‘meal’ has a definite start and finish; mixing snacks and playing can very messy, and is best kept to a minimum. 

Stage 4 – Structured play

After a bit of free play, and an organized sit-down, it’s now time for a combination of the two! Adults often underestimate how much children like to take part in a properly ordered game. (And if any of the party guests are having trouble joining in with others, a structured activity – with everyone joining in together – might be just what they need.) Timeless classics like pass the parcel or musical chairs are a great way of keeping the energy levels up, while making sure things don’t start getting too messy or chaotic!

Stage 5 – The cake! 

Up until now, the party has really been about everyone joining in together, so the cutting of the cake is a nice opportunity for letting the birthday boy or girl take centre stage for a short while. They’ll of course blow out the candles, but why not let them help cut the cake too? (Find a metal spatula if you’re worried about blades.) They can also pass around pieces to all their friends, and will enjoy playing host for few minutes. Behind the scenes, this is also an opportune time to clear away any toys and activities, paving the way for…

Stage 6 – The departures 

Depending on how old the children are, asking them to ‘sign’ (scribble in) a guest book can work really well. It’s nice for a child to feel like they’re taking part right up to the last minute, and it of course leaves you with a lovely memento. Likewise, a slightly personalised party bag makes the whole thing more memorable. If you’ve got access to a portable photo printer, you can print out photos from the day – the perfect souvenir from a wonderful (and wonderfully organised) party!

Joseph O’Brien lives in Bristol (across the pond!) with his two children - ages 12 and 5. He writes for Perfect Party UK – a leading online superstore for party supplies. 

West End Gem: Nepean Creative Arts Centre

I’ve written before about my adventures downtown from my home in the Toronto suburbs to get my fill of arts centres and theatres.

I’m pretty happy with how I have continued to make music and the arts a big part of my family life here in Ottawa – with music classes for the kids, the occasional workshop for me and the (very) rare date night with my husband. 

As readers of this blog know, I’m always up for exploring my city and expanding my family’s artistic horizons. I recently stumbled on the Nepean Creative Arts Centre and was excited that they agreed to become a sponsor on the blog! 

The Nepean Creative Arts Centre (NCAC) offers visual arts as well as performing arts classes taught by accomplished artists - painters, actors, filmmakers, writers, photographers, musicians - in custom studio spaces for participants of all levels of ability. From preschool to adult, students experience a diversity of arts instruction in a creative and dynamic environment. The NCAC arts-specific studios include music, dance and visual arts studios, a black box theatre and set construction workshop.

it's a special time for the NCAC - their 25th Anniversary is coming up, and events kick off this September! To celebrate, the NCAC is offering a broad range of affordable workshops, creative classes and social events for children, youth, adults and the whole family. But watch out - after one workshop you may be hooked! :)

For Adults and Teens

A couple of workshops geared to adults caught my eye – among them: The Art of Egyptian Belly Dance sounds like so much fun! The class gives dancers (with some experience) a chance to try something different while staying active.  The class runs September 21st, 2015 or January 18th 2016, from 7 - 8:15 pm.

And if you’ve ever wanted to try ballroom dancing, now’s the time. International competitive ballroom dancer and coach, Alexander Pauk will guide and glide you through some basic moves - the best part is that you don’t need to bring a partner (did you just hear my husband sigh with relief?) If you have older children, youth 15+ are welcome to attend.

If dancing is not your thing but freebies are (who doesn’t love free?), the Ottawa Printmakers Connective is offering an interactive drop-in workshop (Sept 27th from 10am - 3pm) for adults interested in the printmaking process. 

For Kids

I know my music-minded kids would be eager to stomp and pound on some drums at the Family Drum Circle (Nov 1st 2015 and Feb 21st 2016 from 11am - 12:30pm.)  The workshop is free and is open to all levels of experience. And for those looking to get their kids into drama at an early age, the Live Wire workshop (Oct 17th and Jan 16th from 11am - 12:30) introduces kids (8-12 years) to drama skills, improv, and theatrical techniques.

Celebrations for the NCAC 25th Anniversary run all year long. The variety of workshops available provides just a taste of what the Centre has to offer. Now is the time to venture out and discover this West-end gem! 

Check out a full listing of celebrations planned by visiting the Nepean Creative Art Centre's listing on the City of Ottawa website. Also, follow the NCAC on Facebook!

Lansdowne, Burgers and Summer Nights

I was recently contacted by South St. Burger to see if I wanted to check out their Lansdowne location with the family. Having never heard of the place, I did a little search on Google as my husband stood behind me, drooling. We couldn't pass up the opportunity :)

We decided I would meet my husband and the girls after work one evening. I rode my bike from work to Lansdowne, and was reminded what a beautiful ride it is along the Rideau River. I met my family in the underground parking lot and quickly changed out of my sweaty clothes.

We've checked out Lansdowne a couple of times, but mainly just to get in and out, and grab some goodies from the market. We decided to make this outing a summer date, and took some time to check out all of the attractions.

South St. Burger

I didn't realize that South St. is not an actual "restaurant" - as in, sit down and be served. It's a subway-style joint, where you order your food and then instruct the server as to how you want your burger adorned. To be clear, though, South St. is nothing like Subway. It's warm and inviting, and I was relieved that I wouldn't have to worry about my kids being stuck at a table waiting for food (we're slowly introducing them to "eating out," but we still have a lot of work to do!)

You can order signature burgers, or a patty of your choice (beef, chicken or veggie) and various toppings. I decided on a beef patty, tons of veggies and garlic mayo.  Oh, and did I mention they serve New York Fries? They were just as good as I remember from my teenage years (I may have eaten a lot of NY Fries at a teen).

Beer is featured prominently in this photo

The best part? They serve local beer on tap. Hubby and I really enjoyed our Beau's Lug Tread, which is a great summer beer.

And as someone who considers herself pretty health conscious (when I'm not eating copious amounts of fries), I liked the fact that the burgers were fresh and that the beef was from animals raised without hormones or antibiotics.

Gelato

Next up was a stop at an Italian coffee shop for gelato (the name of the place escapes me - does anyone know?). The gelato didn't rival anything I've tasted at Stella Luna, but it was a nice cool treat (and side note, on a past trip to this coffee shop I had a fantastic Americano).

Splash Pad

I don't think you can really call this a splash pad - it's more like a work of art. I even felt like taking a little stroll to get my feet wet. The area is beautifully clean, with lovely rustic benches lining the side of the water "park." There was a security guard on duty there, which I found interesting - what was he guarding?

Play Structure

Although I'm sad they didn't opt for a natural playground, the play structures at Lansdowne are second best. They encourage creative play (the little toadstools make awesome drums, or fun hopping games), and LOTS of climbing.

It was a fantastic evening, and something I want to do more often before summer gives way to fall.

Have you taken in the full experience of Lansdowne Park? What's your favourite part?

Disclosure: I was provided "burger bucks" from South St. to cover the cost of our meal. However, all opinions are my own...and sometimes my husband's.

Beat the Heat with Your Kids

Do you read the Ottawa Citizen forecasts? I don't know who writes the posts, but they're totally kooky and hilarious! I'm sure the writer is also suffering from heat stroke.

I'm not going to start complaining about the heat, because heck, I KNOW how miserable our winters can be. I love skiing and snowshoeing, but I'm going to take hot and humid any day (if just for the benefits of not having to dress my children in snowsuits).

But our sweaty and heat-angry children need things to do, and a humidex of 46 is not ideal weather for kicking the kids outside. My old pug is also suffering. We're very VERY thankful to have air conditioning, but who wants to sit inside all day? We need to lap up every last drop of this summer before the snow flies.

I put the question out on our Facebook Page: "What do you do with the kids all day when it's this hot?" I got some great answers, and threw in a few of my own ideas (or, ahem, my husband's ideas).

Pinterest Rocks

Kimberly Steski posted that she used a great pinned idea - attach a hose to a big pop bottle, poke holes and hang it in the tree.

Elaine Hamelin-Mitchell suggested setting up a slip n' slide. Anyone with a play structure in the backyard can set up a tarp and sprinkler for more water fun!

Hydration

Don't forget to stay hydrated on hot days! Get the kids to help make a hydration drink:

1 cup of water
juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp maple syrup
sprinkle of salt

You could also do iced tea - I like to use a non-caffeinated herbal tea. I steep 4-5 bags in a tea pot, and mix in 1-2 tbsp of honey while still hot/warm. Then pour over ice or chill in the fridge and add lemon juice to taste.

Outdoor Swimming Pools

Christine Bazinet posted that they are lucky enough to use their pool on hot days. For those of us without pools, our City of Ottawa outdoor pools are great! We live in the East end, and Bearbrook Pool is our fav.

Get Out of the City

Our own Lara Wellman suggested getting out of the city, which is a great idea! Temperatures drop significantly once you're outside city limits. Our favourite place is Gatineau - Lac Philippe or Lac La Peche are both great options if you're willing to go for a summer drive.

Outdoor Crafts

My husband is so crafty (me, not so much). He had extra insulation pieces lying around his workshop, so my daughter decided to build boats! Moon sand, digging for treasures in a sand box and a water play table are fantastic ways to keep young kids occupied and cool.

What are your favourite hot day activities?