A Trip to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum

Ever since the Museum of Science and Technology closed for repairs, we have made the Canada Aviation and Space Museum our destination of choice for spontaneous outings. We are members of the museum network, which includes the Aviation, Agriculture and Sci & Tech museums in one membership.

I'll admit, the aviation museum was never one of my favourites. I always thought that it suited an older audience who could take time to read all of the fascinating information. Blowing through there with toddlers seemed pointless.

But a lot has changed over the past couple of years, and a recent visit was GREAT for the little ones - mainly because of the special activities that we've discovered. This summer it's Summer in Space, and the kid got to put on her own space suit and go into a giant bubble.

There are also printmaking workshops, and daily tours for the kids, specially designed for ages 4 to 7. And there's nothing cooler than sitting in the big airplanes.

My girls never miss their turn on one of the rollie-planes:

What I've also discovered is that this is a GREAT museum for the little ones because there is so much space (haha, kind of a joke, right? Space?) - the kids can run around all they want and get their energy out. There's never a worry about them doing damage to anything, as long as they stay outside of the barriers of the planes. The Hang Glider Studio offers respite for tired feet, and there the kids can play with Lego, read books, or put on a puppet show.

And bonus? Starbucks coffee in the little cafe....seriously, best thing ever for long nights and early mornings.

Even when the Museum of Science and Technology reopens, the Aviation museum will still be a place of great fun for my family.

Have you been to the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum lately?

Fringe Activities: Try Them!

With the fall schedule just around the corner, you've probably scoured the City of Ottawa Fall-Winter Recreation Guide and stayed up late to secure those perfectly timed swimming classes (yes, the ones where your different aged children have class at the same time).  Given the intense competition for your extracurricular dollars, some organizations are using free Come Try Events to spread the word on their programs.

Come Try Ringette

Four years ago, I was surprised to find myself a ringette mom after enrolling my eldest daughter in the City of Ottawa Ringette Association's Bunnies - Learn to Skate program.  She loved it, and I admit it was pretty adorable to watch.  

M & K have a little photo booth fun at the Purple Penguins Christmas party

As she graduated from Bunnies to Novice, I suspected her enthusiasm would wane with early morning practices.  It didn't.  In fact, this past season was her best yet - both on the ice and off the ice!  The constant improvement in her skills and knowledge of the game coupled with some amazing friendships that have blossomed have made ringette #1 in her world.  

My husband (Coach Dave) has even been known to extoll it's virtues at the risk of being shunned by hockey dads :)  

New players are welcomed at all ages in ringette, and my daughter's fun-loving, silver medal-winning team boasted four girls who had never played before.  If you think ringette might appeal to your child, several associations (CORA, Nepean, GCRA) have joined forces to promote the sport and with a free Come Try Ringette event.  It takes place Saturday, September 13th from 4-6 PM at the Jim Durrell Arena (1265 Walkley Rd).  As an added incentive, some associations have also introduced a New-to-Ringette discount.

Come Try Synchro

My youngest has tactile sensitivities, so ringette, with all it's gear, was out.  On the other hand, she swims like a mermaid and considers herself quite the performer.  Synchronized swimming seems like it might be a shoo-in, so we've signed her up to Ottawa Synchro's Dolphin program this fall.  If you think synchronized swimming might appeal to your child, there are several upcoming Come Try Synchro events.

• Ottawa Synchro will host free Try Synchro events on Monday, August 24th and Monday, August 31st.  These both take place from 7:30-8:15 PM at the Carleton Pool.
• Gloucester Cumberland Synchro offers free Try Synchro times throughout the season with three next week Tuesday, August 25th, Thursday, August 27th, and Friday, August 28th.  These take place from 7-7:30 PM at the Splash Pool (2040 Ogilvie Rd).

...and Join the Circus

Alright, neither of my kids have joined the circus and there is no try-before-you-buy event for the circus but it's so cool - I had to mention it!  Mini Cirque offers Circus Prop Manipulation Skills and Acrobatics on Tuesdays, from September 15th to December 15th, at the Glebe Community Centre.  Sophie Latreille is an engaging performer (for kids and adults alike), so I suspect this translates well for the program, which uses props and focuses on juggling, poi, flower-stick, hula-hooping and acrobatics.

There are so many great activities in Ottawa, but I really love the option to check it out prior to outlaying serious cash.  Some other considerations,

• Capital Wave is hosting an Open House on Saturday, September 12th at Carleton Pool.  It's an opportunity to try water polo, and meet and talk with returning athletes and coaches.
• Gloucester Cumberland Basketball Association is hosting an Open House Wednesday, September 9th 7-9 PM at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School.  
• Most martial arts studios around town offer some type of reasonably priced back-to-school or introductory offer.  In particular, Douvris and Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts seem focused on developing self-confident kids.

Do your kids participate in fringe activities?  Tell us about it in the comments below.

Petrie Island: Summer Fun

Living down the road from Petrie Island is wonderful - this east end beach is a great place to stay cool in the summer, and it also has walking trails and a Nature Interpretive Centre. Our location means that we can easily bike to the islands from our home in Orleans.

There are many things to do at Petrie Island:

• Check out the nature and interpretation centre - there are aquariums with reptiles, and samples of native plant species. For history and geography buffs, there is a lot of information on the history of the islands and how they were formed.
• Summer Children's Programs and camps: with hikes, crafts and other activities, kids will really enjoy getting to know the area. We missed it this year, but hope to sign the girls up next year!
• Hiking: 7km of trails with lookout points along the way
• Swimming: be sure to check the City of Ottawa's water quality reports, as Petrie is notorious for being closed :( C'mon river clean-up!!!
• Fishing: not something we've tried, although I remember attending an ice fishing derby one year at Oziles marina! 
• Paddling, kayaking: you can launch non-motorized boats at the free boat launch, and Oziles also has these boats for rent.

There's always a very good chance you'll spot a turtle at Petrie...especially if you check out the interpretive centre!

We've packed snacks and lunches, and used one of the many picnic tables in the area. And of course, the young ones enjoy time on the play structures.

Check out the Friends of Petrie Island for information on getting there. Parking is not free (boo), but biking is! I highly recommend you bike to Petrie if you live in Orleans (or further if you're up for it!) Our 5 year-old made it the whole way, with only a couple of stops.

Have you been to Petrie Island? What's your favourite part?

Mother–Daughter Time

I was given two opportunities recently for some mother-daughter time and I took them both. The first was a Groupon for a night's stay at Montebello and the second was a day out in a Ford Focus Electric to explore my city. 

The first I took with my daughter, the second I took with my mom. 

My daughter and I have done special Mommy-Daughter things since she was born, but staying over night and going swimming not once, not twice but three times at a hotel with a sundae bar? That's super special. And it's something she's only really done with Daddy in the past. 

My mother lives with me and while we do go out to movies or go shopping sometimes, we don't often get to spend a day just out without the kid. We drove around Gatineau Park, we went to high tea at Mackenzie King Estate, we stopped for some window shopping. 

There's something about the relationship between mother and daughter. It's special, often tense, sometimes frustrating. Not always easy, to put it mildly. So a bit of time removed from reality is sometimes required. 

Getting away – exploring together away from reality a bit – is the best way to reconnect. 

My daughter, who enjoys being photographed

My mother, who does not enjoy being photographed

I highly recommend getting out with your kids, having some time. Just being together, talking, doing the fun things they choose to do. One of my greatest memories from childhood was the trip to Toronto my mother took us on - just her, my sister and me. We took the train, we spent three days, saw Phantom, shopped at the giant Sam the Record Man. It was great. 

It's great getting to repay a bit of that, and it's great paying it forward, doing things with my daughter that I know she's going to remember. 

Parc Omega in the Summer

Growing up 10 minutes from the Toronto Zoo was a real treat. We had season's passes, which meant that we could come and go as we pleased. I learned a lot about the natural environment at the zoo, and although I sometimes have reservations about keeping wild animals in captivity, I know how important it is for children to learn about conservation.

There's no zoo like the T.O. Zoo here in Ottawa, but we are fortunate to have Parc Omega a short drive away near Montebello, Quebec.

The other week we got a chance to check out Parc Omega with friends, and we had a blast!

First up was the drive there. If you live closer to centre town or the west end, it makes perfect sense to drive north from downtown into Quebec. The drive will take you about 1 hour and 15 minutes. However, us east enders find it a long drive just to get downtown to the bridges.

SO, my husband suggested we take the Ecolos Ferry - an electric ferry that departs from Clarence Island and docks in Thurso. Other than the animals, this may have been the most exciting part of the day ;) It's $8 to cross with a car, and even cheaper if you're on a motorcyle or bikes!

The drive was gorgeous, and we arrived at the Parc by 10:30 am. We drove in and stopped at the gift shop and cafe, and could even check out some goats and red fox below us on the balcony.

Parc Omega is a "safari" - meaning you drive your car through the area to view animals. You can get up close and personal with the animals if you want, by purchasing some carrots to feed to them.

However, this is no African Lion Safari - all of these animals are "Canadian" and this is their natural habitat in semi-captivity. The announcer on the radio station that you listen to as you drive through the park chatted about how Parc Omega will often take in young/abandoned animals. There are elk, white-tailed deer, wolves, warthogs (baby warthogs!!), bears, Bison and more.

The entrance to the vehicle path was VERY crowded at the beginning. Eventually you are able to pass other cars (carefully) if you would like to move ahead. There are only so many Elk noses I'd like to see :)

This handy site map that they give you when you buy your tickets is great for kids to look at while you're driving through.

We made it to The Deers, where there are washrooms, picnic tables and places to rent carts. We had brought a packed lunch, and the kids loved seeing the small white-tailed deer creep up to us while we ate.

After the drive to get to Parc Omega, and then the drive through the safari, we felt it was time to stretch our legs. There are various walking trails, and one leads up to the farm - with a petting zoo, play structure, goats, duck and lots more.

The walk was doable for our 2 year-old, as she chased the older kids along the path. They were also delighted that there was ice cream!

The drive back down led us through the wolves, Ibex and bears. By this time our younger kids were ready for naps, and half of them fell asleep while we drove back out to the main entrance. I would have loved to have checked out Trouts Lake (where you can feed the fish), but we didn't have time. Once the kids are past nap age, I think we'll be able to stay a full day!

All in all, it was a lovely destination, and our friends agreed that it was well worth the money and travel time. We're looking forward to returning in the winter and seeing what the animals are doing in the snow!

Disclosure: We were provided tickets for our entrance into Parc Omega, but all opinions are my own. Check out the hastag #Outaouaisfun on Facebook and Twitter all summer for ideas of what to do in the region.