Getting ready for kindergarten

Before we go over some tips for kindergarten readiness, let's first remind ourselves that none of these skills are required in order for your child to start school. Kindergarten is not university - your child is not "behind" if they haven't mastered their ABCs or 123s.

What these skills WILL do is make your child's transition to full-day school a little bit easier. And it will make their teacher's job A LOT easier. If your child has been in a daycare setting, they have most likely mastered a lot of these exercises (especially if the daycare person is encouraging them to try.) If they're at home with you, this is a great time to begin practicing!

Count to 10

Have your child learn how to count to 10, but also help them to recognize numbers - write out 1-10 on little cards and shuffle them. Then point to a random number and ask them what it is.

Trace a line

Make a dotted line on a sheet of paper, and ask them to trace the dots from left to right. This is the very beginning of reading/writing skills, when we learn to go from left to right.

Holding a pencil

Teach your child the correct way to hold a pencil. They love to grip with all their fingers, but if you get into good habits early, it will help with writing skills down the road.

Trace shapes

Draw a variety of shapes on a piece of paper using dotted lines, and have your child trace the dotted lines while naming the geometric shape.

Cut on a line

Have your child practice cutting paper, and then ask them to practice cutting a line that you have traced on paper.

Good hygiene

Seems obvious, but as busy parents, we sometimes take the easy way out. It's easier to quickly wipe a bum than to stand there for 10 minutes while they do it themselves (and get feces all over the place.) But when they are at school they will need to pee/poo by themselves with minimal support. Make sure they can easily pull down and pull up their pants, and teach them the best way to wipe. And of course....washing hands for 30 seconds with soap and warm water!

Putting on clothing

Teach your child the "flip" for putting on their coat, and make sure zippers are easy to pull up and down. Teach them to put on their own hat, mittens and boots. You can imagine what teachers go through with 25 little ones who need help with all of this! Your child will learn to love the independence, even though they may grumble through it.

Have fun!

And most of all....we teach our kids to have fun while learning! If your child is getting stressed learning any of the skills above, leave it for a few days and come back to it. If you're starting now, your child has 6 months to learn! 

Were there any skills you focused on before your child started kindergarten?

A Superhero for Super Kids: Napkin Man (and a giveaway!)

There are many superheros out there for my kids to look up to, but one has stolen my heart. 

The Adventures of Napkin Man stars a character who jumps off the page (erm, napkin) and onto our television screens, and it's our favourite CBC Kids show. Starring a fabulous Canadian actor (Yannick Bisson,) and paired with a catchy tune that we all find ourselves singing, my girls have become obsessed with Napkin Man - to the point that they dress up in costume and run around the house with capes flying. They call themselves "Napkin Girls."

You see, Napkin Man has special powers. No, he doesn't knock down bad guys or fly around the city. He's much subtler than that. Napkin Man helps us to deal with our strong emotions. He gets kids talking about All the Feels, and the episodes provide tips for recognizing and coping with tough emotions.

And now The Adventures of Napkin Man goes one step further with new Interactive Episodes based on the Season 2 series. My girls were very excited to check out these four episodes, which contain embedded activities designed to get kids engaged with the content.

Embarrassment

Even at a young age, kids can feel embarrassed about their looks. My daughter HATES her little curls, and we've had some tough mornings when she worries about the frizzies sticking out from her ponytail. "Bad Hair Day" is an episode all about embarrassment, and helps us learn how to hold our head up high.

The episode stops at key moments in the story, and asks kids to do an activity. In Bad Hair Day, when one of the characters feels embarrassed about his new haircut, a Music Machine pops up so that kids can create a little song that represents that emotion (think of something that sounds like "wahhh, wahhhhhhh" and you'll get the picture.)

Empathy

I see this as being a key emotion we can teach kids how to feel - it's the gateway to compassion. In "Get Well Soon," a young girl feels sad because her friend is sick. Both my girls loved the Jetpack Jam activity, where astronaut Napkin Man has to catch the "sad stars" to make them happy (while avoiding asteroids of course.)

Loneliness

This emotion is a toughy - no one likes to feel lonely or left out, but I love that this episode helps kids to see that being alone is OK. "Fun for One" is about drawing on your own resources and finding something fun to do, despite being alone. In all of the episodes, my girls REALLY enjoyed the colouring activity; you get to choose an item or character to colour, and then you insert them into a picture of the scene. My three year-old spent a lot of time on this one!

Loss

Our family has a beautiful little pug, who is now 11 years old and dealing with some health issues. We know the day will soon come when we have to say goodbye to our family pet, and I'm so grateful for the episode "Bye Bye Boogaloo," which deals with the death of the class hampster. Napkin Man helps the kids think of things they can do when someone dies. It's really important for children to learn about death, and find their own way to honour their feelings.

Who would benefit from watching these episodes?

My girls are 3 and 6, and both really enjoyed the online episodes. In terms of functionality, my oldest had a much easier time clicking the mouse on our laptop and navigating the screens. My 3 year-old fared better on the iPad, where she could tap the screen - however, we still had to help her navigate the activities.

My oldest helping her little sister with the interactive episode

Doing these with your kids provides a big advantage, though, as it opens up the conversation about these emotions. When your child has their next meltdown, we find it so helpful to say "hmm, what would Napkin Man do about this?" 

Giveaway!!

In celebration of the Napkin Man Interactive Episodes, we are giving away ONE (1) $100 Visa Gift Card! To enter, head over to the Adventures in Napkin Man website, and leave a comment here on the blog with which episode (out of the first four) you think your child will enjoy watching. For an EXTRA entry, have your child watch one episode and tell me which interactive activity they liked best (please leave a separate comment for an extra entry)

Giveaway rules:

• We are among several other blogs participating in this campaign. Readers may enter across many blogs, but may only win from one participating blog
• Entrants must be residents of Canada, including Quebec
• The winner can expect their prize in approximately 4-6 weeks

**Congratulations to our lucky winner Dana Lebeau - you were commentor #12!!*** CONTEST CLOSED

Disclosure: I am part of the Adventures of Napkin Man Online Influencer Campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Trains and Boats with Thomas and the Vikings!

There are two fabulous exhibits open now at the Canadian Museum of History, and both are GREAT for kids!

Thomas & Friends: Explore the rails

Based on our favourite book and television series (seriously, I can't believe my kids are watching the same Thomas show I watched when I was little!) Thomas & Friends has chugged into town for a layover until May 1st, 2016. We had a chance to visit him this past week, and the exhibit did not disappoint.

There is a climbable Thomas the Tank:

A HUGE toy railway:

And a chance for kids to learn about steam engines, as they feed the trains with "coal":

The coal goes up the conveyor belt and Percy gives a big CHOO CHOO! 

And so much more - there is a small tot place, a chance for kids to dress up in a conductor's hat and jacket, and interactive video/audio throughout.

My only tip? Get there early - we know how popular this museum is, and weekends are a bit hectic. Plan to see Thomas as soon as the museum opens, and then you'll have time after to explore at a leisurely pace. If you're planning to take your children during the week, it will be much quieter.

From Trains to Boats: The Vikings

I was really excited to see this exhibit, although I wasn't sure how appropriate it would be for children. We escaped the zoo that was the children's museum, and the relative quiet in the rest of the museum was lovely. 

The Vikings exhibit was full of awesome visuals, including this display of a boat hull, using only the nails and wire to represent the shape. The boat had been buried, so the original wood decayed, leaving only these thousand year-old rivets.

I learned a lot about the Vikings that I didn't know before - for instance, did you know that the "horned" helmet is a myth? Vikings never wore horns, but you wouldn't know it looking at our modern-day Halloween costumes!

Shadowy image of the horned helmet...take those away, and you're left with a more accurate representation of what they really wore

My 3 year-old was certainly not bored in the exhibit, although a word of caution that they LOVE to play with the bouncy rope that cordons off the displays (who doesn't like a nice bouncy rope?) They will quickly be told by the staff NOT to touch the rope :)

My 6 year-old found it all very interesting, and she was able to participate in the interactive displays, including a Viking game of chess.

A traditional Viking boat

If you're hoping to see both exhibits, I would plan to spend most of the day at the museum. You could pair it with an Imax movie if that's what your kids are into (mine are still too frightened by the giant screen!)

Hurry to get to the museum before the Spring, as the Vikings set sail on April 17th and Thomas pulls out of the station on May 1st!

Have you been to visit Thomas & Friends or the Vikings? What did you think?

Snowshoeing and Spa Under the Stars

My husband and I find it tough to get out for date nights. It's not that we don't want the time alone, but there are barriers - money, busy schedules and available babysitters top the list.

But barriers have solutions, and we've been working on it for a while (we've got a good list of babysitters now, and we've made room in our budget for date nights.) After all, healthy relationships thrive when couples can find time for each other. Of course, this doesn't always mean an expensive night out, but sharing new experiences together can be fun!

Kids in the Capital is launching a new series called "Parents Night Out." We want to highlight some of the fun things to do here in the capital that are for parents alone. Every couple of months we will post a new adventure for you to check out. We're also looking for ideas! If you have a fun thing to do for date nights here in Ottawa, let us know at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com

Snowshoeing Under the Stars

If you live in Ottawa and have never visited Nordik Spa-Nature, then I urge you to get there as soon as possible. Nordik Spa-Nature is North America's largest spa (yes, you read that right - it's BIG!!) Located at the entrance of Gatineau Park, the spa is where you go to unwind and re-couple.  And sorry kiddos, but you can't get in here until you're 16 years old!

Our fantastic snowshoe team - Look hard and you'll recognize a bunch of our bloggers :)

Nordik Spa-Nature has paired up with Gatineau Park to offer couples an amazing winter experience - a guided snowshoe through the park, followed by an evening in the baths. A group of 11 of us got together to check out this package, offered every Tuesday and Wednesday evening until mid-March, at $75 per person.

Gatineau Park Visitor's Centre

My friend the beaver

We arrived at the visitor's centre at 6:30 p.m. (side note: must visit the centre another time with the kids, as it looked like it would be a fun place to explore!) Snowshoes were provided to everyone who didn't own a pair. And not to fret, they're super easy to put on! We were asked to bring a headlamp if we had one, but the night was quite bright. Once our eyes adjusted to the dark, we were able to turn the headlamp off.

Guided Hike

Our guide Michelle and I

We had a very experienced guide, Michelle, who is hired by Friends of Gatineau Park. The Friends organize hikes for school groups, as well as adults, and their goal is to foster an appreciation for the Park's natural and human heritage.

The cool thing about a winter hike is that it's the only time you can go off-trail, without damaging the vegetation. We learned all sorts of amazing tidbits about the creatures living in Gatineau Park, including where to spot claw marks from the bears (who love to eat the beech nuts on beech trees!) I was happy to hear that most of the bears would be sleeping through the winter...until Michelle mentioned that it wasn't uncommon for them to wake up and go for a little "stroll." I made sure I wasn't at the back of the pack when I heard that piece of news.

The hike was suitable for beginners, and our only complaint was that most of us dressed too warmly. It's amazing the heat you start to generate when clomping around in snowshoes, and of course, it's been a very warm winter here.

Can you spot the bear claw marks?

The Spa

We handed our snowshoes back to Michelle, and got in our cars to drive the tiny distance over to the spa. You can either rent a robe or bring your own, and you definitely need a robe. No one wears their clothes (well, except a bathing suit,) even in the dining area! Also make sure to bring flip flops, as your feet will not appreciate the frozen ground.

Nordik Spa-Nature is a Scandinavian spa experience. This means that your body will benefit from the therapeutic effects of hot and cold. If you've ever watched someone burst out of a sauna to do a polar swim, you'll know what I'm talking about - the exhilaration that you feel after a cold dunk is amazing! 

There is guidance provided on which pools or saunas to try in succession, or you can just do your own thing. There are also "rest" areas throughout the spa, where you can sit by a warm fire or lie in a snug sleeping bag.

Given that we were a group of eleven and quite chatty, we chose to spend our time in the "talking area." There is also a silent area of the spa, where anything above a whisper is prohibited. Many people go to the spa for a quiet getaway, and so if you are looking for a more social experience, you still have many pools and saunas to choose from!

Comfy in our robes

After a soak in the tub, some sauna time, and a brave dunk in a cold pool, we were ready to relax with some snacks and drinks. The food is at Nordik Spa is lovely, and you can choose from a resto, a lounge or a cafe. There are full meals to be enjoyed, or small bites...and of course, your drink of choice!

We arrived home feeling tired and happy, and I slept like a log that night! Fresh air and warm baths will do that to you. It was a fantastic Parents Night Out, and we can't wait to do it again.

Disclosure: we were provided this Snowshoe Under the Stars at a discounted rate. All opinions are my own, which isn't really necessary to say, given that everyone knows how much I love Nordik Spa (and snowshoes....!!)

10 things to do for March Break Staycation in Ottawa

It's a sad reality that we can't all be jetting off to sun and sand for March Break (and the way the Canadian dollar is going, that's probably a good thing!) But that doesn't mean you can't have a fun March Break with the kids here in Ottawa. Here's a round-up of ten ideas for things to do in Ottawa over March break:

Starr Gymnastics: Camp for a day

If you are off work for March Break, you might not want to pay for a full-week camp for your child. But the thought of 7 days straight with the kiddos is a little much, no? Why not throw them into camp for a day? Starr Gymnastics has a $50 option for one-day camps during March Break as well as full week options, with various locations around the city.

Visit Parc Omega in the winter!

Think those furry animals are only out in the summer? Think again! Beat the busy lines of traffic at this popular destination by visiting in the winter!  The new First Nations Trail, “the trail of the talking trees,” just opened in October and pays tribute to the  original inhabitants of the Petite-Nation and the rest of the province. Along the 1-km trail, each of Quebec’s 11 First Nations is represented by an animal totem carved by Denis Charette, an artist from Cantley.

Snow Tubing

Tube sliding with the family is always a great time—you’ve got to do it at least once every winter! Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien in Outaouais offers eight different slides, a chairlift, old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh rides, and snowshoe trails. Fresh air, fun and lots of laughter—a perfect recipe for a great day out for March Break!

Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Let the kids run off their sillies in one of the biggest museums in Ottawa. There is so much space to roam, and many activities planned throughout the days!

Altitude Gym

Lara checked out the clip 'n climb with her kids this past summer, and they had a great time! Your child can participate for the day or for a whole week camp!

Check out the Nature Museum

A museum full of natural history, outstanding galleries and special March Break activities. You'll need to stay all day to see everything!

Go see a movie

For some reason I never think of this option when I'm trying to find things for the kids to do - Cine Starz in Orleans and Imagine Cinemas at St. Laurent are both affordable options for families!

Visit a Sugar Bush in the city

If you want a "low-key" kind of day, stay in the city and visit our very own Sugar Bush at Vanier Museopark! The area is beautiful and serene, and you wouldn't even know you were surrounded by a large city - a great way to discover our urban environment.

Host a gaming afternoon

Board games are a great way to connect as a family, and can provide hours of fun. We're lacking in board games at our house, though (it's on my to-do list to purchase some more,) so our go-to place is The Loft Board Game Lounge. Kids are more than welcome, and parents can sip on a local brew while checking out the 800 games available! 

The National Art Gallery: Artissimo

The Gallery is chock full of activities for youngsters - there are family-guided tours, audio tours, feely boxes, and mini-workshops where kids can create their own art. If you think the Art Gallery is just for parents, think again!

Are you staying in Ottawa for March Break?