No TV Week

I don't know about you, but my kids get a little crazy after they've watched a lot of television. I notice an increase in tears, a lack of cooperation and sleep troubles.

Overall, we're pretty conservative when it comes to screen time. I was recently listening to Rhonda McEwan, a communications expert from the University of Toronto on the CBC show Fresh Air.

What she has seen in her research is that screens are able to draw and hold our children's attention (I think we all know that, right?) The problem with this is that TV takes time away from the person-to-person communication skills that are so important for children's development. Some people can manage these attention deficits, but for other people it can be really difficult to break the habit.

The host asked Rhonda how much screen time her kids are allotted each week. She said that she veers to a very conservative amount - six hours per week. Her children are allowed to use those six hours whenever they want, and her 9 year-old son tends to hoard his hours for the weekend.

I was so interested in this piece on CBC because we just starting a "no TV week" in our house. We do this periodically, when we feel like television is starting to take over our lives. Here's what our kids' TV viewing looks like for a typical week:

• Weekday Mornings: 15 minutes before it's time to head out the door
• Weekday Evenings: 45 minutes before dinner
• Weekends: I haven't timed this, but I'm guessing at least 2 hours each weekend day (sometimes more if we're having a special movie night)

Total: 9 hours

And I haven't even included what they may get at school (yes, there are screens at our school.)

It was time for a break, so No TV Week was implemented. We can't control what they get at school, but it's the occasional computer time and special movie days - so not a lot. And we're not gamers in our house, so we have no other games that the girls use.

We are always surprised at how well our girls do without television. They spend extra time in the mornings playing or doing crafts, and after school they work on homework (if necessary) or have free playtime. They seem to get along a lot better, and there are less tantrums. I will say, though, that I don't get a lot of work done. My kids are still at the age that they want to show me everything and talk to me All The Time. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it would be hard for a parent who needs to work from home (outside of school hours!)

My oldest declared No TV Week a huge success, and asked if we could do it again! I'm not ready to turn off the TV forever - I really enjoy my own occasional shows, and I think some television is OK. I'm one of those people who can easily handle the "attention deficit" that is associated with TV. I love the idea of a weekly "allotment," and the freedom to decide how to use it. My 4 year-old will need a lot more help with this, as she can't tell time yet.

This week we're saving our time for a family movie night, and the girls have asked for TV after school for one day. 

I'm curious how you manage screen time in your house? Leave your ideas, tips and strategies in the comments!

Valentine’s Day Crafts for Kids

Valentine’s Day is more than just a holiday for lovers. It’s the holiday for showing love and appreciation to those near and dear to our hearts. For kids, it’s the perfect holiday for homemade crafts to give to the special people in their lives.

Try out some of these Valentine’s Day craft ideas for kids to give to their parents, siblings, teachers, babysitters, or whoever else makes a big impact in their lives. They’ll have fun with hearts, bows, reds, and pinks, and their recipients will love the thought behind them. You can even use them for fun decorations to spread a little love in your home!

Handprint Lovebugs

Handprint crafts are always fun for kids, especially when making homemade gifts for family members who love to watch your little ones, and their adorable hands, grow.

For Valentine’s Day, turn your kids’ handprints into little Love Bugs, a Valentine’s Day version of a butterfly. Paint one of your child’s hands a desired colour using washable paint. Help her gently place her hand on a sheet of construction paper, gently pressing her hand and fingers into the paper to ensure her whole handprint stamps well.

Turn her hand print upside-down, so her fingers are pointing downward. Then, have your child cut out two large hearts for the “wings” of her Love Bug. Have her finish the creation with wiggle eyes, construction paper antennas, foam hearts or stickers to decorate the wings.

Design a T-Shirt

Have your child design a piece of Valentine’s Day art for someone special. Whatever makes your child think of Valentine’s day is fair game: a portrait of your family, hearts, or even red and pink scribbles, depending on his age.

Then, look for cheap shirts to transfer his one-of-a-kind design to! He will love seeing his art come to life on a real shirt. This is the perfect gift for a grandparent who would be proud to showcase a personal, handmade design on a t-shirt from a loved grandchild.

Ceiling Hearts

If you’re looking for a fun, and easy, way to get your family into the spirit of Valentine’s Day this year, start with a simple craft to decorate your home. These Valentine’s Day ceiling hearts are good for even the smallest hands to create.

Using red, white, purple, and pink construction paper, cut out several sizes of hearts. Then, attach some ribbon to your hearts with tape. You can use a simple, white curling ribbon, or get more creative with a variety of ribbons in different widths and festive designs.

Attach your ribbons to the ceiling with tape or thumb tacks, and you have fun craft that instantly puts you and your family in the mood for love!

Foam Love Bracelets

Use craft foam in pretty Valentine’s Day colours to create homemade bracelets with your kids for them to share with their friends. This is a good craft idea for them to make something special to hand out to their friends in class, along with their Valentine’s Day cards during the class exchange.

Cut strips of foam long enough to encircle a child’s wrist (use your own child for a good measurement!). Place adhesive Velcro strips on each end for an easy clasp. Then, let your child decorate each bracelet with foam hearts, glitter, or Valentine’s Day stickers.

If he or she is old enough, he or she can even write her friends’ names on the bracelets, or a sweet message for the holiday.

Candle Holder

This craft can instantly make a room feel the spirit of Valentine’s Day, and is an excellent gift for a babysitter or teacher.

Find a large, empty glass jar, like a pickle or sauce jar. Make sure it’s completely clean, inside and out, and remove any paper and sticky residue from the outside.

Cut out hearts in a variety of sizes and colours from tissue paper. Let your child paint some glue onto the jar and stick the hearts wherever he desires. Leaving some space between hearts for light to shine through creates a cool effect, but it’s just as pretty if your child wants to cover the whole jar!

Place a small votive candle inside, and you have a beautiful, handmade Valentine’s Day gift that your child created on his own.

Recycled Seed Paper Valentines

One of the most unique Valentine’s Day crafts for kids is also one of the most educational and eco-friendly! You can use recycled paper to make adorable hearts that hold seeds that will grow once you place the heart in a container with water.

To make recycled seed paper Valentines, like these beautiful ones from jamonkey.com, you’ll need some thin seeds, paper, water, food colouring, a heart-shaped cookie cutter, and some sort of screen, like a window screen, to dry the hearts on.

Your child will have fun tearing up the paper and mixing it with water and food colouring! She can even use a blender, with your help, to shred and blend the paper. Once you drain off the excess water after the mixture sits for several hours, let your child sprinkle the seeds into the mixture and stir.

Shape the mixture into hearts with a cookie cutter and place on the screen to dry in the sun. When they’re fully dry, you can attach them to your child’s Valentine’s Day cards, or put them in a festive baggy, for her to hand out to friends.

How do you get crafty with the kids for Valentine's Day?

Amy is a former preschool teacher turned freelance writer living with her two children and two cats. Amy graduated college in 2014 with an A.A. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in English. When she's not playing "super heroes" with her son or toting her daughter to sports practices, Amy writes for Babygaga, AdvisoryHQ, and several other blogs, including her own mom-business blog: theworkathome-mom.com.

What is an Instant Pot? And why I (finally) bought one.

Before Black Friday 2016 I had never heard of an Instant Pot. But that day my newsfeed was filled with posts about how great the Instant Pot is and how it saves people time and money—and how Amazon often puts it on sale. I didn’t buy my Instant Pot that day. I thought it was a trend like so many other kitchen gadgets out there, and I’m not one for fads.

Fast-forward to Boxing Day and once again, my newsfeed was filled with posts about Amazon’s great price on this product. I am an avid slow cooker user, and read that the Instant Pot could replace a slow cooker—this intrigued me. I was growing tired of how heavy my slow cooker is, and my tendency to overcook things in it. It was because of this that I decided to do some research on the Instant Pot. I quickly learned it is a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker and so much more—all in one.

Needless to say, 1.5 months ago I bought an Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker, 6Qt/1000W and I haven’t used my slow cooker since.

Why I love the Instant Pot

1)   Quick meals

If you have a busy household, then you will appreciate the ability to have homemade chili on the table within one hour of your first onion chop (and it will taste as though it was cooking all day long—see below).

2)   Flavourful food

I have yet to make anything in my Instant Pot that isn’t flavourful and tasty; just as it would taste had it simmered in a slow cooker all day long.

3)   Healthy cooking

Just as a slow cooker encourages home cooking, so does the Instant Pot. I love being able to cook real food and having it ready in a minimal amount of time. The Instant Pot allows you to serve healthy meals without having to rely on packaged convenience food.

4)   The sauté feature

To be completely honest, I was sold on the Instant Pot from the moment I realized I could brown the meat and caramelize the onions in the same pot as I cook the chili—one pot cooking. This convenient feature saves time and dishwater!

The Instant Pot’s learning curve

Before I owned an Instant Pot I had never used a pressure cooker, so the functionality and capabilities of this feature confuse me. I am still not sure as to when I should let the Instant Pot “naturally release” the steam versus letting the steam out myself. I usually underestimate the time it takes the Instant Pot to naturally release the steam and the lid will not open (for safety reasons) until all the steam is released from the pot.

Also, the heat and pressure of the manual steam release is quite loud and forceful, so I advise against trying to have a conversation while doing this. I also suggest moving the Instant Pot away from kitchen cupboards since the hot steam can do damage. I have heard of some Instant Pot owners buying PVC piping to redirect the steam away from the cupboards—this is on my to do list.

Knowing how long to cook some meats and meals can be difficult to determine—also knowing it takes 5 to 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up is helpful when planning to have supper on the table by a certain time. Luckily, the Internet is a great resource for timing, recipes as well as cleaning tips for the Instant Pot. There are many bloggers (my favourite is This Old Girl) as well as Facebook Groups devoted to the Instant Pot.

Tried and tasted Instant Pot recipes

With the exceptions of modern additions or changes, I have made the following Instant Pot recipes with great success! My daughter loved all of them. She prefers one pot spaghetti to the traditional kind now.

Chili
Hearty hamburger soup
One pot spaghetti
Apple spice steel cut oatmeal
Whole chicken

Instant pot steel cut oats

The recipe below is one of my own. I like my pork chops tender and this recipe makes them as tender as they get and my daughter likes her pork chops sweet—so this recipe is our go to when it comes to pork chops.

Kid Friendly Sweet Pineapple Pork Chops

4 pork chops, boneless
Salt & pepper

1 cup of fresh pineapple; cut into widgets
2 tbsp. of soya sauce
¼ cup of honey
2 tbsp. maple syurp
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground cloves

1. Set Instant Pot to sauté and drizzle with olive oil to prevent pork chops from sticking.
2. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper and place in the inner pot.
3. Brown pork chops on both sides/
4. In a small bowl, combine soya sauce, honey, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
5. Pour sauce over pork chops, covering them as much as possible.
6. Lock cover into place; seal steam nozzle.
7. Set to manual setting for 15 minutes.
8. Naturally release pressure for about 5 minutes.

Serve with rice and your favourite vegetable. This recipe is at is says–sweet, so kids will like it. 

Many slow cooker recipes can be modified for the Instant Pot. Its pressure cooker capabilities are phenomenal and not as intimidating as your traditional pressure cooker. If you are unsure how your cooking skills will transfer over to the Instant Pot start with something simple like hard boiled eggs, which seems to be a popular stepping stone into the Instant Pot world.

Do you own an Instant Pot? What are some of your favourite recipes? I’m always looking for more recipes, so please share them in the comments below.

Nutrition Fact Finding: Making informed food choices with my family

If there's one thing that stresses me out as a parent, it's deciding what to feed my kids. From the very first day they started solids, I have spent a lot of time researching food and health outcomes. We know as a society that we have an issue with kids being overweight or obese, but it's so hard to navigate all of the conflicting information.

As much as I try to make homemade, it feels impossible to avoid packaged food when working full-time. Over the years I've learned to make healthier choices when it comes to packaged food, and try to spend most of my time shopping in the outer aisles of the grocery store—focusing on fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and proteins. Our favourite packaged foods include crackers, cereals and mini yogurts for school. We also treat ourselves to cookies or chips sometimes! 

In order to help me make the best food choices for my family, I will often turn to the Nutrition Facts (NFt) table to make sense of what we're eating. But if you don't know what you're looking for in this table, it can sometimes add confusion!

As part of the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign "Focus on the Facts," we got the chance to become "fact finders"—a fun way to help make informed food choices by looking at serving sizes and percentage daily value (%DV) of the nutrients we WANT to be eating. My girls put on their detective hats, got out the magnifying glass, and we worked to compare different food choices. Here are some of the things we learned:

1) Serving size

The serving size is not a recommendation of how much you should eat. It's just a guideline to help you calculate your %DV of all the nutrients you want (or don't want). We measured out the girls' favourite cereal, and found that they ARE only eating one serving size. But when it comes to crackers, we definitely eat more than the serving size.

2) % Daily Value

Taking a quick glance at the %DV can help you to make decisions about which packaged food to choose. As part of the campaign, we received some generic sample products that we were able to compare. First, we looked at two different types of canned peaches. One had 30% of the daily value of Vitamin C, while the other had only 2%. So, if I was eating a double serving of the first peaches, I'd be getting 60% of my daily value of Vitamin C!

Next we compared two different kinds of veggie burgers. One burger had 42% of our daily value of fat, including 12g of saturated fat and 2g of trans fat. The other burger had 14% of the daily value of fat, with less saturated fats (although still 1g of trans fat, which would concern me a bit!)

3) Nutrients

Once you start exploring %DV, you can make decisions about food based on which nutrients you would like to consume more of, and which you would like to avoid. 5%DV or less is considered "a little" and 15%DV or more is considered "a lot." There are 13 core nutrients: fat, saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron.

Going back to the peaches, a double serving from one can was 12% of my daily value of carbohydrates, whereas the other was only 6%. When you break down carbs into fibre and sugar, we realized that the peaches with more carbs had WAY more sugar (17g compared to 8g in the other can).

In chatting with my girls, we decided that fat, fibre, protein and sugar were important to us. We don't worry much about cholesterol or sodium in this house, as we have no health issues related to these nutrients—we practice "everything in moderation." As for other nutrients like vitamins and minerals, we know we're getting those anyway by eating a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins. But families that need to rely more on packaged foods could definitely make vitamins/minerals a priority.

When comparing two cereals in our cupboard, my 7 year-old realized that they both had the same amount of sugar (7g) but one cereal was much higher in fibre and protein. We decided that going forward, we wouldn't be buying cereals that had higher sugar content and were devoid of fibre and protein (stuff that will help keep little tummies full until snack time at school)!

What would I love to see more of in the future? I would love to know the %DV for sugar and protein. I'm not sure if there are any plans in the works to determine what this may be, but I believe that sugar is a HUGE problem in our society. Our bodies need some amount of fat, but we definitely don't need added sugars. It would be great to know how much sugar is "added" to a packaged product, and how much occurs naturally.

Enter to win - twice!

Now it's your turn to Focus on the Facts!! If you want to have fun with the kids and do a little nutrition fact finding, head over to the website to play a game and learn how to use the tables on your packaged foods.

We're giving away a $100 Loblaw gift card to ONE lucky blog reader. To enter to win, comment below and tell us: What do you find most helpful about the Nutrition Facts table?

Contest closes Friday, February 10th at 12 p.m. EST. For an extra entry, go do the fact finding quiz and comment below with one new thing that you learned! CONTEST CLOSED!! CONGRATS TO LISA BOLDUC! THANKS FOR YOUR ENTRIES!

While visiting the website, enter a separate contest for your chance to win a $300 grocery gift card from the Retail Council of Canada and Food & Consumer Products of Canada.

Disclaimer: Kids in the Capital was part of the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign, and we were compensated for our participation in the program. All opinions are our own.

150 things to do and see in the Ottawa region for Canada's 150th Birthday

Ottawa has so many amazing things to see and do - whether you're a family, an individual or a couple. We wanted to put together a list that you can come back to over and over during Canada's 150th year. Think of this as your 150 bucket list! As the NY Times mentioned, there's always something to see, do or explore in Canada's Capital!

MUSEUMS

1.   Billings Estate

Whether you are going to the Billings Estate for a tea party or a preschool play date, this National Historic Site offers family-friendly programming, collections and exhibits all year round.

2.   Bytown Museum

Explore the history of Ottawa from its Bytown days to the present at the Bytown Museum. It’s located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Ottawa Locks on the Rideau Canal and offers beautiful views of the city and natural surroundings.

3.   Canadian Agriculture And Food Museum

Open all year, the Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum has things to do and animals to see for kids of all ages. Visitors will learn more about Canadian agriculture including diary cows, pigs, and can even participate in cooking demonstrations and workshops. Spring visits usually means adorable piglets too!

4.   Canadian Aviation And Space Museum

The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum is more than just airplanes (which kids find cool anyway). The Museum always adds new workshops, shows and games (a staple is the mini airplanes for the kids like to ride around on.)

5.   Canadian War Museum

If you have a child who is a history buff they will love this museum. There are photographs, art and videos as well as artifacts on display. Keep in mind that some of the exhibits may need explaining, so be prepared to talk about war.

6.    Children's Museum - History Museum 

Located within the History Museum, The Canadian Children’s Museum offers guests the opportunity to travel the world, while enriching their lives and broadening their experience. Kids can explore other cultures through exhibitions, costumes, hands-on props, and artifacts, including an extraordinary assortment of toys and games.

7.   Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

This small town museum recreates rural life in 1920s Ontario. Visitors can stop by the General Store, take a seat in the one-room schoolhouse, and check out the antique vehicles at the garage.

8.   Diefenbunker

Whether you’re a history buff or just like exploring fun and mysterious places, the Diefunbunker is a great way to spend a few hours with the family. There are lots of things to explore, touch and experience, which makes the Diefenbunker particularly family-friendly.

9.   Fairfields Heritage House

If you love architecture then you will love this 19th century Gothic Revival farmhouse located in Nepean. It was originally built on 660 acres of farmland and the museum tells its story as well as the history of the areas surrounding it. 

10. Goulbourn Museum

Located outside of Stittsville in the west end of Ottawa, the Goulbourn Museum not only houses artefacts and antiques from the early 1800s, but also offers children’s events and family workshops.

11.    Osgoode Township Museum 

Ottawa is rich in history and the Osgoode Township Museum in South Ottawa is an extension of this with artifacts and exhibits from the Township of Osgoode. This museum is also a repository for indigenous Native and pioneer relics.

12.  Pinhey’s Point Historic Site

Located in Ottawa’s far west end, Pinhey’s Point features a nearly 200-year-old manor house and surrounding ruins. This site is a popular summertime picnic destination for boaters and cyclists.

13.  Canadian Museum Of Nature

Dinosaurs, mammals, birds and more, The Canadian Museum of Nature is housed in an impressive castle-like building that immediately wins the hearts of kids young and old. The Canadian Museum also hosts an adult-only evening on the last Friday of every month (excluding December, July and August) called Nature Nocturne.

14.  National Gallery of Canada

The Canadian Galleries are closed until June 14, 2017 when they will then reopen for something special to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. In the meantime there is still plenty to see and do in their other galleries and exhibitions.

15.   Vanier Museopark

Vanier Museopark is a park, a museum, a maple grove and more. It is the only francophone museum Ottawa and is dedicated to preserving the heritage of Quartier Vanier and Richelieu Parl.

16.    Watson's Mill

There are always fun family and community events taking place at the Watson’s Mill, located in scenic Manotick. Starting June 4th there is a Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9am to 2 pm and there are milling demonstrations Sundays from 1pm to 3pm.

ATTRACTIONS

17.  Casino Lac-Leamy Sound of Light (August 2017)

If you love fireworks, this show is amazing! There are 5 beautiful fireworks displays from different countries that take place from August 5 to 19, 2017. 

18.  Major’s Hill Park

Offering some of the best lookouts in Ottawa, Major’s Hill Park is one of the Capital’s main event locations (including for Canada Day celebrations!). When it’s not in festival mode, Major’s Hill Park is a great downtown resting or picnic spot.

19.    Governor General Estate 

Rideau Hall offers free family events throughout the year including ice-skating in the winter. It’s located on 79-acres within the city and is only a few minutes from downtown Ottawa.  

20.    High Tea at the Chateau Laurier

 Zoe’s Lounge, located within the Chateau Laurier in downtown Ottawa offers wonderful afternoon tea including cute finger sandwiches and a vast selection of teas (reservations required), including offering younger tea party fans hot chocolate.

21.   The Canadian Mint

Located in a historic building in central Ottawa, the Royal Canadian Mint offers 45-minute tours (reservations recommended). The Mint is within walking distance of the Byward Market. 

22.   Parliament Hill Sound & Light Show

Northern Lights is a 30-minute sound and light show that takes the audience on an unforgettable journey through Canada’s history. It’s a free, bilingual show, presented nightly on Parliament Hill from July 11 to September 16, 2017. 

23.   Changing of the Guard

Every morning at 10 a.m. from June 25 to August 26 the Changing of the Guard takes place on Parliament Hill. The Guards march from Cartier Square Drill Hall (south of Parliament Hill) and up Elgin Street. If you’re bringing little ones, arrive at Parliament Hill early to get a good view. 

24.   NAC Children's Events 

The National Arts Centre is rich with musical, dramatic and theatrical performances all year long. They also periodically offer bilingual one-hour concerts as part of their TD Family Adventure Series. 

25. Story Time at Rideau Hall (June 25th to August 20th)

 A summer tradition, Story Time at Rideau Hall takes place every Friday and Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. from June 25 to August 20th. It’s hosted outdoors on the lawn of Rideau Hall is a free event! 

26. Ottawa Little Theatre

The Ottawa Little Theatre is Canada’s oldest community playhouse. It presents eight plays per year from September through May. This year the Ottawa Little Theatre is presenting To Kill A Mockingbird, Marion Bridge and more!

27.   Shenkman Arts Centre

From expos to live music concerts, to galleries and exhibitions, the Shenkman Arts Centre, located in Orleans (east Ottawa) always has something on the go for locals and visitors!

28.  Centrepointe Theatres

Ottawa is lucky to have many community and smaller theatres. Centrepointe often offers concerts from international recording artists as well as theatrical performances, including this year’s production of Mary Poppins. There is something for all ages happening at Centrepointe Theatres in Nepean (west Ottawa).

 29.  Upper Canada Village

In the summer Upper Canada Village, a historic village devoted to showing what life was like during the 1860s in Canada, offers educational tours, activities and fun for the entire family. In the fall it’s transformed into a pumpkin inferno and during the holiday season it is Alight the Night with thousands of dazzling Christmas lights!

FESTIVALS

Whatever the weather and whatever the season Ottawa offers visitors many festivals! There is something for everyone including children, food lovers, wine lovers, music lovers and more! Ottawa loves its festivals!

30.                 Canadian Tulip Festival

31.                 Children’s Festival

32.                 Fringe Fest

33.                 Winterlude

34.                 TD Jazz Festival

35.                 Gatineau How Air Balloon Festival

36.                 RBC Blues Fest

37.                 Westboro FUSE

38.                 Franco Ontarian Festival

39.                 Summer Solstice Aboriginal Festival

40.                 Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

41.                 Ottawa Wine and Food Festival

42.                 Poutine Fest

43.                 Capital RibFest

44.                 Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival

45.                 Glengarry Highland Games

46.                 Muslim Summer Festival (MAC Eid Festival)

47.                 Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival

48.                 Ottawa’s Children’s Festival 

49.                  Ottawa Farmers' Markets

From east to west and places in between, the City of Ottawa has many great Farmer’s Markets that showcase food, harvests and crafts from local farmers and artisans.

KID'S ACTIVITIES

50.   Cosmic Adventures

Perfect for a rainy day or a day you need to keep some active kids contained. Cosmic has lots of great spaces for kids to climb, run and slide while safely in a space they can’t leave without their parents. There is lots of great seating for parents to have a snack or a coffee and connect to wifi while their kids play as well. Cosmic is a great for a solo visit or buy a membership for the year and visit unlimited times in the year.

51. Funhaven

Funhaven has it all! Laser tag, a nerf ball pit, and now a roller coaster! Whether you are looking for a place to spend a couple of hours or an entire day, Funhaven is a great place for the entire family. You can pay to go once or pay for an annual membership. They even host birthday parties.

52.                  SkyZone

Have some kids that need to get some extra energy out? Bounce it out!! SkyZone's trampolines from wall to wall are a great workout for the whole family.

53.                  Altitude climbing gym 

No more climbing the furniture, instead let the kids climb the walls - all kinds of different walls, at Altitude! 

54.                 Midway Fun Park

55.                 Putting Edge

56.                 Kid’s Kingdom

57.                 Public swimming/ wave pools / wading pools

58.                 Public Splash Pads and outdoor pools

59.                 Public indoor skating

60. Tubes and Jujubes

61. Wesley Clover Parks

Wesley Clover Parks is more than just a beautiful equestrian centre, there is also a nearby campground with scenic trails! Wesley Clover Parks also hosts numerous events throughout the year including polo and family fun days.

62.  Nepean Creative Arts Centre and Nepean Visual Arts Centre

We had a blast participating in one of NVAC’s family workshops last Christmas, and there are TONS of other courses for adults, children and families. Movie making, pottery, visual arts, and so much more.

OUTDOOR PLAY

Ottawa is filled with many outdoor farms, trails, events and exciting things to see and do including:

63.                 Parc Omega

64.                 Mont Cascades

65.                 Eco Odysee

66.                 Calypso

67.                 Gatineau Park

68.                 Cumberland Nature Trails

69.                 Hogs Back Park / Falls

70.                 Walking and hiking the NCC Trails

71.                 Rideau canal skating

72.                 Sens Rink of Dreams

73.                 CHEO Teddy Bear Picnic

74.                 Snowshoe under the stars

75.                 Dow's Lake boat rentals

76.                 Pirate Adventures

77.                 Rideau Canal Locks

78.                 Feeding the ducks near Billings Bridge

79.                 Geo caching

80.                 Saunders Farm

81.                 Valleyview Animal Farm

82.                 Strawberry Picking at Proulx Farm

83.                 Mer Bleu

84.                 Exploring Mackenzie King Estate

85.                 NOKIA Sunday Bike Days

86.                 J. Henry Tweed Conservation Area

87.                 Mont Tremblant road trip

88.                 Sugar Shacks

PARKS

If you have kids then knowing where some of Ottawa’s favourite family friendly parks are is important. Here are some parks that are Kids in the Capital approved!

89.   Lansdowne Park

We head over to Lansdowne to check out the Ottawa Farmer’s Market most weekends, and there are a lot of great things for the kids to do! A climbing structure, public art blackboard and skateboard park top the list. If your fur babies need some fun, there is also plenty of space for the doggies to go for a run!

90.  Andrew Haydon Park

Whether you're admiring the sailboats while walking along the river or enjoying the large play structure, Andrew Haydon Park is a great place for playground fun, picnics (when the geese are not ruling the roost) and evening walks.

91.  Millennium Park

With two enormous play structures (a pirate ship and one fashioned after the Parliament buildings), and a brand new splash pad that is possibly the best in the city, Millennium is worth the drive from any part of the city to check out!

92.    Brewer Park

Voted one of the best parks in Ottawa, this play area has fantastic slides, play structures and a splash pad.

93. Walter Baker Park

Located in Kanata, Walter Baker Park has a big hill ideal for sledding in the winter or exhausting little legs with running races any time of year! There is also a fitness park for the adults and two play structures. And for those really hot days, Walter Baker Park also has a splash pad!

94.    Strathcona Park

95.     Petrie Island

An east end gem, this beach and natural wildlife area has something for everyone (except your dog – dogs are not allowed!) Take the kids to spot the turtles, take a dip in the Ottawa River, or just enjoy the sun and sand! This is a great place to visit anytime of the year, and we’ve enjoyed our visits in the Spring, Summer and Fall (if you visit in the winter, we’ve heard about great ice fishing nearby!)

96.     Canada Giver Park at Mooney’s Bay

This park has an area to represent each province and territory in Canada – and if you look at it from the sky it is shaped like Canada! This park was built with the help of kids and it’s grand opening is on July 1, 2017. The building of the park will be featured on TVO’s Giver in 2017.

SPORTS

Ottawa is the home of many amateur and professional sports teams - check out a game this year with the:

97.                 Ottawa Redblacks

98.                 Ottawa 67s

99.                 Ottawa Senators

100.             Ottawa Champions Baseball

101.             Ottawa Fury

102.             Carleton Ravens

103.             Ottawa Gee Gees

104.             Bell Canada Cup

105.             Roar of the Rings (Curling Olympic Trials) December 2-7

RACES

If you love to run (or cheer on athletes) then you’ll want to check out these well known local road races:

106.             Tamarack Race Weekend

Whether you want to challenge yourself to run 5K or 10K or even a marathon - or participate as a family in the 2K Family Run, Tamarack Race Weekend is the biggest of it's kind in Ottawa.

107.             Insane Inflatable 5K

This 5K race has you climbing, sliding and crawling through inflatables during the 5K course. A race that's definitely family friendly, while being fun and a little bit hilarious at the same time. 

108.             The Army Run

The Canada Army Run is an event that supports the Canadian Air Force, Army, and Navy. Canadians, current members of and members who have served all come together for this unique race that is full pf pride and community.

109.             9-Run-Run

This family-friendly local run supports Ottawa and area emergency support personnel and first responders including Firefighters, Police Officers and Paramedics. 

DATE NIGHT

Looking for a night out? Whether you are looking for a relaxing evening or a fun adventure, Ottawa has many adult-only activities and venues perfect for any occasion!

110.             Ottawa Haunted Walk Tours

111.             Le Nordik Spa

112.             Wakefield Mill Hotel and Spa

113.             Chateau Montebello

114.             Options Jazz Lounge

115.             Bytowne Theatre

116.             Gladstone Theatre

117.             Play Food and Wine

118.             House of TARG

119.             Absolute Comedy

120.             Nature Nocturne

SHOPPING & RESTAURANTS

120. Byward Market

This bustling market is the most popular farmer’s market in Ottawa. Purchase both local and international produce, and make a visit to the famous Moulin de Provence for a cookie, just like Obama did in 2009!

121. Bridgehead Coffeehouse

If we are allowed to endorse a coffee shop here at Kids in the Capital, we have to make it Bridgehead. A home grown success, locations now dot the Ottawa map, and they have even made their way out to the suburbs! Enjoy their fair trade organic blends, or sample some of their locally made soups, sandwiches and treats.

122. NEXT Restaurant

Ottawa has many (MANY) fantastic restaurants, but NEXT, located in the middle of the suburbs in Stittsville, Ontario is unique not only because of its location, but because it always offers delicious shared dining experience based on Chef Blackie’s best food and travel memories that change seasonally.

123.   Quitters Coffeehouse

When famed musician Kathleen Edwards decided to pull the plug on her music career, she opened up a coffeehouse (aptly named “Quitters”) in Stittsville – west of Ottawa, this is a place with a true “small town” feel. Visit for a delicious cuppa, or head out for an evening of drinks and music. 

124. Tag Along Toys

We featured Tag Along Toys in our recent Holiday Gift Guide and continue to support their two locations because we know they offer the best in puzzles, games, LEGO, Playmobil and more. Whether you are looking for something in particular or have no idea what you are looking for they friendly and knowledgeable staff at Tag Along Toys are always willing to help.

125. Mansfield’s Shoes

It’s hard to find a good shoe store with quality brand names and customer services, but Mansfield’s Shoes in Manotick is one such shoe store. Family owned and operated with heart, Mansfield’s Shoes carries men’s and women’s shoes, handbags and slippers of all sizes and styles. The owner decides what brands to carry based on the feedback from her customers – how many shoe stores do you know that do that?

126. Mavericks Donut Company

Decorate your own donuts! How fun is that for kids - young and old!

127. Bushtukah

If you are an outdoor enthusiast then you will want to drop by one of Bushtukah’s two locations in Ottawa. This local store has everything you need for cycling, camping, snowsports and more! And it’s local (and we like local).

128. Beau’s Beer

Beau’s Beer is offered in many restaurants across the City of Ottawa and Lug-Tread is the official beer of Canada’s 150th! The brewery, located in Vankleek Hill is open 7 days a week and offers free wours and samples!

129. Sparks Street

Known as the pedestrian mall, Sparks Street features trendy clothing and jewellery shops, boutiques as well as national chain stores. There is something for everyone and it’s only a couple of blocks away from Parliament Hill!

Must See Small Towns

130. Almonte

If there’s one thing we can say about Almontonians, it’s that they’re really proud of their town! And what’s not to be proud of? Lots of small shops, great local music, and yummy doughnuts from HFT!

131. Appleton

One drive through the village of Appleton and you will want to buy a house there. It’s nestled on the shoes of the Mississippi River and is rich in history and beautiful scenery.

132. Merrickville

Whether you are looking to stay at a quaint B&B or shop for antiques and collectibles, the town of Merrickville is not only historic, but it offers unique shopping and places to eat too. It’s the perfect afternoon destination for the shopaholic who loves to support small businesses.

133. Carp

The village of Carp is located west of Ottawa and was a major centre for agricultural activities in the 1800s. Its history is celebrated every year at the annual Carp Fair and can be seen on a mural located at the Carp Farmer’s Market that runs every weekend from April to October. Carp is also home to the Diefenbunker Museum.

134. Cumberland

Founded in 1802, the town of Cumberland is a quaint, historic town that always has family-friendly activities including home and village tours as well as a harvest market.

135. St-Albert’s

This small town is known for its cheese! It’s worth the drive to St-Albert's east end simply for the cheese factory. You can buy the very best of curd, flavoured cheeses and stay for lunch at their restaurant!

136. Perth

It’s easy to drive by this small town on Highway 7, but take a few hours and make a stop. Or better yet, do a day trip with some friends or your significant other, and relax at the beautiful Tay River Reflections spa!

137. Pakenham

If you’re visiting the town of Pakenham in the winter be sure to check out Mount Pakenham for family-friendly skiing and winter tubing. Pakenham is also known for its historic five span stone bridge and the Pakenham General Store. If you’re visiting Pakenham in the summer be sure to stop for ice cream at Scoops! It’s a cottager-favourite!

For Canada’s 150th Birthday!

138.  Interprovincial Picnic on the Bridge (July 2, 2017)

Residents and tourists from both sides of the Ottawa River are invited to enjoy a historic moment on the Alexandra Bridge – an Interprovincial picnic! The bridge will be transformed into a picnic-perfect green haven with incredible views of the Ottawa River! There will also be entertainment and other activities.

139.  La Machine (July 26-30)

La Machine are oversized mechanical machines, including fire-breathing dragons, that are set to take to the streets of downtown Ottawa in late July. Should make for some great selfies!

140. Red Bull Crashed Ice (March 3-4)

If you like speed, the Ice Cross Downhill World Series is for you and it's taking place at the Ottawa Locks on the Rideau Canal, which not only makes it unique but historic!

141. Grey Cup 2017 (November 21-26)

The 105th Grey Cup Festival will take place at Lansdowne Park. The Festival will include a number of free and ticketed events, that reflect Canada’s rich and diverse traditions, for fans from coast to coast to enjoy.

142. Stanley Cup Tribute (March 15-18)

The contemporary Ottawa Senators may have yet to bring the Stanley Cup home, but this 4-day tribute (conveniently being held over the March Break) will celebrate this esteemed hockey trophy!

143. Juno Week (March 27 - April 2)

The 46th Annual JUNO Awards are returning to Ottawa, which means the city will be crawling with talented musicians participating in JUNO Cup, JUNOfest, JUNO Fan Fare, and JUNO Songwriters’ Circle! The awards are being held at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata on April 2nd.

144.  Magnificance of Chaudiere Falls

In the fall, an ambient lighting display will illuminate Chaudière falls. The lights, combined with music, will evoke the culture of Indigenous people and in particular highlight the Algonquin heritage of the region. This display is in collaboration with the local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.

145. Urban Camping (June 29th to July 3rd)

A limited number of urban camping sites will be available (site reservations opened January 16th) in numerous parking lots and green spaces around Ottawa - all in celebration of Canada's 150th!

146. MOSAÏCANADA 150/Gatineau 2017 (July 1- October 15)

For 107 days, Jacques-Cartier Park will host the biggest horticultural event in Canada including unique sculptures and paintings that reflect 150 years of history, culture and arts in Canada.

147. Kontinuum (End of June to Mid-September)

Touted to be an engaging underground multi-media experience that will project the future of Light Rail Transit in Ottawa now and in the future!

148. Agri 150 (all year long)

Rural Ottawa will celebrate Canada’s 150th with a series of unique outdoor events that will celebrate our local agriculture.

149. Sky Lounge (July 7-22)

Ottawa is known for it’s fantastic dining options and in the month of July, Ottawa is taking diners culinary experience to a whole new level by offering two weeks of dining over 150 feet in the air!

150. Canada Day on Parliament Hill (July 1st!)

Dress in red and white and join thousands of other Canadians to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday celebration on Parliament Hill! There will be live musical and theatrical performances and of course a fireworks display to remember!