Trick or Swim or Skate!

Trick or Treeeeat” – the words that many little monsters and munchkins will excitedly scream as you open the door to their smiling faces on October 31st. Instead of candy, how about offering something a little different this Halloween?

The City of Ottawa offers Trick or Swim or Skate passes. You pay $10 and receive 10 vouchers to hand out. These can be used towards a swim or skate at a participating facility (not including wave swims or speciality skates). 

I don’t know about you, but we like to have a separate bucket from candy treats so we can offer non food treats to those with allergies and we love the idea of slipping a voucher in to their buckets.

Other non-food Halloween ideas include stickers (what child doesn’t love them?), slime, Playdoh, colouring pads, pencils, and erasers. Walk into any craft/party store and you will find a huge variety of offerings. 

Of course, we are not saying that you should give up the candy completely… ;)

CONTEST

We have a book of 10 Trick or Swim or Skate vouchers from the City of Ottawa to give away to one lucky reader! Trick or Swim or Skate vouchers are available in limited quantity until October 31st. They can be redeemed until January 31, 2020. Please check for participating facilities prior to using.

To enter: Visit our Facebook Page and leave a comment on this post letting us know what your child is planning on dressing up as for Halloween!

Contest runs until Friday, October 25th at 12 noon. Winner will be notified via Facebook Messenger.

Fright Fest at Saunders Farm (The perfect scare for older kids!)

KITC would like to welcome back guest blogger, Stephen Johnson. Stephen Johnson is an Ottawa writer who loves to write about family travel.  During the summer, you will most likely find him and his family at a local fair or festival. During the winter, a beach in Mexico is a likely bet.  

---

I first started visiting Saunders Farm about fifteen years ago for Halloween. I heard it was the scariest thing to do in Ottawa. They were right. In between the haunted hayride and other attractions, I was scared out of my wits. 

Fast forward to today. We had taken David when he was seven to Saunders Farm during the day for Halloween. It was perfect at the time. David is now eleven so his fear quotient has gone up. He wanted to check out the evening FrightFest festivities. 

We arrived at Saunders Farm and were immediately treated to a scare. Various farm employees were dressed up in their best Halloween gear. The first attraction we saw was the Barn of Terror. This was a test to see if the scare factor was too high for David or not. We walked through the barn and enjoyed various scares and thrills. I probably held my wife’s Sandy hand tighter than David did. 

We then were treated to a parade of witches as they walked to their Coven. David bravely posed for a photo as the witches passed by. 

It was still somewhat light outside so not all the hauntings were open. This gave us some time to visit other areas of the farm including the bouncy pad and playground. It brought back a flood of memories as we have been visiting Saunders Farm since David was a baby. 

After visiting the bouncy pad, it was finally dark so all the attractions were open. Circus macabre was located close to the bouncy pad. I have always found clowns to be somewhat creepy and circus macabre only reinforced this idea. We had to find our way through a maze while being greeted by various clowns. There were numerous other elements but I don’t way to give away too much. 

One thing that has changed about Fright Fest since I visited fifteen years ago is that there are also busker-style performers. We caught a fire show that added to the ambiance of the evening. 

It was now time to visit the witches in their coven. We were greeted by a friendly witch who invited us to visit. I doubted her friendly exterior and the cackles coming from inside the coven gave it away. One really cool part was entering a room with a fog machine and a laser display. The effect made one think they were walking through a soupy swamp. Again, I don’t want to give away all the scares but let me just say, look around all the corners.

David, Sandy and I needed a break so we relaxed in the central area. There are multiple food options on-site so no one will go hungry. We also took a family photo in front of a large display of pumpkins. This spot may be one of the most instagrammed in the Ottawa area. 

It was now time for the Haunted Hayride. All of the attractions at Saunders Farm are great but the Haunted Hayride is the classic. We boarded the wagon and the tractor was off like a shot. It took a few minutes to get to the main area which only built up the anticipation. We were scared in multiple ways including masked performers and loud noises. The Haunted Hayride was everything I remembered and more. It was fun to share the experience with David and Sandy. 

It was now time to head back to Ottawa. I thought I saw a number of ghouls or goblins along the highway driving back home. It was probably just my imagination or was it?

For more information about all the scary things going on at Saunders Farm, visit www.saundersfarm.com

*Please note, Fright Fest is not intended for younger kids. We thought David was the perfect age at eleven but this may not be for all kids. The fright factor is much more young kid-friendly during the day.*

Full disclosure, Stephen’s tickets were covered by Saunders Farm but all opinions are his own.

October 2019 booklist from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their new books for children with us. This month’s post is by Kristina Roudiy, Children's Program & Public Service Assistant at the Alta Vista branch of the Ottawa Public Library

---

Picture book: Find Spot at the library / 2019

For ages 1-3.
Some of you might remember reading Spot’s adventures as a child. The first books in the series were published in the 1980’s. The books have since been reedited. This is the latest Spot the dog board book! Spot explores a library and, as always, plays hide-and-seek with the reader.

Picture book: The book hog / 2019

For ages 3-5.
The author of The Watermelon Seed is back with another brightly-coloured title. In this one, the main character, a pig, loves his scooter and…books. But he has a secret: he does not know how to read them! Until, one day, he meets a whole community of book lovers and a dedicated librarian at his local branch. The illustrations reflect the story in that the books first look blurry, and once the pig learns how to read, they start having lines & titles (some of which the readers will recognize!).

Picture book: The night library / 2019

For ages 3-7.
This is the story of a young boy who receives a book for his eighth birthday. He is less than thrilled with the gift, since he is a reluctant reader. But his interest in reading will be rekindled once he finds himself into a dream where the two lion statues from the New York Public Library come to life and take him onto a magical exploration of the various library rooms. The art in this picture book will make readers feel like going to visit the New York library building! Classic references are also hidden in the illustrations: The-cat-in-the-hat, Peter Rabbit, the Polar Express.

Non-fiction: Planting stories: the life of librarian and storyteller Pura Bulpré

For ages 4-7.
This brightly-coloured picture book tells the true story of a Puerto Rican woman, Pura Bulpré, who starts working at the New York Public Library and finds out that there is not a single book on the shelf about Latin American culture. She decides to write her own books and to share stories with the Storytime families. Soon, she travels across the country to present and to inspire.

Early Reader: Otter: I love books! / 2019

For ages 5-7.
If you don’t know Otter, you ought to start with the introduction title: “I am Otter”! The Ottawa Public Library owns 7 titles in the series. This is Otter’s latest adventure. He feels like going to somewhere fun, like the circus or the sea, but his keeper takes him to… a library.

Chapter book: The library of ever / 2019

For ages 7-9.
Science fiction novel. Eleven-year-old girl Lenora thought accompanying her nanny to the public library would be pretty boring -that is, until she walks into the library and somehow finds a magic portal to a very special library that contains the knowledge of the whole universe. There, Lenora is given the job of Apprentice Librarian and has to fight the Forces of Darkness.

An excellent, timely, book for initiating a discussion about intellectual freedom and censorship. 

Chapter book : The book case : an Emily Lime mystery / 2019

For ages 8-11.
Mystery novel set in England in the 1950’s. Daphne arrives at St Rita’s and finds out that it’s a rather unconventional boarding school. The classrooms are numbered in a random manner and the head librarian is nowhere to be seen. Daphne becomes friends with library assistant Emily and student George. Together, they decide to investigate a library break-in and a missing student.

Chapter book: The library shelves: an interactive mystery adventure / 2019

For ages 7-11.
During their field trip to the local public library, grade 6 schoolfriends Catalina, Edward, James and Samantha notice a scratching sound, as well as some yellow bookmarks sticking out of library books. Do they follow the source of the sound, or do they collect the bookmarks with riddles on them? Your choice! This is a “Choose your own story” book, with 12 possible endings.

Chapter book: Property of the rebel librarian / 2018

For ages 8-12.
This is the story of twelve-year-old June who decides to start an underground library in her school locker, when their school library bans the majority of the books from their shelves. But her boyfriend Graham does not understand her activism and joins in the censorship. How will June manage, especially once her loan log goes missing? Good food-for-thought on book banning. 

Non-fiction: You wouldn’t want to live without libraries! / 2019

For ages 6-12.
Children are well familiar with the “You wouldn’t want…” non-fiction series, as the Ottawa Public Library has about 70 titles in their collection, covering topics such as : inventions, history, nature, science, health, biographies, and more. This newly published title uses fun cartoon graphics to depict how libraries have become a space for the community to share and to be together.

By the way, did you know that October is “Library Month”? The Ottawa Public Library takes the opportunity every year in October to hide and give away Golden Tickets. For more information, click here : https://bit.ly/2o9wk9y  

Birthday Party: Glow Wars Nerf Gun Battles

Last year my daughter had the chance to attend a Glow Wars Nerf Gun Battle birthday party for a friend, and she had such a blast that she insisted THIS was the perfect location for her tenth birthday party!! Since I love the idea of hiring out bdays (and keeping the mess out of my home!) I got in touch with GlowSport and asked if we could check out their packages.

Not that we know much about Nerf in our home. It’s not something my kids have gotten into as an activity, but ANYTHING glow-in-the-dark is usually a fun time for kids.

You can arrange your nerf war birthday party at GlowSport’s West or East end locations. Since we live in Orleans we went with the east end, aptly named “The Chop Shop.” Located in an industrial location near Innes and St. Laurent, the party takes place in a giant room with stacked tires and parked cars. Lots of places to hide!!

When you first arrive the kids are suited up in glow paint and glow t-shirts. This is also how teams are decided, and I was happy that staff took care of that so we could avoid fights over who was going to be on whose team!

We then went over all the rules in detail with our teammate - the person running our event. He got the kids to read the rules themselves (love it!) and I was happy to see that they addressed potential issues like safety or disagreements. I could definitely see the potential for kids getting upset or having arguments. Luckily we had an AWESOME group of kids that managed their disagreements well (usually it was: “I tagged him and he didn’t go to the safe zone!!”)

We then entered the playing zone and started a series of “battles.” The kids got a chance to pick their nerf guns from the “gun shop” and had the opportunity to upgrade to some pretty cool ones as we progressed through each round. Of course, the birthday girl was allowed to use the COOLEST nerf guns! And unlike other birthday parties, here we had 90 minutes to enjoy ourselves, which was the perfect amount of time. We finished the party in the party room, where we ate snacks and cake and watched the next group battle it out!

Adults are welcome to join in with the kids for $10, and my husband and I may have had a bit too much fun trying to hit each other.

Other things you should know:

• This isn’t really designed for kids under 6. My soon to be 7 year old was OK, although she got a bit nervous at the start because it was so dark.

• You can ask them to turn the music down! My daughter found it too loud, so our teammate turned it down to a volume that worked for her.

• We went with the package for 15 as it meant two teams of 7 and 8

• You can add food to any package. We ended up bringing our own snacks and cake, as the time we booked was after lunch

• The party room is right above the play room, so keep in mind it will be quite loud when the next group starts. The kids didn’t seem to care, and everything was still glow-in-the-dark, so they loved looking at the different colour their clothes had turned!

Overall it was a wonderful experience. Our teammate lead was incredible with the kids and kept them focused. I think we’ll definitely be back - GlowSport offers many other programs and activities for kids.

Disclaimer: GlowSport covered the cost of my daughter’s birthday party package. Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of GlowSport.

Family-Friendly Halloween Activities in Ottawa

We’re so lucky to have museums, farms and malls in the Ottawa region who love to celebrate Halloween as much as our kids do! Here’s this year’s list of Halloween activities for families in Ottawa.

Trick or Treat with the Mayor
When: Saturday, October 26th from 5 to 8 pm
Where: Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West

See what’s brewing in the Spooky Witches Den before visiting all your favourite movie and storybook characters! Be wowed and get up close to some amazing little creatures and characters then decorate your very own mini pumpkin.

The Original Haunted Walk – Halloween Season
When: Nightly until November 3rd
Where: Various locations in Ottawa

Great for older children and adults, The Haunted Walks are best known for their tours and stories of ghosts and haunted places and Halloween is the perfect time to experience one of these walks! From October 4 – November 2 they are featuring a special “ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?” version of their Ghosts & the Gallows tour. For more information: http://hauntedwalk.com/ottawa-tours/ 

Saunders Farm – Haunting Season
When: Saturdays and Sundays between now and October 31st
Where: Saunders Farm, Munster, ON
Admission: General Day Admission is $25 (kids 2 and under are free); General night (Fright Fest) admission starting from $36.

Scarier at night and as a not-as-scary experience during the day, Saunders Farm offers families the ultimate in Halloween thrills and chills!  The Day Haunting Season is fine for kids as the more scarier attractions are closed and the jumping pillows and main play area is open. There is also a pumpkin patch hay ride available for young visitors.

The Fright Fest (Night) at Saunders Farm is good for children ages 12 and up. For more information visit: http://saundersfarm.com/

Acres of Terror
When: Now until October 31st
Where: Cannamore Orchards, 1480 County Road 32, Crysler

In their 27th year, Acres of Terror has four main components: the spooky wagon ride, the house of terror, the spooky village, and the fog maze! Night Dates (7-10pm): Sept. 27-28, Oct. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-30. Day Dates (12-4pm): Oct. 12-13, 19-20, 26-27. Visit https://cannamoreorchard.com/acres-of-terror/ for more information, including pricing.

Toddler Halloween Haunt
When: Thursday, October 31st from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, Carp
Admission: By donation for parents, grandparents, or caregivers with kids. Kids under 5 are free.

A perfect Halloween Day activity for young kids. Kids and adults can come dressed up in their favourite costume and discover spooky (and cute) ghosts and monsters throughout the museum to collect treats.

Zombies invade the Bunker

When: October 26th and 27th
Where: Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, Carp

This Halloween season, the Diefenbunker will once again partner with The Haunted Walk of Ottawa to present, Incident at the Bunker: A Zombie Adventure. Guests will be led on an interactive adventure with the undead, deep inside the labyrinth that is the Cold War Museum. This unique Halloween experience is a perfect combination of storytelling, interactive challenges, unexpected surprises and of course…zombies. Perfect for kids 12+.

Fall Family Fun At Hugli's Blueberry Ranch
When: On now until October 31st
Where: Hugli's Blueberry Ranch, 2139 Greenwood Rd., Pembroke, ON
Weekends: $10.62 + HST (kids & adults) Under 2 is free (includes shows and wagon rides to the pumpkin patch)
Weekdays: $6.64 + HST (kids & adults) Under 2 is free.

Evening activities have been put on hold this year, but there are plenty of family-friendly daytime activities including a tunnel hill slide and pedal carts!

Chillings Estate Halloween Party
When: Sunday, October 20 from 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Billings Estate National Historic Site
Admission: Cost: $6.75/person, $17.50/family (2 adults + children)

Come dressed in your costume and help Billings put the ‘trick’ in ‘trick-or-treat’ as they explore the whimsical, wily, and sometimes troublesome history of Halloween pranks. Complete fun Halloween activities and challenges to enjoy a delicious treat. Additional vintage treats and coffee will be available for cash purchase. *Please dress for weather conditions; activities will take place both indoors and outdoors.

Halloween Hijinks
When: Sunday, October 27th 10 am to 4 pm
Where: Cumberland Heritage Village
Cost: $19.75 per family (2 adults + children); $7.75 adults; $5.50 seniors, children and students. Children 5 and under are free. Annual memberships are welcome.

Wear your costume and explore the origins of Halloween traditions as you collect some yummy treats along the way. Complete a scavenger hunt inspired by some of the spooky symbols associated with the season, see if you can determine fact or fiction when it comes to Halloween trivia, create your own masquerade mask, explore Halloween in early Hollywood, and more!

Haunted Horaceville
When: Sunday, October 27th from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
Where: Pinhey's Point Historic Site, Dunrobin, ON
Admission: Cost: $10.65 per person (Ages 15 and up)

Bring your friends and gather ‘round for a live storytelling program that will shift your understanding of history from the ordinary to the otherworldly. A lantern-lit tour of the manor house will add to the atmosphere. S’mores and hot apple cider will be served for a seasonal treat. Featuring guest storyteller Marie Bilodeau.  Registration is required. The registration deadline is Wednesday, October 23.

Pumpkinferno
When: Various dates from now until Sunday, October 27th
Where: Upper Canada Village
Admission: from $12 to $18
Visit Upper Canada Village and discover a selection of all-new pumpkin-carved displays as well as fan-favourites! This event is for all ages and includes 7,000 handcrafted pumpkins all lit at night along a kilometre long path in a picturesque 19th-century backdrop.

25th Annual Pumpkin Fest at Proulx Farm

When: September 22nd to October 31st, 2019.
Where: Proulx Family Farm, 1865 O’Toole Rd., Cumberland

The farm is transformed into a giant Halloween playground. Bring a picnic and visit for a ghostly gathering in a country setting. Children love seeing the farm transformed into a giant Halloween playground! Open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm and Thanksgiving Monday from 10 am to 5 pm.