Anytime is #GameTime with Mattel

Mattel challenged Kids in the Capital to surprise friends and family with a game time moment. They provided me with some new games and a Game On buzzer and encouraged me to play. I am so excited about this promotion - promoting games and playing is perfect for me and my family. My kids are 5 and 3.5 and games provide the opportunity not just to play, but to learn.

The day I received the games I eagerly opened the box, thinking of all the fun we could have. Could I invite friends over to play a game of Apples to Apples? What about bringing Uno with me to my parent's house? Unfortunately our whole house has been sick since we've had the games, so my game time moments haven't been very creative.  But you really should check out what Mattel did in a Canadian mall - playing Pictionary and surprising shoppers with prizes! (Check it out on YouTube)

Over here, us sickies have been playing our new games pretty much non stop. The games from Mattel are all rated for 7+ years but I can assure you that my kids were able to play along with most of them.

Our absolute favourite has been Bounce Off. This game reminds me of a drinking game we used to play at the bar where you try and bounce a coin into your friend's beer. Basically there are two colours of balls and you have to bounce them onto the playing field and be the first to make a pattern. There are easy patterns and harder patterns. The kids had fun bouncing the balls all over the place. It's deceptively hard to create the patterns!

The other favourite around here is Uno.

I remember playing this with my family as a kid, and what I never considered back then, was how good this game was for teaching colours and number recognition. It also teaches taking turns, which isn't so easy when you're 3. With some gentle coaching we can have competitive games.

Apples to Apples and Mad Gab are a little beyond my kids at this point but I'll be sure to bring them out the next time we have friends over.

A big thank you to Mattel for our new games and for encouraging play. Anytime really is game time!

Fundraising for Candlelighters: Supporting Children with Cancer

by Andrea As life gets busier with growing kids, getting together with your core group of friends becomes quite the challenge. But when you do manage to pull it off, and see the kids laughing and playing together while you share a glass or two of vino with your besties, you ask yourself and each other: Why don’t we do this more often?

We all feel that part of being a good parent is providing activities for the kids: sports, music, dance, and the list goes on. But then it begins to seem “quality time” with your kids is spent mostly in the car. And quality time with friends happens only on birthdays or holidays. So let’s add this to the New Year’s Resolution List: spend more time with friends and quality time with kids actually doing activities with them instead of always driving them to one.

This sentiment snapped into focus for me after I received an email from one of those friends (because that is the only way we catch up these days) that says her daughter - one of the special, wonderful, brilliant kids that I have seen grow up - has been diagnosed with Cancer. I am stopped in my tracks.

After taking time to absorb and re-absorb this news my mind springs into action: how can we help, what can we do – there must be something? There is nothing we can do about the Cancer and this is a hard pill to swallow – nothing to help this little 6 year-old except be there for her and her family that we hold so dear.

Ways we can help

We can raise money and awareness about some exceptional local organizations that help support families through this difficult period, organizations like Candlelighters and their Childhood Cancer Support Programs. Candlelighters puts a smile on the kids’ faces when they receive iPads and other support – and in this situation it means a lot to see a child smile.

We can give blood, because who knew that your little 6 year-old friend would need blood transfusions?

We can get together with friends, make time before or after activities, schedule in some parent and kid activities.

As small business owners we are in a position to hold such events, which we are doing Sunday November 16th 1:00-3:00 with all kinds of services: mini manicures, deluxe French braids, funky hair with temp colour, face painting, treats and more all for donations to Candlelighters.

We also organize events that can make it easy for you to spend time with your children or have your children spend time with friends (and maybe have that glass of vino next door).

Check us out (and like us) on our Facebook page  or email us at info@prettyhandsome.ca for more information.

Upcoming Events include: Frozen Spa Evening – Nov 14th 1st Birthday Celebration for Candlelighters – Nov 16th PD Day PJ Day at the Spa – Nov 21st Happy Hour Fridays – Book a Mani Pedi with your BFF between 3-6 and receive 50% off December Birthday Parties – Birthday Girl receives a deluxe up-do for free! And many more specials and events!

Welcome to the Children's Museum and Bob the Builder!

I have a secret to tell you. I've lived in Ottawa for 8 years now, and (until the other week) I'd never been to the Children's Museum at the Canadian Museum of History. I KNOW, right!? How could I have neglected this gem?

I finally got a chance to check it out with my 5 year-old the other week - the Canadian Museum of History is our new sponsor on the blog, and I was lucky enough to score passes to the Bob the Builder exhibit that's on now until March 22, 2015.

My oldest has always loved Bob the Builder. Her Daddy is an excellent handyman, and she joins him in his workshop, pounding away on wood with a hammer or helping him with his projects. So her and her little friend we brought with us were SO excited when Bob the Builder himself made an appearance when we arrived!

Some of the other Bob the Builder characters were there, and the kids had a great time climbing in and "driving."

Probably the coolest part of the exhibit was this ball machine - kids could grab big buckets of balls, and a machine would suck them up through a tube. It was the busiest toy :)

As we explored the rest of the Children's museum, the kids completed an activity - finding Bob's "lost" tools. If you find them all, there's a little prize (stickers) at the end (most younger kids will need Mom or Dad's help with finding these tools!)

Although Bob was the highlight, I was SO impressed with the rest of the museum. My daughter spent a lot of time playing pretend in the post office, using the crane to move shipments on a boat, and "shopping" in the bazaar. It's definitely one of the most interactive museums in Ottawa!

After the whole afternoon, my only thought was, "why did we wait so long!?" Can't wait to go back!

Checking out the Diefenbunker with kids

I wasn't sure if the Diefenbunker would be a great place to bring my kids (5 and 8), but after a few of my friends had taken their children and assured me there was lots for them to do, we headed out to Carp to check it out for ourselves. The kids had a blast and my only complaint is that there is so much awesome information to be read and learned and 5 and 8 year-olds don't want to stop and read everything. I'll need to head back one day without them.

The more I learn about the Diefenbunker, the more amazed I am at all the cool stuff they have there and the fun activities they plan within the museum.

I made a short video (my first of this kind) on our trip out there.  Have a look and let me know what you think.  And leave a comment letting my know if you've been to the Diefenbunker with your kids and how they liked it!

The 'Boro House (Art Table): Creativity for Kids

by Alanna I came across a gem. You know how friends like pages on FB and you sometimes check them out? Well I did just that. "The ‘Boro House – what could that be," I wondered. Low and behold it is a creative program for children and adults.

DING! DING! JUST what I was looking for. My incredibly creative 7 year-old had been looking for a summer camp to go to. I wasn’t looking for a cookie cutter program that would actually stifle her creativity with their rules. I wanted a place where I knew she could experiment, play and create. I signed her up immediately.

I knew I was in for a “Mama, please stay” when we got there. We were greeted by the owner Kelly who instantly won over my daughter. My little girl quickly shooed me off on my way. (Insert stunned look here) When I returned to pick her up 7 hours later, there she was – as happy as a clam. She pulled me over to see all that she had created, in the same breath asking if she could come back. I needed to know more about this program!

The ‘Boro House AKA The Art table has been in existence for 10years. Nestled at 560 Churchill Ave. in the heart of Westboro, the program is run by Kelly Hotte - professional photographer with a background in ECE. According to Kelly, “we believe that creativity is brought to life through the expression of our unique and hidden talents.”

My daughter and I would agree. Each child is given a high quality drawing book to use as they wish. Kelly provides the materials and the encouragement. Experts are brought in from the community. Everything from cooking with a real chef to doing yoga with a yoga teacher.

Kelly explains that “our program draws on the creativity of local artists as leaders who add knowledge and excitement to our workshops and regular programming. This practice creates a wonderful sense of meaningful community with the children and staff.”

As an Early childhood Specialist I could not agree more. This type of education will inspire children and support their learning. The positive self-esteem that grows from being provided with real life experiences and opportunities is priceless. This is more than your average everyday creative experience. This is a lifelong learning opportunity. Oh, and did I mention she does Adult classes as well?

Alanna lives in Richmond with her husband, two children and four cats. She is an Early Childhood Educator and Algonquin College Professor.