Ottawa Halloween Activities

There is more to Halloween than just trick or treating and Ottawa has a lot of Halloween activities for ghosts and goblins of all ages! Whether you are looking for a family-friendly Halloween Party, Halloween themed date night fun, or an indoor place to bring the kids’ trick or treating the day of, here are some Halloween activities taking place in Ottawa this month:

The Haunted Walk – Halloween Season
When: Nightly until November 5th
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! For more information: http://hauntedwalk.com/ottawa-tours/ 

A Barnyard Hallowe’en:
When: October 29th to 30th from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
Admission: Included with Museum admission

Tour the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum as a family in your favourite Halloween costume and then participate in making some ghoulish treats, a creepy craft and enjoy some Halloween themed storytelling and games. There will be a costume parade and scavenger hunt for the kids and for an additional fee they can decorate their own pumpkin to bring home. For complete details visit: http://cafmuseum.techno-science.ca/en/whats-on/event-a-barnyard-halloween.php

Saunders Farm – Haunting Season
When: Saturdays and Sundays between now and October 30th
Where: Saunders Farm, Munster, ON
Admission: General Day Admission is $18.58 + HST (kids 2 and under are free); General night admission: $31.86 +HST

Scarier at night and as a not-as-scary experience during the day, Saunders Farm offers families the ultimate in Halloween thrills and chills! New this year is The Carnival, which includes a antique Ferris wheel and carousel.

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 or is ideal for a scary date night! For more information visit: http://saundersfarm.com/

Incident at the Bunker: A Zombie Adventure
When: October 29, 30 and November 5th
Where: Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum, Carp
Admission: General admission: $21.75 + HST

If you have children aged 12 years and older, this 60 to 75 minute Halloween-themed tour is sure to be memorable! After 20 years a terrifying secret has been revealed and guests will be led on an interactive adventure to see what it’s all about. This unique underground experience is in conjunction with Haunted Walks. For more information: http://diefenbunker.ca/incident-at-the-bunker-a-zombie-adventure/

Great Pumpkin Ball
When: October 29th 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Where: St. Brigid's Haunted Castle

A great adult-only Halloween party in support of the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing - National Capital Region, St. Jude Children's Hospital and the Ottawa Food Bank. For more information: http://greatpumpkinball.com/

Trick or Treat with the Mayor
When: October 29th
Where: Ottawa City Hall
Admission: A nonperishable food donation for the Ottawa Food Bank’s Baby Basics Program

This will be the Mayor’s 10th annual Halloween party and is a lot of fun for children. There are always costumed characters walking around greeting guests, as well as free pumpkin decorating, games and other fun activities. For more information: http://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/mayor-and-city-councillors/mayor-jim-watson/trick-or-treat-mayor

Halloween at Rideau Hall
When: October 31st from 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: Rideau Hall Visitor Centre
Admission: Free

On Halloween, Rideau Hall’s visitor centre will be transformed into a haunted dollhouse where toys gather to seek revenge – and of course there will be goodies there too. A fun way to celebrate Halloween! For more information: http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14806

Nature Nocturne: Scales and Tails
When: October 28th from 8 p.m. to midnight
Where: Canadian Museum of Nature
Admission: $25

The Halloween edition of the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Nature Nocturne always makes for a fun date night. This kid-free event is full of music, dancing, and activities. This is a great opportunity to visit the museum in your favourite Halloween costume and without the kids. For more information:  http://nature.ca/en/plan-your-visit/what-see-do/whats/nature-nocturne-october-28

Watson’s Mill Children’s Halloween Party
When: October 29th, 7 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Watson’s Mill, Manotick
Admission: Free

A children’s Halloween Party with fun Halloween games and crafts. A great way to see this historic mill and celebrate Halloween! For more information: http://watsonsmill.com/events-2016/

Trick or Treat in a mall! 

Carlingwood Mall
When: Saturday October 29th (Free trick or treating for the kids from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at participating stores.). Also: Meet and get a picture with Peppa Pig ($10 per family).* You must purchase your ticket in advance - tickets available from Sunrise Records for sittings from 11-11:50 a.m., 12-12:50 p.m., 1-1:50 p.m. and 2-2:50 p.m.

Hazeldean Mall
When: October 31st from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (free trick or treating throughout the mall)

Place D’Orleans
When: October 31st from 10 a.m. to 12 noon (free trick or treating at participating retailers, as well as artistic face painting)

Pick Your Own Apples at Log Cabin Orchards

Nothing says fall like picking apples, and doing so is a long-standing tradition in my family. For as far back as I can remember, my mom, myself and now my daughter, take a weekday off from “real life” and go apple picking. We have picked apples from many Ottawa apple orchards and this year we found what we consider our new favourite spot – Log Cabin Orchard in Osgoode, Ontario.

Although this orchard is not as large as other Ottawa apple orchards, and there is no fancy corn maze, this 33-acre orchard has a lot of character. In addition to the orchard itself, there is a beautiful log cabin to be admired as well as a small petting zoo – with a few friendly pigs (this year there was also piglets), roosters, a donkey and a goat (there were also baby goats this year).  My daughter loved going right into the goats’ pen and feeding them, playing with them and then being followed around by them. It was the highlight of her day!

Once we were able to convince my daughter to actually pick apples instead of playing with her new animal friends, we easily picked a bushel of delicious McIntosh apples. They are the reddest and sweetest macs I have had in a long time. Apparently this year’s sudden onslaught of cool nights helped sweeten the crop.

Depending on the time of year, Log Cabin Orchard grows and offers McIntosh apples, Nova Mac apples, Lobo apples, Paula Red apples and Cortland apples – and around Thanksgiving weekend they also have the mildly-tart Liberty apples (which are great for making apple sauce)!

The staff of Log Cabin Orchard is extremely friendly. They even told my mom and I not to carry the big bushel of apples back to our car once we were done and to instead walk back to the cabin. The staff member picked up the bushel in his truck and brought it to our car.  The Maloney family owns Log Cabin Orchard and from the moment you pull up, you can see the pride in ownership. They warmly greet you and ask if you have visited before and if you have any questions.

Log Cabin Orchard also has a pumpkin patch, which makes it an ideal spot to get two main ingredients for very popular Thanksgiving pies ;) Just like the apples, you can either pick your own pumpkins or choose from the selection of pumpkins picked by their very own “professional pumpkin pickers.”

So, if you’re looking for a friendly family-run orchard that isn’t that far from the city, I encourage you to check out Log Cabin Orchards – it’s a great way to spend a fall day! Between the animals, the apples and the pumpkin patch, Log Cabin Orchards is a one-stop country farm for all things fall. 

Family Fun Activities: Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO came out at the beginning of summer and it's been really popular ever since. I've wanted to write this post for a few weeks, but to be honest I was just too busy playing the game to sit down and write!

Some people seem to think that Pokemon GO is just another time wasting game but based on what I've experienced and witnessed, it's actually a great way to get your family out of the house and active together. Today I'm sharing a few of the reasons I think it's a great family activity.  

I'm not going to get into TOO many details on how the game works in this post, but if you want me to break it down into a "what is it and how do I play?" post, leave a comment and I'll do that next week!

1) You gotta move

In order to find the Pokemon (unless you're using some kind of "cheat" which you really shouldn't be) you have to get up and walk around and explore new places. You can't sit in your house and find lots of Pokemon, you need to go for walks.

Not only do you need to go looking for Pokemon, but you get eggs that you need to incubate, and to incubate them, you need to walk (there are 2km, 5km and 10 km eggs for example.) So, we go on evening Pokewalks and when my kids need to get outside but are just in a mood where no idea appeals to them, I'll often give them the phone and a destination to walk to and see if they can incubate an egg (this obviously depends on the age of your kid though).
 

2) You get to explore new places

Want a reason to go and look at monuments and talk about the history of a city? Play Pokemon GO with your kids because monuments, statues, murals, etc. are generally PokeStops (a PokeStop is where you go to get supplies such as Pokeballs, which you need to catch Pokemon, potions to revive and heal your Pokemon when they've been in a battle, and other cool things).  You need to go to PokeStops to keep playing the game and PokeStops can be really fun to explore.

We have walked around Confederation Park, Pembroke, Cobden, Renfrew, World Exchange Plaza and Sparks Street, and the deal is that whenever possible, we stop and see just what the PokeStop is all about.

We've seen cool statues, fountains, read the war memorial statues and explored the waterfront in Pembroke and my kids and husband went on a crazy bridge in Renfrew (I have a fear of bridges, so I stayed on land and took a photo, :)

3) Combine it with other activities

Some people have told me they think geocaching is better. I think geocaching is amazing and since my husband doesn't really enjoy Pokemon GO he has taken the opportunity to be out in new places to find the caches that are often in some of the similar places as you can find many PokeStops. We're getting to do both at the same time and the kids really enjoy both aspects of it.

Other ways you can combine it with activities is to go to farmer's markets or see if anyone is hosting a Lure Party. (A Lure Party is when a PokeStop has someone activate a lure which attracts more Pokemon. If you see a PokeStop with pink dots hovering around it, someone activated a lure so you're sure to catch more Pokemon than usual there. Sometimes business owners will activate the lures to make coming to their store or business fun for the whole family. I know some farmer's markets have done this, as well as business associations. It's a fun and smart way to combine activities - one person shops (my husband) while I catch Pokemon and let my kids help. :)

Use it as an opportunity to teach 

There are a lot of things that come up when playing Pokemon Go with your kids that are great lessons to teach.

Don't walk and play. The phone will buzz if there is a Pokemon around so know where you're going, walk with eyes ahead, and then stop and look down when needed. You hear all kinds of stories about people walking into traffic. This can happen with far more than just Pokemon GO, use it as an opportunity to talk about being safe.

Some people feel that people are trespassing to play Pokemon GO. Again, this is an opportunity to teach your kids about trespassing and privacy, and about the importance of not going places you aren't supposed to be. Playing together adds the opportunity to do this.

A few words of warning:

- Pokemon GO drains your cell battery really quickly. Make sure to have a full charge before you go out and maybe even bring a battery pack along with you.

- Pokemon GO data usage isn't horrible, but be aware and check in on how much you're using so you don't end up suddenly using your data for them month. It seems quite similar to other map apps so if you keep those on during long drives, this wouldn't be different.

- It can be addictive to the parents as well as the kids. So I hear anyways ;)

Over all, I think the Pokemon GO can be a really fun family activity and it's motivating to many people to get outside and moving. In my opinion it's a great example of how games can make life MORE social, because we have met up with friends in parks to go Pokemon hunting together. Games don't need to make you sedentary and antisocial, they can motivate you to get out of the house when it otherwise would be hard, move, and hang with friends!

Do you play Pokemon GO?

10 Things You MUST do before summer ends

It’s already the middle of August (how did that happen)? But summer is not over yet! Enjoy the last few days and weeks of summer with this list of 10 things you MUST do before school starts back up - and with it, everyone’s extra-curricular activities and regular routines.

1)   See the Parliament Hill Sound & Lights Show

The Sounds & Lights Show on Parliament Hill ends in September, but why not take the kids to see it now? The start time is 9:30 p.m., so if there is a day where the kids have napped and you think they can handle a later night, why not grab a picnic blanket, sweaters and snacks and head out to Parliament Hill to watch this year's beautiful Northern Lights show!

2)   Play at a Splash Pad

We have had a hot, hot summer, which means it was the perfect summer to tour Ottawa’s best splash pads! There are hundreds of splash pads within the City of Ottawa, many of which are new within the last 10 years. It’s a great way to stay cool and let the kids run off some of their boundless energy. So, go out there and enjoy them before they are turned off for the season.

3)   Tour the Outaouais

Just across the bridge from downtown Ottawa are some of the region's best hiking and outdoor activities the entire family can enjoy. From the water slides at Mont Cascades to letting the kids explore the mazes of Eco-Odysée or feeding the animals at Parc Omega, there are many fun and exciting things for families to do in the Outaouais!

4)   Jump in a Lake

This might sound silly, but for me there is nothing more refreshing (and signifies summer more!) than jumping off a dock or running into a fresh and cool lake. There are many lakes around the Ottawa area, including some within the city limits. Do yourself a favour and jump in a lake (before we’re once again skating on them!)

5)   Spend an afternoon at a park

Every spring we ask readers to share their favourite Ottawa parks with us. This year we shared our thoughts on the new Millennium Park in Orleans as well as Barnabe and Cardinal Parks in Ottawa East and last year we discussed the popular Walter Baker Park in Kanata. Park play is always a memorable part of a child’s summer, so get out there and spend an afternoon at a park (and then share your favourites with us!) 

6)   Read together on a hammock

The best way to get your children reading is to read yourself! Earlier this summer we shared a post with classic kids books for summer, so head over to your local library and pick up a couple. Then get reading or just lay together in a hammock!

7)   Stay up late and star gaze

Now that the sun is setting a little earlier, why not set up a star gazing haven in your backyard? Even if you’re in the city if it’s a clear night chances are your kids will spot a star or two and there are many websites that have information on star names, including this site that has a printable star chart for kids: http://kids.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Printable_Star_Charts  

8)   Go to Calypso

Calypso Waterpark has water slides and fun for kids of all ages and is the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer’s day! The best part is that there is plenty of free parking and you can pack your own lunch and picnic on site or buy food there! Some family favourite activities at Calypso include Pirate’s Aquaplay and Zoo Lagoon. Claypso is a great way to exhaust the kids on a day that may otherwise be deemed as too hot for outdoor play. 

9)   Take the kids kayaking

Kids as young as four can kayak! It’s true! And while they may not paddle far, their love for the sport will increase as they get older and so will how far you can paddle together.  You can still purchase kid’s kayaks at many local retailers and there are plenty of nice evenings left to spend kayaking together.

10)  Feed some ducks

What child doesn’t enjoy feeding ducks? Feeding the ducks near Billings Bridge made our 50 Things to Do With Kids in Ottawa list this summer, so why not grab some bird seed and head down to where ducks live near you and count the ducks who come to you! A great math exercise for younger kids and a test of patience for older kids.

So, what is on your to-do list of activities to do with the kids before everyone’s fall routine settles in? Leave a comment and let us know.

Ottawa Parks: Barnabe and Cardinal Farms

Every day on our way to daycare, I drive my daughter by two parks on Des Epinettes in Orleans: Cardinal Farms Park and Barnabe Park. She can see the play structures from the car, and asks the same question: "when can we go THERE, mama?"

I finally had some time the other morning to drive over that way (walking to the parks from our house would be too long for both of my girls!) 

Both parks are within walking distance from each other, which makes it an extra special outing for the little ones. We started at Cardinal Farms Park, which is super shaded, and includes a small soccer field and track. The park borders on our local ravine, so you could also explore the "woods" if you had time. Sadly I forgot to take pictures of this park, but there is a bigger structure for the older kids, and then a fenced structure and swings for the younger kids. 

Once they'd had enough of Cardinal Farms, it was a quick 5 minute walk down the street to Barnabe Park. Barnabe stretches long and wide between des Epinettes and Jeanne D'Arc. 

There were two awesome things about this park:

1) It's a short walk across Jeanne D'Arc until you reach Bridgehead at the corner of Jeanne D'Arc and Innes. This is a major bonus for tired parents.

2) There is an old-fashioned water pump at this park! I have never seen anything like it - the kids get to pump water up and down through some plastic tubs. Although this is not the same as cooling off in a splash pad, the kiddos spent lots of time splashing around in there (and "watering" the pavement)

So if you're looking for a different park to check out, try these two in combination one morning. And make sure not to miss your coffee ;)