Summer of Awesome - Papanack Park Zoo

by Lynn Did everyone take July 2 as a holiday this year? We did, and we spent it at the Papanack Park Zoo.

The Papanack Zoo is small for a zoo, but provides plenty to take in on a day out with your kids. They're a family-run business who specializes in small primates and large cats, and they have several successful breeding programs that help preserve endangered species and supply other zoos around the world. It's a great place to get up close and personal with many really cool animals, and to learn a lot about animal care and preservation.

We arrived just after it opened at 10 a.m. and grabbed a feeding schedule and map right away. Following the feeding schedule is a great way to really see the animals -- several minutes before feeding time, they'll be pacing up and down right at the front of their cage; when the food arrives, you'll be able to see the animals jumping and leaping for food, while the zookeeper gives a little talk about the animal and answers questions.

For example, here we are in front of an 800 pound white tiger as he grabs his dinner from the fence:

Yeah, that's what we call up close and personal.

There are feedings between 10 and 11:30 or so, and then a break for lunch. It's a good time for you to break out a picnic - the zoo is very supportive of bringing in your own food, and you're allowed to come in and out as much as you want (make sure your hand stamp hasn't been washed off from hand sanitizer or sunscreen). We brought a whole cooler full of food - you'll need it - and kept it in the car until lunchtime. The animal cages are in a very open-sun area, so midday is the time to try to find a shady picnic table, eat, and rest for a while.

An important note about water - the zoo is on a well water system so there aren't any drinking fountains around. You can buy bottled water (as well as food, life-saving slushies, and other snacks), but it's well worth it to just bring a whole slew of refillable bottles from home. Also note that the well water system means port-a-potties, but seriously, they were the cleanest, nicest smelling port-a-potties I've ever been in, so that's good. There's a separate baby change station for the wee ones.

The lunch break in the feeding schedule is also a good time to check out the small feeding/petting zoo area. The zebras, elands, horses, and exotic breeds of sheep and goats are always active and looking for a snack. The little animals really love popcorn; the bigger ones like carrots. Both can be purchased at the zoo.

After lunch we decided to head for the nature trail area, where the snow leopards are -- the zoo's specialty. This area of the zoo is a little more woodsy and shaded, and makes for a nice trip when the sun is high. Also, they were not doing feedings in this area right after lunch, and our kids liked that idea. Although the feeding times really are the best times to see the animals, they also draw a big and sometimes-shoving crowd. Our kids liked the quiet walk and although a couple of the animals were snoozing, we got to see most of them, like this awesome Siberian Tiger:

And these cool Arctic Foxes:

We caught up with the feeding schedule in time to see the really big cats like the lions and panthers, and we also saw unscheduled feedings of the baboons, some lemurs, and best of all, the wee monkeys. There are both squirrel monkeys and capuchins at the zoo and both kinds are smart, funny, and SO adorable:

One of the female capuchins had a baby this spring, and the baby capuchin is pretty much the cutest thing you'll ever see. One of the other female capuchins is pregnant, so if you go soon, you might have the chance to see a wee capuchin newborn - if you can stand the cuteness.

By 3 p.m. we were ready to head home. Sadly, they didn't let us take home the baby capuchin. RATS.

Some final tips: it's a very sunny place, so do yourself a favour and don't go on the hottest day of the year. Try to pick a day that's a little bit cloudy, and no warmer than 24 degrees or so. Wear hats for sure, and plenty of sunscreen, and as I noted above, bring a lot of water and don't leave it in the cooler.

The directions are quite straightforward - follow the 417, take the left side at the split, keep going, and going, and going - past Orleans, past Rockland. It takes about an hour to drive from Kanata. At the very last second, turn right onto Country Road 19. We expected after all that driving to see a giant sign at the turn, but it's completely unmarked. So be sure to have your Google Maps directions handy, and when you see Country Road 19 - even though it's completely nondescript - TURN.

Lastly, be prepared for the price. It was about $65 for our family of five to get in, and that's with two kids in the cheapest two-to-five age range. It seems like a lot, but since we brought all our own food, the only other expenses we had for the day were a couple bags of carrots and a slushie. When you hear about the things the zoo is doing to preserve some of these exotic species, and see the efforts they go to give the animals a natural habitat, it seems worth it. I really enjoy this little zoo, and we plan to make it an annual event.

So yes, the entrance fee is a bit high...but it's such a family friendly place, and so interesting and heart-warming, that I have to give it a Summer Of Awesome Must Do.

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.

Day tripping : Smiths Falls

by Lara We were invited to a house warming party in Smiths Falls this weekend and I decided we'd make a bit of a trip of it and see some of the sights.  I'd heard about the Railway museum there and I figured we could make a stop on our way into town.

The museum is small...  one room with a little playroom to the side, and another small room with some artifacts. I definitely would have to say that the inside of the museum isn't a big highlight for kids (although Kiernan LOVED these wooden animal cutouts which were found all over the museum and in the trains!)

BUT

Getting to explore the trains they have on site was a lot of fun (not to mention great photographic material!)

And the biggest highlight... the hand car!  For $1 a person you get to pump the hand car up and down the track. Kiernan loved it, and I admit, so did I!

The museum itself cost $4.50 per adult, $2.50 for kids under 12 and free for kids under 3.  For under $15 we all got in and all got to ride the hand car - pretty affordable.  They also had a multi museum pass for $32.50 for (I believe) a trio of Smiths Falls museums.

Smiths Falls is on the Rideau Canal and there are other museums to visit, not to mention parks and the Rideau Canal locks.  I only wish we'd had time to explore some more as we drove by on a gorgeous day! Only an hour out of town, it makes the perfect day trip!

Lara is the mom to 3.5 year old Kiernan and 1 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can find her at her blog Gliding Through Motherhood.

Summer of Awesome -- Cosmic Adventures

by Lynn

We kicked off our Summer of Awesome this year with a trip to Cosmic Adventures. It's an indoor climbing/slides/ball pit kind of place in Gloucester.

And needless to say, it was awesome.

It's three stories of climbers, giant slides, and places to run and hide. There's an almost endless nest of tubes and giant balls and dangling ropes and who knows what in there. Within two minutes of arriving, my older two kids -- ages 5 and 7 -- were gone. I was also there with my 4 1/2 year old nephew, and he had no trouble making himself scarce. Occasionally we'd catch a glimpse of them, sweaty and smiling and screaming with joy, as they ran past on one level or another. But overall we didn't see them until it was time to track them down for lunch.

I was nervous at first, because who the hell knows what goes on in there, but I have to say that the staff works hard to put you at ease. There were plenty of employees there, for a weekday, and they were attentive and caring. While we were there, one girl cleaned out each of the three ball pits twice, looking for anything sharp in the bottom of the pit; meanwhile, another guy hung from a harness so he could dust off the top of each and every tube slide. Meanwhile, no kid gets out of the locked play area without the parent they came with, verified with paperwork. So you can relax and let your kid really work off some steam.

I'd say any child from age 5 through 10 would have a ball here, but your older children can even go -- there were several teenagers who were running day camps who were just as excited to climb right up to the top as their charges. I even made a few trips to the second level with the Little Miss, who wanted to check it out but couldn't do it alone, and I fit in there with minimal discomfort and surprisingly minimal annoyance from other kids, all of whom seemed to be busy doing their own thing yet respectful of others and the need to take turns. I KNOW. Unbelieveable!

Plus, there are two separate toddler areas, both with small slides and ball pits. Your toddler can play in a small section under the main climber, so you can keep tabs on both age groups; or you can take your toddler upstairs to a larger and much quieter play area that's gentle on little ears. I like the fact that the owners really thought about what parents would need in a place like this, and tried to make it friendly to all age groups.

The one real drawback of this place is the cost. Oh my heavens, it puts a dent in the wallet. It cost us $47 to get in for my 2, 5, and 7 year old kids. On top of that, there's no outside food allowed due to nut-free restrictions (we did bring in our own bottle of water and no one busted us), so you're forced to shop at their canteen, and WHOA. I spent $27 for lunch, JUST FOR THE KIDS. I mean, I appreciate the fact that we could get sides like grapes, veggies, or applesauce instead of fries. And providing whole-wheat bread and buns is a nice touch. But with admission, and lunch, and a few bucks to play the games in their little arcade, and suddenly we're looking at a $100 outing. OUCH.

Still, my kids can't stop talking about it. We did a LOT of great stuff this week, and still they all say that Cosmic was their favourite day. They're already asking to go back, and the Captain says he'd like to have his birthday party there. I even had fun, as I really felt like I didn't have to worry about the big kids, and even my littlest one entertained herself quite well in their toddler area. I could actually sit and chat with my sister while our kids played, which trust me, is an absolute novelty.

So I must give Cosmic Adventures a Summer Of Awesome Must Do, despite the cost. Obviously, it's a once-a-summer event... but a worthy one.

Lynn is mom to three tombliboos and blogs over at Turtlehead.

Images courtesy of the Cosmic Adventures website - my kids were way too much of a blur breezing past to catch on camera.

Noongam Aboriginal Powwow

by Sara I'm not sure how I stumbled onto the Noongam Traditional Powwow but am I ever glad I did.  The cultural celebration took place this weekend at Queen Juliana Park, which is across from Dow's Lake (intersection of Carling Avenue and Preston street).  Admission is free although donations are encouraged.

We arrived at noon on Sunday to watch the preparations for the Grand Entry and the start of the powwow.  Because this is a cultural celebration and not intended as entertainment, there are limited concessions and scheduled activities.  There is plenty of seating available but make sure to bring lawn chairs or a blanket (and an umbrella).  Before the powwow got underway my boys were happy to run around the back field with a group of other children who were hiding from the hot sun and playing with pine cones underneath the trees.

Because a powwow is a cultural event, there are rules and etiquette, which vary depending on the region.  The National Aboriginal Veteran's Association has written a helpful guide, "What's What" and "Who's Who" - Pow Wow Etiquette about what to expect when you attend a powwow.

We had not expected to be invited to join the Grand Entry today but were very excited when the MC invited the audience to participate.  One of the dancers explained the rules to us before we entered the dance circle (no photographs, children walk beside their parents), showed us the basic step, and then provided adults with tobacco to make an offering upon entrance to the dance circle.

Not 2 minutes into the circle, it started to rain.  The drizzle was a welcome relief to the heat of the day!  My youngest didn't understand stepping in time to the drum beat and was quite happy to march alongside my husband but I spent almost the entire entry watching our four year try to keep his step in time with the drum beat.  He was mesmerized by the dancers and elders that we followed.  Despite the rain we were honoured to participate: you could feel the rhythmic drums and singing in your chest and it was amazing to watch the dancers in their beautiful regalia.

Our powwow experience was interrupted by the unrelenting downpour but I'm glad we had the chance to participate in our first powwow today.  We hope it won't be our last.

Listings for Ontario powwows can be found at:

500 Nations

Aboriginal Experiences

Sara is mom to a 4-year-old firefighter and 2-year-old monkey.  You can find her at her blog, My Points of View

A Trip to Valleyview Little Animal Farm

by Isabelle

Last week, I had the opportunity to accompany my son's daycare on a field trip to Valleyview Little Animal Farm, located on Fallowfield Road, just off Highway 416. Our visit started with a short slide presentation meant to introduce the kids to the different animals they were about to see. The 2- to 4-year olds seemed to enjoy the presentation, although I think they were raring to go and were a little disappointed to have to sit indoors for a few minutes when they first got there (practically speaking, however, it enabled everyone to use the washroom, which was a really good thing). After the slide presentation, everyone got on a tractor-pulled "train" to tour some of the crops. Because of the time of year, we didn't see much growing yet (corn, soya beans, to name but a few), but the under-4 crowd really enjoyed the ride.

Next, we visited the goats, sheep, and chickens, all in an indoor barn. The kids especially enjoyed feeding the goats themselves:

Then, we toured the outdoor animal enclosures, which included cows, pigs, peacocks, ducks, llamas, and deer. The kids ran relatively quickly through those, because they were anxious to get to the play structures, which I think were the best part of the whole farm. I lost count of all of the different wooden vehicles they had there, but my little guy particularly loved the truck, helicopter, and locomotive.

There was also a large pirate ship playstructure as well as one made up of different indoor and outdoor tunnels - the kids played in those two for a long time.

We ate a picnic lunch while we were there - there is a nice set-up of covered picnic tables for groups, and even some coolers out front for lunch boxes. Including lunch, our visit lasted about 3.5 hours - I thought that was a bit long for the little ones, who were tired of playing (!) before the bus came to pick us up. I would recommend planning a two-hour visit, perhaps with a short snack break halfway through. There is a snackbar on location if you're in a hurry and don't have time to pack a lunch or snack before heading out.

Isabelle is the mom of 3.5 year old Jay and two-month old Rosie. You can also find her at Dr. Peach’s Blog.