Pumpkin time at Proulx Farm

by Lara

Halloween in on Sunday and in case you haven't had enough Halloween themed fun yet I thought I'd suggest one last stop that's well worth the trip.

We go to Proulx every year for strawberry picking but this was the first year we made it out for what is actually their busiest time of year - haunting season.

Proulx is a fun family outing (although they run some not so kid friendly scarier stuff in the evening with the Kiwanis club you might want to also check out called Skreamers)

The daytime activities include several mazes, magic shows, play structures, wagon rides, slides, pick your own pumpkins, a petting farm, bouncy castles, face painting and much more!

They've got the place decked out to the max. Just walking around looking at some of the hay art is awesome!

The cost is $13 for 6 and over, $10 for 3-6 and free for the under 3 crowd. We went for a couple of hours, but it would have been great to bring a lunch and spend the better part of half a day there (which would probably have felt like a bit better value for the cost too).

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It was fun, we picked a pumpkin from the pre-picked ones and the kids all had a blast. Check it out!

Lara is mom to 4 year old Kiernan and 1 year old twins Quinn and Juliette. You can read her blog at Gliding Through Motherhood.

Going to the dogs

by Julie Our family's weekend morning routine is to go to our local dog park.  Any time of year, and in almost any type of weather.  It's a great way to meet some people in your neighborhood, get some exercise (if you walk there), and a real fun way to get some fresh air and let the kid(s) run around.  And yes, everyone knows the dogs names more than their people's names.

There are tonnes of great dog parks all through the city of Ottawa.  And the Ottawa Dog Blog has created an awesome dog park finder, which makes it all the easier.  While we love our local dog park, and have met some really great people (we even know their names!) we sometimes venture out to some of the larger dog parks for some adventure.  Two of our favorites are: Bruce Pit - Ottawa's most popular and largest dog park; and Conroy Pit.  Both are very large wooden areas which have dozens paths that weave through them.

While Chili (the dog) can roam freely, sniffing from tree to tree, the jellybean can also roam freely (sometimes sniffing trees - hey, he's three!).  The paths range from dense forest, to thick shrub, to large fields.  Everyone is very friendly and the dogs are well behaved.  We have yet to come upon a dog that is aggressive or misbehaved.  And considering the amount of dogs you see there on any given day, that's pretty impressive.  While the dogs are well behaved, there is the occasional knocking over of small children, or adult, by rambunctious dogs at play.

The parks are clean and most of the dog poop is picked up.  I say most for those that might not venture into the woods to find where Rover might have squatted, and the few people who don't stoop and scoop.  I say there are few of those people because more often than not people let the owner know, offer a bag if they happen to be out, and basically stare them down until they clean up after their dog.  Yes, that would be me.

Do you have to have a dog to visit dog parks?  Of course not.  It's actually a great place to visit if you have been toying with the idea of adding a new member to your family.  Especially if you have a little one who hasn't been around a lot of dogs.  While I wouldn't bring a child who is nervous to a large place like Bruce Pit on their first outing, your local dog park is a great place for first introductions.  And if you are seriously considering adding that extra member, dog parks are actually a great way to "shop" for a dog.  You will see every type of breed and mutt there is, and everyone is friendly and often very willing to discuss the pros and cons of their dogs.

So instead of quickly walking the pooch around the block before you head out to the hills to go for a great outdoor adventure with the kids, take the pooch with you and have an adventure together.

Julie (a.k.a. smothermother) is mom to 3 yr old Jellybean and married to the hubby.  You can read her blog at www.smothermother.blogspot.com.

An afternoon at the Pinto Valley Ranch

by Brie The girl was invited to a birthday party for a new school friend. She was very excited. I was less excited about the thought of a 45 minute car ride from downtown Ottawa with a kid that has developed car sickness recently. Still, I would have to say that the trip to Pinto Valley Ranch would be worth cleaning some throw up off of her and the car seat. That much fun was had.

(Thankfully she wasn't sick this car trip. I credit a combination of 1/4 tablet of kids Gravol, open back seat windows, great advice from Twitter freinds and being prepared. The fact that she drove with a towel draped over her and clutching a bowl meant that of coarse she wasn't going to throw up. It also meant that in my attempts to be prepared for everything, I forgot my camera. Sorry, no pictures. )

We were there for the birthday party package. We arrived late, but the girl still have a chance to take a pony ride. Or four. I think this was her very favorite party of the whole party. All the kids took turns riding five ponies around a track for more then half an hour. The ponies were lovely and the staff, many of them teenagers, were kind and patient with all the kids.

After the pony rides, and you know the kids didn't want them to end, we were loaded up onto a wagon for a tractor ride through a big field. The driver did all the things kids like, like going over big hills and making the kids yell yeehaw. He had a clear understanding of the interests of 4-6 year olds. We also got to get out and run around a bit. The favorite stop was by the fence where the horses were grazing in the next field. Some of the horses even came over and gave us all a sniff!

The birthday party had use of a large room and it was there that lunch and cake was served. The birthday party package includes a lunch of hot dogs and drinks, which would be my only complaint about the whole experience. Thankfully the birthday hosts brough along some veggie dogs for the girl and any other vegetarians to eat.  Which as good because I had left all of my snacks at home with the camera.

Pinto Valley Ranch would be a great place for any animal lovers. There were tons of animals all over, including dogs, cats and pigs wandering through the yard. During our barn tour we got to see piglets and the kids got to take turns holding little grey kittens. The party finished up in the large pen with the lamas, sheep and donkeys. The girl loved chasing any animal that moved, mostly the sheep, and I kept busy watching where I stepped. (Note to self, next time bring rubber boots for both of us).

I would definitely make another visit to Pinto Valley Ranch. In fact, the visit has made me interested in trying out other opportunities for the girl to go pony/horseback riding. Do you ride? Do your kids? Do you have any recommendations on horebacking riding in or around Ottawa?

Brie is the mom of a 4 year old daughter “the girl” and 2 old son “the boy”. You can read her blog at Capital Mom.

Mer Bleue Boardwalk

by Sara

I have been visiting the Mer Bleue Boardwalk since I was the same age that the firefighter is now.  I have a lot of wonderful memories of wandering the boardwalk with my family.

A bog is is an ecosystem that is most commonly found in the Arctic rather than the Ottawa Valley.  My boys are fascinated by the deep dark water underneath the boardwalk and the spongy peat moss surrounding the trails.  If you want to learn more about bogs and the Mer Bleue Ecosystem, visit the NCC website dedicated to the bog.

There are several trails in the NCC conversation area where the Mer Bleue boardwalk is located.  We like the 1.2 km long boardwalk trail because it is short enough for the boys to walk on their own and there is a lot to see (it is also stroller-friendly).  My boys like all the flowers and plants that line the sides of the boardwalk and the 'funny' shaped trees.  There is a large beaver dam and you can walk through the forest where the beaver's gnaw down the trees.  Last year over the course of a month we visited once a week and watched the progressive destruction of several large trees. 

Each time they try to spot the trails the moose use in among the tall reeds. Our oldest also likes to find the trails the beaver's have left behind in the forest. There is a variety of birds and we once narrowly missed seeing one of the moose that lives in the surrounding forest. 

The boardwalk is beautiful at this time of year. Many of the leaves are starting to change colours and its a wonderful spot for photos. The walk usually takes us about an hour and there is a sheltered picnic area (and an outhouse) at the beginning of the trail (the same place it also ends).

There is free parking but the lot fills up quickly on the weekends. If you can, head our first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. The boardwalk is less crowded and you can take your time wandering the trail.

Letting them climb the walls

by Carly I work for an organization that occasionally requires me to hit the town with a bunch of pre-teens and teens on a Friday night.  We regularly schedule trips to places mom and dad may not be willing to visit – especially with their child and twenty-five of his closest friends in tow.

Recently we were scheduled to play indoor Paintball, only to find out the day before that the place had closed its doors.  In an effort to avoid a huge outcry of disappointment, we rallied the troops and talked the youth into trying out a new climbing gym.

The folks at Altitude Gym in Gatineau not only accommodated us at the last-minute, but they opened their doors a day prior to their official grand opening so our teens wouldn’t be left in the cold . . . literally.

When we arrived at their brand new gym at 35 boul. St-Raymond in Gatineau, they quickly ushered us into the Clip n’ Climb area.  Despite many, many years of planning outings for camps, youth groups and the like, I’d never seen anything like it.  You won’t have either, unless you’ve been to New Zealand - because right now, that’s the only other place where the Clip n’ Climb concept exists.

Altitude Gym is located in a former church and contains traditional rock climbing areas for all levels of experience, as well as a bouldering area.  As stated on their website, it’s a veritable rocktopia of climbing.

However the pièce de résistance, in my humble opinion, is found past the 17,000 square feet of climbing surfaces, in the  Clip n’ Climb area.  The sanctuary of the church has been transformed into a mecca of climbing fun for kids (and grown-ups!) aged five and up.  You’ll find over 30 amazing surfaces, each as unique as the one before.  In a briefing session in the former lobby of the church, staff will carefully explain the harness, the rules and get everyone set up.

Once inside, kids simply select the wall they want to try, clip their harness to the individual belaying system set up at each climb and wait for a staff to give the all clear.  Then it’s up and up and away!  Once they’re at the top, they can climb back down, or just let go for a graceful decent to the floor.  If they hit the ground a little too hard, not to worry as it’s extremely well padded with over a foot of cushy, springy softness – much like the floor at Cosmic Adventures, only thicker.

Parents can climb too or just watch, and groups can rent the mezzanine for parties or other events.  An hour in the Clip n’ Climb area will run you about $14 per person.  Factor in a little extra if your adventurous kids want to try the “Leap of Faith” or the “Vertical Drop”.  Our youth were exhausted after an hour of climbing and found the timing to be just right.  The enthusiastic and helpful staff only permit as many climbers as there are walls, so no one is ever left waiting.  Reservations are strongly recommended to ensure no one is disappointed on arrival and parents will be required to sign a waiver before anyone can play.

I’ve no affiliation with Altitude Gym at all, but immediately knew my four year old would love it.  Since he’s got a year to go before he’s old enough, I’m not showing him the photos until then!

Find them at www.altitudegym.ca. Call them at (819) 205-0959.

Carly has red hair and occasionally the temper to match.  She loves potatoes, rainy nights, photography, her husband and her 4 year old son, Jacob.  Probably in reverse order.   She also blogs.

Sunday October 17th 10am- 3pm The Glebe Community Center 175 Third Ave @ Lyon St in The Glebe