Kids in the Capital Garage Sale! CANCELLED

Unfortunately we have had to cancel the sale for this year. Thank you to those who expressed interest in taking part in the sale. Looking for more space in your house? Trying to find a way to sell your baby or kid toys, clothes and gear?

Starting your fall and winter shopping? Looking for baby gear in a fun environment?

We've got the answer. Kids in the Capital is pleased to announce our first Community Garage Sale.

When: Saturday September 17, 2011 from 9am- 1 pm.

Children's activities from 11am-1pm

Where:  Quality Inn Orleans (3363 St Joseph Blvd, Orleans) map

How:

If you'd like to sell your used items, spaces are available for $25 with a table, and $20 without. There will also be a limited number of tables available for businesses at $40.

If you're looking for great deals just come on by and check it out!

Please contact kitc.sale@gmail.com for more information and to book a table. We look forward to seeing you there!

Best Apps for Kids –Alexandre Minard

by Kari If you read my earlier post, Best Apps for Kids - Toddlers, there were several great suggestions for toddlers and more from fellow Kids In the Capital readers.  One in particular caught my eye, FW Deluxe.  Within a month of our iPad purchase, I was told at a BBQ that I *had* to get First Words.  No problem.  Um, which one?  I downloaded a smattering of lite or sampler versions, including FirstWords Sampler, First Words Lite, and then I fell in love with Alexandre Minard.

As I love free, I initially downloaded the Alexandre Minard’s My First Words Animals lite – the English, French, Spanish, and Italian versions.  Eventually, I laid down my $1.99 for the entire My First Words collection.  Yes, I did the same for the Mes Premiers Mots and Mis Primeras Palabras.  The graphics are fun, the sound effects cute, and the clincher - there are three difficulty levels.  My toddler can play on the simplest level, my five year-old the second level, and my older nieces and nephews use it on the hardest level.

Once I discovered my love for Alexandre, I had to see more.  My next purchase would be Animal Matching for Kids, a worthwhile purchase at $1.99.  In an effort to curb my spending, I downloaded the lite version of My First Puzzles and My First Puzzles:  Circus.  I lasted a week before I caved and bought the full versions!

At this point, developers began to build In-App Purchase capabilities in their apps.  Alexandre Minard is no exception; you may download almost all their apps for free but you will only get a subset of the functionality.  In the My First Puzzles line, it appears standard to get two of the puzzles unlocked.  As a word of caution, it may be best for all involved to disable In-App purchases under Settings -> General -> Restrictions.  If you want to upgrade, it only requires a few taps, your password, and a minimum of $1.99.  Four months post-download, my children continue to happily play the limited versions of My First Puzzles Numbers, Alphabet, Dinosaurs, and Snakes!

Do you have a favourite Developer or Series? Let us know.

Kari is the mom of two girls, a 5 year old and a 1 year old.  She can be found frequenting free activities throughout the city in hopes it’ll tire them out enough to sleep through the night.

Sleep-Away Camp

by Finola My two daughters spent a week away at Camp Davern recently - a Y camp for girls near Perth. My nine-year-old, N, is quiet and introverted, and yet she has an inner confidence that constantly surprises and impresses me. My seven-year-old B is outgoing and makes friends easily and embraces life, but she has an inner worrying side to her, which also often surprises me. I was really not sure which of the two of them would have an easier time being away from home for an extended period for the first time.

As I drove to pick them up on the last day, I prepared myself to catch the first glimpse of their faces when I arrived. I knew that at first glance I would know immediately if camp had been a success. My girls are a part of me and I can read them like I can read myself.

I parked the car and got out, and walked towards the area where the counsellors were leading the campers in a song. I saw both girls sitting in different parts of the half-circle, looking calm and relaxed. I watched and waited until B saw me first. She leaped up, a gigantic grin on her face, and she ran towards me and jumped into my arms and we exchanged a crushing hug.

“Did you have fun?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

“Yes!” she replied

N looked over then and saw me too. She got up and walked to me a little more slowly and self-consciously. She gave me a big hug too, and I asked her the same question, already knowing the answer.

“Yes!” she replied.

They said their good-byes to their new friends and counsellors and then we gathered their mountains of things, and set off for home. In the car, they chatted to me non-stop about their week. They had loved the swimming, canoeing, arts and crafts, drama, the food, the friends, the counsellors. Was there anything that they didn’t like I asked them. No, not a thing.

They are already talking about going back next year, and this time for the 12-day camp. This suits me and husband Tony just fine, because I think we enjoyed sleep-away camp even more than they did.

Having a week with no kids in the house brought us back ten years ago when we were married but didn’t yet have children. We could do what we liked whenever we wanted to. It was all the better though, because we haven‘t had time alone like that for so long, that we truly appreciated every moment; we knew how precious this time to ourselves was. One day after work, Tony and I walked over to the tennis club and played tennis without having to bribe anyone with freezies. We then strolled home past our favourite neighbourhood Thai restaurant and picked up some take-out, which we then ate on the couch in front of the TV. Bliss

I did miss my girls, of course I did, but I thoroughly enjoyed my week off from being a parent. Thank goodness they loved camp because I am looking forward to shipping them off sending them again next summer.

I thought I would let the girls tell you in their own words about their camp experiences, typed by me:

Seven-year-old B’s post:

Last Saturday, I went to Camp Davern and that’s a sleep-away camp, and I went for seven days. Every morning as soon as you woke up, you could do the polar bear dip which is just a morning swim and then there is zoom zone and you play games. And then we eat breakfast, and then we brush our teeth and then we do some cabin activities.

Me: What are cabin activities?

B: Mommy, it’s when you do activities with your cabin. Wow Mommy. You should know what cabin activities are!”

Me: Ah, yes, of course. Sorry. Continue.

Wait, no, cabin activities are later. After breakfast we do cabin cleanup, then personal choice, and I chose 1) drama and 2) arts and crafts. After that we have lunch. We had soup, sandwiches, quiche, salad….stuff like that. After lunch is zap time, which is quiet time. During my zap times, I wrote a letter to my parents, I used my Junie B. Jones activity book, and I also sometimes just played with my special dog called Bowen and my special blanket called Pink Blanket.

I thought drama and arts and crafts was really fun. I made three new friends, wait two. Actually I did make three…

Me: So what was it like being away from home for a whole week:

B: I missed my parents a little bit, but then you get distracted because it’s so fun and you don’t really want to go home once they arrive.

Me: Awesome.

Nine-Year-Old N’s post:

I think camp was a great experience because it taught you a lot about the outdoors. We played a bunch of fun games like rain vs. sun which is where one team wants to get tiles into the other team’s bucket without getting tapped. If you get tapped the other person has 3 guesses to guess where the tile is on you. If none of your 3 guesses is correct, then the other person gets a 10 second getaway. On the last day of camp we played a gigantic game of Clue. On that day, it was game day. We got to play a bunch of other games too.

Me: What was it like being away from home for an entire week?

N: I think it was fun because you got to make a bunch of new friends and just be away from home.

Me: did you miss Me and Daddy?

N: A bit, but we were having too much fun to really realize it.

Me: Awesome.

Finola is married to Tony and together they have two girls who are 6 and 8. You can read her blog at www.finolablog.com

Your must read kids' books just got longer : suggestions from the Ottawa Public Library

Have you joined the Summer Reading Club (SRC) at the Ottawa Public Library (OPL)? You can join at any of the 33 branches, and even the 2 bookmobiles!

Have you put all of the stickers on your really neat poster that you received when you joined the Summer Reading Club (SRC), drawn by Kim LaFave? Have you checked out Kim LaFave? Have you done the word puzzles, connected-the-dots, and coloured the wonderful pictures in your SRC booklet? All done? Then it is time to read! (Actually, anytime is the time to read!) Here are some great books, not to be missed. All available at your favourite Ottawa Public Library branch (or bookmobile).

First of all, let me tell you about my favourite books illustrated by Kim LaFave.

Amos's Sweater by Janet Lunn; illustrated by Kim LaFave

“Amos was old and Amos was cold and Amos was tired of giving away all his wool.” But despite his noisy objections, Aunt Hattie shears Amos once again and knits his wool into a brightly colored sweater for Uncle Henry. Poor Amos decides that this time he's had enough – I think one of the best illustrations in Canadian picture books is in this book. Poor Amos was “old and he was cold and now he was angry”. And the illustration is superb! Superb! I invite you to head to the library, and take this book out. You will enjoy reading it, and enjoying LaFave’s superb (yes, they are superb) illustrations.

A Very Unusual Dog by Dorothy Jean Harris; illustrated by Kim LaFave.

Jonathan has a very unusual dog. It likes to go to the park, watch TV, and eat toast crumbs. And it's invisible. His big sister Elizabeth says Dog isn't real, but Jonathan and Grandma know better... A story about imagination and sharing, perfectly illustrated by award-winner Kim LaFave. I give this book to every grandmother who comes into our branch.

We'll All Go Sailing. Richard Thompson & Maggee Spicer. Illustrated by Kim LaFave.

The young narrator and his friends, Maggee and Jesse, travel to a myriad of places to look at sea life that is every colour of the rainbow. Children will delight in the pink octopus, the blue manatee, and the orange barracuda. Richard Thompson and Maggee Spicer have created a rhythmic poem that will encourage the very youngest of new readers. Together with Kim LaFave's bold and playful illustrations, this delightful poem will make a fine book: “To show what we'll see, when we all go sailing on the rainbow seas.”

And some more books that you will have lots of fun sharing:

Stanley at Sea by Linda Bailey; illustrated by Bill Slavin.

Stanley and his pals embark on an adventure that makes seadogs of them all! Its picnic time in the park -- but not for Stanley. He knows he's not supposed to beg, but his people are always eating. And Stanley is always hungry! After he's told to "get," Stanley wanders down by the river where he runs into Alice, Nutsy and Gassy Jack. Soon their keen noses lead them to a delicious treat on a small boat with no people in sight. When the boat's mooring comes loose, they float away with the current down the river, under a bridge and then out to sea! It's a scary new world where the sky stretches in every direction and big waves crash. The dogs know that when you're Outside, sooner or later you always come to a fence. When suddenly through the mist they see what looks like a very tall fence, they know they've come to the End of Outside! But what kind of fence is this? (p.s. if everyone emails Bill Slavin, and tells him I told you what a great illustrator he is, maybe he will come to Ottawa, and visit the Carlingwood Branch!)

Stella, Star of the Sea By Marie-Louise Gay

*

Stella and her little brother are spending the day at the sea. Stella has been to the sea before and knows all its secrets, but Sam has many questions: "Does a catfish purr? Does a seahorse gallop?" Stella has an answer for them all. The only thing she isn't sure of, and neither are we, is whether Sam will ever come into the water.

Exquisite, evocative watercolors bring a diaphanous day at the beach alive in this perfect summer story. Gently humorous, Stella, Star of the Sea also captures the relationship between an older sister and her baby brother -- a responsibility that can be both lots of fun and very trying.

Wave by Suzy Lee.

Have you discovered the world of wordless picture books yet? This is a wonderful one to start with. A sunny day, a curious little girl and a playful wave - artist Suzy Lee has taken these three simple elements and created a visual tour-de-force that needs absolutely no words to tell its universal story. With masterful use of line and color, she explores the power of the natural world, the nuance of friendship, and even the very components that make a book.

The Sandcastle Contest. Robert Munsch; illustrated by Michael Martchenko.

Matthew’s family is off to the cottage. When they arrive, there is a sandcastle contest going on. Matthew builds a magnificent sand house . . . one so good that the judges can’t even tell it’s not real!

The Party by Barbara Reid.

It's Gran's birthday, and the whole family is celebrating with a big party!   While the adults enjoy the festivities, the children have their own kind of fun! There are hiding places to find, fabulous make-believe games to play, delicious food to eat, and a scrumptious birthday cake along with a rousing family rendition of "Happy Birthday to You!" (Yes, I am including a Barbara Reid in this blog too!!)

Scaredy Squirrel at the beach, by Melanie Watt.

We know by now that Scaredy Squirrel only feels safe when he's at home in his nut tree, with his defenses, his emergency kit and his back–up plans at the ready. So even though the sun is shining and it's time for a vacation, Scaredy does not want to go to the beach — that vast, frightening place where a squirrel could get stranded. (Not to mention other hazards such as sea monsters, falling coconuts, seagulls, pirates and lobsters.)

Instead, Scaredy builds his own safe beach getaway under his nut tree, complete with germ-free inflatable pool, artificial beach scenery, a flashlight and a plastic flamingo.

Still, the lure of the genuine beach is strong — even a dedicated homebody such as Scaredy can't resist it forever. Can his back–up plans save him from its perils? Will his No.65 sunscreen protect his delicate complexion?

Camping by Nancy Hundal, illustrated by Brian Deines

Who can forget their first camping trip? "Holidays, lolling days. Mom wishes for museums and art galleries. Dad talks about fancy hotels. My sister Laurie wants malls, anywhere. Duncan dreams of arcades. And I long for Disneyland." This year won’t be like the others. There will be no paintings or fluffy towels, clothes racks, jackpots or mouse ears. Nancy and her family are going camping. Just the thought of camping is bad enough. Outhouses, mosquito bites, burnt food and lots of work -- what kind of holiday is that? But from the moment their campsite is established, the family slowly begins to discover the magic of life in the wild. Nights so quiet and dark, it's like being wrapped in a blanket. Food that warms the stomach and awakens the senses. Swimming in the lake, climbing trees and lolling in the sun. And millions, no, bajillions of stars. More time, less o’clock. That's what camping is about.

A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen

Mr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when all of a sudden they find themselves plunging down a mountain and teetering on the edge of a huge waterfall! How will they find their way out of this slippery situation? Chris Van Dusen, the creator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, has filled this new adventure with charming illustrations and a playful, rhyming text. A fun read-aloud for children (and adults!) on campouts or snuggling at home!

Rain, Rain by Maryann Kovalski

Jenny, Joanna and Grandma -- the irrepressible trio from the best-selling Wheels on the Bus and Jingle Bells -- are back! In Maryann Kovalski's latest song-filled adventure, a rainy day dashes the girls' hopes for fun at the beach, until Grandma's spirited ingenuity makes it a day they'll never forget.

I hope that you have lots of “reading parties” in August, and enjoy these books. Remember, next time you are at the library, ask your librarian which authors, illustrators, and books, are her favourites. She will have a long list too! Margaret Kirkpatrick, Children’s Librarian, Carlingwood Branch.

Hockey : learning the basics

by Joe

Let’s see, the humidex pushes things up past 35 degrees and you could cook an egg on the dash of your car. Yup, time to think about hockey season.

Hard as it is to believe, minor hockey registration is opening up around the capital. Hockey’s not the cheapest sport out there but it is a national pastime in this country and a great way for kids to stay active during the long winter months (not to mention a great way to build friendships and learn valuable life skills).

For hockey parent rookies, though, it can be tough to sort out the ins and outs of getting your kid involved in the game and, sadly, most minor hockey websites assume a lot of knowledge that first-timers may not have. So here’s a quick guide on the need-to-knows.

It’s Ottawa. Let’s start with the bureaucracy

Ok, first some necessary bureaucratic info: Amateur hockey in Canada is governed by Hockey Canada (http://www.hockeycanada.ca). Hockey Canada has a number of branch organizations across the country, including the Ottawa District Hockey Association (http://www.odha.com). Within the ODHA, minor hockey is governed by the Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association (http://www.odmha.on.ca) – still following me? – which in turn is comprised of 10 districts. Each of those districts is made up of one or more local associations.

Head spinning? You really only need to know about your local association but the other bodies are bound to pop up if you start searching online for Ottawa minor hockey. If you don’t know which local association is your local association, the ODMHA has a useful tool on their site (http://maps.odmha.on.ca/). You’ll probably register in the central Hockey Canada database but you’ll get to it from your local association website. And if you decide to volunteer (more on that later), you might encounter Hockey Canada certification programs.

Phew. That’s done.

House leagues and tryouts and camps, oh my!

A lot of parents have anxiety about dropping their kids into minor hockey programs if they haven’t spent a lot of time on skates. Such concerns are natural but unnecessary. Hockey Canada’s Initiation Program (IP) is a great way to learn the fundamentals of the game. Even if your child is too old for IP, most (if not all) associations in the area operate tiered house leagues. During the first few weeks of the preseason, all players are evaluated against other players their age and put into one of three tiers, A, B or C, with A being the most skilled tier.

I’ve coached at the Atom (9-10) and Pee-Wee (11-12) age groups and I’ve had kids in the C tier that could barely skate at the start of the year; they’re not out of their element.

All of that being said, the City of Ottawa does offer some great learn-to-skate and hockey fundamental programs. There are also a myriad of camps (usually called hockey schools) offered throughout the summer by the various associations as well as Carleton University, the RA Centre, the Sensplex and more. These are great for getting kids comfortable on the ice and give them a taste of the game without a season-long commitment – just in case they decide it’s not for them.

What about girls’ hockey?

Girls’ hockey is a rapidly growing field and one I have to admit I’m not super knowledgeable about. The associations linked to above welcome players of either gender but the trend recently has been for girls to play in one of the girls’ hockey associations in town, such as the Ottawa Girls’ Hockey Association (http://www.ogha.info/). If you do choose to put your daughter in one of the mixed associations, they’ll have their own change rooms starting at Pee-Wee (before that the majority of players show up to the rink in their equipment).

Speaking of equipment

Yea, hockey equipment. It’s expensive AND it smells bad! Most associations can provide you a list of what you need, such as this handy list from Ottawa Centre Minor Hockey (http://ocmha.ca/files/list_of_required_equipment.pdf). Canadian Tire and other such stores offer convenient kits that provide most of the gear for smaller players but you can also save a lot of money buying used. A lot of associations offer gear swaps and there are a few Play It Again Sports locations in the area where you can buy (and later sell) used equipment. You can also try your luck with usedottawa.com, Kijiji or Craigslist.

The only things I would recommend buying new are jocks, sticks and helmets. Helmets are the only one of those things you’re likely to find for sale used, and a lot of parents do, but Hockey Canada recommends only ever buying new lids and replacing them every couple of years. Same goes for the cages that go on the helmets. Makes sense, if you’re going to invest, invest in their heads, right?

The next challenge is getting the gear on. I could provide a step-by-step instruction but this is getting to be a long enough post as it is. If you’re stumped, bring it all to the rink on your first day of hockey and ask a coach. Trust me, you won’t be the first to do so.

I’m just feeding myself segues here (aka: the first ice time)

So now we’ve found our association, registered and dropped a mortgage payment on equipment. Time to go to the rink!

First important thing to know is that ice times at city-operated rinks (which is most of them that you’ll be in) are for 50 minutes. Why is this important? Because you’ll want to time your arrival. Even if you get your kid fully kitted up at home, don’t show up 10 minutes before your ice time starts because you’ll find yourself in the midst of a pile of other kids with nervous parents coming off from the ice time before yours.

Play it safe and get there 20 minutes or half an hour early. With no teams and no groups set up this early in the year, odds are there’ll be two dressing rooms for your ice time. If there’s no signage up (and there often isn’t), look for someone with a clipboard or whistle, ask them if they’re with your group and ask them which room to go to. Even if your kid is already dressed, get them into a dressing room. He or she can get to know the other players and you’ll be in the right spot for any coach announcements or anything.

Once you’ve got your child settled with the group and outfitted in all of their gear (don’t forget mouth and neck guards), go sit in the stands. Your job is done for now and nobody likes a helicopter parent. Unless you’re a volunteer with a specific job, of course. Which brings me to…

Ok, now you’re doing this on purpose (aka: volunteering)

Remember that guy with the clipboard or whistle? He’s a volunteer. The helpful parent that emailed you after you registered? Volunteer. The parents that are scooping up pylons, handing out pucks and directing traffic on the ice? Volunteers.

Most teams need the following:

• Head coach
• Assistant coaches (two or three)
• Trainers (one or two)
• Manager (one or two)
• Timekeepers / score keepers (as many as they can get)

Here’s a quick rundown:

Head coach (requires Hockey Canada “Speak Out” training and a coaching certification). This is the person calling the shots on the ice and in the dressing room. They plan the practices, run the practices, set lines and run the bench during games.

Assistant coach (requires Hockey Canada “Speak Out training). These people help the coach during practices (by running drills) and games (by opening doors). Ability to skate is an asset.

Trainer (requires Hockey Canada “Speak Out training and trainer certification). The trainer or trainers are responsible for developing emergency plans for teams (who calls the ambulance, who meets the ambulance etc.) and for attending to injured players on the ice during games and practices. Quick word of warning, though, the required course is more about risk management than it is about first aid. If you’re serious about wanting to be a trainer, consider taking first aid training too (though, admittedly, at the early ages in house league, serious injuries are rare – the kids just don’t move fast enough to get badly hurt).

Manager (requires Hockey Canada “Speak Out training). Managers have two main areas of responsibility, managing a team budget and handling team logistics (the role is often divided between two people on these lines. Budgets are needed because most teams collect a team fee (forgot to mention that, didn’t I?) to cover the costs of tournaments, team clothing and a team wrap-up party – all stuff that goes above the cost of registration. Logistics is more about booking tournaments, updating parents about ice time changes and arranging for timekeepers.

Timekeepers / score keepers (requires willingness to deal with antiquated technology). This isn’t a formal role but most leagues require the home team to provide time and score keepers for each game. These two parents get to sit in a tiny glass box between the penalty boxes, one running the score clock and one filling in the game sheet. Training is ad hoc and recognition is minimal. Typically one parent shows tepid interest in helping and gets stuck with this job for the season. Enjoy!

Important note: Most associations will cover the cost of your certifications. If the website doesn’t say so, ASK! It’s usually on you to sign up for a course though. They are listed in a Hockey Canada database (https://ehockey.hockeycanada.ca/ehockey/cliniclist.aspx?oid=10) and you’re free to attend a clinic in any association so long as there’s room.

Lastly and most importantly…

Ok, your kid has equipment and a league to play in. You’ve found the rink and secured the volunteer job of your choice. Now comes the most important part: Don’t be one of “those” parents. Have fun, cheer on the players and remember why you’re there. Minor hockey is about fun and learning how to be a good teammate. Those are kids out there. Act accordingly.

Joe Boughner is an Ottawa-based digital strategist, minor hockey coach and father to a 19-month-old daughter. He writes occasionally on his own blog at www.joeboughner.ca as well as on his joint parenting blog at www.boughner.ca. His wife is way more consistent with this blogging thing though. She’s online at www.amyboughner.ca.