Upcoming activities for Kids in Ottawa - April 2023

We’ve been getting and seeing all kinds of activities and opportunities for kids coming in to our inbox lately so we thought we could put together a grouping of them here for you to check out!

Art classes

SPACE themed Drawing & Painting class at the Ottawa School of art in Orleans, Ages 9-12 | Wed 6pm-8pm, start date: 04/19/2023 !

They still need at least 1 more kiddo signed up for the class to run.

P23SC02C: Art in Space: Drawing and Painting Strange New Worlds (Ages 9-12)

Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm

10 sessions

April 19-June 28 (No Class May 10)

Summer Camps

Many summer camps are already sold out for the season - check out these options that as of writing this, still had available spots!

ASNY (Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet) has spots left in their Magic Treehouse musical theatre summer camp July 17th - 28th. Everything we’ve heard about the ASNY programming has been wonderful and a great chance for any musical kids to be a part of a production!

Math camp: If you have a math enthusiast, the Canadian Mathematical Society is running a camp July 24-28 out of Carleton University! There will be 3 age groups available:  Grades 4-5, Grades 6-7, Grades 8-9 and if there is enough interest they may open up the next week for camps as well.

City of Ottawa: The City has openings left in some of their camps, but they’re filling up fast so a good idea to check out what’s still available sooner than later!

Earth Day

The Nature Museum is opening for free on April 22 for Earth Day, so it’s a great day to visit the museum! They’ve also included a Nature Trek Scavenger Hunt worksheet on their website you can download and bring with you for your visit!

Children’s Business Fair

This event will showcase youth entrepreneurship in the community!

The fair will host 50 youth-run businesses on April 30, 2023 from 10 am to 1 pm at the Lansdowne Horticulture Building. This event is free and open to the public! Children create a product or service, develop a brand, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at this one-day marketplace. https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/ottawa

Have anything you’d like to see added to the list. Email kidsinthecapital.@gmail.com!

March Break 2023 Activity ideas in Ottawa

March break is right around the corner and if you haven’t made any plans to keep you and the kids busy yet, you aren’t alone. Here are some ideas for things to do locally here in the Ottawa area!

Museum of Nature

Make the museum your March Break destination. Special hands-on activities include a guessing game with wolf, coyote, dog and cat skull models, as well as a wolf activity sheet. Children will love making a paw print from modelling clay that they can take home as a keepsake. On Monday, March 13, 10 am to 3 pm, you can stop by the Queens’ Lantern to meet some representatives from the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind and their special four-legged assistants. Learn about how these amazing canines are trained.

Their highly-popular Pacific Discovery Tank is open daily during Spring Break (Sunday to Wednesday and Friday 10 am – 4 pm; Saturday 11 am – 4 pm; Thursday 10 am –  7:30 pm).

Ottawa Public Library

We’re big fans of the Ottawa Public Library here at Kids in the Capital. You can go in and check out books that have been recommended by the library in our monthly blog posts, or check out some of their special March Break activities!

They’ve got chess, crafts, dungeons and dragons, building activities, knitting, games, and so much more!

Sugarbush at the Log Farm

It’s sugarbush season and the Log Farm is a great place to experience it!

Take a wagon ride out to the sugarbush. See how maple syrup is made. Then take a walk through the trails of the sugar maples.

All their sap is collected by hand and if the weather conditions are right you and your family can help!

When you visit during sugarbush season you will also have access to the main farmyard, where you can visit with all the farm animals. They have lots of friendly animals to see, feed and touch around the farm and play areas for the kid’s, including hay structures and sensory tables. The pioneer farmhouse will be open for self-guided tours, where you will step back in time and see what family life would have been like in the 1860s. Make sure to dress for the weather and arrive early in your session, giving you the time you need to enjoy it all.

Visitors are limited each day so families can enjoy this great springtime tradition without long lineups and large crowds.   You can pre purchase tickets through their website.

Visit their website www.thelogfarm.com for more information and to find a link to purchase tickets.

Festival of Fire and Ice

Centretown is once again transforming into a magical street with stunning illuminations. Bank Street will be filled with captivating lights and sound installations for you to interact with.

This year’s Fire & Ice Winter Festival is a 3-day event spanning over 4 blocks.

• The festival is FREE admission and falls right during March break

• Lots of interactive installations for children to enjoy such as an illuminating swing

• Exciting performances throughout the 3-days such as buskers, dancers, throat singers

Dates:

• March 17th: 7:30 PM to 12 AM | Live DJ performance from 8 PM to 10 PM | Silent Disco from 10 PM to 12 AM

• March 18th: 11 AM to 12 AM | Live DJ performance from 8 PM to 10 PM | Silent Disco from 10 PM to 12 AM

• March 19th: 11 AM to 10:30 PM 

  Admission is FREE 

  *Silent Disco headphone tickets need to be purchased

Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

The Museum has daily activities going on for March break for you and the kids to check out!

Here is a glimpse at the daily activities they have planned but they also have other special activities you can check out on their website!

Daily Activities

9:30 a.m. — Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - English (Learning Centre, second floor)
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Maple Muffins (Demonstration Kitchen)
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Children’s Craft (Learning Centre, second floor)
11 a.m. — Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs – French (Learning Centre, second floor)
10 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Fleece to Fabric Activity Station (Learning Centre, second floor)
12:45 a.m. — Abominable – English (Learning Centre, second floor)
1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Whipped Feta Dip (Demonstration Kitchen)
1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Children’s Craft (Learning Centre, second floor)
1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Fleece to Fabric Activity Station (Learning Centre, second floor)
2:15 p.m. — Abominable – French (Learning Centre, second floor)

Daily Demonstrations

10 a.m. — Meet an Alpaca (Small Animal Barn)
11 a.m. — Meet the Dairy Cow Breed of the Day (Dairy Barn)
12 p.m. — All About Sheep and Goats (Small Animal Barn)
2 p.m. — Soil: The World Beneath our Feet (Soil Lab)
3 p.m. — Meet Hercules the Bull (Horse and Cattle Barn)
4 p.m. — Afternoon Milking (Dairy Barn)
(Please note the Dairy Barn closes at 4:30 p.m.)

Bank of Canada Museum

The Bank of Canada is always free and has a great array of interactive activities for kids to enjoy, and it’s a fun spot to take the kids over March break!

Kids can learn to spot a counterfeit, design their own bank note, and explore the museum to find Canadian symbols.

On March 11 and 12 they will also have an RCMP fraud specialist on site!

Check out the Mall!

A lot of the local malls are running daily activities to keep the kids entertained!

Carlingwood has magicians, science, music and so much more throughout the week!

Place d’Orleans will have singing, cookie decorating, animals and honey!

Billings Bridge will have animals, leprechauns, and science!

Know of anything else we should add to the list? Comment below!

Middle Grade Fiction: Expand Your Horizons - Recommendations from the Ottawa Public Library

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share fabulous folktale books with us. This month’s post is by Raven Winn-Desroches, Librarian, Children's and Teen Services at the St Laurent Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

When kids first start reading novels on their own, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many books out there. It can seem quite overwhelming. Often, they will turn to the most popular books. The ones their friends are reading and talking about. While there is nothing wrong with this (I strongly believe that it does not matter what is being read, as long as kids are reading), it can lead to frustration. They do not like the popular books, or do not see themselves represented in its pages. Or they have simply read all the popular books and are now looking for more. 

The list below is meant to help with this issue. These books feature a variety of marginalized voices all the while telling stories that can appeal to everyone. Reading outside of their immediate experiences can help kids learn empathy, and these books teach them about the world around them and the people in it. It is also a great jumping off point for anyone looking to read more diversely, or who simply want to see themselves reflected in the books they read. 

I have also put together a list featuring the books below, and others like it here: Middle Grade: Expand your horizons | Bibliothèque publique d'Ottawa | BiblioCommons 

All books mentioned are aimed at readers aged 8-12, but everyone’s preferences and comfort levels when it comes to reading may vary. 

Dear Sweet Pea by Julie Murphy 

Dear Sweet Pea follows thirteen-year-old Patricia as she grapples with the effects of her parents’ divorce on her life. She is recruited by her neighbour, the town’s eccentric local advice columnist, Flora Mae, to manage her mail while she is away. Patricia cannot help herself: she notices the handwriting on one of the letters and responds to it as Flora Mae. This sets off a chain of events that throws Patricia’s friendships into disarray as she toes the line between right and wrong. 

The Chance to Fly by Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz 

The Chance to Fly is the story of musicals-obsessed Nat Beacon. She is never seen an actor on stage who uses a wheelchair for mobility like she does, but she gets the chance to change that when she moves to a new town and gets cast in the ensemble of an all-kids production of Wicked. 

No Vacancy by Tziporah Cohen 

In No Vacancy, Miriam Brockman and her family move to a small rural town in New York State, where they have purchased a dilapidated motel in the hopes of turning it into a successful business. Seeing her family struggle with this, Miriam and her new friend Kate orchestrate the appearance of a religious image in the town, in hopes of driving up much-needed tourism in the town. This book expertly interweaves Miriam’s Jewish faith, and the reality of antisemitism in today’s world, with themes of family and friendships that everyone will relate to. 

Different Kinds of Fruit by Kyle Lukoff  

Different Kinds of Fruit tells the story of Annabelle Blake as she navigates her budding friendship with a new student at her school. With Bailey, Annabelle’s world opens up, and she learns about things she had never thought of before – including gender, intercommunity conflict, and LGBTQ history. This is a coming-of-age story that shows readers how things like gender and sexuality and acceptance may not be quite so black and white. 

Fifty-Four Things Wrong With Gwendolyn Rogers by Caela Carter 

Gwendolyn Rogers is a fifth grader who, ever since she discovered a list of fifty-four things that are wrong with her (Number 16: she is sneaky. Number 13: She is impulsive), has become determined to fix everything that is wrong with her. Otherwise, she believes, she will only continue to be a bad daughter, student, friend, or person in general. Author Caela Carter pulls from her own experiences as someone with undiagnosed ADHD and dyslexia to create a moving and richly told story about self-acceptance. 

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston 

Amari and the Night Brothers is the first book in a fantasy series. Amari Peters’s brother, Quinton, went missing some time ago, but Amari has never given up hope that he is still alive. When she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet containing information about something called the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, Amari cannot help but want to investigate. This plunges her into a world where magicians, fairies, aliens, and all manner of supernatural creatures are real. Now, she must now compete for a spot in the BSA in hopes of discovering what truly happened to Quinton. 

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat 

The Last Mapmaker is a story of identity and integrity, perfect for fans of tales of adventure. It follows twelve-year-old Sai, assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker. The daughter of a notorious conman, Sai hides her identity to maintain a respectable position in society. However, as her ship approaches the Sunderlands – a land of dragons, riches, and dangers untold, Sai must grapple with her lies, and decide what her future is worth to her. The Last Mapmaker deftly approaches themes of colonization and discovery that make it must-read. 

Sledding with Kids in Ottawa

We’re about to get a lot of snow! We wanted to share some of the places to go sledding with the kids, along with some tips to keep your kids safe.

We polled our community to ask where some of their favourite spots for sledding are and some of the favourites are:

• The NCC’s Green’s Creek + Bruce Pitt

• Lansdowne Park - nice and central and close to lots of restaurants and other ammenities

• Apollo Crater - 600 Apollo Way, Orleans (this is also an off-leash dog park so not a great choice if you or your kids are uncomfortable around dogs and a great bonus if you’d like to bring your dog with you)

If you’re looking for even more ideas, the city of Ottawa has a map on their web site that shows all of the city spots that are designated for sledding.

Safety tips parents with small children: 

While sledding is a fun winter activity it can also be dangerous. Here are some tips provided by the City of Ottawa that are good reminders.

·            Protect your brain – wear a ski/snowboard or hockey helmet.  

·            Check out one of the approved City of Ottawa sledding hills at ottawa.ca/sledding

·            Avoid a hill that is steep and make sure there is plenty of room at the bottom to stop. 

·            Watch for hazards – like other sledders, icy areas, trees, rocks, fences and rivers.

·            Avoid sledding head first or on your back. Sit or kneel on your sled.  

·            Watch the weather and avoid icy conditions.

·            Choose a sled that is easy to control, avoid inner tubes and plastic discs. 

Any other tips or spots to share - we’d love to hear them in the comments!

My favourite picture books of 2022 - Ottawa Public Library Recommendations

Want some new picture book ideas for the kids - here is a list of favourites from 2022 compiled by the Ottawa Public Library for us. Let us know if you’ve read any before and which are YOUR favourites.

A Mouthful of Minnows, by John Hare

An alligator snapping turtle named Alphonso, tucked himself between some moss and an old tire at the bottom of the pond.  His mouth is wide open, and his pink tongue is wriggling, waiting for unsuspecting fish to swim in as his breakfast. Soon one minnow arrives; then several more, and then an entire school and a whole family arrives deciding that the “worm” would make a perfect birthday present for grandmother Big Betty. Big Betty said, “I am so glad to have all my children and grandchildren, every one of my sweet babies sharing food with me. This is the very best birthday I could ask for.” Alphonso is so touched, that he not only doesn’t snap shut his enormous mouth to all those minnows, but also saves Big Betty from getting caught on a worm-clad fishing hook.  

This is a humorous picture book about patience, generosity, friendship, and empathy. A Mouthful of Minnows is a surprising and heartwarming picture book that is perfect for story time read-a-loud and bedtime. The backmatter includes fun facts about snapping turtles.

The Baby-Changing Station, by Phett Miller; Illustrated by Dan Santat

James is a regular ten-year-old kid who lives with his parents and a dog. But life changes when his brand-new brother Joe rolled in, and his parents, who adore Joe and, no longer have as much time for James anymore.  At a family pizza night, his exhausted parents ask James to change Joe’s diaper. Above a baby-changing station, James notices a screen and a big advertisement announcing: “turn a crybaby into cool stuff: three options today to send that dumb kid away”. Option 1.  Night-vision specs; two complete sets allow you to see in the dark. Option 2. Two six-string electric guitars. Option 3. Two chemistry sets for the laboratory. Each tempting choice makes James ponder a future without his brother. At the same time, this leads him to realize that he wants to see what his younger brother grows up to be, and he also looks forward to being friends with his younger brother someday. As James carries his younger brother Joe out from the bathroom, Joe shouts out his name, and so his name is Joe’s very first word.

Miller’s humour, playful rhymes along with Santat’s imaginative illustrations, make The Baby-Changing Station stand out amongst other sibling rivalry stories.

The Blur, by Minh Le; Illustrated by Dan Santat

From the beginning, there was something different about this child. The supersonic voice, fantastically elastic limbs, enhanced hearing, and ability to turn invisible, not to mention those ultra-magnetic powers. While those early days were a total blur, every now and then, time stood perfectly still. Until one day, a first step and the child became … The Blur.  Always on the move, racing headfirst toward danger! Leaving no stone unturned! No corner unexplored! Nothing stands in the way as The Blur takes the world by storm. The Blur flew into life, zipping through days, blazing across weeks, and zooming over the years until … time stops again. The last page shows a girl driving a car alone leaving for college.

This book uses a few simple sentences, with vivid bold and bright illustrations, to depict the moment the infant arrives home until the day the child drives off to college. Mom and dad just wonder “how did we get here so fast? It’s all a blur”. The audience for this picture book is parents, and every parent will relate to the scenes depicting an entire childhood of their kids. Time flies, and it will pull at the heartstrings of every parent. 

Me and Ms. Too, by Laura Ruby; Illustrated by Dung Ho

For as long as Moly can remember, it’s always just been her and Dad.  They splashed at the pool, and spun in the park, and baked cookies together.

But that was before Dad married Ms. Too.

Ms. Too doesn’t like to splash. She doesn’t like to spin, and she doesn’t like to bake. Now everything has changed.

Even though Moly liked Ms. Too before, as the school librarian, she doesn’t like her at all as her step- mother. It is nice to read how this complex relationship develops, from dislike to having fun doing a lot of things together, to eventually make for a happy blended family.

It’s a heartwarming, playful, and deeply felt story about a blended family. It’s the perfect book for kids and adults who may be in a similar situation.

Knight Owl, by Christopher Denise

Since the day he hatched, Owl had one wish: to be a knight. Eager owl’s chance comes when knights start to go missing in the kingdom. Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has a habit of nodding off during the day.  But he works hard and graduates with honour. He is assigned to the Knight Night Watch and does a very good job, until one day, he encounters a hungry dragon who wants to eat him as a midnight snack.  Clever Owl offers pizza to the dragon, and it turns out that the dragon loves pizza. The two talk about how each of them hatched from eggs, how much they liked the night, and how flying was hard to explain to someone who had never done it before. It turns out they really have a lot in common, and clever owl ends up defeating the dragon through friendship.  The following week, and the week after that, not a single knight disappeared.

The expressive illustrations and playful language combine for an engaging story and is the perfect read-a-loud.

King Kong’s Cousin, by Mark Teague

Kong was the most famous gorilla in the city. His cousin, Junior, was not famous at all.  Kong was as big as an apartment building. Junior lived in an apartment building with his mother and his cat. Kong did heroic things, Junior did chores.  “You’re just as special as your cousin,” said his mother, but Junior didn’t believe her. Junior wants to be as big and as strong and as special as his cousin, Kong.  Until one day Junior rescues his cat who was stuck in a very tall tree, and so he starts to feel a little bigger.

This book will encourage kids who strive to be taller and stronger, to do great things and believe in themselves. This is a cozy family read to enjoy together.

Farmhouse, by Sophie Blackall

This book was written by two-time Caldecott medalist Sophie Blackall. It is another masterpiece and has the potential to earn Caldecott again.

“This is a book about a particular farmhouse and the family who lived there, but it’s also about any house and any family and the passing of time, and about the things we leave behind and how stories are the things that remain; stories that we pass down through generations, and stories that outlast us all. Farmhouse is written in one long sentence, and the images are essentially one giant piece of art seen in glimpses, and at the end, as a whole. The illustrations are made of layers with the reverse side of a roll of wallpaper and added floors and walls and furniture made from the scraps and fragments I found in the falling down house, stories about everything and nothing much that stay alive long after children grow up and houses fall down while wildflowers nod their heads in the sun.” This is from Behind the page: Sophie Blackall presents Farmhouse. 

Mina, by Matthew Forsythe

Reader mouse Mina lived in her own little world, where nothing ever bothered her. Until one day, when her dad brings home an animal, declaring it to be a squirrel. But Mina doesn’t think so. Later, his dad brings home two more “squirrels”. Curious that none of the three “squirrels” eat acorns. Mina’s father seeks the advice of a doctor, who determines they are not squirrels; instead, they are cats. Then there are three cats chasing three mice. And just as they are about to eat the mice, a stick insect walks slowly into the fray. She licks her finger and opens a book, and starts reading out loud, and the cats slowly fall asleep.

The whole book is full of humor, suspense, and charm, with captivating illustrations. Kids will enjoy this suspenseful fantasy.

Night Lunch, by Eric Fan; Illustrated by Dena Seiferling

A horse pulls a magical lunch cart to provide meals for nocturnal animals. The chef owl prepares different tasty meals for different creatures. Owl spots mouse, a poor street sweeper, who is trembling. Owl invites the little mouse for a night-time lunch feast together. This dreamlike picture book from the imagination of two acclaimed picture book creators, reveals how empathy and kindness, as well as unexpected generosity and gratitude, can be found -and savored – in the most unexpected places.

Sylvie, by Jean Reidy; Illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins

Sylvie is a story about courage. It’s a story about community. It’s a story about friendship. It’s a story about one small spider with a big bold heart. A spider named Sylvie, observes four families in an apartment building. Lately, she notices that they are all quiet, and don’t do the things they did before.  Sylvie beckons each one to the building’s rooftop, where they quickly bond and transform the space into a community gathering place.  It is a warm story to bring people together, especially during these pandemic times.

For more best picture book recommendations, please check my favorite picture book list at Ottawa Public Library.

This blog is a compilation of a variety of reviews and the info of publisher’s catalogues and was submitted by the Ottawa Public Library.