La Leche League Canada -- July

Breastfeeding Support Group
Topic: The Art of Breastfeeding & Avoiding Difficulties
Monday, July 9, 7pm
Sobeys Community Room (Torbay Road & Highland Drive)
Pregnant Women, Nursing Moms and Babies Welcome
Members & Non-Members Welcome (Free of Charge)
Info: Jane H 722 5815 Jan H 739 9368
Supporting Breastfeeding Families Since 1961

Monoprinting Portraits at the Rooms

Tuesday, July 3

Explore the artful medium of monoprinting by mixing portraiture with painting and printing to make beautiful one of a kind works. Drop by and try before checking out David Blackwood’s prints, and John
2PM to 4 PM in the multi-purpose space


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Movies outside = awesome

What could be more fun than watching a movie outside on a warm summer night? These movies are not really appropriate for your little kids, but a few are ok for older kids and would also make a great date night. Check out the list here.

Canada Day at the Botanical Garden

CANADA DAY CELEBRATIONS FAMILY PROGRAM July 1, 10 am - 4 pm

A variety of Canada Day crafts, stories, activities, nature hikes and excursions to Oxen Pond to feed the ducks will be provided throughout the day. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
http://www.mun.ca/botgarden/events/

Canada Day

From the City of St. John's Calendar:

St. John's Celebrates Canada Day JULY 1

Events are free. Please bring a donation of a non-perishable food product or toonie for Bridges to Hope.

SUNRISE CEREMONY
Signal Hill National Historic Site of Canada

4 a.m. Metrobus shuttle begins from the Signal Hill National Historic Site Interpretation Centre parking lot to Cabot Tower.

6 a.m. Official Ceremony begins for Happy Birthday Canada!

Have some birthday cake, Central Dairies products, tattoos, flags and stickers. (quantities are limited)

10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Cape Spear and Signal Hill National Historic Sites Open House

Celebrate Canada Day all day long at both National Historic Sites of Canada. Admission is free, cake, face-painting, games, scavenger hunts, prizes, guided tours and lots of fun for everyone!


CONFEDERATION CELEBRATION!
Confederation Hill
Memorial Stage (Outdoor venues are weather dependent)

Afternoon

St. John's Regional Fire Truck welcomes you to the Hebron Canada Day Kids Karnival. Facepainting, games of chance, tattoos, balloon sculptures and bouncy castles.

Subway will be on hand creating their 26 foot subway sandwich, Build a Sub game, scavenger hunt, product giveaways and more!

12: 10 p.m. Hosts: Fergus O'Byrne & Fergus Brown-O'Byrne

12:15 p.m. Anthems: Jenna Maloney

12:20 p.m. Young Folk From the Hall: Chelsea Parsons, Ellen Power & Fergus Brown-O'Byrne

12:50 p.m. Sharing Our Cultures Presentations: Children and youth from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds showcase aspects of their cultures.

1 p.m. Have some of our giant Canada Day/Jubilee Cake made
with over 3500 Sobey's cupcakes! Central Dairies milk. Confederation Building Cafeteria.

1:45 p.m. The Celtic Fiddlers

2:15 p.m. Opera on the Avalon

2:45 p.m. Ennis

3:15 p.m. St. John's Multicultural and Folk Arts Council presentation

4:10 p.m. Jim Payne & Fergus O?Byrne


JUBILEE JUBILATION CONCERT
Quidi Vidi Lake (Outdoor venues are weather dependent)

8:30 p.m. Anthems by Hilary Moores, Family concert with Dungarvan.
The band's motto is to have fun by playing good Celtic style music to good people. "We just want to be recognized as a band that uplifts people and makes them feel good about themselves."

FIREWORKS

10 p.m. Scheduled for blast off at 10 p.m. (Quidi Vidi Lake) but within the hour should weather conditions not be ideal.

For more information on these Canada Day events, please contact 311.

Simple Sunsets

Sometimes all you want to do at the end of a long week is sit on the couch with a drink (preferably alcoholic) and turn on a movie for the kids. In St. John's, where good weather is fleeting, I try to make the most of every opportunity. So Friday night after supper we took a couple of blankets, a little bit of chocolate (for sustenance), the camera, and drove half way up Signal Hill. We walked out to the point beyond the little duck pond across from the GeoCentre and watched the sun set and the harbour activities. It was our son's first sunset and seeing it through his eyes it kind of felt like my first sunset too. He didn't get to bed until after ten, but so what? It was Friday night after all.





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Botanical Garden Summer Program

SUMMER FAMILY PROGRAMS AT THE GARDEN

Weekday Family Programs:
Summer 2012 (July 2 – August 27)

Beyond the Backyard - Fun Beyond Your Fence: Discover our garden with nature exploration, storytelling, and songs. An excellent opportunity for parents (or care-givers) and children to have fun together while learning about nature. A respect for nature and all its “critters” will be emphasized. Parents are invited to bring along a healthy snack for story time.

This program is suitable for pre-schoolers and primary school-age children. Offered weekday mornings, 10:15 – 11:30 a.m.

Summer Safari - Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Explore Newfoundland natural history through nature hikes, exploration,activities, games, crafts and adventures. Parents are encouraged to bring a water bottle and a small healthy snack. This program is ideal for children who love to go hiking, explore nature and can focus quietly on an activity for a period of time.

This program is suitable for primary and elementary school-age children (5 – 10 years old). Offered weekdayafternoons, 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.

To participate in these programs, please check-in 5 minutes prior to the start time, at the visitor services desk located in the Garden’s field centre.

Admission fees apply. Free for members of FOG and MUN students

Canadian Forces Day

EVENT NAME: Canadian Forces Day

June 23, 2012 11a.m. - 4 p.m.  Quidi Vidi Lakeside

CFS St. John's largest event of the year. Displays, mess tent, children's activities, military demonstrations & prizes. All local military units will be participating.

Sundays at the Botanical Garden

From the Botanical Garden Web Site

 

Family Day 2012 Schedule:
These are drop-in programs; pre-registration is NOT required.

Activities may include:
• Nature Hike - every Sunday, 10 a.m.
• Meet the Critters - every Sunday, 2 p.m.

• Duck Feeding - every Sunday, 2 - 4 p.m.
• Story Time - every Sunday, 2 - 4 p.m.
• Family Days – once a month

To participate in Sunday programs please check-in 5 minutes prior to the start time at the visitor services desk, located in the Garden's field centre.

Sunday Morning Nature Hike:
Explore Newfoundland barrens, boreal forest, or bog as you hike one of our nature trails with education staff. Learn about Newfoundland plants and animals while you enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise. Meet in the field centre at 10 a.m. This program is suitable for families. The nature trails are not wheelchair accessible.

Sunday Afternoon Family Programs: Offered Sunday afternoons, 2 - 4 p.m. Programs may include:

Meet the Critters: Be sure to drop by the classroom at 2 p.m. to meet our critters, including Squirt the red-eared slider turtle, giant African snails and more. Learn all about their far-away native habitats and find out why some of these visitors don’t always make good pets for everyone.

Arts & Crafts: This program may take place outdoors, depending on the weather. You and your family are invited to create some theme-related crafts, play some games and participate in some fun activities.

Story Time / Puppet Shows: This program may take place outdoors, depending on the weather. Join our education staff for story time, a sing-a-long or a puppet show.

Nature Hike to Oxen Pond/Duck Feeding: Education staff will lead you on a leisurely guided stroll along the exploration trail, down to Oxen Pond. While you feed the ducks (food is provided) staff will help you identify and learn about the different waterfowl, insects and other creatures that live on Oxen Pond.

St. John's Days

The list of activities is so long, your best bet is to look at the list here.

Tricks of the trade

Sometimes my kid’s natural response to any question is ‘no.’ It has been explained to me as a part of a developmental stage that is all about establishing independence. To counter that reaction I have found myself resorting to bribery and extortion. I have been scolded by friends who say that there are very few times when you should ask a preschooler anything anyway, most of the time you should be telling them stuff: “Do you want to go to the park?” should actually be rephrased as: “ we are going to the park.”  

Anyway, barring an out and out dictatorship at our home; I have come up with one approach that involves enticing him with new activities. One successful one was encouraging him to come for a hike by giving him a magnifying glass to take along. I bought one at the dollar store and it was a simple and inexpensive way to encourage him to get outside and to spark his curiosity. It also helped us keep him moving down the trail as we found something new to spy with the magnifying glass around every turn; from unfurling fiddleheads to bugs and old man’s beard.

Touch Tank at the Fluvarium!

The Ocean Science Centre will be bringing the Touch Tank to the Suncor Energy Fluvarium!

Every Tuesday between June 19th and August 28th, 2012


Touch and Learn about sea creatures!



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Sun shine

If you haven't already been there, or have only been to the beach for swimming; I highly recommend the walking trail at Sunshine Camp off Thorburn Road. It's a nice short hiking trail for small kids and the beaches, stream, and bridges offer lots of variation and places to look for minnows, ducks and other wildlife. It is also a good place to go in the winter.

Except for summer days when it is warm enough to swim, it has never been crowded there.

There is a parking lot that gives easy access to the trail. The trails are gravel and could easily accommodate a stroller, wagon, or push bicycle. Bring a shovel and bucket to enjoy the beach. I also always bring a handful of pennies for making wishes at the part of the trail where there is a sort of shallow water pool. Last time we were there my son wished to be a battle droid.



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New Kid's Venue

I spotted this new venue on Facebook yesterday and thought I would share. It is called Axtion and seems to be an amusement park-type of set up with climbing walls and other sorts of hands-on fun for kids. The web site says the location at the Goulds Arena is temporary. It will be interesting to see where this business goes. All reports from the Kids NL Expo indicate there is a huge market in St. John's for all things kid, which should mean we will see some interesting new kid-related businesses starting up over the next few years.

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June at the Fluvarium

Fluvarium Kids Club
June Program

New Beginnings

What is a fry? Where do tadpoles come from? Do dragonflies really live in water?

Discover the Life Cyles of our Freshwater Friends.

The story time, game, and craft session make "New Beginnings" a 'must-do' activity with the whole family!

Saturdays & Sundays at 1:30pm
June 2 - June 24, 2012
Program runs approx. 45-60 minutes
Preregistration is recommended



Fluvarium Kids Club Weekend Programs

Have you heard? Kids ages 5-10 and their families are invited to join Fluvarium Kids! Receive updates, collect stickers, and earn a Fluvarium Kids Fresh Water Friends certificate when you attend sessions in four different months!

This Fluvarium Kids program is Family Fun and usually includes an outdoor component, game, story and craft!

Register today with Denise or Tracy:
754-3474 or dhennebury@fluvarium.ca.

Fluvarium Kids programs are complimentary with admission.
Ask about our Annual Family Pass for only $35!

Sincerely,
Denise Hennebury
Environmental Interpreter and Youth Adventures Coordinator
The Suncor Energy Fluvarium
www.fluvarium.ca
Tel.: (709) 754-3474
Fax.: (709) 754-5947



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Teddy Bear Picnic

More people come to my blog looking for information about this event every year than any single other event.

Saturday, July 7, 2012 at Bannerman Park
11:00am until 1:00pm
Fun for teddy bears and children of all ages. And it's FREE!
If it rains, it will be the next day.


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Pinterest strikes again

Pinterest is great for finding ideas, but it is just a time waster if you don't actually execute the ideas. So here is the second Pinterest idea I have implemented this week: A sugar-free refreshing summery drink. Try with seltzer to make it fizzy if you are looking for a soda substitute. Follow me on Pinterest to get the recipe.



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Negotiations are ongoing.

I don't know about you, but my preschooler seems to have taken some training in negotiation tactics. You know when you are trying to get out the door and your kid turns into a clown? All smiles and wiggles and not exactly cooperative, but not really unpleasant either? It feels like you are trying to put a coat on a bag of cats? It's Work-to-Rule: Just enough of a delay tactic to make you understand they are going along with your plan, but they ain't going to make it easy.

The other tactic we are familiar with at our house is the one where you want your child to go somewhere, like their bath or bed, and they suddenly go limp like a rag doll. When you try to lift them, their shoulders have disappeared and you'd can't get a grip under their arms. They are a dead weight. Usually they are crying or whining now too. We recognize this as the G8 Protester Maneuver AKA 'going limp.'

What kinds of negotiation tactics do your kids use?

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Book club update

Hope you are enjoying the sun this afternoon. I am catching up on my bookclub reading with a thematically appropriate beverage.



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World Oceans Day

World Oceans Day 2012
Marine Institute Campus, 155 Ridge Road, St. John’s
9 (Saturday) 10 am - 3 pm
*Free Admission*

Olive pitting

When I am cooking with my kid I try to find ways to involve him. He likes to use tools, but some are not safe for him to try yet. One that is? My olive pitter. Sometimes we add olives to recipes that don't even call for them. I bought mine at Paderno. They are sometimes called Cherry Pitters.




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Suppermoms Menu

If you have been following the meal plan blog this is a just a reminder that - The new Suppermoms menu is up!


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