Getting creative and ready for school with Hilroy and Derwent products

We love putting pen to paper in our home! We draw, doodle, colour, paint, and practice creative writing every chance we get. It is well known that writing and drawing has lots of cognitive, physical, and emotional benefits for children and adults, apart from being fun.

Shopping for sports gear at Sport Chek

We love exploring new sports. Our children have been part of a variety of sports teams at school, after school, and during summer sports camp. With each of the different sports we want to play, there is different gear and equipment that goes with it. Sport Chek has been the most convenient place for us to shop for all our sports equipment.

Keeping out the bugs with Thermacell

We recently tested the new Thermacell range of non-spray bug repellents, which are now available in Canada. Thermacell products have come in handy for us this summer as we were able to repel pesky mosquitos within a 15x15 foot zone. We like this repellent because there is no messy lotions, odours, noise, DEET, or open flames involved and the products use the same ingredients that make chrysanthemum flowers deter insects. All Thermacell products have been approved by the EPA for safety and effectiveness. 

Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls

Bird Kingdom is the largest free flying aviary in North America where guests can mingle with a variety of birds. Over the years, we have visited Bird Kingdom a couple of times with our children, and have enjoyed this indoor attraction in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  

Summer Travel and Outdoor Games

We love taking games with us when we travel. This keeps everyone in our family engaged while travelling. Games always come in handy on rainy days, or when we look for something relaxing to do. This summer, we took a look at a few outdoor and travel games from Goliath Games and Pressman toys.  

Thrilling adventure of the Whirlpool Wet Jet tour

We were extremely thrilled to experience Whirlpool Jet tours at Niagara Falls, Ontario this summer! We first saw how fun it looked during our Niagara Bell Cruise. Glad we waited for our kids to be a little older, so everyone can have a memorable time. It was worth the wait, as we had an awesome thrilling experience.

Back to School Shopping at Staples

Disclosure: I have partnered with YMC and Staples and have received compensation for this post. Please note that all opinions and thoughts expressed are my own. All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2010 - 2018. Please Ask First 

Shopping for trendy new school supplies is half the excitement when we get ready for a new school year. We have been shopping at Staples for school and office related supplies for years, and it has never disappointed. We have always found what we need there. We start our back to school shopping by early August and look to take advantage of new deals. It is never too early to be prepared to get the kids in the mood for an exciting new school year. This also lets us travel without worrying about getting the school gear ready, so we can keep travelling until the last weekend of summer.

Pottery Painting at Crock a Doodle

We were excited to drop-in at Crock a Doodle in Niagara Falls for an afternoon of fun. This pottery themed creative space with friendly staff made us feel welcomed. This studio is setup in a way that makes it comfortable for children to sit down and paint. For adults, it gives an opportunity to let go of everything and be a kid again. We loved it! 

Driving the stylish 2018 Mazda CX-9

We recently got to drive and discover the features of the 2018 Mazda CX-9. The CX-9 is positioned as a Mid-range SUV that has style and does the heavy lifting. We recently packed the CX-9 for a road trip and got to experience most of everything it had to offer.

Experiencing the Medieval themed week at STEM camp

We love the concept of STEAM education, and I have always encouraged this type of learning to my children through books, hands-on activities we do, and experiences we have. This summer my children were excited to experience a week of STEM camp and they participated in the Medieval themed week. Each week of STEM camp is dedicated to four different themes, so children have a choice of picking their favourite and having different experiences.