Fun Games and Entertainment

We are always excited to try new games and do different hands on activities in our family. We love game nights, and recently have been playing Azul and Ticket to Ride London. We also spent time building with Flexo. A new calendar year comes with new resolutions to become more creative, so we have been practicing watercolour painting with Watercolour the Easy Way book and took the time to clean up, get organized, and even spiced up our phones by replacing our Pop Sockets with creative ones! We have also been reading the Four Seasons of Entertaining book that is filled with colourful photography, recipes, and ideas separated by each season. 

A Cozy Winter Camping Experience at Silent Lake Provincial Park

We love camping at Ontario Parks in the summer, which allows us to enjoy the serene outdoors and all the wonderful things we can do in the warm weather - thinking of it makes me miss summer! We have also learned to embrace the beauty of winter; the fresh cool air, soft snow, the beauty of trees covered with white snow, and all the fun activities we can do in the winter from skiing, tobogganing to snowshoeing and more. 

When we travel in winter to enjoy the festive season or to explore winter themed events and activities, we usually stay in hotels. We tried winter camping in one of the roofed accommodations at Ontario Parks, which is truly a lovely way to get close to nature, away from the everyday hustle and bustle. 

Aurora Winter Festival in Toronto

Toronto's Aurora Winter Festival will be happening until January 5th at Ontario Place, West Island. This is a beautiful way to spend the holidays with loved ones!

Shopping for Winter Gear and Holiday Gifts at Sport Chek

Sport Chek is our go-to place to purchase best quality sports gear, clothing for all our indoor and outdoor adventures, and everything related to fitness and training. Here are our picks from Sport Chek for this winter - these items would also make functional gifts for loved ones! 

Holiday Inn at Shaw Festival

We loved watching Holiday Inn at Shaw Festival. As director, Kate Hennig notes in a world plagued by anxiety and fear we feel guilty to enjoy simple pleasures like looking at the blue skies, going for an old-fashioned walk, enjoying the holidays. This musical reminds us to take the time to be happy in our pursuit of happiness! 

Win a pass to explore Ontario Science Centre

We love visiting the Ontario Science Centre, as they create fun learning opportunities with interactive exhibits and IMAX films. Our visits make us more curious and excited to learn. 

Signs and Symbols, Myths and Legends, and Zoology

We have been taking a closer look at three DK books: Signs and Symbols, Myths and Legends, and Zoology. Smithsonian Zoology invites us to explore the animal kingdom up close, and will be loved by all those interested in wildlife. It will delight, fascinate, surprise, and spark our interest in specific animal groups. The book takes a closer look at a variety of wildlife from tiny insects to sleek sharks and majestic elephants. As Albert Einstein said, "Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."

Festive Season in Stratford, Ontario

We love the festive season because it is not only a time for families and friends to gather in celebration of the end of a year, but also a time to admire the coziness, beauty, and magical time of winter. Just in time for the holiday season, we spent a weekend at The River Merchant Inn located in Stratford, Ontario to enjoy the Holiday Light displays, Outdoor Christmas Market, Santa’s Parade of Lights, and to go on the Christmas and Chocolate Trails.

Frozen 2 on 4DX

Frozen 2 from Walt Disney Animation Studios is by the Academy Award®-winning team directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, producer Peter Del Vecho and songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez and featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad. The movie is about finding out why Elsa was born with magical powers. The answer is calling her and threatening her kingdom. Together with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, she sets out on a dangerous but remarkable journey. In Frozen, Elsa feared her powers were too much for the world. In Frozen 2, she must hope they are enough. 

Fun and Engaging Toys

I like investing in toys and kits that not only engage my children, but also encourage their development. Just in time for the holidays, we checked out two new products from Basic Fun! - Cutetitos and Cutetitos Babitos and a couple of ooey-gooey fun kits and Globber scooter from Incredible Novelties.