Children's Magazines

I like the different magazines published by Cricket Media for children because they use lots of colourful images, cartoons, contests that encourage children to be engaged critical thinkers. The information in these magazines brings up questions in our children's mind, and it helps develop their natural curiosity to find out things we take for granted.

Share the Love with these book apps

Join Mercer Mayer's Little Critter in a new app arriving just in time for February 14th! In “Happy Valentine’s Day, Little Critter”, the kids of Critterville are getting ready to deliver their valentines. Little Critter has a very special valentine to deliver, too read to see who will it be for? Download the app now on iOS and Android for $1.99.

DKfindout: Wonderful Learning Tool and Giveaway

My children and I enjoyed exploring and learning from the new online learning resource for kids, parents, teachers and educators called DKfindout. We will be using this site regularly to learn from, as I like how interactive, and engaging it is. It caters to visual learners of all ages, and is a good way for children to explore and learn facts about everyday life, animals, math, space, and more. 

Montreal Science Centre

The family friendly Montreal Science Centre is a fun place to explore. We got a chance to see the Cave of Lascaux exhibit during our visit, as well as explore other fun features of the Science Centre in Montreal.

Experiencing the Fun of Creative Club LEGO Summer Camp

There are over 100,000 LEGO® bricks in various colours and shapes, boards to build on, and experienced counsellors to lead the children at the Creative Club LEGO Summer Camp. All LEGO fans, and those who are just getting into LEGO will enjoy this camp. At the camp children get inspired to build structures out of LEGO® based on daily themes and projects with their peers and instructors.

Win Your Own Set of Sands Alive and Get Creative

Sands Alive is an educational indoor play sand that stimulates creativity. It is made using all natural ingredients that are not toxic, hypoallergenic, water-soluble and gluten free. The unique formula used to make Sands Alive, ensures that it prevents bacterial growth; it never dries out, will not stain, and is not sticky. My children have hours of fun playing with Sands Alive. I have setup the large set accessible to them, so they can play with it any time they want. It is mess free and easy to clean up.

Digital Books about Spring

In the first ever collection app from the Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library: Outside Your Door! contains 4 favourite adventures that teach kids all about nature and the great outdoors. Perfect for springtime, parents can read the titles with their kids then go outside and observe what they have learned. 

Experiencing March Break Fun at the Royal Ontario Museum

To celebrate March Break (March 8 – 16) the Royal Ontario Museum has a number of special events planned to engage kids, parents, grandparents, and caregivers. My family and I had a wonderful global adventure through the ROM’s galleries, by stamping our ROM Passports this March Break while learning about the world around us.

Exploring the Oceans at Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

My family and I had an awesome time exploring all that is offered at the Ripley's Aquarium of Canada. We were very excited to see the 135,000 square foot largest, indoor aquarium in Canada that has two levels with over 16000 animals found in the oceans and lakes from around the world. 

Discover Grains and Meet Celebrity Chefs By Winning Tickets To The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair

On Saturday, November 2nd you can meet Canada’s Next Top Chef 2013 finalist and Grain Farmers of Ontario at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Resident Chef Jonathan Goodyear will be demonstrating his original Ontario grain recipes from inside the Grain Farmers of Ontario Growing Connections trailer.

InnoTab® 3 Opens a World of Learning

The InnoTab® 3 by VTech opens a world of learning. There is a wealth of age-appropriate educational games, apps and more that expands our children's minds, creativity and learning. 

Both my 4 and 8 year old enjoy using the 180° 2 megapixel rotating camera and video recorder to capture images and videos. They like using the WonderCam with over 55 photo effects, funny faces and frames to create fun images with the pictures they took. 

Summer Reading Adventures with DK Readers

I have always found DK Readers to be very useful in encouraging and teaching my children to read in English. I like that the DK Readers have stunning photographs and illustrations, which make the context in the books interesting. We enjoy the engaging, age appropriate stories and information found in these books. The DK Readers are separated into five different levels that enable children to progress in their reading skills. 

Summer Digital Reads for Children

Dr. Seuss's classic The Butter Battle Book tells the tale of the Yooks and the Zooks who are in a long-running feud. The Yooks eat their bread with the butter side up, while the Zooks eat their bread with the butter side down. The two groups do not see eye to eye, so they develop more and more elaborate weaponry to outdo each other.

Exploring the Harbourfront on the Mariposa Cruise

Mariposa Cruises gives us a wonderful opportunity to explore the Toronto Harbourfront. People of all ages will enjoy sightseeing, while cruising on the calm waters of Toronto's inner harbour. Mariposa Cruises is a wonderful way to relax, enjoy the cool breeze, and see the famous Toronto skyline.

Our Triceratops Trapper Lego from Chapters Indigo

Chapters Indigo is having a fabulous Lego sale promotion that ends on March 31st. We are big fans of Lego, so we couldn't resist this promotion and the variety of fabulous Lego at Indigo.  We ordered the Triceratops Trapper LEGO set that my son has been wanting for a long time.  When we purchased this dinosaur Lego set online we got free shipping  and the order included a small package of Lego City building toy for free. 

A Science Kit that Entertains and Educates

This Science Kit from DK books has taught and entertained my children and I with many scientific facts.  There are over 100 experiments inside the kit that allows us to experiment with easy to find material from around our home.  The kit also includes some material that we need to start experiments. 
Although, this kit is intended for children over 8 years my 4 year old son liked joining his sister and me to do these experiments and to be part of it.  My daughter inferred her knowledge from school when we did some of the experiments.

This type of kits and books encourage children to start liking a subject such as science and makes it a part of their lives, rather than just "school subjects".  When parents get involved with teaching and making this type of learning fun from an early age, children will not think of it as a "chore" to learn subjects like science and geography.
This Science kit has action packed experiments that teach how everyday things work, so we can see and marvel at the mysteries of science.  We don't need to be a "science whiz" to do these experiments because the instructions are step-by-step.  I just wish the book has close up pictures on some instruction that need us to cut or do things more carefully; for example when we did the spinning helicopter it didn't exactly turn out the way it is supposed to because I didn't understand on how to cut the straw correctly, but we still had fun experimenting and trying to figure it out.  After all when experiments go wrong that too is science; that is what I told my children :)

When we did this experiment of inflating a balloon without blowing on it my children were involved and looked in awe at the result :)  I felt good trying to make connections and teaching them about carbon dioxide and how gas molecules take up more space than liquid molecules.  

You will need...
a balloon
glass bottle with a narrow neck
vinegar
baking soda
funnel

1. Pour vinegar into the bottle until it fills 1/4 of the bottle.
2. Fill baking soda into the neck of a balloon through a funnel until it is half full.
3. Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the balloon and leave it to hang.
4. When you are ready for action quickly lift the balloon so that the baking soda falls into the bottle.
5. Voila the balloon will inflate.

I asked my children to record the observations of the experiment in the book that came along with the kit.  My little one drew the picture while my elder one labeled and wrote what happened in the experiment.
I like that these types of kits encourage learning while children have fun.
Contest:
DK Canada books is having a holiday contest so we can win a DK shopping spree worth $250.  The contest ends on December 17th. 

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First

Maple syrup festival

Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival from March 3rd to April 9th is a wonderful experience to learn all about the fabulous Maple syrup. It is a fun, educational experience for the whole family. The experience at Kortright is a little different from the one at Bruce's Mills, although both places will teach the same knowledge about the making the syrup. They have wonderful entertainment for the children, free wagon rides, family activities, free sampling etc...

Bruce's Mill conservation area is smaller compared to Kortright, but there are lots of educational signs. Perfect to take young children and to push the stroller etc... Parking is free with the tickets, located off Highway 404. It is a lovely place to have a stroll, learn about maple syrup, look for some birds, take some pictures and have a picnic :) They have horse rides, pancakes, feeding farm animals and food for sale. They had guided tours explaining everything and a very friendly wagon ride in which children were excited to sit in the front and hold the rein.

Fun wagon ride, pony ride, feeding pets

Trail

Making of the syrup Pioneer and Current method

Educational

Birdwatching

We went Kortright last year for the festival. It was a different setting, larger location lots to do as well. There are many adventurous paths to hike and lots of fun entertainment. Take a look at the pictures of our experience at Kortright last year.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content Createwithmom © 2012. Please Ask First