Pack it all in Canada Day!

Dress it up Canadian Style

It’s great to be in a crowd and see a big sea of red!

Here are some fun ideas of how to be part of that.
Temporary Tattoos are fun to apply! Visit your local paint store and get a stencil of a maple leaf. Use face paint and a sponge and paint the maple leaf on your cheek. Use the stencil and paint maple leaves on your backpack or onto your old white or red t-shirts. Iron ons and buttons are also great to attach to your back pack or shirts.

There are a lot of Canada Day options at your local stores. Capital city luggage was a great resource for me. The kids and I are adding decorated crowns to our style for the day. Jackson used a foam crown from the local craft store and decorated it with Canada Day stickers, temporary tattoos and, of course, some royal jewels. Meghan made a mosaic sticker crown; the jewels are sparkling bright to catch the princess' eye.

We are still making many Canada flags to wave. Older kids draw their own flags, but my kids used a sticker kit and put the pieces of the flag together. A great tip for the stick, is to use BBQ skewers for the poles. You are now dressed and ready for the Canada Day celebrations!

MITK Quick Tips

Stand out in a crowd. Use a bright coloured backpack. The bright colour allows you to be recongizable in a crowd.

Keep food cool. Pack a lunch bag cooler. A tip for keeping things cold is to freeze your juice boxes overnight and use them as ice packs the next day. It's a great treat at the end of a hot day to have a cold drink.

Pack it all in Checklist

Here is a great  little checklist to help you 'pack it all in'. There are so many places to go and people to see, be ready for anything.

Don’t forget:

 Sunscreen

• Hat
• Towels
• First Aid Kit
• Dry Bag
• Water Bottles (green option -  many water stations out there)
• Cool Scarf
• Rain Poncho
• Wet Wipes
• Umbrella (for both sun and rain)

Into the Night

• Flashlight
• Kleenex
• Sparkles
• Glow Bracelets (safety)

Need some time away from the crowds?

Pack some travel games and find a quiet spot. A travel game selection can be found at Scholars Choice

A few of my favorites are:

~Kanoodle

~ Yikers

~ Magnetic Checkers

~ Cards

 From my family to yours, have a safe and happy Canada Day! 

Julie

Mom in the Know

Pick and Play Strawberry Social!

Pick Your Own Strawberries! Invite your friends and share strawberry treats recipes and tips

We wait all year for the juicy berry goodness full of the best nutrients and  picking strawberries is fun for the entire family.

All farms are easy to locate at www.berryfarms.org

Strawberry Picking Tips:

• Go early, especially on the weekend; a large turnout can pick the field clean.
• Most growers offer containers, at a small cost, to collect your berries. If you use your own containers, be sure that they are not too deep; you do not want to bruise your berries
• Bring something to drink and a few snacks; you'd be surprised how you can work up a thirst and appetite! And don't forget hats and sunscreen.
• To pick, gently hold the stem between thumb and forefinger. Carefully pinch and break the stem to release the berry without squeezing the berry itself.

Storing and Preparing

• Remove any damaged berries as soon as possible. Trim damaged areas and use in sauces, ice creams or in baking where appearance doesn't matter.
• Store berries in the refrigerator with hulls intact, unwashed, and lightly covered in a single layer. Use within three to six days.
• Just before serving, gently rinse under cold running water (avoid soaking because the strawberries will absorb water and lose flavour), gently pat dry with paper towels, and hull.
• Hull and freeze your Ontario Strawberries for a divine treat after the season!

Three easy strawberry recipes

• Freeze your strawberries and use instead of ice cubes!
• Fill a glass vase full of local berries. Place a bowl of freshly whipped cream or melted chocolate beside you and you will be the star of the party!
• Blend fresh strawberries into your lemonade
• Grill your Ontario strawberries 
• More great recipes such as Strawberry Eton Mess parfait can be found at  www.Foodthought.com
• IF you can’t make it to the fields, the berries will be available at your local roadside fruit stands and if you don’t have time to organize a Strawberry Social, look for one in your community!

Five Easy Ways to Experience the Best Camp Days!

1 -  Choosing a camp to best suit you and your child’s needs:

   

• Involve your child in the process. There will be no surprises and it gives them a sense of responsibility.A few questions you could ask: What do you and your child want to gain from the camp experience? Learn new skills, develop more self confidence, improving proficiency in certain areas, and become more independent? Are there special interests that your child wants to explore? 
• If you have special needs children. Look for a camp that is strongly committed to the principles of inclusion and integration and support the growth and development of your child. Be sure to set up an assessment meeting before camp.
• Make sure the dates and the schedule works for everyone. Some camps offer pre and post camp care.
• And camps that have a swim element to the day. Check to see if they offer swimming lesson as well.

www.dovercourt.org 

  

2 - Activities are what camp is all about!

• Look for the best fit for everyone in the family.It is great when a camp offers a selection, which makes sense when your children most likely have different interests. 
• Themed camps are where activities and events are brought to life through unique themes.
• Specialty camps allow the camper to try something new and develop their talents in a fun and friendly environment.
• Growth within the camp such as Leader in Training and Counsellor in Training really facilitates a community environment.
• Off site adventures during camp are always a bonus.

3 - Make the best of the day

• The camp day should have a balance and diversity. It’s great to attend a camp that fits the theme or specialty for your child. It is also important to not spend too much time on one activity. Look for a camp that balances the week with a variety of traditional camp games and activities and a bonus of a recreational swim!
• A great camp will offer you at a ‘week at a glance’. The schedule allows you to see how the week is organized. It could also be a great tool for you when you need to pick up your child unexpectedly. 

4 - Preparing for Camp

• Ask your camp for a camp checklist if they have not included it in your package.
• Put the first application of sunscreen on and pack the rest. Make sure the child can carry the back pack or, in the case of overnight camp, there are many options can be found at Capital City Luggage http://www.capitalcityluggage.com/
• Be sure that everything is labelled! Mabels Labels -  "For the Stuff Kids Lose"  www.mabel.ca
• Pack a little game for down time, but be sure not to pack any valuables. Some great game ideas can be found at Scholars Choice http://www.scholarschoice.ca/

5- Select a camp that has an inviting environment

•  For those first time campers and therefore first time parents, be sure to pick up all of information available. Many camps will have a parent handbook to guide you. 
• When the camp management team says to ‘Please feel free to… and we are always happy to answer any of your questions.” That’s the camp for you!"
• Sense of community is what makes camp special for everyone. That’s why you should take a look at Dovercourt Recreation Centre.