Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in vancouver, CN

Happy Canada Day! I hope you are enjoying the festivities wherever you are. We are planning to be down at Granville Island having a blast. I can't wait to get picture's of my youngest son's first Canada Day. We have great pictures of my oldest son every Canada Day and I am hoping to keep up the trend.

This weekend may be starting early for some people and we are going away so I am giving you some suggestions for this weekend. As you know the 4^th of July seems to be a big deal for some reason in the US. (Just kidding, I know it is Independence Day in the States and it is a big deal to them.) Many of the US ex-pats will be celebrating with bbq's and traffic at the border will be very heavy.

While I am sure there will be things going on this weekend I am going to suggest a couple of day trips. The Greater Vancouver Zoo in Abbotsford is a great day trip. There is a picnic park near the entrance with a playground and there are concessions nearby. The concession is expensive but they are fine with outside food so bringing a picnic and lots of drinks because it gets hot. A ride on the train is fun and takes you around the zoo. There is also a free bus ride into the bear habitat where you might be able to catch a glimpse of the albino black bear.

Another nice day trip we really like is going over to the Sunshine Coast. The ferry trip is beautiful and there are a number of easy hike just past Sechelt. Stop by Molly's Reach for some really good fish and chips and walk around the town that was a character in The Beachcombers. Take a walk along the sea shore or picnic in Roberts Creek. If you decide to, Roberts Creek is an excellent campground.

We are heading over to the Island for a couple of days and visiting family and doing some geocaching. What are your plans?