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

Movies at Dusk

August 20, 2009

This weekend we have a theme for the things to do in the lower mainland this weekend. You can go almost anywhere and have a outdoor movie to see at dusk. All you need to bring for any is a place to sit and a picnic to make the experience fantastic. Most are free and some encourage a donation to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Friday August 21 at 8:30 pm in Connaught Park (next to the Kitsilano Community Centre,) UP is playing.

Monday August 24 at McSpadden Park (between commercial and Victoria and East 4^th and 6^th), Pirates of the Caribbean Part I is playing at 9 pm. Donations to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank are appreciated.

Friday August 21 at 8:30 pm in Robert Hope Park in Port Coquitlam you can watch Kung Fu Panda. Go early to enjoy other activities.

Friday August 21 at 8:30 pm in McLean Park in Richmond you can enjoy Monsters Vs. Aliens. This will be a first for Hamilton Community Centre.

Saturday August 22 starting with entertainment at 4:30 and Hannah Montana starting at dusk (8:30) Surrey's Holland Park will be pulling out all the stops.

I wish we were in the city to enjoy all the movies. Get there early bring some chairs and a blanket and some good food and you will be in for a real treat.

Bagpipes, Kilts, Jazz, Bouncy Castles and More

June 25, 2009

Another weekend is upon us and here are my picks for this weekend's family fun.

Sunday 28^th June 2009 from 11 am to 4 pm Little Mountain Neighbourhood House and Riley Park Community Centre host an annual festival celebrating our unique and diverse community. The festival is a family event with activities and entertainment for all ages at little or no charge to the public.

Saturday the 28^th June 2009 from noon until 6 or so the BC Highland Games are being held at the Perry Percy Stadium. Full of traditional competitions, the games include dancing, piping and heavy throwing competitions. Have you ever wanted to see a real live caber toss? This is your chance. Kids under 6 are free and Adults tickets are 13 dollars.

Sunday at the Ridge Theatre on Arbutus and 16^th Movies for Mommies has branched out into Toons For Tots. At 10:30 am your child can see Super Why and Sid the Science Kid on the big screen. The sound is turned down and the light are on low. This may be the best way to introduce your child to the wonder of the big screen. Cost is $8 for the child and the accompanying adult is free.

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival starts this weekend. Saturday and Sunday Gastown will be filled with free concerts at two locations. Starting at 1pm and going until 8 pm this is a Vancouver tradition you do not want to miss.

Have a great weekend!

Time Out For Parents

May 26, 2009

To help keep a relationship healthy, or even just yourself healthy, sometimes you need a little time without the kids. Date night or a night out with friends can be just the ticket. So you have the babysitter lined up, what to do now? Well dinner and a movie is classic for a reason. The dinner gives you a chance to talk and the movie gives you a chance to veg out. So where are some good dinner and movie combinations now that Chianti's is gone?

Festival Cinemas is the group consisting of The Ridge, Park and Fifth Avenue theatres. This is a group that tends to show the artier films, but does show blockbusters as well. Fifth Avenue especially tends to be a more mature crowd of patrons, and is close to any number of good restaurants on 4^th Ave.

Scotia Bank Theatre is a stadium seating theatre on Burrard near Robson. Parking is terrible, but you will be able to watch the big blockbusters and catch dinner before or afterwards on Robson or even catch a quick cab ride down to Gastown.

Tinseltown on the edge of Chinatown is a good bet both for blockbusters and parking. You can park underground for free when you get your parking validated by the theatre. Also a quick walk or cab ride to Gastown.

There are a few reasonably priced restaurants near most of these cinemas. The Irish Heather seems to be a favourite among the twitter crowd in Vancouver, as well as Steamworks, both in Gastown. These are pub food types, and seem to go well with a movie. If you want closer to Scotia Bank theatre I recommend Shabusen. They have fantastic food, and depending you may want to skip the movie altogether. It is a good idea to make a reservation however so you are not disappointed.

Summer Movies

May 25, 2009

My oldest son is now four and we still haven't brought him out to see a movie in a theatre. I think this is in large part due to the fact that we are still unsure about how long he will actually last for a movie. The other main factor in our decision is the volume. My son doesn't like loud noises and for the longest time the scariest part of a movie for him was the THX sound at the beginning. He would actually run out of the living room into the kitchen. I think he is ready for the length but not the sound so I am contemplating bringing him out to see a movie at the drive in.

Twilight Drive-in in Surrey is the lower mainland's last drive-in theatre. While the movies start late, (9:15 pm) you can control the sound and if all else fails drive away. If you child is one that will fall asleep in the car you may actually be able to get to see a movie you might enjoy as well.

If you have a projector and a blank wall, a movie party for your friends with children might be a good way to go as well. A lot of people have projectors at work that they may be able to borrow and have a movie night that your kids will remember. Make fresh popcorn, a nice veggie platter, dig out the sleeping bags and you have a party.

If I had a backyard and a clothesline, I might set up the same projector party in the backyard. Hang up a white sheet on the clothesline, set up some lawn chairs, invite the neighbours and have fun. The kids can have some junk food and the adults can have something a little more adult. What is not to like about that? You don't get to have a glass of wine in a movie theatre, so this would be a treat for all.

Books Into Movies

May 19, 2009

My son is at an age where he is finally able to watch a full movie. His attention span is increasing and he is starting to enjoy more movies of all types. Some of our favourite movies are ones that have been adapted from literature. Obviously the ones we choose for my son are ones we watched and it is anyone's guess as to what he will think of them. So without further ado here are some of our favourite children's adaptations.

Mary Poppins. This old Disney film is fun, full of songs and is a nice innocent romp. Based on the Mary Poppins books, this adaption is one you are sure to remember. My son loved this movie and one of his classmates at preschool is obsessed with it.

The Wizard of Oz. This is one I wasn't sure about showing my son, and I did fast forward through the flying monkeys. My son liked it enough to want to see it again right away, but did say that OZ was a bad wizard and a good man.

The Wind in the Willows. This animated classic is one that you shouldn't have any worries with. It is a nice tale about a set of animals along the riverbank. It makes me want to spend more time reading this book to my son.

Beauty and the Beast. We like this even with the slightly misogynistic overtones. Another Disney classic, the ladies in the background mooning over Gaston drive me nuts, but the fact that Belle won't give Gaston the time of day makes me feel a little better about it. Depending on the sensitivity of your child you may want to check their reactions to the big battle.

I can't wait till my son is ready for other adaptations like the Harry Potter films. What literary adaptations do you recommend we try?