momstown Victoria: June 2012

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Canada Day 2012 Events in Victoria

Canada Day is always something special in Victoria, and this year will be no different. So if you are taking the kids out, plan for a long day by taking extra clothes, lots of sunscreen and extra water. And if you are staying all the way to see the fireworks at dusk (10:20 pm), remember to bring extra blankets!

Victoria Celebrates Canada Day has been preparing all year. Check out their facebook fan page for the inside scoop and their schedule of events, which opens with a Flavour of Canada multicultural food event and family activities at 11 am on June 30th.

If you can't get downtown, you can celebrate Canada Day on the Gorge. Admission is free and activities run from 8:30 am to 5 pm. A special treat would be not having to make breakfast and enjoying a pancake breakfast on the Gorge. They will also have buskers, classic cars, street hockey and more.

Since it is the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, you could take in a little military history at Fort Rodd Hill. They will have live music and activities throughout the day. Admission and a huge Canada Day cake is free.

Panorama Recreation invites you to join them for Sidney Days: Canada Day Celebration on the Peninsula! They will have a giant inflatable obstacle course, face painting, bubbles galore and more! On Saturday, enjoy BBQ, entertainment and cake before the fireworks at 10 pm. The celebration continues on Sunday with the Sidney Days 2k/5k Run & Walk, Pancake Breakfast, Canada Day Parade at 11 am and Family Fun Fair from 12-4 pm.

Canada Day in Sooke will be celebrating with logging sports, games for everyone, adult pie eating contest, children's entertainment, live music and fireworks at dusk to finish the evening! Free Canada Day cake will be given out. Bring your portable chairs or blanket.

In other good news, it looks like the weather for Canada Day will only be a little rainy. Given the way our summer has gone so far, we had better be prepared for anything. Have a great Canada Day from all of us at momstown!

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

To the Batcave! Imaginext DC Super Friends momstown Victoria Toy Review

In the interest of complete disclosure, I should tell you that my family and I are already big fans of the Fisher-Price Imaginext toy line. It started when my son was 3 and wanted the Imaginext Firehouse for Christmas. We've since collected several different sets, and it's the toy that we keep in the living room and gets the most play with our kids and when we have playdates.

Top reasons we love it already: great quality, suitable for a wide age range (if you remove small pieces for under 3) and there are just enough pieces in a set to make it interesting yet easy to tidy. After 3 years of collecting Imaginext, the kids keep playing with older ones as much as new ones, the sets all work together (we've had epic pirate vs. fireman vs. dinosaurs vs. ocean explorer battles), and there are short video episodes online and on youtube that the kids love to watch. Talk about great value!

So we were more than a little excited when we were chosen by momstown to review the Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends Batcave, which we did not already have! I kept it a secret from the boys, who are 2 and just-turned-6, until right before we brought it out. Needless to say, all three kids, including my 11-month old girl, were enthralled. My husband was impressed too as soon he opened the box. The toy is designed to be removed quickly and easily, and with the removal of one or two small pieces so that the baby could play too, the set was all ready to go.

The toy has so many cool, well thought out features, all three kids were able to enjoy different parts of it at the same time. And they kept playing together with the one set! I had the other Imaginext toys on standby, ready to join in if needed, but they were happy to play with just the Batcave. We gave the toy to them after dinner, at around 6:30 pm, and the boys stayed up until 8 pm playing with it, an hour past bedtime. Next morning, they were back at it, and they are still holding on to their Batman and Robin several days later!

Join us for our next adventure - same Bat Time, same Bat Channel! Would this be a terrific addition to your kid's toy collection? Visit our contest page for a chance to win your own!

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Farm Animals & Finger Puppets at momstown Victoria Tales for Tots

Once a month we meet at Chapters Victoria for momstown Victoria Tales for Tots, our children's book club sponsored by Scholastic Canada! This month we made a rooster puppet craft and read "Old MacDonald had a Farm: A Finger Puppet Board Book."

Kids enjoyed watching the characters wiggle as they sung Old MacDonald in circle time. This cute board book is soft and tactile for babies and toddlers, and older children love putting on the glove and 'reading' it to themselves and other children.

Our rooster puppet craft was also a hit! The hand tracings make it a great keepsake craft, and the children create a fun toy to play with!

Rooster Puppet Craft
1. Cut a round circle out of poster board for the head.

2. Trace hands on red construction paper to make the comb and waddle.

3. Glue comb, waddle, googly eyes and beak onto circle.

4. Tape popsicle stick to the rooster head. Ta da!

Congratulations to our lucky winner of our book giveaway from Scholastic! Join us every month for a craft, storytime and free book draw at our open drop-in on the third Wednesday of every month from 10-11 am! Grab a Starbucks on the 3rd floor and meet us downstairs in the children's area.

Most of our momstown programs are free when you buy a membership, and they run all summer long! Not a member yet? Sign up now for your free 4-week trial!

Friday, June 22, 2012

momstown 5th Birthday Bash!

celebrate with us!

momstown 5th birthday bash

august 25th

Pearkes Recreation Centre

10 am - 1 pm

Join momstown Victoria & our amazing sponsors for a FREE Family Event with toy demos, crafts, birthday cake, bouncy castle, kindergym, balloon animals, snacks, activity stations and so much more!

LOOT BAGS bursting with samples and special deals from our sponsors for the first 100 families to arrive!

WIN incredible prizes including Britax Stroller, Fisher-Price Toys, and Thyme Maternity Gift Cards!