Jr. Sportball Class with momstown Victoria

momstown Victoria parents and kids had an awesome time playing sports and creative games at our outdoor Junior Sportball class! Our kids and toddlers stayed active and engaged with Coach Claudia as they played games that kept them running, chasing, kicking, throwing, and much more.

This 45-minute program is the perfect introduction to Sportball. Children and parents explore different sport skills through creative games, and in a full length program, children would be introduced to a different sport each week. Parents are encouraged to participate and challenge their kids according to their skill level, teaching parents new skills in introducing sports to their kids as well.

Warming up with "Coach Claudia Says."

Launching our ball rockets.

3-2-1 blast off!

Coach Claudia gets a hula hoop bracelet.

Pushing a butterfly through the window.

Bear walking through the jungle.

Hopping towards the mud.

We're #1! Thank you, Sportball!

Thank you to Coach Claudia and Sportball Victoria for this fun and awesome experience! For more information on Sportball programs for ages 16 months to 5 years and beyond, check out www.sportball.ca.

Hockey, soccer, tennis, baseball, basketball, volleyball, golf and football

Parents and caregivers can have a direct hand in a preschooler’s development through a range of Multi-Sport programs. Sportball Junior, Parent & Child and Me & My Dad programs teach children important introductory physical skills and help them develop confidence in their abilities. The programs also help adults understand proven teaching techniques that can be applied outside of Sportball classes. Classes focus on refining, rehearsing and repeating skills and playing games in a fun, creative, non-competitive environment. Classes are conducted once a week in 45-minute sessions – just the right length of time for active little minds and bodies.

momstown Victoria Junior Chef: Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

momstown.ca is celebrating its 6th birthday this month, so at this month's Junior Chef program, momstown Victoria moms and kids made these delicious egg and dairy-free chocolate cupcakes! I love doing this recipe with my kids because it only needs one bowl (or try mixing it right in an 8 x 8-inch cake pan instead of cupcakes!) And because it's egg-free, I can let the kids lick the spoon!

Ultra Easy Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sugar*

¼ cup nonalkalized cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

Add:

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Stir with a rubber spatula just until smooth. Fill 12 muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the cakey part of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a rack before frosting or sprinkling with powdered sugar.

Variations: 

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes - very similar recipe, uses soymilk and substitutes balsamic vinegar instead of regular vinegar. Also adds in 3/4 cup frozen or fresh raspberries and 1/3 cup chocolate chips!

Black Bottom Cupcakes - makes 18 cupcakes instead of 12. In a separate bowl, cream together: 1 8-oz package of cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 cup sugar and
1 cup chocolate chips. Fill each muffin cup halfway, and top with a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes and let cool completely. 

*Is white sugar vegan? Most white sugar from sugarcane goes through a purification process where it is filtered through bone charcoal (animal origin,) so some vegans avoid it. For a true vegan recipe, simply substitute another sweetener and it will be just as good! :)

momstown Victoria celebrates momstown 6th Birthday Bash!

momstown Victoria was one of the first of 19 communities across Canada to celebrate its momstown 6th Birthday Bash event! Over 400 local moms, dads and kids enjoyed fun activities for ages 0 to 6 with the help of local and national sponsors! These were just a few of the fun things to see and do at our event:

Loot bags, parachute play and special guests were among the birthday fun at this year's momstown 6th Birthday Bash celebration!

Kids made a fun octopus craft with our Platinum Sponsor Island Parent Magazine.

Martin Newham estimates that 80% of the kids passed The Marshmallow Test, sponsored by Investors Group!

Silk Road Tea provided healthy Iced Rooibos Tea for the Nursing/Rest Area.

Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre brought Ollie the Octopus and a microscope lab!

Kids hopped, tossed and balanced with our Fitness & Adventure sponsor in the Jr. Sportball area with coaches from Sportball Victoria.

Clifford the Big Red Dog from Scholastic Canada made a special guest appearance!

Par-T-Perfect Victoria brought Balloon Animals and a huge Crayon Bouncy Castle!

Guests were delighted with these delicious chocolate cupcakes made by Kyrie Smith, a talented baker at Wildfire Bakery.

All the toys in our Fisher-Price Little People Toy Testing area became special door prizes in our final grand prize draw!

Parents and tots could cuddle up and read with our books from Scholastic Canada in Clifford's Reading Tent.

Birthday guests also enjoyed an open kindergym, parachute play, Dora Live Colouring Station, and three amazing prize draws with 18 door prizes in total!

Thank you to all of the sponsors who joined our celebration this year, including Britax, Fisher-Price Little People Toys and Scholastic Canada, Island Parent Magazine, Investors Group, Par-T-Perfect Victoria, Silk Road Tea, Sportball Victoria, Destiny Photography, Victoria Kids Consignment Sale, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Dora Live Canada, 4Cats Arts Studio in Oak Bay, Chapters Victoria, Tumblebums and UC Baby Victoria. We hope you had as much fun as we did!

A big thank you to our wonderful momstown volunteers! From left: Katie, Bridget, Sarah, Melissa, Kristin and Nicole. I couldn't have done this without you!

A very special thank you to momstown.ca and Kristin Heimbecker, owner of momstown Edmonton, for providing in-person help and support at the event!

Thank you to Amanda Ingram, owner of Destiny Photography, for taking all of the wonderful photos of our event. All rights reserved.

Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated with us!
We'll see you again next year!

Click here to find out if there's a momstown 6th Birthday Bash happening in your community!

You can see all the pictures of the event on facebook!

If you would like to be a member of momstown Victoria, sign up for your free trial membership here!