Register for March Break Camp at TAC Sports

My children have been loving their past experiences at TAC Sports. They are excited about spending the upcoming March Break at TAC Sports playing sports and learning from the friendly staff at TAC. As a parent, I love that our children get to stay active and learn different skills during the March Break.

Celebrate March Break at the Royal Ontario Museum

Royal Ontario Museum Celebrates March Break (March 8 – 16) with a number of special events planned to engage kids, parents, grandparents, and care-givers. Kids are invited to go on a global adventure through the ROM’s galleries, stamp their ROM Passports and learn more about the world around them. There will also be Earth Rangers Shows, Space Rocks, Dinosaurs and more.

All New digiPlaySpace open starting March Break for a limited time

digiPlaySpace is back with wonderful new interactive installations just in time for March Break.  Since checking out the adventures at the digiPlaySpace last year almost everything has changed.  There are lots of cool learning opportunities for children of all ages.  I really like the hands-on learning experience at digiPlaySpace and believe it is the best way to explain new technology to our children as well as learn everything about it.  

The director of Public Programmes, Shane Smith said "All of the installations at digiPlaySpace empower children with skills to learn and thrive in an interactive, internet-enable and mobile media world and to have fun doing it."

The touch, play, control highlights of this year are... 

Weather Worlds teaches about the eco-system as children learn to explore nature's balance of weather systems and control the elements with their bodies.

Touch Circuits teach children about making music, move robotic arms, and control video games by using their hand movements.

Please Do Not Feed the Bugs is a virtual eco-system with creepy critters that react in different ways to obstacles such as people and objects.

Body Paint allows us to use our body and paint.

Cumulo Nimblers is a four player cloud-jumping game.

Be in the Scene is back by popular demand.  Everyone will love this fun interactive green screen technology.

The Puppet Powered Mega-Pixilation Dream Engine allows children to mix and assemble larger than life puppet parts then turn them into characters.

The TIFF Appcade has entertaining apps for children of all ages.

The TIFF Kids Micro Makers' Space is an interactive space that will teach children about electronics, circuits, robotics, 3D printing and video game design. Some of these kits are available for us to purchase online and at the TIFF Shop.  I really like this Makey Makey.

SMILE Cubes also known as Socially Motivated Immersive Light Environment are light cubes that can be stacked and played with. These cubes also communicate with neighbouring cubes, share colours, respond to music.

TIFF Kids digiPlaySpace will be having workshops designed for children age 10 to 14 such as the

• Spy Mystery Workshop on March 23rd at 12pm to learn about code-breaking and wireless communication.
• Maker/Creator Workshop on March 30th at 12pm teaches about electronics, circuitry and conductivity. 
• 3D Printing Workshop on April 6th at 12pm will be lots of fun.

Check out the TIFF Kids Indoor digiPlaySpace this March Break at 350 King Street West.  This wonderful, fun, learning opportunity will be open from March 9 to April 21, 2013.

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How To Spend Your March Break and Giveaways

Here are some ideas on how to spend the March Break, I will update the post with more ideas and giveaway :)

Crafts and Activities:
Interactive digital story books for children
Making robots
Making gooey slime with cornstarch
White sauce to serve with vegetables

Shows, Events and Places to go:
Alliance Cinema Toronto movies for $5 (Giveaway)
Berenstain Bears at the Living Arts Centre
Disney of Ice Rocking Ever After 
Indigo Kids Play area programs
SkyZone Toronto

Contests:
Free preview of Disney Junior and $500 gift card
Watch for Easter family events by following the Kinder Canada Facebook page.
Fisher Price picture contest to win $200 value prize packs

Giveaways:
Chasing Mavericks blu-ray and 2 surf bracelets (3 winners Canada and US ends March 31)
Draw Something game (Canada ends March 15) Indigo/Chapters $50 gift card (Canada March 20)
Life of Pi blu-ray (2 winners Canada and US ends March 31)
Netflix 6 months subscription (Canada)
more giveaways on the side bar of my site :)

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Hats Off to Dr. Seuss and March Digital books for little ones

Happy birthday to Dr. Seuss.

This week because of Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2nd there are sales on Dr. Seuss digital books from March 1 to 7th on the App Store, Google Play, Amazon Appstore, Barnes and Noble NOOK Store and Windows Store.  
Here are some reviews of wonderful Dr. Seuss books that both children and adults will enjoy reading.

Hunches in Bunches

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins 

Collection of Dr. Seuss books

Other Digital books that will benefit children are from the popular Berenstain Bears and Little Critter series.  Check out these three terrific new interactive book apps available.

The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Chores (iOS and Android, intro price of $2.99) - Papa Bear and the cubs always seem to find a reason not to do their chores. When Mama Bear decides to avoid doing her chores as well, the mess builds up ... and up ... and up!  I really enjoyed reading this book to my little ones and reminding them that everyone in the family needs to pitch in to do chores i.e. cleaning up.  Sometimes I feel just like the mama bear when the chores don't get done :) and when my children surprise me by pitching in and helping out, it makes my day.     

Just Me and My Puppy (iOS, intro price of 99 cents) - Little Critter is proud of the job he's doing taking care of his new puppy. The funny illustrations show that having a puppy is a lot of work and quite a handful! 

It was cute to read how he describes all the help his puppy did i.e being a guard dog and bringing the paper for Little Critter's dad. 

What a Bad Dream (iOS and Android, intro price of 99 cents) - Little Critter dreams that a magic potion turns him into a scary, disagreeable monster that no one wants to be around. Luckily for Little Critter, it's all just a bad dream.

The sound effects in all these stories are lots of fun to listen to while we read the stories to ourselves or read it on auto play.

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The Berenstain Bears Family Matters LIVE Musical

If you are fans of Berenstain Bears like my children then you will be super excited to know that there will be a live musical performance held at the RBC Theatre, in Mississauga during the March Break.

This musical is adapted from the classic children’s book series by Stan and Jan Berenstain.  The stories in the musical are from The Berenstain Bears’ Learn About Strangers, The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, and The Berenstain Bears’ Trouble at School books.   
As you probably already know :) Bear Country is not without its complication as Brother Bear’s grades are slipping, Sister Bear still has a few things to learn about making new friends and Papa Bear just can’t stop eating junk food.  Thankfully, we can depend on Mama Bear and her loving patience to help set things right.  

This show brings everyone’s favourite bear family to life in a thrilling theatrical performance that kids and parents will enjoy watching.  I know we are excited to see our favourite characters popping onto the stage to perform on March 12th and 13th, 2013 for the 1 pm or 4 pm show.

In this Broadway musical The Berenstain Bears LIVE! we sure are hoping to fall in love with these characters.

Ticket prices for the show are $20 for adults and $15 for children under 12.

4141 Living Arts Drive,
Mississauga, ONL5B 4B8

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Movies for the March break: We bought a zoo, The Descendants, ToothFairy 2 and The Lion King

We bought a zoo is a fabulous movie for the whole family.

This is a heartwarming adventure is based on a true story. It is directed by Cameron Crowe starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson.

It will be available on Blue-ray, DVD and Digital download April 3

Benjamin Mee (Damon) is a LA newspaper columnist and adventure writer. He is a single father who raises 2 young children on his own. He wants to start a new life and give his family a fresh start after his wife passes away. He decides to quit his job and move outside the city to an old rural house which is part of a zoo.

This story about his adventures of reopening the zoo. It has lots of wonderful family scenes between a teenage son and father, a caring father to a seven year old daughter, and a loving person who cares about everyone including the animals.

He is a father who tries to make his family feel good during hard times i.e. financial and loss of his spouse.

The movie has a beautiful beginning and ending, the conversations are superb. I would definitely recommend this movie and give it a 5 out of 5.

The blu-ray and DVD has lots of special features, so enjoy it with your family.

The Descendants

The story is set in Hawaii. It is about Matt King (George Clooney) a husband and father of two girls, who is forced to think about his past and embrace his dying wife. She had cheated on him and he only got to know about it after her accident. Matt is also a trustee of a large plot of land inherited by his family, and he had to decide if they were going to sell it or preserve it.

I liked the story which was about making time to spend with the family before its too late. It didn't matter how much we have or where we live because in the end we can't get back the time we've missed spending with our family.

If you haven't watched the movie I would recommend this movie for youth and adults and give it a 4 1/2 out of 5, only because I would have preferred the movie without the swear words.

If you have read the book and watched the movie, what do you think about these questions? (Click on it to make it larger)

Join Kaui Hart Hemmings chat on GoodReads on March 13th, you would be able to win DVD/book bundles.

ToothFairy 2, a funny comedy already out on Blu-ray and DVD. It is about Larry, an irresponsible immature man who tells a child that the tooth fairy is a fairy tale. He couldn't take back what he said, so he is sentenced to be the Tooth fairy and to collect 20 teeth in 20 days.

A funny movie that children will enjoy.

Another fabulous movie for the children: The Lion King 1 1/2 and The Lion King 2 on Blu-ray and DVD. Who doesn't love the Lion King right?
Click on the image for the activity sheets children will enjoy.

Enjoy this trailer clip.

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March break giveaway from DK books and Face plate craft

Next week is March break :) We get to spend some quality time with our children during the day. It is better to plan the week;) at least some of the days so it will be smooth.

Books like My Art book and Make it today, give inspiring ideas. They have lots of familiar and new crafts and art to do with our children i.e. painting faces, making masks, picture frames and painting stones.

My Art Book published by DK publishing is a fabulous, creative book with glossy step-by-step pictures and instructions that explain and inspire children to watercolour landscapes, pastel portraits, to make mosaics etc... It is a lovely introduction to history and technique of art with young children.

Make it by Jane Bull is a book filled with craft ideas made from recycled material and things we find around our home. It teaches eco-friendly ideas to children as they create personalized artwork and jewelry.

We look forward to put these books to good use during the break.

Here is an idea from Createwithmom to make Face plates

paper plates

construction paper

oil pastel

glue

scissors

popsicle sticks optional

Let the children imagine any type of face they want to make. Then tell them to think big :) draw the features of the character i.e. bunny, a person etc... on the construction paper. Then cut the shapes. Older children can cut it by themselves and help the young children to cut.

Let the children stick the features however they imagine on to the paper plates. They might want to put popsicle sticks to create a play. You can improve their literacy and imagination by asking them to tell you a story about the characters they have made.

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