Parent Club Family Calendar

What's going on for families this weekend in the GTA?

The Toronto Motorcycle Show
South Building, Metro Toronto Convention Centre(beside the CN Tower)

When:
Friday, December 10, 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 11, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 12, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Admission:
Adults: $16.00
Juniors (Ages 6 to 15): $10.00
Children (under six years): Free when accompanied by an adult
Family Pass (two adults & two juniors): $38.00

Specifically for families:
Yamaha Riding School for Kids: Yamaha Canada and Canadian Motorcycle Training Services present a free opportunity for kids aged 6 - 12 (certain conditions apply) to learn to ride on the latest Yamaha TT-R off-road motorcycles.

Parent Club Event Calendar

Today's Parent Kidsummer at CBC July 8/9

Join Kids' CBC hosts Patty & Sid for this family friendly event.

July 9th enjoy a special Doodlebops LIVE concert (12:30pm)

Where: CBC Broadcast Centre

This FREE, busy, event is easily accessible by TTC.

http://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc/#/parents/

Parent Club Calendar

Buy a Christmas tree from IKEA for only $20 and receive a $20 coupon.

Purchase a Balsam Fir for $20 and you’ll get a coupon for $20 off an IKEA purchase of $75 or more.* Redeemable January 2 to March 1, 2009. IKEA will donate a portion of tree sales to Tree Canada.

Parent Club Calendar - Project Warmth

If you do one thing (one good self-less thing) this weekend; Project Warmth is the thing to do.

It is a step beyond donating gently used children's clothing at this time of year. Project Warmth puts together lovely packages which inspires the recipient to feel warmed to receive because of the care and attention that has gone into the package. The idea is to give something whilst allowing the recipient to maintain their dignity and self worth. The packages are delivered to the young mums at the June Callwood Centre (formerly known as Jessie's Centre).

Check out the Project Warmth website for what they will happily receive as gently used or new donations (on Saturday donations must be delivered directly to the church -- see below). If you feel inspired to volunteer they will gladly accept your help.

When:November 29 & 30 from 10am to 6pm
Where: Runnymede Presbyterian Church at 680 Annette St. on the corner at Willard Ave.

Habitat for Humanity Toronto Gingerbread Build

A Parent Club reader has shared that Habitat for Humanity's Toronto's Annual Gingerbread Build takes place this weekend; Saturday December 6th & Sunday December 7th, 2008. The reader shared that their young family attended last year and that it was a great family event for a greater cause.

Go to their site to purchase a kit. Each kit includes an all-natural, delectable decorating kit from Marie's Gingerbread Creations, and oodles of yummy candy and chocolate. Tax receipts may be requested upon receipt.

The "build" will be located at the Habitat Toronto Home Building Factory (Located at 1627 Danforth Ave.)

Parent Club Calendar

GANZ pre-christmas warehouse sale. October 28th to December 6th. CASH ONLY - ALL SALES FINAL. 610 Hanlan Road, Woodbridge, ON.

Hours: Tuesday to Friday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. CLOSED SUNDAYS AND MONDAYS

Thumbelina, Solar Stage Theatre

Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, Direct Energy Centre (Toronto)


SUNDAY

Toronto Santa Claus Parade Time: 12:30 PM

Parent Club Calendar

• Salon du Livre de Toronto will be held
  from October 2 to the 5th.
  (www.salondulivredetoronto.org)
• Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, Ontario Place
  
• High Park Harvest Festival (Toronto)
  Enjoy food, pumpkin crafts, music, warm apple cider and more. Free admission to the grounds.
  
• Fall Fair, Downsview Park (Toronto) (Free admission)
  Celebrate autumn at Downsview Park’s 8th annual Fall Fair featuring free family fun. Activities include pumpkin carving, scarecrow making, petting zoo, origami, buskers and so much more!
  
• Launch of Intrepid Travel first experience store in Canada. Located at Intrepid Travel
  523 Bloor Street West (Bloor and Bathurst). Highlights include: zebras and other animals, African drums, rickshaw rides, belly dancers, Brazilian carnival samba, Cuban percussion and salsa dancers, and more.

************************************************
Coming up in October...

• Saturday October 11, 1:00pm – rain or shine
  Chris McKhool
  FiddleFire! CD RELEASE! In partnership with the City of Torontoπs Fire Prevention Week
  Toronto Fire Academy, 895 Eastern Avenue (1 block east of Leslie)
  FREE ACTIVITIES: BBQ / Refreshments
  Controlled Burn Fire Display
  Emergency Services Vehicles on display– Fire / EMS / Police
  Inflatable Fire Truck, Risk Watch Wheel, Junior Fire Fighter Photos, Kids Activity Table
  
  
• TOMBA - Annual Gently Used Clothing And Gear Sale Saturday October 25th (Cedarbrook Community Center - 91 Eastpark Blvd )
  Public Shopping• Saturday 9:00am to 11:30 (Parent Club note: see left sidebar for website link)

Parent Club - Toronto Family Calendar

• Diaper Disco this weekend (see left side bar for website)
  
• Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, Ontario Place
  
• PumpkinFest, Downey's Farm
  
• Pumpkins and fun, Whittimore's Farm
  
• Gourdfest, Black Creek Pioneer Village
  
• Tasty Science, Ontario Science Centre (included with admission)
  
• The Word on the Street, Queen's Park (Free admission)
  
• Pedestrian Sundays, Kensington Market (Free event)

Parent Club Calendar

Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, Ontario Place

The Little Mermaid & The Ugly Duckling, Solar Stage Children's Theatre

ROM Family Weekends

Space: Mini KidSpark Challenge*, Ontario Science Centre

Streetsville's 150th Anniversary Celebration (Mississauga) (Free admission)

Terry Fox Run, Locations Across Canada

Parent Club Calendar

Parent Club tip: Take some time this weekend to label school/daycare/dayhome stuff. Customized labels are great but permanent markers work just as well. A strip of masking tape (labeled with child's name in permanent marker) is great for plastic containers, beverage bottles and stainless steel. Plus, you can tear it off when you wash it and start anew the next time. (also a good way to label snacks 1, 2 or 3 without permanently marking the container!)

HAVE A GREAT LONG WEEKEND WITH YOUR FAMILY!

--Parent Club

Parent Club Calendar

Canadian National Exhibition - August 15 – September 1

An Evening at the Chefs' Table under the stars August 16 at 6 p.m. If you are a foodie you'll love seeing Michael Smith (Food Network) live.

Hot & Spicy Food Festival, Harbourfront Centre

Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, Ontario Place

Cirque Saltimbanco, Air Canada Centre

Corn Festival, Whittamore’s Farm (Markham)

Parent Club Calendar

Taste of the Danforth runs this weekend. Big, busy and lots of fun. Take the TTC (parking is limited). Also, the restaurants are usually very full -- I say this as it is good to remind little bodies with little bladders that they have to tell you WELL in advance if they feel the tickel of a tinkel.

The Chinese lantern festival continues at Ontario Place. (We did this last week. Dinosaurs - a bit scary, the rest lots of fun. It doesn't take 80 minutes to walk the displays - not even close. Recommend kids 4+ for this event. Babies and toddlers would be fine just to run around but won't appreciate the lanterns. Though your admission does not include the waterpark - thank goodness - it does admit you to a cinesphere showing of Dinosaurs -- DO NOT GO if you take the kids with you. We did (because we take kids everywhere) and it was really too scary.)

You could also go to a park, the beach, watch movies, have lunch with friends...so many things to do...and that's just Saturday!

Parent Club Calendar

Remember it is a long weekend; so plan for traffic, crowds and snacks. Be safe and play nicely together!

• Get out and enjoy the Caribana parade with soca, calypso, steel pan, reggae and salsa artists.
  Location: Exhibition Place (Lake Shore Blvd)
  Date: Saturday, August 2, 2008
  Timings: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
  
• Playhouse Disney, Ontario Place
  
• Kempenfest, Barrie waterfront
  
• Latin Festival (Festival de Verano), Downsview Park
  
• Pay-What-You-Can Saturdays and Sundays, Scarborough Historical Museum
  
• Rogers Chinese Lantern Festival, Ontario Place

Parent Club Calendar

• Beaches International Jazz Festival
  
• Purina Pro-Plan Dog Stars at Ontario Place
  
• Visit a pick your own farm (fruits & veggies people NOT noses)
  
• Just for Laughs Festival at Yonge Dundas Square - Saturday Night - FREE

Or you could;

play a board game on the porch

pack a pique nique and go to a beach or park

walk a city trail

VOTE

invite friends over for a family Q (bar b Q - that is)

Parent Club Calendar

• Yonge Dundas Square; Arts in the Heart. An open market of artist and craftsman works.
  
• Harbourfront Centre; Grupo Folklorico Viva México
  
• Ribfest & Music Festival, Markham Fairgrounds
  
• Salsa on St. Clair Street Festival
  
• Toronto Zoo; The McGregor Socks Make-A-Wish Foundation® Scavenger Hunt. The first 100 families participating will receive a special gift bag including McGregor® Happy Foot® Socks. (Saturday only)

Parent Club Calendar

Friday already?! Where the heck did this week go? Big muddle of holiday and chaos over here. Really, we need this Parent Club calendar Friday to be chilled out to recover from this crazy week.

• Go to a beach, go to a swimming pool - or hey, just turn on the sprinkler in the yard. It's about EASE not EFFORT this weekend!
  
  
• Do one thing per day. And just ONE thing. Don't cramp strawberry picking with going to the Museum then going to Grandma's for dinner. You don't NEED to do that. The kids don't need to do that. One thing is good. No one ever regretted doing ONE thing.


• Simplify meals. Make healthy lunch choices. Eat ice cream for dinner if you so choose. It won't kill you - really - no matter what your mother said.


• Take a chilled bottle of water with you wherever you go. You'll drink it if you've got it.

Parent Club Calendar

THIS WEEKEND


• Walking with Dinosaurs - The Live Experience, Air Canada Centre
  
• 20th Toronto International Dragon Boat Race, Toronto Centre Island
  
• Fete de la Musique, Toronto Zoo (Saturday)
  
• Royal Kids Palace Grand Opening (Free admission)
  
• The 5th Annual Toronto Zoo's Wild Toy Animal Hospital Sunday only. Children under 12 bring a stuffed animal for a check up by zoo staff.
  
  or you could...
  
• go to the park
  
• visit Riverdale farm
  
• finally clean up and give away the old stroller in the shed (yes, do that!)
  

Parent Club Calendar

• Luminat'eau: Carnival H2O, Harbourfront Centre
  
• Ontario Model Soldier Society Show and Competition at Fort York Free admission.
  
• Canada's National Ballet School Costume Fitting Demonstration & Hands-on Demonstration - 2-3pm at Bata Shoe Museum
  
• Yonge Lawrence Village Day 2008. Free admission.

Father's Day Events

• 97.3 EZ Rock will give the first 99 Dads FREE admission to the Zoo on Father’s Day!
  
  
• Father's Day Royal Brunch at Casa Loma
  
  
• Father's Day 5K Run/Walk, The Distillery District
  
  
• Free Kids Workshop at Home Depot (check your closest location for times)

Other Weekend Ideas

• Take Dad to Rona or Home Depot (Dad seems to like it there)
  
• Swim for free at a city run indoor pool
  
• Have a play date (or hire a babysitter and have your own date)
  
• Take a nap (or send someone for a nap)

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Dad's Day - This Sunday

The Dad in my house gave up watching a Euro Cup game over the weekend. Why? Because Thing 1 and Thing 2 wanted to go to the community environment day (they remembered the face painting from last year). So he pulled a wagon and made a memory with his kids instead of cheering (well, in our case, - yelling -) at the players on TV.

Thank you Papa.

I was reminded (by that Papa) that a short time ago; Parent Club was offered to review TiVo (digital-video recorders (DVRs) - for the non-tech parents; TiVo allows you to record TV...(like soccer games)...and watch your recorded show on your schedule (like after the kids come home from face painting). I turned down the offer because I didn't have the parent time for TiVo -- forgetting that the other parent in the house may appreciate watching his shows on his schedule.

The folks at TiVo did a tv viewing poll to see what Dads are secretly watching when they have TV time;

Dancing With the Stars – 33%
Grey’s Anatomy – 24%
Desperate Housewives – 22%

hmm, not soccer games?! I bet the Dads who are watching Dancing With The Stars are sharing the couch with the kids. Modern Dad wants to be engaged in his kids' lives. Not cheering from the sidelines. Not staying home to watch the game (well, as long as it isn't' the quarter finals, semi finals or plain ol' finals).

Parent Club Calendar

• Last chance to shop at the Samko Sale (see sidebar left for details
  
• Luminato Festival of Culture & Arts www.luminato.com
  
• Sanctuary Song - Berkeley Theatre
  
• Scottish Music Festival, Yonge-Dundas Square FREE
  
• Woofstock, St. Lawrence Market Neighbourhood. Outdoor festival for Dogs. Really!
  
• Evergreen Spring Plant & Garden Fair at the Evergreen Brick Works. Workshops, demos and organic. Free shuttle bus from Broadview station.
  
• Animal Adventure at the Ontario Science Centre with Safari Steve. 2:30pm Free with regular admission.
  
  Other weekend choices (which are FREE)
  
  
• mow the lawn (while the kiddies play outdoors)
  
• clean the toy room (ugh)
  
• walk, bike or wagon to a local park
  
• plant something with the kids (recommend strawberries - yum!)