Canadian Family News
Family News Update: Drifting Daydreamers, Training Tykes, Spreading the Love and More
Determined parents battle time to save their son:
• Teen battles leukemia, parents fight red tape (Toronto Star)
A new trend, hardcore pint-sized gym members:
• More kids taking to the gym, working with personal trainers (Chicago Tribune)
Your little daydreamer drifts further than you think:
• Daydreams can literally take you away: study (Victoria Times Colonist)
Bad news, low-hanging pants are not punishable by law. Fashion police say otherwise:
• U.S. judge rules in favour of low-hanging pants (National Post)
Health Canada spills the salt, tries to shake the industry:
• Salt-reduction targets shaken off by industry, health minister (Global)
And before you enjoy the long weekend, remember, all you need is love:
• Strong relationships key to long life, study suggests (CTV)
Travel
Taking a Long Weekend Trip? Ottawa’s Top Five Unexpected Attractions
Ottawa is an awesome city to visit in the summer, and many of its charms are well-known, from the excitement of the Byward Market to the wonders of the Canadian Museum of Civilization. But, with so much to do, some of the city’s best attractions are inevitably overlooked—and that’s a shame. Here we present five wonderful family-friendly things that you may have otherwise missed on a visit to the nation’s capital.
Ottawa has more than 175 kilometres of bike trails.
5. The Cats on Parliament Hill
Almost every visit to Ottawa will include an obligatory tour of the Peace Tower, the Centennial Flame, Senate, House, Library and other key sites on the almost 90,000 square metres that comprise Parliament Hill. But there’s one site there that you wouldn’t expect: a series of small shelters to house and feed stray cats. Check in the trees at the rear of Parliament Hill to find this charming little oddity.
Experience a lantern-lit, spine-tingling trek with some of the city’s best local storytellers and amateur historians on The Haunted Walk. The original tour is probably your best bet with young ones, but pre-teens and teens might appreciated the amped-up spookification of Ghosts and the Gallows, a tour that includes a swing through the Old Carleton County Jail.
3. Get Outside
One of Canada’s healthiest cities, Ottawa offers plenty of outdoorsy pleasures, from rowing a boat on the Rideau Canal to exploring the many green spaces on offer. But perhaps the best way to get some fresh air is to rent some bikes and take a tour on the 175 kilometres of bike paths that criss-cross the Capital. And make sure to take advantage of Sunday Bikedays, when some of the city’s most scenic routes are closed to car traffic.
2. Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Housed in a huge hangar near the Ottawa River, this museum is surprisingly kid-friendly. Very young kids will enjoy the Hang Glider Studio, an area filled with games, crafts, puzzles and every airplane toy you can imagine. Youngsters can also climb into the cockpit of a fighter jet or a helicopter, and older kids will have fun handling the controls of the museum’s flight simulator. The museum also offer scavenger hunts and I Spy games, as well as the opportunity to fire off water-propelled rockets outside.
1. Prince and Princess Tea at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier
Your littlest lady or gentleman will love getting all gussied up for high tea at one of Ottawa’s most historic and luxurious hotels. Afternoon tea is served every day of the week in Zoe’s Lounge between 2pm and 5pm, and young ones will appreciate the opportunity to sip some sweet bubble gum tea while munching on the chef’s famous cupcakes.
Events
Win Free Tickets to Visit Us At Ontario Place
It’s almost a week a way until we’re at Toronto’s Ontario Place testing this years hottest new toys and we’d love to know what you think. So come down and enjoy the fun with us on Friday August 6, from 10 to 3 in OP’s Heritage Square.
Want to get in free? Comment on this post and tell us what your favourite toy growing up was (or maybe it’s a toy you wanted so badly, but never got) and you could win a set of two tickets. Winners will be announced Tuesday.
In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview: will have a set of stringless guitars to rock out on, our very own Myachi Master and a toy that will have your two-year-old collecting email.
Hope to see you there!
Video
Sweet Video: Sweethearts Reunite After 62 Years
Jack and Betty were high school sweethearts.
Now they’re 81.
Jack found Betty on the Internet and got back in touch.
Both had lost their spouses.
And they hadn’t seen each other in 62 years.
Until the day this video was made.
News
Family News Update: Lucky Underwear, CEOs Flipping Burgers, Personality Predictors and More
Maybe your child’s lucky socks are important after all (even if they do stink):
• Phys Ed: Does Lucky Underwear Improve Athletic Performance? (New York Times)
You know when it feel likes your stomach is in your throat? You may be closer than you think:
• What happens to your insides when you ride a roller coaster (Toronto Star)
Those remarks on your child’s report card could foreshadow the future:
• Personality takes shape at an early age (Calgary Herald)
Shocking case overseas:
• Frenchwoman ‘admits smothering eight newborn babies’ (BBC)
Who knew? Flipping burgers could get you to the top:
• Cooking fries? Cleaning hospitals? Executives reflect on their first job (CNN)
Crafts & Activities, Fun
Summer-Time Craft: Yarn Globes
Photograph by Disney Family Fun
Now how cute and clever are these yarn globes? We found them over at Disney’s Family Fun website and can’t stop thinking of the endless possibilities with this craft (Disney made them in honour of Easter and calls them ‘yarn eggs’ but ‘yarn globes’ is a bit more universal we think.)
One reader said she was going to tie green ribbon on top of her orange globes to make her own version of a non-perishable pumpkin this Halloween.
You could even use giant 36 inch balloons to really make show stopping globes. Either way, here’s what you’ll need to make your own – in addition to about a weekend’s worth of your time:
Materials
• Thin cotton yarn
• Balloons in various sizes
• Craft glue
• Newspaper
• Waxed paper
• Clothespin
• Clothes hanger
Head over to Disney’s site for the rest of the tutorial directions, photos and helpful tips and suggestions from other crafters.
And if you’re thinking what we’re thinking (how awesome these would look at a summer birthday party in the guest of honour’s fave colour) then check out this round up of birthday party tips for all ages!
Charity & Activism, Video
Video: The Story of Stuff!
This little video, created in 2008 by Annie Leonard, is a great examination of all of our “stuff”. It’s since evolved into the Story of Stuff Project, and you can find similar films about the Story of Cosmetics, the Story of Bottled Water and more at TheStoryofStuff.com. It will make you really think hard about how much we consume, and is a great opener for similar conversations with kids.
News
Family News Update: Bear Visits Family Home, Gayby Boomers Speak Up, Stars Discuss Postpartum Depression and More
Release your inhibitions, bedwetters don’t have to skip on summer activities:
• Bedwetting no big deal at summer camps (Toronto Star)
Those who suffer from childhood obesity more likely to be unemployed, on welfare and single:
• Impact Of Childhood Obesity Goes Beyond Health (NPR)
Hollywood shines a light on postpartum depression:
• Gwyneth Paltrow Fought Postpartum Depression: Can She Inspire Moms to Get Help? (CBS)
Chew on this: serious food reactions on the rise
• Are kids’ ER visits for food allergies on the rise? (Calgary Herald)
Uninvited guests are always a pain, especially when they leave a mess:
• Black bear gets in U.S. house, eats, drinks, takes stuffed bear to go (CBC)
A glimpse into the lives of children from the “gayby boom”:
• Children of same-sex couples experience their families in different ways (Montreal Gazette)
Entertainment, Great Finds
Fun New App: Introducing 3D Storytelling for iPad
Once upon a time there came along an app that changed the world of storytelling, will it live happily ever after?
We’re talking about the release of Moving Tales Inc.’s first 3D animated storybook app for iPad (iTunes App Store, $4.99).
This first storybook app, The Pedlar Lady of Gushing Cross, is a tale about the journey of a poor pedlar woman who, guided by the shifting line between the real and the unreal, discovers a surprising and wonderful treasure.
Talk about bringing a story to life, we were impressed with all the features including 3D animation, poetic voice-over narratives and cover flow-like navigation (just to name a few).
Don’t believe it? Check it out below:
Already a believer? Keep an eye out for the next part in the series “The Unwanted Guest”.
From Our Sponsors
Famous Canadians Share Their Passions Starting Today
Want to get inside the minds of some of your favorite Canadian TV personalities? Check out Passion Profiles, a unique online talk show featuring host Cheryl Hickey and brought to you by Häagen-Dazs.
Each of the four episodes will offer a rare and fascinating glimpse of some of your favorite personalities as you’ve never seen them before. First up, you’ll learn about the passions, inspirations and dreams of Food Network hosts Anna and Michael Olson, as they sit down for an intimate chat with veteran celeb interviewer Cheryl Hickey. After a brief stint in banking, Anna decided to follow her true passion to a career in cooking. After culinary school and working as a chef in New Orleans, Anna wound up in the Niagara region, where she met and married Michael Olson, also a notable chef. Anna hosts Fresh with Anna Olson and Sugar on the Food Network, is the author of a number of cookbooks. Together, the Olsons have collaborated on many delectable recipes, some of which can be found in their cookbook Anna and Michael Olson Cook at Home.
Here at CF.ca, we were also invited to submit a few questions for Cheryl to ask during her interview, so watch for their answers to our queries (we hope to learn some juicy cooking secrets).
Starting today, July 28th, you can visit passionprofiles.ca to get up close and personal with the Olsons!
