Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide 2013

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Heartwarming Winter Reads: great winter reads for those indoor days

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Winter

Activity Guide 2013 Winter Immune Boost page

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Winter Bucket List page

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DIY Winter Activities page

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Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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In this issue:

Welcome... Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! It is officially winter in the Okanagan and it is an excellent opportunity to spend some quality time with your family. Whether you want to cozy up by the fire reading a great book to your kids or bundling up for some snow fun, our winter guide is full of great ideas for winter family fun! Since it is our last e-guide of 2013, we wanted to thank you for reading, sharing and creating a vibrant Okanagan parent community! We love providing you with valuable local parenting and event information. n

Jen & Sue

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Food was meant to be played with!

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Family Friendly Events

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Fun DIY Winter Activities

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Christmas Crafts: Melting Snowman Ornaments

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Winter Immune Boost

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Public Ice Skating Schedule

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2013 Winter Bucket List

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Heartwarming Winter Reads

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Family Day Challenge

Happy Holidays

from everyone at Okanagan4Kids.com www.okanagan4kids.com

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Saturday March 8, 2014 at The New Life Church (across from Toys ‘R‘ Us) 10am to 3pm With special guests Bobs & Lolo

in support of 4

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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healthy winter snacks

Food was made to be played with... Winter break is quickly approaching; Do you know what this means? Kids are out of school! Get them into the kitchen and teach them what they don’t learn in school. How to make healthy snacks that are quick, creative and fun! Not only will they learn many skills that will prove to be useful to them later in life. They will have fun doing it and they will have memories that will last a lifetime.

Last winter break I made a fun and healthy picnic with my kids. We laid a blanket on the floor to sit on as we ate chocolate for breakfast. Yes I said it, chocolate for breakfast and it’s healthy! Not just chocolate though, raw chocolate. We cut up all kinds of fruit to dip in our raw chocolate fondue; we even made raw brownies bites and raw chocolate pudding! What kid doesn’t love chocolate? The amazing thing about raw chocolate is how incredible it is for our health. I could write a whole article on the amazing health benefits of raw cacao (used in making raw chocolate) but for now I will just keep it short and sweet. Raw cacao helps with lowering your bad cholesterol and your blood pressure. It contains 10 times the amount of antioxidants as blueberries! It also aids in

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weight loss. How so? Raw cacao contains appetite suppressant properties which help with controlling hunger. Because it is so rich and full of minerals such as magnesium, iron and zinc you don’t need to eat a lot throughout the day because your body is getting what it needs. Remember that kids love to be involved. Encourage your kids to pick a new healthy recipe to try out. Or get them to choose a new fruit or veggie they have never seen or tasted next time you’re at grocery store. Here is a recipe to help get you started! SKINNY DIP – “raw chocolate pudding” You will need: • 2 Ripe Avocados • ½ cup RAW Wild Honey (or less, to taste)

• • • •

¼ cup Raw Cacao Powder (or Carob) 2 Tbsp. Coconut oil Vanilla Dash of Sea Salt

Place everything into a blender or food processor and blend on high until very smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. This is a great recipe, its fast and simple with a delicious taste; it can be used as a dip for fruit or icing on a raw brownie. n Contributed by Sandy Kirchner, founder of the RAW Root Cellar. Find her on Facebook @The RAW Root Cellar

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family friendly events

Family Friendly Events at Family Après Ski

4:00pm to 6:00pm/7 days a week This is an après-ski that takes place in the Moose Lounge in Happy Valley Day Lodge. Drink/food specials are always on and it’s a great way to get a bite to eat or have a warm drink after a day on the slopes with the family!

Bingo Night

6:30pm to 8:00pm/Tuesday Nights Bingo night is a great way to spend an evening with the family! It takes place in Happy Valley Day Lodge, you have the opportunity to win some pretty nifty prizes like free tubing passes for the kids, group lessons from our Ski and Board School and more. It’s an incredibly popular event that everyone really looks forward to!

Minute to Win It

6:30pm to 8:30pm/ Wednesday evenings Our events crew will present you with unique challenges to be completed in one minute,

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complete the task and move onto the next round! Just like the game show! Minute to Win It in Happy Valley is designed for the whole family to get involved! Cheer each other on as these seemingly simple tasks are attempted with the chance to win tons of prizes.

Bonfire & Hot Chocolate

5:00pm to 6:30pm/Wednesday, Friday and Saturday (every day of the week during Christmas Holidays) On these days of the week we serve complimentary hot chocolate at the bonfire, beside the skating rink, just outside of The Happy Valley Day Lodge. On Saturdays we also serve S’mores free to the public!

Carnival Night

6:30pm to 8:00pm/Thursday and Saturdays Our famous carnival night is fun for the whole family! The games are all out for the kids along with the popcorn and cotton candy. This will be the kids’ favorite night on the hill as they

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

participate in carnival games to win some fantastic prizes in the Village Centre Mall! The Loose Moose likes to make an appearance as well!

Trivia Night at the Moose Lounge 7:00pm to 9:00pm/Fridays

Come test your wits against our challenging quiz master to win prizes! Fantastic food and drink specials at the Happy Valley Day Lodge. Great with your whole family or even solo! Every week there is a theme and a chance to win some awesome prizes!

Fireworks

8:30pm/every Saturday night! Beautiful display of fireworks happens in Happy Valley every Saturday night. ! n

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BOWLING PARTIES ARE AWESOME

YOUTH LEAGUES FORMING NOW

Have a BALL & leave cleanup to us

Try it out. First Day is FREE

Capri Centre Mall - Lower Level Phone: 250.979.2777

Details at www.valleylanes.net

Licensed Concourse Service

Coming in February... 2014 Spring Break Guide Jam packed with ideas of how to keep the kids entertained during the school break Contact us to book your space! Email advertise@okanagan4kids.com www.okanagan4kids.com

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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cold weather fun

Cold weather fun! With the season changing to winter, outside play remains an important factor in maintaining your child’s health. Here are some fun activities to enjoy with your child, to make their experience of winter even more enjoyable!

Spray painting snow with water and food colouring Purchase a plastic spray bottle at a dollar store and fill it with water. Place a few drops of food colouring into the water, then shake the bottle gently to mix. If you purchase several spray bottles, you can fill each bottle with a different colour, so children can find their inner Picasso, with the snow as their canvas! Be sure and dress your child in something that you are not stressed about becoming stained, as the spray bottle mixture may stain clothing. Make ‘snow pirates’ Arg, matey! Your yard will have the best (and probably only!) snow pirates on the block! Fashion a pirate hat from newspaper (click here for link). A piece of black felt or cloth, attached to black yarn, would make a wonderful eye patch for your scurvy snow pirate! Snow people gloves With twigs for arms, your child’s snow person might get cold ‘hands’. Start saving old socks (either ones with missing partners or ones with holes). They’ll make great ‘gloves’! Make snow circles Start collecting empty paper towel rolls. Cut them into several pieces. Your child can pack snow into each piece, creating snow circles that could be used as wheels for a ‘snow car’, or whatever your child’s imagination leads them to create!

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Snow ball rolling races or obstacle course This activity is fairly self-explanatory. Have your child roll a snow ball on a snow-free surface (like a freshly shovelled driveway) to race to the finish line. Whose print is that? Try and match everyone’s boot print to the ones in the snow. This activity would be great for learning about sizes, patterns and shapes. Most winter boots have interesting patterns on the bottom. Your child can be a detective and see if they can match the designs in the snow to the bottom of everyone’s boots! When the weather becomes too cold for your child or for yourself, here are some indoor winter activities your child is sure to enjoy! Snowflake ornaments These ornaments can be made with craft sticks or cotton swabs, glued together to form a snowflake shape. Add glitter glue, or regular glue and a small shaker of glitter and watch what your child creates! Be prepared for a sparkly mess at the end, though! Styrofoam ball snow people Purchase different sizes of Styrofoam balls. These balls can be glued together to create snow people. Your child can then decorate their snow person however they like! Provide

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

things such as glue, buttons and multicoloured construction paper and watch their imagination in action! Paper chains Red and green construction paper strips, glued or stapled together, to form a chain. Then hang this chain somewhere in the house, to get everyone in a festive mood! Cookie decorating This activity requires a bit more planning and effort on your part, but is still lots of fun and totally worth it! Plus, the results are super yummy! Graham cracker house Similar to cookie decorating, effort and planning are required on your part. Find the link here to make a delicious, creative graham cracker house. Playing outside is a wonderful, fun activity for children of all ages. Be aware, however, if the temperature drops below minus 15 celsius, being outside for a limited amount of time (typically no more than 15-30 minutes) with young children is advisable. n Contributed by Jodi Quibell: writer, mother, Early Childhood Educator. Check out her blog at: www.apparentwisdom.com

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cold weather fun

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christmas crafts

Melted Snowman Ornamets These Melted Snowman Ornaments are perfect to create with children of all ages! Toddlers can help to fill ornaments with various snowman parts while school aged children will be able to make this ornament with very little adult help. Supplies needed: • Clear ornaments (glass or plastic) plastic ones are safe and super durable for preshoolers. • Salt for snow (or clear glitter) • Orange polymer clay for noses (or card stock or fun foam cut into triangles) • Black polymer clay for eyes and mouths (or peppercorns or pom poms) • Brown polymer clay for arms (or sticks or pipe cleaners) • Ribbon for scarves (or fabric) • Extra ribbon or jute for hanging the ornaments Instructions: Begin by creating snowman parts with the clay. Use a pea sized piece of orange polymer clay to form each nose. Use a pea sized piece of brown polymer clay to form each arm.

Fill the ornament with 2-3 Tbsp of regular table salt. Older children could make their own features out of polymer clay and fill the ornament with salt themselves. Not wanting to take any chances with our twin boys who were toddlers at the time I set up a filling station - assembly line fashion worked best for them. And even after instruction some of our snowmen had three noses and ten eyes. hee hee Finally string the ornament with jute or ribbon for hanging. Holiday crafts that the whole family can participate in and enjoy are especially fun this time of year. These ornaments were so simple to put together that we made a whole bunch to give to the boys classmates as a Christmas gift.

Roll many, many, small black polymer clay circles for eyes and mouths.

Merry Christmas! n

Bake as directed on the package. Usually 30 minutes at 275°.

Heather. www.twindragonflydesigns.com

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Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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feature S T U DY S K I L L S

M AT H

S AT/A C T P R E P

WRITING

READING

HOMEWORK HELP

Natalie G. AG E 10 Sylvan’s given me the confidence to have a great school year.

ACE THE NEXT REPORT CARD WITH SYLVAN Some children have trouble hitting their stride when the school year kicks into gear. Good news parents! This report card is the last one you’ll have to worry about if you get started with Sylvan today. With Sylvan, you’ll get: • our four-step Sylvan Insight™ process, where we take the time to really get to know your child and develop a plan for success. • our proven tutoring approach that blends amazing teachers with SylvanSync™ technology on the iPad® for a truly engaging learning experience. • programs to fit your family’s busy schedule – and budget. Act now to take control of this school year. www.okanagan4kids.com

50 OFF

$

Sylvan Skills Assessment® Offer expires December 13, 2013. Not valid with any other offer. Valid at participating locations only. Limit one per customer. Must present ad at time of assessment. Discount applies to $145 Comprehensive Assessment only.

Learning Should Be Personal ™ SY LVA N L E A R N I N G . C A

Kelowna

250.861.1255 Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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winter immune boost

Winter

Immune Boost Nutrition tips to keep your family healthy through cold season The majority of your immune system resides in your gut. The lining of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is one of the first lines of defense against invading organisms and it is riddled with lymph tissues. It helps control inflammation and the chemical environment of your cells. Considering all this, it should not be a surprise that the health of your GI system is directly correlated with your overall health status. It should also not be shocking that there are certain immune-boosting “super foods� that you can feed your family to help fight through winter cold and flu season. 14

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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winter immune boost

DR AMANDA’S TOP 3 IMMUNE BOOSTING NUTRIENTS Vitamin D Vitamin D is the only vitamin whose biologically active form is actually a hormone. D3 (the most bioavailable form of Vitamin D) can be synthesized from cholesterol in sun-exposed skin during the summer, but in beautiful northern mountain towns like ours, there is a very high risk of deficiency in the winter months. Vitamin D enhances the activity of white blood cells in response to invaders. Supplementation is associated with reduced rates of illness and has been shown to reduce the incidence of respiratory infections in children. Food Sources: Eggs & Fish (Salmon, Tuna) Vitamin C Humans are one of the only species unable to synthesize their own Vitamin C, which is unfortunate considering how important Vitamin C is for the immune system. Vitamin C plays a role in facilitating the body’s ability to handle chemical stress during infection, injury, or chronic disease. It is one of your body’s favorite antioxidants and is essential for optimum function of white blood cells and other chemical messengers that direct the immune response. Vitamin C deficiencies sharply increase our vulnerability to infections. Supplementation with Vitamin C enhances our immune system, especially against viruses, and has been shown to reduce the severity of symptoms and duration of a cold. The good news is there are a lot of great dietary sources and it is a very safe nutrient with which to supplement. Here’s a tip: use “number two” as your guide. As you gradually increase your Vitamin C dose, pay attention to how soft your stool becomes. Once it gets too soft, back off a bit. That is your dose! Food Sources: Papaya, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Citrus, Strawberries, Green Peppers, Grapefruit. Zinc Zinc is a mineral, not a vitamin. Many people are deficient in minerals today (possibly because our food is too “clean” and we are not regularly exposed to dirt). Zinc is ubiquitously distributed among the cells of the body and is the most abundant trace element within your cells. It is an important regulator of the immune response. Zinc deficiency is

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particularly common in children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women. Zinc supplementation can significantly accelerate healing. It has been shown to reduce symptomatic days of a cold by almost half and can even reduce duration and severity of diarrhea in young children. It is especially effective against viruses when taken as a lozenge or tablet that dissolves in the mouth. Food Sources: Liver, Oysters, Lentils, Green Peas, Meat (Minor Amounts In Oatmeal And Eggs)

have the same effect on your immune system as physical stress. Lack of sleep can even worsen constipation, which is a risk factor for many diseases.

TOP FOODS TO AVOID

Stress

Sugar Sugar can decrease the function of your immune system almost immediately. It is a good idea to avoid excess sugar when you feel your body is fighting something, but avoiding it as part of your regular dietary habits will have a better effect over the long haul. Not only does excess sugar create an inflammatory environment in the body, but it is also a favorite food of many of the “bad guys” (yeast and bacteria in particular).

FRIENDLY HELPERS Probiotics There is a dynamic interaction between your gut, your brain, and your immune system. The environment of critters living inside of you is called the microbiome. Not only do good bacteria in your gut improve digestion and nutrient absorption, but they also help fend off bad bacteria, viruses, and other invaders. Supplementing with probiotics improves many measures of general health, boosts the immune system, and reduces diarrhea in children (and adults). There are many different strands of good bacteria that reside in balance in a healthy gut, the most common of which are lactobacillis and bifido. Food Sources: Kefir, Tempeh, Sauerkraut, Kim Chi, Miso, Yogurt, Cheese

LIFESTYLE CONSIDERATIONS Sleep Lack of sleep increases your chances of getting sick. Sleep deprivation reduces our ability to withstand infections from bacteria and viruses by altering the activity of our immune system cells and messengers. Recent research reports that sleep deprivation may actually

Tips for improved sleep

• • • •

No screen time an hour before bed. No stimulants (coffee) in the afternoon. Establish a “wind-down” routine. Create a cave in which to sleep. (A dark, quiet, slightly chilly environment.)

High and long-term stress weakens your immune system and increase susceptibility to sickness. Your body will not be able to fight off the cold as well if you are living with chronic stress. Our perception of stress actually starts a cascade of chemical reactions that alter hormone responses and send chemical messenger to every part of our body. This is good when we need to run away from a bear, but has very serious long term consequences if left unchecked. Restful sleep and a healthy diet are a great start to help your body combat stress. Doing physical activities you enjoy is a great way to wind down. Chatting with a life coach or counselor can be a great way to learn tools on how to properly manage stress as well. Hygiene A little hand washing can go a long way. One of the primary reasons that infectious diseases are no longer the top killers in developed countries is because of the advancements in hygiene. Clean drinking water, better toiletry habits, and basic sanitation help reduce your exposure to pathogens. Avoid going to public places and to the hospital just to visit if you feel you are fighting something. If someone in your home is sick, wash bedding and clothing more regularly and wipe down commonly used surfaces more frequently. Our body’s ability to fight off the common cold and flu is pretty remarkable. Make sure you are providing it with all the essential nutrients, building blocks, and rest that it needs to fight so that it can serve you well. You may find you come out stronger and healthier on the other side. n

Contribued by Dr. Amanda Stevens from Valeo Health Clinic. www. valeohealthclinic.com

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Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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ice skating schedules

Public Ice Skating Schedules Schedules are subject to change. Please check with the arena for updated times.

Vernon Kal Tire Place 3445 43rd Ave 250.542.5623 www.kaltireplace.ca Family Skate Sundays from 6:15-7:45pm Public Skate Mon: 9:30-11:30am/1:45-3:30pm Wed: 9:30-11:30am/1:45-3:30pm/6:15-7:45pm Fri: 12:00-2:00pm Centennial Outdoor Rink 3310 37th Ave 250.542.5623 www.kaltireplace.ca Sun: 9.00-11.00am/2.30-4.00pm Mon: 6.30-8.00pm Tues: 3.00-5.00pm/7.00-8.30pm Thurs: 3.00-4.30pm Fri: 3.00-4.00pm/6.30-8.00pm

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Senior Skate Thurs: 1.15-2.30pm

Sat: 8.30-10.00am/5.00-7.00pm

Lake Country

Rutland Arena 645 Dodd Rd

Winfield Arena Ice Skating Rink 9830 Bottom Wood Lake Road (250) 766-3030 www.lakecountry.bc.ca

Senior Skate Tues: 9.00-10.00am Parent & Tot Skate Tues: 10.15-11.15am

Weds: 7:10-8:15pm until December 20th

Kelowna

Public Skate Sat: 1.00-3.15pm Sun: 3.00-5.15pm

Stuart Park Rink 1435 Water Street 250.469.8800 ext. 4 www.kelowna.ca Open daily permitting

from

Capital News Centre 4105 Gordon Drive 6am-11pm

weather

Memorial Arena 1424 Ellis St

Public Skates Tues: 6.30-7.45pm Weds: 6.30-7.45pm Fri: 6.30-7.45pm Sat: 6.30-7.45pm

Shall we Dance Adult Skate Mon: 2.00-3.00pm

Family Holiday Skate Sun Dec 15: 3.00-5.15pm

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winter bucket list

Your 2013 Wint Looking for some fun and exciting new activities to keep the family entertained this winter? The search is over! Okanagan4Kids.com has published a blog series, 100 Fun Things Every Family Should Do Together, and we wanted to share some of it with you! There are lots of great suggestions for every budget.

Hit the Slopes! Whether you are a family of experienced skiers or you have never tried it before, you’ve got to take a trip to one of the nearby ski hills at least once. Every local ski resort offers a great variety of options for every skill level, plus tons of other activities for those who can’t or just don’t want to ski. However you choose to enjoy the mountain, it will be a fantastic trip, and the scenery alone is worth it.

Check out your local museum Help your kids learn about the Okanagan’s heritage at one of our fabulous local museums. Okanagan4Kids.com has a list of all the areas museums and galleries.

Go Christmas Caroling Everyone appreciates hearing the happy sounds of carollers during the holiday season. Churches and clubs are great places to hook up with a group to sing with, and if you look at the Events Calendar on Okanagan4Kids.com you may find a few more. It’s a wonderful way to share the magic of Christmas with friends and strangers, and you will be sure to brighten up someone’s day.

Family Sundays at the Kelowna Art Gallery A great way to expose your kids to the arts by participating in creative, hands-on art-making activities! There is a new project theme every week. www.kelownaartgallery.com

Have a Snowball Fight! Who can resist packing a snowball and surprising the first person who comes within throwing range? Make it a family affair after a fresh snowfall – everyone gets a little exercise and it’s a great excuse to warm up later with 18

hot cocoa and marshmallows while you cozy up and watch an old movie (or a new one.) Just remember to play fair.

for both inside and outside of your house with some simple and inexpensive crafts that everyone can help with.

Join a Reading Club

Take a Christmas Lights Tour

All your local public libraries have reading clubs for beginner, intermediate and advanced readers. Discover the world of books that are waiting out there for you and your family!

Go Tobogganing Down a Big Hill Most communities have a favourite toboggan hill – if you don’t know where to find one, ask around. Someone is sure to tell you the best place to go. Somehow, climbing a big hill in the snow is a lot of fun when you are anticipating the thrill of sliding to the bottom on your toboggan (inner tubes work great too!)

Go Bowling! Bowling is an awesome activity for rain, summer or winter. There are several bowling alleys in the Valley that participate in the Kids Bowl Free program during the summer months. Check out www.kidsbowlfree.com for full details.

Go Ice Skating Almost as soon as the kids have learned to walk, they are old enough to start learning how to skate. There is a community ice rink near you, and it doesn’t cost a lot to take the whole family out for some great old fashioned fun and exercise. If you’re a bit more adventurous, you can probably find an outdoor rink too.

Decorate the House! It doesn’t even have to be Christmas, but you can enjoy making beautiful winter decorations

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

Who has the best holiday decorations in your community? One sure way to find out is to take a tour and see them all! Mom and Dad don’t have to drive, so they can sit back and enjoy the sights along with the rest of the family. Many of these tours help to support the food banks and other charities, so you will feel good about helping a worthy cause.

Ride the Kettle Valley Steam Railway Christmas Train Here’s a fantastic trip that will take you back the “the olden days” as you ride the rails and see the sights. Book early to make sure they save you a seat!

Have a Night Out at the Theatre See a live musical theatre performance at any of the fantastic theatres throughout the Okanagan Valley.

Meet Santa Claus! What more can we say? Santa makes appearances all over the Okanagan in December, so don’t miss your chance to see him and all his helpers. There’s LOTS more to see and do and Okanagan4Kids.com is adding new activities and events all the time. Check in often and we’ll keep you posted on all the family fun we can find! Now go out there and get busy! n

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winter bucket list

ter Bucket List

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Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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winter reading

Heartwarming Winter Reads

Winter is a wonderful time to share books with your family. Below are some great book suggestions for the wintery months ahead. Snuggle up with a mug of cocoa and stay warm inside reading or put your mittens on and get outside for some wintery fun! Heartwarming winter picture books

Old Bear and His Cub by Olivier Dunrea

Once Upon a Northern Night by Jean Pendziwol

Get outside! Winter activity books

Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers

Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic

Snow Dog, Go Dog by Deborah Heiligman

Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

Rabbit’s Gift: A Fable from China by George Shannon

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Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

Snow Play: How to Make Forts & Slides & Campfires by Birgitta Ralston

The Wild Weather Book: Loads of Things to Do Outdoors in Rain, Wind and Snow by Fiona Danks

Snow Amazing: Cool Facts and Warm Tales by Jane Drake

Building Snow Forts

Let’s Look at Winter by Sarah L. Schuette

Explore Winter! by Maxine Anderson

Snowy Science: 25 Cool Experiments by Shar Levine

Submitted by: Ashley Machum. Youth Services Librarian Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Regional Library

by Dana Meachen Rau

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BIR TH

DAY

PAR TI E

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family day challenge

Family Day Challenge

Bringing families together... one challenge at a time Whether your kids are young and living at home, away at college or with families of their own, it is important to stay connected. It’s time to bring your family closer together by making family time a priority, where every person feels loved, valued and heard. We get it; we are all busy and our lives feel heavy with events, with little time to spare for family togetherness. “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.” - Stephen R. Covey This is why Jeff Hoffart of ED-ucation Publishing and Jessica Lahrs of Story is Yours have collaborated, in order to host an event that reminds us to reflect on what is important in our lives and, more importantly, who are those important people within our lives. On February 10, 2014, you and your family can take part in the first ever “Family Day Challenge”, held in Kelowna, B.C.! Our goal is to provide opportunities to build stronger

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relationships in our families, our communities, and the world. So, what does this look like? Families will create a personalized action plan, making decisions together to commit to challenges like: cook with your kids, create a family garden, create family rituals (e.g. games night), watch a documentary with your kids instead of a movie, meet your neighbors, etc… Beyond your immediate family, the day is also about our larger sense of family or community. “Our family in fact, is not just those who share our genetics, or our memories, or our time, but those we choose to love. And although we are busy writing the story of our own lives, if we are mindfully present we can learn to connect with each person we come into contact with and treat them with kindness and compassion.

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

In those moments, our family expands far beyond our bloodline and encompasses the human race.” - Tosca Killoran The Family Day Challenge event will be held on February 10, 2014, with different start times available. Families can purchase $25 tickets for the entire family! You will walk away with a personalized family action plan, free gifts, and great ideas to build stronger relationships in your family, community and beyond! If you miss the event, you can still take the challenge online, after the event date. This event has a limited number of tickets, so act quickly. Join us at www.FamilyDayChallenge.com to register today! n

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okanagan

available early 2014

2013 Baby & Toddler Guide OUT NOW

the essential guide for all things baby and child www.okanagan4kids.com

Okanagan4Kids.com Winter Activity Guide | 2013

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