BC Parent Resource Guide 2024

The Secret to Healthier Kids?

Outdoor Play.

From boosting confidence to improving mental health, outdoor risky play offers vast benefits.

By Lauren Erdelyi of BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

Think back to a favourite childhood play memory. Chances are, it took place outdoors and involved a small element of risk—whether playing near a stream, climbing trees or enjoying a game of street hockey.

“When people reflect on their most cherished childhood play moments, it’s almost always associated with the outdoors,” explained Dr. Mariana Brussoni, a developmental psychologist and injury prevention expert at BC Children’s Hospital—who is one of a handful of global experts on outdoor risky play. “They speak about the freedom of being able to go outside, move their bodies, jump up and down, and run around in ways that the indoors couldn’t provide. In other words: they engaged in outdoor risky play.”

Little did you realize it at the time, but this very activity played a crucial role in supporting your development. In fact, a growing body of research reveals that outdoor risky play promotes physical and mental health, builds lifelong cognitive and social skills, and ultimately, helps shape a child’s future.

What is outdoor risky play?

Outdoor risky play is a thrilling and adventurous form of play that involves uncertainty and an element of risk. While it can take a variety of forms, a common theme is that children have the chance to test their limits and determine how far they want to push themselves. This can involve rough and tumble play, exploring heights or venturing into areas where they may get temporarily lost.

“Engaging in outdoor risky play like this can promote physical literacy, strengthen executive functioning skills, support cognitive development and improve mental health— all benefits that we’ve witnessed firsthand through research conducted right on the BC Children’s campus,” added Dr. Brussoni.

If there’s no question that outdoor risky play is vital, it raises the question: Why aren’t more kids participating in it? It doesn’t take long to see that outdoor play today differs from that of previous generations, where children roamed freely in their neighbourhoods with minimal adult supervision. Surprisingly, today, only 37% of children play outside every day.

Dr. Brussoni attributes it to excessive safety concerns, including fears of injury, kidnap-

ping or potential liability risks harboured by many adults. As she points out, though, data indicates that there has never been a safer time to be a child in Canada. It may seem counterintuitive, but outdoor risky play can contribute to keeping kids safer.

A trio of tools

To overcome these hesitations, Dr. Brussoni has led the charge to build a suite of tools on OutsidePlay.org—a first of its kind in the world. The tools empower parents, teachers and early childhood educators with knowledge and guidance to embrace outdoor risky play. The latest tool, launched in September, is designed to encourage outdoor play-based learning among teachers. Optimized for mobile use, it contains short 90–120 second videos that provide high-level learning on a range of topics.

Recognizing the significance of elevating outdoor risky play across all age groups, Dr.

Brussoni emphasized, “We are addressing each audience individually, having built these tools based on a deep understanding of the fear-driven cognitions that adults have.”

It may seem counterintuitive, but outdoor risky play can contribute to keeping kids safer.

To help you get started, here are three tips for embracing outdoor risky play:

1. Carve out time for it. To truly maximize the benefits of outdoor play, it’s essential to dedicate time to it every day.

Dr. Brussoni encourages families to treat outdoor play as they would any scheduled activity, like soccer practice. For example, consider going to a playground after dinner,

organizing outside play dates or encouraging bike rides. The same goes for teachers: encourage outdoor play at recess and leverage tools like OutsidePlay.org to incorporate it as part of lesson planning.

2. Create engaging play spaces. It’s equally important for kids to have a good quality space to play in. Many playgrounds have fixed equipment, limited loose parts and designs that hinder movement and creativity. Fortunately, there are simple ways to enhance outdoor play spaces. Adults can, for instance, introduce loose parts—such as sticks, rocks and sand—to ignite children’s imaginations and promote problem-solving skills.

3. Empower kids. Dr. Brussoni recommends that adults envision the future they want for children. Then, think about the type of experiences that will provide exactly that. Looking for ways to foster independence? Give kids the freedom to explore on their own and take risks. Eager to instill eco-sensi -

tivity? Allow them to be immersed in nature to gain a deeper appreciation of it.

Here’s another valuable tip: The next time a child is in the playground, and you want to say “Be careful” or “Stop,” take a moment to pause and count to 17. As Dr. Brussoni advises, “Let the situation play out a bit.”

This brief pause often allows adults to reflect on the potential risks and realize that their child is more capable than initially thought.

When children are given the opportunity to explore new activities and experience success, they develop a sense of accomplishment that fosters self-confidence, independence and resilience. Even in moments of setbacks, they gain an understanding that the world won’t collapse around them; instead, they learn to navigate and manage challenging situations.

The Power of Small

The best way to start in promoting outdoor risky play is in small, incremental steps. As parents and teachers begin to embrace it,

change will be gradual. Dr. Brussoni recommends starting with one very underwhelming goal—like going outside after dinner—and progressively building on that over time.

When children are given the opportunity to explore new activities and experience success, they develop a sense of accomplishment that fosters self-confidence, independence and resilience.

The outcomes of doing so are profound. In addition to numerous health benefits, promoting risky play has a significant societal impact. Children need to believe that they can take risks, as this is precisely what fosters the skills crucial for their future, providing support across various aspects of

life—from school to work.

“Children are mightier than we give them credit for,” Dr. Brussoni added. “A big issue we’ve found with the perception of children in society is the belief that they are vulnerable and are perpetually in need of care and protection. Adults also overmagnify the likelihood of serious injury. The worst-case scenario isn’t actually that bad—yet the benefits are immense.”

Visit OutsidePlay.org to learn more.

The research and suite of tools at OutsidePlay. org is made possible in part through generous donor support to BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. The Foundation raises funds to provide kids with excellence in health care by continuously driving advancements provincially and globally. The generosity of donors fuels our ability to conquer childhood diseases, prevent illness and injury, and prioritize the unique needs of kids in every aspect of their care. Follow us at @bcchf or visit bcchf.ca for more information.

Family Fun

indoor playzones

365 fundays theme park Richmond, 604/370-0093

365fundays.ca

Adventure Zone and Toddler Zone

Kids Market, Vancouver 604/608-6699

theadventurezone.ca

Capital City Classic Arcade New West, 604/553-8555 capcityarcade.com

Castle Royale West Van, 604/925-0707 castleroyale.ca

Chuck E. Cheese

Langley, 461/497-8855 chuckecheese.com

Circuit Circus

Kids Market, Vancouver 604/608-6699

Arcade Bliss! All kinds of games for kids of all ages.

Crash Crawly’s Adventure Fun Centre

Coquitlam, 604/526-1551

crash-crawlys.com

Extreme Air Park

Richmond, New West, Langley richmond.extremeairpark.com

604/244-5867

Fun4Kidz

Richmond fun4kidz.ca

604/220-9358

Go Bananas

Langley, Richmond, Surrey, North Van, Chilliwack gobananasplaycenter.com

604/514-7529

The Hive Climbing

520 Industrial Ave, Vancouver 604/683-4483

hiveclimbing.com

Jungle Jacs Port Coquitlam, 604/941-2518 junglejacs.com

Planet Lazer

Richmond, Langley, New West 604/448-9999 planetlazer.net

Play Abby

Surrey, Abbotsford

604/853-7529 playabby.com

Richmond Olympic Oval Climbing Richmond, 778/296-1400 richmondoval.ca

The World of Kidropolis Richmond 604/285-7529 (PLAY) kidtropolis.ca

VR Funtastic World

Kids Market, Vancouver vrfuntasticworld.com

playcafes

Kids Play Cafe Surrey, 604/593-5437 kidsplaycafe.ca

6pack Indoor Beach & CourtSide Cafe Richmond, 604/321-6800 6packbeach.com

Circus Play Cafe

1502 East Hastings, Vancouver 604/558-2545 circusplaycafe.com

Ages: Under 5 outdoors

Bear Creek Train Surrey, 604/501-1232 bctrains.com

Burnaby Central Railway Burnaby, 604/291-0922 bcsme.org

Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel Burnaby, 604/293-6500 burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

Fort Langley National Historic Site parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ bc/langley

George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

5191 Robertson Road, Delta 604/946-6980 reifelbirdsanctuary.com

Greater Vancouver Zoo Aldergrove, 604/856-6825 gvzoo.com

Grouse Mountain North Van, 604/980-9311 grousemountain.com

Gulf of Georgia Cannery

National Historic Site

Steveston, 604/664-9009 gulfofgeorgiacannery.org

Historic Stewart Farm Surrey, 604/592-6956

surrey.ca/arts-culture/ historic-stewart-farm facebook.com/HeritageSurrey

Honeybee Centre

Surrey, 604/879-6052 honeybeecentre.com

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre

North Van, 604/990-3755 ecologycentre.ca

Maplewood Farm

North Van, 604/929-5610 maplewoodfarm.bc.ca

Maplewood Farm is five acres of rural family fun in the urban heart of the North Shore. The farm is home to many friendly domestic animals and birds, and offers a unique and enjoyable experience for visitors of all ages.

Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment

2340 River Road, Richmond

UBC Botanical Garden

Vancouver, 604/822-5858 botanicalgarden.ubc.ca

VanDusen Botanical Garden

Vancouver vandusengarden.org

Vancouver Canadians

Baseball

Vancouver, 604/872-5232 canadiansbaseball.com

Wildplay Elements Park

Maple Ridge, 855/595-2251 wildplay.com

WildPlay is an outdoor adventure park with locations in Maple Ridge, Victoria and Nanaimo, offering ziplines, 5 levels of aerial obstacle courses, freefall jumps, axe throwing and more! WildPlay is perfect for adventure seekers ages 5 and up looking for excitement and fun in the great outdoors.

museums and points of interest

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Vancouver, UBC, 604/827-4955 beatymuseum.ubc.ca

Bill Reid Gallery

Vancouver, 604/682-3455 billreidgallery.ca

Britannia Mine Museum

Britannia Beach, 1-800/896-4044 britanniaminemuseum.ca

Burnaby Village Museum & Carousel Burnaby, 604/293-6500 burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

Canadian Museum of Flight Langley, 604/532-0035 canadianflight.org

Evergreen Cultural Centre Coquitlam, 604/927-6555 evergreenculturalcentre.ca

The Tri-Cities venue for live arts events, exhibitions, and experiences, just steps away from the Lafarge Lake/Douglas Skytrain station. The centre provides a thrilling season of live performance arts events, family-friendly programs, and contemporary exhibitions from artists of all mediums in the art gallery.

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

Vancouver, 604/738-7827 spacecentre.ca

Kids Market Vancouver, 604/689-8447 kidsmarket.ca

An established destination for family fun and adventure with two levels of retail, entertainment, and a children’s only hair salon in the main building. Find pet treats in the Caboose out front and crystals, licorice and a coffee shop in the buildings at the back.

Let Go Bumper Cars

Kids Market, Vancouver 604/500-6097

Maritime Museum Vancouver, 604/257-8300 vanmaritime.com

Museum of Anthropology Vancouver, UBC moa.ubc.ca

Museum of Surrey Surrey, 604/592-6956 surrey.ca/arts-culture/ museum-of-surrey

Royal BC Museum

Victoria, 888/447-7977 royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

Science World at TELUS World of Science Vancouver, 604/443-7443 scienceworld.ca

Steveston Tram Richmond, 604/238-8081 richmond.ca/culture/sites/tram/ abouttram.htm

Urban Safari Rescue Society Surrey, 604/531-1100 urbansafari.ca

Advanced booking required

Vancouver Art Gallery Vancouver, 604/662-4719 vanartgallery.bc.ca

Vancouver Aquarium Vancouver, 604/659-FISH visitvanaqua.org

Vancouver Maritime Museum

Vancouver, 604/257-8300 vanmaritime.com

Vancouver Police Museum Vancouver, 604/665-3346

vancouverpolicemuseum.ca

amusement and water parks

Big Splash Water Slide Park Tsawwassen, 778/434-4840 bigsplashwaterpark.ca

Destination Cultus Water and Theme Parks cultus.com

Granville Island Waterpark Vancouver, 604/257-8195

Newton Wave Pool Surrey, 604/501-5540

Otter Co-op Outdoor Experience Waterpark

Aldergrove, 604/857-4299, tol.ca

Playland at the PNE

Vancouver, 604/253-2311, pne.ca

Watermania

Richmond, 604/448-5353

richmond.ca/parksrec/pools/ watermania

Birthday Parties

party people

Balloon Savvy

Lower Mainland

604/764-0109

balloonsavvybc@gmail.com

Bricks 4 Kidz

Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby 778/872-STEM (7836)

bricks4kidz.com/vancouver

Ages 5–12

Clowns in Action 604/442-7713 clownsinaction.ca

Enchanted Events

Lower Mainland 778/989-0876 enchanted-events.ca

Fairy Skye Langley, 604/209-5435 fairyskye.com

Higher Function

204/295-6435 higher-function.com

Gossamer Designs

Face Painting 604/767-4790

gossamerdesigns.ca

In the Company of Fairies 778/846-9622 companyoffairies.com

Living Magic Entertainment livingmagicentertainment.com

Mad Science

Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley 604/591-9115

madscience.org/vancouver

Mermaid Danielle

Lower Mainland, 778/939-7552 mermaiddanielle.com

Ages 3–8

My Studio Party

Lower Mainland, 833/677-2825 mystudioparty.ca

Out of the Rain Character Events 778/628-9055 outoftherainevents.com

Ray Wong Magic Entertainment 604/720-8809

facebook.com/RayWongMagic

Rock n’ Beau 604/970-4149 rocknbeau.com

Sportball

Lower Mainland, 604/688-3157 sportball.ca

Starchild & Company

Lower Mainland, 604/541-0908 starchild.ca

West Coast Exotics BC 778/872-9997

westcoastexoticsbc.com

Capital City Classic Arcade New West, 604/553-8555 capcityarcade.com

Castle Royale Park Royal, West Van 604/925-0707 castleroyale.ca

Circus Play Cafe

Vancouver circusplaycafe.com

Under 5

Climb Base 5

Vancouver, North Van climbbase5.com

Ages 6+

Crash Crawly’s Adventure Fun Centre Coquitlam, 604/526-1551 crash-crawlys.com

Delta Gymnastics Delta, 888/951-4713 deltagymnastics.com

Ages 6–12

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 5+

Extreme Air Park Richmond, New West, Langley extremeairpark.com

party places

6pack Indoor Beach Richmond, 604/321-6800 6packbeach.com

Academie Duello Vancouver, 604/568-9907 academieduello.com

Adventure Zone and Toddler Zone

Kids Market, Vancouver 604/608-6699 theadventurezone.ca

Artmania

West Van, 604/670-7592 artmaniabc.ca

Burnaby Central Railway

Burnaby, 604/291-0922 bcsme.org

Bear Creek Train

Surrey, 604/501-1232 bctrains.com

Birthday Parties at Playland

Vancouver, 604/252-3663 pne.ca/groups

BrainSTEM Learning

North Van, 604/379-2767 brainstemlearning.ca

Burnaby Village Museum

Burnaby, 604/297-4565 burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

birthday party packages for animal lovers of all ages. With four different party options, enjoy our brightly lit indoor 1200 sq. foot party room with scenic views of the farm and animals from all angles.

Maritime Museum Vancouver, 604/257-8300 vanmaritime.com

Momentum Ninja

Port Coquitlam, 778/941-9631 momentumninja.com

Ages 1 yr+

MyGym

Richmond, 778/859-9680 mygym.com/richmondbc

Panorama Dance

Fleetwood Surrey, 604/599-4011 Ridge Surrey, 604/599-9351 panoramadance.com

Rocky Mountain Flatbread Vancouver, Surrey rockymountainflatbread.ca

Ages 5+

SkyZone

Surrey, 778/395-5867 skyzone.com

Sprout Concept (Baby Casa) Vancouver sproutconcept.ca

Fort Langley National Historic Site Fort Langley pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/bc/langley/ activ/activ14

Fun4Kids Playcentre Richmond, 604/279-5439 fun4kidz.ca

Hairloft 604/684-6177

Kids Market, Vancouver

Ages 3–12

The Hive Climbing North Van, 604/990-4483 Vancouver, 604/683-4483 hiveclimbing.com

Ages 6+

Honeybee Centre Surrey, 604/575-2337 honeybeecentre.com

Jump Gymnastics Richmond, 604/559-6492 jumpgymnastics.ca

Ages 1–6

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre North Van, 604/990-3755 ecologycentre.ca

Maplewood Farm North Van, 604/929-5610

maplewoodfarm.bc.ca/thingsto-do/birthday-parties

Maplewood Farm offers unique

Sun Hang Do – The Complete Martial Art Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge, Abbotsford sunhangdo.com

The World of Kidtropolis Richmond, 604/285-7529 kidtropolis.ca

This World’s Ours Centre Vancouver, 604/900-3797 thisworldsours.com

TumbleTown Movement Education Centre

Vancouver, 604/357-7355 tumbletown.ca

Tutu School

North Van, 778/732-5044 tutuschool.com/northvancouver

Uphoria Yoga

Vancouver, 604/326-2995 uphoriayoga.com

Vancouver Canadians Baseball

Vancouver, 604/872-5232 canadiansbaseball.com

Vancouver Maritime Museum

Vancouver, 604/257-8310 vanmaritime.com

Staying Connected to Your Kids

By Sue DeCaro

Staying connected to our kids is easier than we think, but it takes work on our part. Children want us parents to see who they really are. When they feel that they are being supported at this level, rather than molded into what we want or expect them to be, this is when connection truly happens.

In this article Sue DeCaro, a parent coach, explores ideas with us about how to see, reach, and stay connected to our children. She observes: When I look at the scenarios being played out with my clients, I can’t help but think back to the disconnection I had with my own parents which just seemed to be part of my generation. I was raised in a time when kids were to be seen and not heard. For this reason, us kids spent most of our

time with each other, and usually outdoors. We practiced self-regulation naturally in our own environment and sorted out our own problems. As long as we were home in time

Children want to stay connected to us parents & caregivers, and it’s easier to achieve than we think, once we stop pushing them away.

for dinner, our lives were pretty much our own to manage.

A lifetime later, I sit across from one of my own clients and listen as they seek my

guidance on how to reach their child—just one of many who seem to be drifting further and further from their reach. Without knowing much detail, or their reasons for seeking out my help, I almost always start off with the same important tip, and that’s teaching them how to create a connection with their children.

Children need to feel close and connected to their parents, but quite often I hear concerned parents tell me that they cannot reach them, that their children are shut off to them. But who shut the door first? Where did the disconnection start? Many concerned and frustrated parents who seek me out are focused on their child’s behaviour rather than their feelings. The thing is, the behaviour stems from the feelings which are stuck

In order to help our children grow and thrive, we need to help them to move through what their underlying fears, issues, concerns or feelings are.

behind them. So the ‘why’ is very important in this equation and something I often focus on when guiding parents to learn how to reconnect with their children.

If we start with why children are behaving the way they are, the behaviour will provide us with clues as to why the child is acting out. They are reacting to something and speaking to us through their actions which come from their feelings. This language includes words, body language, and most importantly, attentiveness on our part. This requires us parents to show up and pay attention; to show our kids that we are there to listen and understand.

They want us to honour their likes and dislikes, instead of pushing them into our own agendas. They want us to spend time getting to know them. Once we begin this process, the connection starts to strengthen quite quickly. If you want your children to come to you when things go awry, they will first need to know that you are there to listen and help, rather than scold and discipline. One common concern many parents are having is navigating through the lies that their children are telling. There is always a reason for a lie and it is often much deeper than we realize. What we need to do in these trying times as parents is get to the reasons and see past the behaviour. Otherwise, the lies will continue. If we fix the problem, the lies will stop.

This all sounds easier said than done which is why we were so appreciative to be able to ask Sue to help us further navigate these scenarios with a few of our own questions in the following interview!

BC Parent (BCP): So what happens when we don’t listen to our children and don’t form that connection, but rather try to force our own agendas on them about what we think is best for them?

Sue DeCaro: That answer is easy—they begin to lie.

If

they are not choosing to share their words with us, then maybe we can start by joining them in the language that they are comfortable communicating in for the time being—the language of feelings.

BCP: How can we as parents get to the bottom of what’s behind these behaviours and reach our children on a deeper level without pushing them further away? Are there steps involved that you can unpack for us, on how to go about showing our kids that we are deeply invested in having a relationship with them and want to help break this cycle?

Can we as parents actually be proactive here and remain one step ahead in this scenario that sometimes feels impossible for everyone involved?

Sue: Absolutely! The first step is to build the connection, the solid foundation we have with our children. Building and deepening this connection based on trust and respect, is essential. Our children need to know that we see them, hear them, and value them as human beings.

BCP: Would you break this down a little bit further?

Sue: Think of behaviour as a form of communication. Children typically want to do what is right. When they don’t, it is because something was in their way; something beneath the surface. We as parents are the investigators in these situations, trying to discern what is behind the action.

BCP: How do we do this—do you have any examples or techniques you can share with us?

Sue: The way to do that is with understanding, compassion and curiosity. Asking questions and showing compassion will not only help our children understand themselves and learn, but will also deepen the connection that we have with them. Questions such as, I am curious what you are feeling that might have caused you to …? I am curious what you could have done differently that might have worked better or been more helpful?

Sue offers one final reflection in this parent coaching story. She advises bringing loving compassion to our daily parenting and being sure our children feel seen, heard and valued as they are, are two very important steps in the right direction. Getting to know what areas your child excels in and what your child might have more challenges with can help you to be a step ahead, even though that is a tall order. Just being aware of our kids’ needs can actually help us meet these needs before they come out in other ways

Sue DeCaro is a heart-centered coach working worldwide to create deeper connections, mindfulness, empowerment, and self-care. For more information about Sue DeCaro’s practice, you can visit her website at decaroparentcoaching.com

Home baby & children’s items

Active Baby

North Van, Langley activebaby.ca

Baby’s World by Snuggle Bugz

Coquitlam, 604/515-0888 snugglebugz.ca

Hip Baby

Vancouver, 604/736-8020 hipbaby.com

Little Earth

Vancouver, 778/737-7004 littleearthvancouver.com

Monkey Business

Kids Boutique

Maple Ridge, 604/476-9345 mbkidsboutique.com

Not for Long

South Surrey, 778/294-0401 notforlong.ca

Oyaco Products Inc. Canada oyaco.com

Westcoast Kids

Vancouver, Richmond westcoastkids.ca

children’s clothing

Buttercups Children’s Boutique

Delta, 604/946-3997 buttercups.ca

Beansprouts

Vancouver, 604/871-9782 beansprouts.ca

Kozy Kermodes

Kids Market, Vancouver 604/428-1863 kozykermodes.ca

Isola Bella Children’s Clothing and Shoe Boutique

Vancouver, 604/266-8808 isolabellakids.com

Little Treasures ‘On the Go’ Kids Market, Vancouver 604/677-3792 kidsmarket.ca

Rain & snow gear. Swim & sunwear.

MacGillycuddy’s Children’s Consignment Store

Vancouver, 604/263-5313 vankids.ca

Nest Designs Richmond Nestdesigns.com

Once Upon A Child

Coquitlam, Surrey, Abbottsford onceuponachild.com

Petite Revery Richmond petiterevery.com

Sweet Monkey Kids Market, Vancouver 604/682-3364 sweet-monkey.ca

children’s hair care

Hairloft/Princess Spa Kids Market, Vancouver 604/684-6177, princessspa.ca

Joy Hair Studio

Lonsdale Quay, North Van 604/990-0123 joyhairstudio.com

Kid’s Kut Land

Port Moody, 604/937-7455

Melonhead Children’s Hair Care

Vancouver, 604/568-5646 melonhead.ca

Sparky’s Kutz for Kidz Coquitlam: 604/945-1973

North Van: 604/990-4900

Richmond: 604/270-7333

Langley: 778/277-2288

sparkyshairsalons.com

crafts & books

Black Bond Books

Delta, Surrey, Maple Ridge, Vancouver, Ladner blackbondbooks.com

Dilly Dally Toy Store

Vancouver, 604/252-9727 dillydallykids.ca

Granville Island Stamps Plus Kids Market, Vancouver 604/684-9869

Kidsbooks

Vancouver, North Van, Online kidsbooks.ca

Majik Kids, Children’s Publishing

Online, 1-250/889-2389

majikkids.com

Ages 3–9

The Learnary

East Vancouver, 604/215-1146 thelearnary.ca

Village Books & Coffee House

Richmond, 604/272-6601 facebook.com/villagebookscoffee

dancewear/ costumes

Dance Co. 604/736-3394 danceco.com

Duck Feet

North Van duckfeetdancesupplies.ca

Just Imagine… Fun Clothing

Kitsilano: 604/222-3523

Vancouver Kids Market: 604/558-0119 dressups.com

family photographers

A.P. Photography 778/814-5340 facebook.com/ andrewpraticophotography

Bopomo Pictures

Vancouver, 604/678-1411 bopomo.ca

Community Photography by Paige Fraser communityphotography.net

JLS Photography Surrey, 778/242-8617 jlsphotography.ca

Kim Forrester Photography 778/229-9353 kimforresterphotography.com

Kirsten Laufer Photography 604/330-3933 kirstenlauferphotography.com

Sandra D Photography facebook.com/ photosbySandraD

Shelly Welch Photography 604/612-9491 shellywelch.ca

TL MacDonald Photography tlmacdonald.com

Xavi & Co. Photography xaviandcophotography.com

toys & gifts

BC Playthings North Van, 604/986-4111 bcplaythings.com

Camelot Kids Kids Market, Vancouver 604/688-9766 camelotkids.com

Clownin’ Around Magic Shop Kids Market, Vancouver 604/682-0244 clowninaroundmagic.com

Dilly Dally Toy Store Vancouver, 604/252-9727 dillydallykids.ca

Granville Island Toy Company

Vancouver, 604/684-0076 toycompany.ca

Kaboodles Toy Store Kids Market, Vancouver: 604/684-0066

Vancouver: 604/558-1117 kaboodles.ca

Panda House Kids Market, Vancouver 778/879-7137 pandahouse.store

Knotty Toys

Vancouver Kids Market 604/683-7854 knottytoys.com

Mastermind Toys Canada Coquitlam, Langley, Tsawwassen mastermindtoys.com

Splash Toy Shop Richmond, 604/241-0234 splashtoyshop.ca

Toy Central Ltd. Langley, 604/857-3230 toycentral.ca

Toy Traders

Langley, 604/532-9516 toytraders.ca

The Village Toy Shop Port Moody, 604/949-0444 villagetoyshop.ca

Experience the Vancouver Aquarium

By Lorrie Holmes

Today we had the privilege of interviewing interpreter, Breanne Keil, to learn more about what we can all expect to EXPERIENCE at the Vancouver Aquarium this upcoming spring & summer.

BC PARENT (BCP): Thank you so much Breanne for taking the time to talk to me today. Can you please tell us all what an interpreter is at The Vancouver Aquarium.

Breanne Keil: As an interpreter here at the aquarium, I do a lot of education and storytelling about the animals, their ecosystems, and also about conservation issues. Being an interpreter is about being a storyteller. It’s inspiring people to get curious and engage with the world around them. To think about things in terms of connections I think is a really big part of being an interpreter.

BCP: I’m excited to have you interpret the story of the Vancouver Aquarium for us today so we can all feel inspired and curious about what to experience during our next visit!

Breanne: I love that you started off by

describing us as an experience! I think that is spot on because visiting the Vancouver Aquarium is not just something to cross off of your list. It is an experience, especially if you have all of the tools to access in this amazing space, and you are truly aware of all that we have to offer.

BCP: Let’s unpack all of the different experiences families can have here:

• Visit all of the exhibits.

• Explore the wetlabs.

• Enjoy the daily presentations and shows.

• Register your kids in Ocean Explorers Camps.

• Volunteer in the Aquarium Educator Program or at the Mammal Rescue Society.

Visit the Exhibits

BCP: We know there are exhibits throughout the aquarium that your guests can enjoy on their own as they take it all in. With so much going on here every day, many of these programs take place around your exhibits. Do you have anything in particular you would

like us to know about your exhibits moving into the spring and summer?

Breanne: Right now we’re doing some really cool updates to our Amazon Gallery which has been closed since January. It will be reopening in the Spring of 2024 and you can always check our website for updates.

Explore the Wet Labs

BCP: Starting off with your littles, I love your Clownfish Cove! Is it still there?

Breanne: Yes, Clownfish Cove is still here, and is still a great space for our youngest visitors to experience as their own little children’s Play & Explore kind of area.

BCP: For the rest of us, can you tell us about your Wet Lab and what we can experience there?

Breanne: So I know that one of the major changes since COVID is how our wet lab space is being utilized. Since COVID happened, we have our first ever wet lab that is now open to the general public every single day for a majority of our operating hours.

We now have it open from 10 am to 4 pm. We run tours through that space throughout the day. This is offered in 20 minute long tours where you get to experience the animals that we have in rotation that day and learn about them. You then also get the chance to have a sensory experience of touching the different animals—if you’d like! The common animals we experience in this space include local marine life like sea stars and sea urchins.

BCP: So you rotate your animals in your wet labs every single day?

Breanne: Yes. We switch out a different set of animals daily. So even if you’re a member, it’s always something new that you get to engage with. That also is important from an animal care perspective. We’re always changing the different animals so that each one is being treated with respect when it comes to their space.

BCP: Can you tell us about your new Moon Jelly Touch Table?

Breanne: It’s the newest rotating addition to the wet lab space! People get to actually learn about jellyfish and touch them since we only include species that don’t have a venom that affects humans in any way.

This is one of the coolest tables that people get to experience because most people would never think they could safely touch a jellyfish!

Shows & Interpretations

BCP: There are so many shows and interpretations offered daily at the aquarium. Can you share a few of them with us as I know we can’t possibly cover them all.

Breanne: We have several programs that go on every single day, especially on the weekends. This is when we want to offer our guests as much different and dynamic programming as possible.

We have a few different marine mammal programs that we run every day with the sea lions, the sea otters, and the seals. We also have rotating programs that happen throughout the week, depending on different animal care needs including a few different jellyfish feeds.

Deep Dive on Tuesdays

Our Tuesday Dive Feeds are a very popular program on these mornings! The Pacific Canada Pavilion spans two levels and features the fascinating marine life along Vancouver’s front door—its waterfront. Watch a biologist dive into the Strait of Georgia habitat in Pacific Canada and feed the animals! You can also learn about why scuba diving is really important for research in the ocean, as well as here at the aquarium, when it comes to habitat treatments and animal welfare.

BCP: With all that’s going on daily, would you recommend guests check out your website ahead of time to plan out their visits around your daily activities?

Breanne: Absolutely! Our program schedule is updated pretty often on our website. So when you’re planning your visit, you can see what programs we offer on any given day.

Register Your Kids in Camps!

BCP: What about your camps for kids? My own daughter first attended at age 5 and came back every summer until she aged out!

Breanne: So the camps are really dynamic and there’s a lot of different elements that you get to access when registered. Whether you want to become a scuba diver, a marine mammal trainer, or an ocean conservationist, there’s something in it for every kid! Another great session that I’ve seen is our biologists do talks about the rearing that we do on site. This covers how to raise fish in an aquarium and also how we’re helping out with fish and other animals that are facing endangerment or extinction in our oceans as well. We’ve also had a really amazing partnership that we’ve built with MiniMakers, running our STEM camps here at the facility.

BCP: Amazing. There are definitely a lot of

camp themes and options depending on the child’s interest and the schedule of the family. Can you explain?

Breanne: There’s a lot of different ways that you can engage with it. We have a lot of one day camps that pop up, especially for things like Pro D Days that happen in the different school districts, or for school holidays like Spring Break and things like that too. Especially during the summer months, there are week-long camps that people can sign their kids up for.. All of the specifics are available on our website under Camps.

Extra Support

BCP: We heard you also offer Sensory Friendly Days. Can you please explain?

Breanne: Yes. One Sunday each month we open our doors half an hour earlier for this program. We dim our lights and mute the loud sounds. We also turn off rotating signs and consider how to reduce anything that is overstimulating to our guests. We also limit the number of guests during this program which runs from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, to offer more space for everyone in our galleries. We often also bring in guests to offer extra resources during this program including the Canucks Autism Network or Pacific Autism Family Network who would be on site with one of their booths talking about resources that families can have access to. We also reduce the number of tickets that are sold during this time to offer a little more space for everyone. Please check our website for the updated information.

BCP: And to further accommodate sensory needs each and every day, you also offer free sensory kits for your guests to rent. Can you please explain?

Breanne: So they’re free comfort kits that our

The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society is a great place to volunteer if you really want to get involved in the animal care side of things—things like husbandry and rehabilitation.

guests can rent that have things to help out with sensory overstimulation. They include noise canceling headphones, notepads and pens for communicating with those who aren’t as verbal. We also have flip charts with pictures for our visual learners. These kits are offered in both children and adult versions and can be rented at our Guest Services desk.

Volunteer Program

BCP: How does your volunteer program work now as I know it’s changed over the years.

Breanne: Our volunteers play a large role in education on site! That can look very dynamic and very different for each volunteer but they are essentially doing a miniature version of what interpreters are doing in terms of having a huge impact on our audience base. This includes communicating our conservation initiatives, our mission, and that we’re accredited with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This includes taking out our carts full of our incredible biofacts. So skulls, teeth, jaws, fur, and also fun activities like games, matching activities such as matching the animal to their ecosystem. Ultimately their goal is to showcase our biofacts, tell conservation stories, and provide an immersive educational experience that instills a love of aquatic life. We have a lot of really amazing volunteers from the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) that come on site and talk about their work when it comes to marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and release!

BCP: What is the minimum age requirement to volunteer at the aquarium?

Breanne: The minimum age to volunteer at the Aquarium is 15. We have a lot of really amazing high school students that are part of our volunteer basis right. It’s a great way,

especially if you are 15, 16, and 17 and trying to figure out what it is that you want to do next. Maybe you’re dipping your toe into the world of zoos, aquariums, interpretation, or education. If so, this is a really great way to see if that’s something that you want to build in the future in terms of a career.

BCP: And what is the structure for volunteering at the VAMMR (the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society)

Breanne: It’s a great place to volunteer if you really want to get involved in the animal care side of things—things like husbandry and rehabilitation. If you’ve ever been interested in being a vet or anything like that, it would be a great experience as well.

BCP: What is the age requirement?

Breanne: 18 is the minimum age. All of the details about getting involved can be found online at www.vanaqua.org/volunteer.

BCP: I also wanted to congratulate the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society (VAMMR) for getting their official charitable status! How can we, the public, support this amazing initiative? In case any of our readers are not familiar with VAMMR, can you please tell us where we can learn about it and how we can support the amazing work you continue to do in rescuing marine mammals in our waters.

Breanne: Absolutely! One fantastic way to contribute is by donating to VAMMR. No matter the size, every donation is impactful and directly goes to VAMMR to help rescue, rehabilitate, and release marine mammals in need. Additionally, a fun and meaningful way to support is through their Adopt A Rescue Animal program. These symbolic adoptions make great gifts and help give future VAMMR patients a second chance at life. Who wouldn’t want a rescued sea otter symbolically adopted on their behalf?! To learn more about VAMMR and support their rescue work I recommend visiting www. vammr.org.

BCP: Thanks again Breanne, for this very informative interview! For updated information, visit vanaqua.org

Education independent schools

Alexander Academy

Vancouver, 604/687-8832

alexanderacademy.ca

Co-ed, grades 8–12

Bodwell High School

North Van, 604/924-5056

bodwell.edu/highschool

Co-ed, grades 8–12

Brockton School

North Van, 604/929-9201

brocktonschool.com

Co-ed, grades K–11

Choice School

Richmond, choiceschool.org

Co-ed, grades K–7

Collingwood School

West Van, 604/925-3331

collingwood.org

Co-ed, grades JK–12

Columbia Academy

Vancouver, 778/379-6811 columbiaacademy.ca

Grades K–12

Columbia Academy, located in downtown Vancouver, offers a unique K–12 education focusing on academics, volunteering, clubs, and competitions. With 90% of graduates accepted by top universities, we ensure comprehensive preparation for success.

Crofton House

Vancouver, 604/263-3255 croftonhouse.ca

Girls, grades 1–12

Cousteau, l’Ecole Française Internationale de Vancouver North Van, 604/924-2457 cousteauschool.org

Eaton Arrowsmith

Vancouver, White Rock eatonarrowsmith.com

Fraser Academy

Vancouver, 604/736-5575 fraseracademy.ca

Co-ed, grades 1–12

Kenneth Gordon

Maplewood School

North Van, 604/985-5224 kgms.ca

Co-ed, grades 1–12

Madrona School Society

Vancouver, 604/499-7303 madronaschool.com

Co-ed, grades 4–7

Meadow Montessori

Elementary & Preschool

Maple Ridge, 604/465-3492 meadowmontessori.ca

Co-ed, grades PS–7

Meadowridge School

Maple Ridge, 604/467-4444 meadowridge.bc.ca

Co-ed, grades 4–7

Mulgrave School

West Van, 604/922-3223

mulgrave.com

Co-ed, grades Pre-K–12

North Star Montessori North Van, 604/980-1205 northstarmontessori.ca

Co-ed, grades PS–7

North Star offers an authentic Montessori program from infancy to Grade 7. Committed to meeting the developmental needs of each child, we foster a love of learning, independence, and respect. Practical experiences build confidence and inspire an intrinsic motivation to ‘learn’ and ‘do’ that students carry with them throughout their lives.

Pacific Spirit School

Vancouver, 604/222-1900 pacificspiritschool.org

Co-ed, grades K–8

Pattison High School

Vancouver, 604/608-8788

pattisonhighschool.ca

Co-ed, grades 8–12

Pear Tree School

Vancouver, 604/355-2155

peartree.school

Co-ed, grades K–9

Pythagoras Academy

Richmond, 604/370-0199

pythagorasacademy.ca

Co-ed, grades JK–7

Saplings Nature School

North Van, 778/838-0335

Saplingsnatureschool.ca

Grades K–5

St. John’s School

Vancouver, 604/629-2458

stjohns.bc.ca

Co-ed, grades K–12

St. Margaret’s School

Victoria, 250/479-7171

stmarg.ca

Girls, grades K–12

Downtown Vancouver K-12 Private School!

Unlock Excellence at Columbia Academy

Strong focus on Math and English

French and Mandarin introduced in Kindergarten

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Professional Sports Coaching

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• French and Mandarin introduced in Kindergarten

• Professional Sports Coaching

Downtown Vancouver K-12 Private School!

• Enriched After School Program

Strong focus on Math and English

French and Mandarin introduced in Kindergarten

• Emphasis on Volunteering and Charity Events

Professional Sports Coaching

Enriched After School Program

Emphasis on Volunteering and Charity Events

• 90% Admission to the World’s Top 50 Universities

90% Admission to the World’s Top 50 Universities

Applications are now open for February 2024 and September 2024

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Applications are now open for February 2024 and September 2024

Prepare your child for success. Enroll today.

Applications are now open for February 2024 and September 2024

Tel: 778-379-6811 Email: info@columbiaacademy.ca

Prepare your child for success. Enroll today.

www.ColumbiaAcademy.ca

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Tel: 778-379-6811

Email: info@columbiaacademy.ca

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Education

St. Mary’s School

Vancouver, 604/437-1312

stmary.bc.ca

Co-ed, grades K–7

SelfDesign Learning Community

Vancouver, 877/353-3374 selfdesign.org

Co-ed, grades K–12

Southpointe Academy

Tsawwassen, 604/948-8826

southpointe.ca

Co-ed, grades PS–12

Stratford Hall

Vancouver, 604/436-0608 stratfordhall.ca

Co-ed, grades K–12

Traditional Learning Academy

Coquitlam, 604/931-7265

traditionallearning.com

Co-ed, grades K–12

Urban Academy

New West, 604/524-2211 urbanacademy.ca

Co-ed, grades JK–12

Vancouver College

Vancouver, 604/261-4285

vc.bc.ca

Boys, grades K–12

Vancouver Montessori School

Vancouver, 604/261-0315

vancouvermontessorischool.com

Co-ed, grades PS–7

Vancouver Waldorf School

North Van, 604/985-7435 vws.ca

Co-ed, grades PS–12

Westside Montessori Academy

Vancouver, 604/434-9611

westsidemontessoriacademy.ca

Co-ed, grades K–7 (preschool coming soon)

WMA’s not-for-profit mission is to provide a safe, supportive

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West Point Grey Academy Vancouver, 604/222-8750 wpga.ca

York House School Vancouver, 604/736-6551

yorkhouse.ca Girls, grades JK–12

preschools

Alderwood House Richmond, 604/272-5023 alderwoodhouse.com

Asland Academy

Vancouver, 236/991-8696

aslandacademy.ca

Asland Academy is committed to providing a comprehensive learning experience that goes beyond traditional boundaries. Join them in unlocking your child’s full potential and creating a brighter future together!

Birchland Treehouse Preschool Port Coquitlam, 604/945-0002 birchlandtreehouse.com

Brainbridge Bilingual Education and Fine Arts Centre

Vancouver, 604/322-6830 brainbridge.ca

Branches Preschool Cloverdale, 778/388-9647 branches-preschool.com

Brentwood Montessori Preschool & Kindergarten Burnaby, 604/294-2671 brentwoodmontessori.ca

BrightPath Kids

Across BC

1-888/808-2252 brightpathkids.com

Burnaby French Language Playschool Burnaby, 604/432-1323 bflp.org

Children’s House Montessori Coquitlam, 604/931-1311 montessoribc.com

CEFA Early Learning

Across BC cefa.ca

Cornerstone Christian Academy Richmond, 604/303-9181 cornerstonechristianacademy.ca

Cousteau, l’Ecole française internationale de Vancouver North Van, 604/924-2457 Cousteauschool.org

Creative Edge School of Arts Abbotsford, 604/855-3343 creativeedgebc.com

Discovery Montessori Richmond, 604/807-9796 discoverymontessorischool.ca

Discovery Quest Montessori Surrey, 604/581-1620

Dunbar Memorial Preschool Vancouver, 604/222-6065 dunbarmemorialpreschool.ca

Elite Montessori Academy Vancouver, 604/655-2045 elitemontessori.ca

Friendly Forest Preschool Anmore, 604/469-0438 friendlyforestpreschool.com

Gatehouse Montessori West Van, 604/925-1437 gatehousemontessori.com

Hazelwood Early Learning Port Coquitlam, 604/377-8385 hazelwoodearlylearning.com

Highlands PreSchool North Van, 604/980-1740 highlandspreschool.ca

Kids Care Preschool Vancouver, 604/325-2222

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Kiddies Korner Preschool Port Coquitlam, 604/941-4919

kkp.ca

Little People Parent Participation Preschool Vancouver, 604/261-2219 littlepeople.ca

Little Pythagoras Academy Richmond, 604/370-0199 pythagorasacademy.ca

Little Neighbours Preschool 604/521-5158

littleneighbours.com

Marpole Bilingual Montessori School

Co-ed, grades PS–K Vancouver, 604/266-1091 marpolebilingualmontessori. com

Meadow Montessori Elementary & Preschool

Maple Ridge 604/465-3492 meadowmontessori.ca

North Star Montessori North Vancouver 604/980-1205

northstarmontessori.ca

Co-ed, grades PS–7

North Star offers an authentic Montessori program from infancy to Grade 7. Committed to meeting the developmental needs of each child, we foster a love of learning, independence, and respect. Practical experiences build confidence and inspire an intrinsic motivation to ‘learn’ and ‘do’ that students carry with them throughout their lives.

Education

PJ Kids

West Van, 604/926-5972 pjkidsclub.com

Finearts Preschool

Richmond, 604/221-0141 theartsconnection.ca

Pomme d’Api Preschool

Vancouver, 604/877-1122 pommedapi.org

Reach for the Stars

Montessori

5 programs in Vancouver and Burnaby 604/688-7827 montessoristar.com

Renaissance Academy

Richmond, 604/241-0826 renaissanceacademy.ca

Ages 1+

At our academic institution for children, fine arts infuse every facet of learning. Join a community passionate about intellectual and creative growth. Explore subjects deeply while honing your artistic talents, enriching your

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Rothewood Academy

Richmond, South Surrey, White Rock

604/279-1818 rothewood.com

The Rothewood Educational Method is dedicated to teaching the whole child – head, hands, and heart. Our holistic approach to early learning is what makes Rothewood unique. Visit us today at rothewood.com for more information.

Sandcastle Park

Children’s Centre Richmond, 604/274-8380 sandcastlepark.ca

Stepping Stone

Preschool Vancouver, 604/261-5315 steppingstonepreschool.org

Sunshine Cove

North Van, 604/770-2683 sunshinecovepreschool.ca

•

•

The Centre for Child Development –Childcare and Preschools

Surrey, 604/584-1361 Delta, 604/594-0488

the-centre.org/child-carepreschool

Vancouver Hebrew Academy

Co-ed, grades PS–7 Vancouver, 604/264-1245 vhebrewacademy.com

Vancouver

Montessori School

Co-ed, grades PS–7 Vancouver, 604/261-0315 vancouvermontessori school.com

Vancouver

Waldorf School

Co-ed, grades PS–12 North Van, 604/985-7435 vws.ca

Wesbrook Parent

Participation Preschool

Vancouver, 604/224-3112 wesbrookpreschool.com

West Point Grey

Preschool

Westside Montessori Academy

Co-ed, grades K–7 (preschool coming soon) Vancouver, 604/434-9611 westsidemontessori academy.ca WMA’s not-for-profit mission is to provide a safe, supportive educational environment that nurtures every child’s natural love of learning. We are committed to providing the tools, the guides and the prepared environment to allow each child to flourish socially and academically, reaching their full potential.

Wind and Tide

Preschool

Lower Mainland 877/541-5459 windandtide.com

tutoring

Above Grade Level Lower Mainland 778/832-1007 abovegradelevel.ca

Edify Learning Spaces

Lower Mainland edifylearningspaces.com

Eye Level Learning Centers

Lower Mainland myeyelevel.com

KEY Admissions

Vancouver, West Van keyadmissions.com

Kumon

800/222-6284 kumon.com

LDS – Learn. Develop. Succeed. Vancouver, North Van, and across BC 604/873-8139 ldsociety.ca

School Is Easy Tutoring

Richmond/Vancouver: 604/283-9914

Tri-Cities/Surrey: 604/439-1790

Burnaby/North & West Van: 604/900-1604 schooliseasy.com

Providing award winning in-home/online tutoring since 2002. Grades K–University (all subjects) including special ed, autism, ADHD, study skills, IB, SAT prep, university prep, French immersion, Socials, Calculus, Math, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, English, Essays, ESL etc. Free consultation.

Sealy Tutoring

Vancouver

604/900-9808

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Spirit of Math

West Van, Vancouver, Richmond, South Surrey

1-866/767-6284

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Sylvan Learning

Vancouver, 604/257-8140 westpointgrey.org/ programs/licensedpreschool

West Point Grey Licensed Preschool at Aberthau offers care for children 30 months to 5 years old in a learning through play environment. Uniquely located in a mansion with large outdoor space, this preschool is a hidden gem on the west side of Vancouver.

After 3 Tutoring at Fraser Academy Kitsilano, 604/736-5575 fraseracademy.ca

Aspire Math Academy West Van, 604/902-2217 aspiremathacademy.com

Book Smart Tutors Lower Mainland 604/227-2882

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DJ Math Tutoring 604/313-5595 djmathtutoring.ca

LDS provides specialized learning support for children, youth, and adults with diagnosed or suspected learning differences like ADHD and dyslexia. Our individualized programs help learners develop confidence and realize their full potential. Learn more about our accessible programs available across BC.

Lucile Denys

Reading and writing specialist in French North Van luciledenys.weebly.com

MPM Math 604/266-6762 mpmmath.com

Ages 3–6

Oxford Learning

Lower Mainland oxfordlearning.com

PD Plus Tutoring 604/421-6101 pdplustutors.com

Pear Tree Education

Vancouver, 604/355-2155 pear-tree.ca

Ages 5–14

Positive Dyslexia, Sue Hall

Vancouver Island, West and North Van 604/614-4958 positivedyslexia.com

The Reading Foundation 604/549-5034 readingfoundation.com

1-888/338-2283

SylvanLearning.ca

Symbols Multisensory Learning Centres Vancouver, Coquitlam, Richmond

604/696-2030 symbolslearning.com

Teachers to Go 800/428-8164

TeachersToGo.ca

TutorBright, Vancouver Vancouver, 778/300-5000 tutorbright.com

Tutor Doctor Richmond, Delta tutordoctor.com

UCMAS Surrey, Vancouver, Richmond

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Unique Minds Learning

West Van, 604/925-6056 uniqueminds.ca

Voilà Learning

866/900-0658

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West Coast Centre for Learning

Surrey, 778/839-5515 wccl.ca

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Interview by Lorrie Holmes

Growing into the Arts!

Much like any other curriculum or discipline, the arts offer so much opportunity for inner growth in our children and youth.

Both the Renaissance Academy and The Arts Conservatory in Steveston were an obvious choice when deciding who to feature to support the idea of nurturing the whole person through the arts by providing every kind of imaginable opportunity a child or youth might need to grow in these beautifully interconnected disciplines.

Today we are speaking with founder and Head of School, Linda Shirley, who shares with us how this all began through her love of teaching piano.

BC Parent (BCP): What does Art Education mean to you?

Linda Shirley: I believe art education is essential because a strictly academic approach to learning fails to nurture a child’s inner creativity.

BCP: I know that you started off as a piano teacher, but did you set out to establish such an amazing arts organization for kids and youth?

Linda: No I didn’t. After graduating, I continued to study piano for a while and also worked as an elementary school secretary. After marrying and having my first child, I took my sister’s advice, as a professional violinist, and began teaching private music lessons in the community until I could afford to teach at home. This also allowed me to stay at home with my newborn.

BCP: How did you go from your home based teaching to this beautiful fully integrated arts school you have today?

Linda: This is a long story but to shorten it, we simply ran out of space over time. We ran out of space at our home and in every location we had afterwards, until we were able to create this location.

We ran out of space time after time. The 100 weekly students outgrew my Richmond

All of our arts programming takes place in designated spaces. A child will be taken to one of our music studios for a piano lesson, put on their dance slippers for their dance class in our professional studio, or go to our beautiful atelier for their art lessons.

home in the 80’s, creating the need for more programs at various locations. Eventually, my dream was to unite all programs under one roof so they would all compliment one another.

BCP: How did you come to include a preschool in a conservatory level multi-disciplined arts school?

Linda: We were just getting ready to expand and move from our first location to a larger

one when a parent said to me, “I wish there was a program for my child to explore the arts so I could determine where their interest lies.” And I realized, that was it! What I needed to do was to start a fine arts based preschool! We named our first preschool program Paddington Station because it was the onestop shop for the arts. Much like a real train station, we had the Paddington Bear and the traffic lights with the four different colours, except that ours represented music, art, drama and dance.

BCP: I absolutely love that you started with the preschoolers. What made you decide to add school-aged programming to your existing preschool curriculum, arts, dance and music classes?

Linda: Often our preschoolers form strong bonds with their teachers. When they leave us to go to school, we can continue to provide a safe second home while they expand their interests in the arts. My vision has always been to provide a hub of services, offering families childcare, academics, arts and other family-related resources in one location.

BCP: Tell me how your team identifies and supports a child early in your program who has aptitudes for creativity.

Linda: When our teaching staff notice a child has a particular aptitude, whether it’s music, dance, drama or art, they can follow up with the specialized instructor in that discipline. Together with their family, we then formulate a plan to offer the child extra support and programming to develop this talent or passion.

BCP: And you’re providing them the pathway. That’s amazing. I have not seen that done anywhere else, actually. Can you tell us then what makes a great art educator in any discipline?

Linda: I think the most important thing is their own personal passion for their art. If they’re passionate about it, that will carry through to their students.

BCP: Do your teachers in different disciplines have common qualities and goals that you look for?

Linda: When I’m searching for teachers, I am looking for that passion that I just talked about. I also feel that that passion needs to extend beyond walking in the door, teaching for a couple of hours and walking back out the door. We’re looking for that special teacher who will go above and beyond.

BCP: The level of enrichment that you are offering is very unique, and rare.

Linda: I think the level of enrichment that we offer for preschoolers differs from other

centers in that we really, really focus on trying to build that inner child, that empathetic future citizen.

BCP: How do you build empathetic future citizens?

Linda: What we do here that I feel is very special is we involve the children, and their families, in our fundraising activities.

BCP: What does that look like?

Linda: None of the funds we raise go towards our operating expenses. Instead, all funds are directed back to various community initiatives, both locally and internationally. In this way, the children learn about the broader world and how their contributions can make a difference. By contributing, helping and learning about these issues they become empathetic future citizens.

BCP: What are you most proud of when you walk through the front door?

Linda: I often still marvel at how large this place really is and how busy it is! And sometimes, to be honest, I’m a little bit taken

aback myself. I never really thought that what started as a small vision in 1975 would ever grow to this size.

“When people ask, “Do you realize the legacy you’ve left in the community?” my response is: “Yes, I have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this place. But at the end of the day, I also feel it’s important to remember that I couldn’t have done it alone. I had a lot of help from my family and friends along the way.”

BCP: So do you still teach?

Linda: Yes, I still teach piano and continue to be passionate about it. People often ask, “Why don’t you just give up teaching now… you’re so busy?”, and I’ll just look at them and say, “Are you kidding? That would be the last thing I would ever give up!”

Classes & Programs

dance

Al Mozaico Flamenco

Dance Academy

Vancouver, Burnaby  604/671-9182

mozaicoflamenco.com

The Arts Connection –Dance School Richmond, 604/241-0141 theartsconnection.org

Ages infant to 16 yrs

The Arts Conservatory  Richmond, 604/241-0141 theartsconservatory.ca

Ages 3+

A vibrant dance school in Steveston Richmond, where passion meets precision on the dance floor! Join our community of movers and shakers, embracing creativity, technique, and joy in every step. Let’s dance our way to self-expression and excellence together!

Artmania

West Van, 604/670-7592 artmaniabc.ca

Arts Umbrella

Vancouver, 604/681-5268  Surrey, 604/535-1127 artsumbrella.com

Ages 2–22

AUUC School of Dance

Vancouver, 604/254-3436 auucvancouver.ca

Ages 3 to adult

Boogaloo Academy

Vancouver, 604/805-0558  boogalooacademy.com

Ages 5 months+

Bright Stars

Vancouver, 604/725-1607 brightstars.ca

Ages 2+

Creative Edge School of Arts

Abbotsford, 604/855-3343 creativeedgebc.com

Ages 2+

Dance Co

Vancouver, Arbutus & East Van, 604/736-3394 danceco.com

Ages 3+

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts

Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 5+

Gabriela’s Movement Studio Richmond, 604/272-0607 movementstudio.ca

Ages 1–9

Goh Ballet Academy Vancouver, 604/872-4014 gohballet.com

Ages 4–17

hz Ballet Classique Burnaby, 604/299-9698 balletclassique.com

Ages 18 months+

Just for Kicks School of Dance

Surrey, 604/596-4161 justforkicksschoolofdance.com

Ages 3+

North Shore Academy of Dance

North Van, 604/987-3814 nsad.ca

Ages 3–18

North Shore Celtic Ensemble

North Van, 604/987-4063 nsce.ca

Ages 8–18

Pacific Dance Arts

Vancouver, 604/738-8575 pacificdancearts.ca

Ages 3+

Panorama Dance Fleetwood Surrey, 604/599-4011 Ridge Surrey, 604/599-9351 panoramadance.com

Perform Art Studios

North Van, 604/988-4420 performartstudios.com

Ages 3–18

Pink Petal Ballet  North Van pinkpetal.ca

Ages 2+

Place des Arts

Coquitlam, 604/664-1636 placedesarts.ca

Ages 3+

Place des Arts hosts exciting dance programs in a range of styles for all ages, from recreational to pre-professional

training. Learn ballet, yoga, lyrical, jazz, hip hop and tap from professional dancers.

Pulse Dance Centre

Port Coquitlam

604/474-3466 onthepulse.ca

Ages 2+

Rain City Dance School

Vancouver, 604/369-4440 raincitydance.com

Ages 4+

Reflection Dance Studio

White Rock, 604/355-4199 reflectiondancestudio.com

Ages 5+

School of Music and Dance

Langley, Surrey and White Rock musicanddance.org

Ages 2+

The Happening Dance Studio

Vancouver, 604/690-3577 thehappeningdance.com

The Landing Dance Centre

South Van, 604/325-8653 TheLandingDance.com

Ages 8 to adult

Tri-City Dance Centre

Coquitlam, 604/523-6868  tricitydance.com

Ages 3+

Tutu School

North Van, 778/732-5044 tutuschool.com/northvancouver

Vancouver Phoenix

International Academy of Dance

Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey 778/885-3456; 604/600-8066 vpdance.ca

Ages 4+

Vancouver Tap Dance Society

East Van, 604/253-0293 vantapdance.com

Ages 3+

Vancouver Academy of Dance

Vancouver, Richmond 604/231-8293

vancouverdance.com

Ages 3+

Wee Dance

Vancouver, New West, Surrey, White Rock 604/720-0544 weedance.com

WestCoast Dance Fit

Vancouver  westcoastdancefit.com

World Dance Co

Burnaby, 604/517-4644 worlddanceco.com

Ages 3+ music

Arbutus Music Academy

Vancouver arbutusmusicacademy.com

Ages 3+

The Arts Connection –Music School Richmond, 604/241-0141 theartsconnection.org

Ages 4+

The Arts Conservatory Richmond, 604/241-0141 theartsconservatory.ca

Ages 3+

Discover rhythm at our esteemed Richmond music school, where melody meets mastery. Unleash your musical potential in a supportive environment, guided by expert instructors. Join us in honing your skills and let your talent thrive.

BC Conservatory of Music

Burnaby, 604/299-2984 bccmusic.ca

Ages 4+

BC Registered Music Teachers Assoc. 604/733-5531 bcrmta.bc.ca

All ages

Campos Music

Vancouver, 604/325-0480 camposmusic.ca

Ages 4+

Carillon Music Surrey, 604/591-1161 carillonmusicacademy.com

Ages 2.5+

Colourstrings

Conservatory of Music

129 East 8th Ave, Vancouver colourstrings.ca Music & Movement Group Classes (3 months–6 yrs): In age-specific groups, children enjoy fun songs, Kodaly based games that develop a solid musical foundation. The more advanced classes introduce music reading and writing. Instrumental & Choir Lessons (5 yrs to Adult): Violin, Viola, Piano, Cello, Vocals, Guitar, Ukulele, Theory, Drums.

Delta Community Music School

Delta, 604/946-1280 dcms.ca

Ages 5+

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 4+

Jean Lyons School of Music

Vancouver, 604/734-4019 jeanlyonsmusic.com

All ages

Jumpstart Music & Movement

Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Ridge Meadows facebook.com/jumpstartmusic andmovement/ Newborn to 5 years

Classes & Programs

Kidchoir

North and West Van kidchoir.com

Kindermusik with Miss Audrey

778/838-9595

kindermusikwithmissaudrey. kindermusik.com

Newborn to 7 yrs

Langley Community Music School

604/534-2848

langleymusic.com

Ages 3 months+

Long & McQuade Music

Lesson Centres: Abbotsford, Campbell River, Chilliwack, Courtenay, Duncan, Kamloops, Langford, Langley, Nanaimo, North Van, Port Coquitlam, Prince George, Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, White Rock

long-mcquade.com/lessons

We offer private one-on-one lessons custom-tailored to the needs and goals of the individual student as well as a variety of group lessons. Our students range from children just beginning their journey in music, to those prepping for university, from young adults who just like to sing to seniors who enjoy music and the social aspect. We offer affordable rates and a wide variety of lessons but more importantly, we are a home for anyone who loves music and wants to explore it. Our music lessons are available online and in person.

All ages.

Music for Young Children

800/828-4334

myc.com

Ages 3–9 years

MusicQube Education Ltd. Richmond, 604/370-5678

Ages 2+

North Shore Celtic Ensemble North Van, 604/987-4063

nsce.ca

Ages 8–18

North Shore Music Academy North Van, 604/925-3403

nsma.ca

Ages 3+

North Shore Music Together

Multiple locations in North Van 778/899-5004

northshoremusictogether.com

Ages 0–5 yrs

Oakridge Music Studio Vancouver, 604/321-1551 omusicstudios.com

Place des Arts Coquitlam, 604/664-1636 placedesarts.ca

Ages 6 months+

Place des Arts offers a warm, friendly learning environment where experienced music instructors teach a variety of instruments and styles. Classes and private lessons are offered during the day, after school, in the evening and on weekends.

Richmond Community Music School 604/272-5227

richmondmusicschool.ca

Ages 4+

School of Music and Dance Langley, Surrey, White Rock musicanddance.org

Ages 3+

Tom Lee Music Academy Lower Mainland 604/688-8929 tomleemusic.ca

Vancouver Academy of Music

Vancouver, 604/734-2301 vam.bc.ca

Ages 3.5–18

Vancouver Central School of Music Vancouver, 604/565-8999 vcsom.com

Ages 5+

Vancouver Children’s Choir 604/682-6363

vancouverchildrenschoir.ca

Girls 8–16, Boys 8–12

VSO School of Music 604/915-9300 vsoschoolofmusic.ca

Ages 0+

Vancouver Suzuki Centre Vancouver  vancouversuzukicentre.com

Ages 3+

Vancouver Youth Choir Vancouver, 778/776-8173 vancouveryouthchoir.com

Ages 5–24

Western Conservatory of Music

Langley, 604/530-0317 westernconservatoryofmusic.ca

Ages 3+

Westside Music Together

Vancouver, 778/829-6651 westsidemusictogether.ca

Ages 0+

Wonder of Learning

Vancouver, 604/829-1346 wonderoflearning.ca

Ages 2.5+

performing arts

Arts Umbrella –Theatre and Music

Vancouver, 604/681-5268  Surrey, 604/535-1127 artsumbrella.com

Ages 2–22

Carousel Theatre for Young People

Vancouver, 604/669-3410 carouseltheatre.ca

Ages 3–18

CircusWest East Vancouver 604/252-3679 circuswest.com

Ages 8–16

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts – Musical Theatre

Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 7+

Gateway Academy: Acting, Musical Theatre Richmond, 604/247-4975 gatewaytheatre.com/academy

Ages 6–18

Year-long Classes and Summer Camps

Whether your child is outgoing or shy, Gateway Academy provides performance and life skills for kids to express themselves confidently. Students get the unique opportunity to learn inside a professional theatre taught by industry artists in a safe, welcoming environment.

Inspire Arts Academy

Surrey, 604/818-3731 inspirearts.ca

Ages 5–12

JCC Performing Arts School

Vancouver, 604/257-5111 jccgv.com

Ages 6+

Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools

Locations throughout the Lower Mainland

1-888/502-5253 lightsuptheatre.ca

Ages 3–18

Weekly Programs

Step on stage and cue the Confidence! At Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools, we develop developmental and performing arts skills through our Singing, Dancing and Acting classes. Every child gets a chance to shine, and fun is always on the program. With

new sessions starting each fall, winter and spring, it’s never too late to make an entrance—sign up today!

Place des Arts Coquitlam 604/664-1636 placedesarts.ca

Ages 4+

Place des Arts offers training in theatre, TV, musical theatre and film for all ages. From beginner classes to our performance training company (Coquitlam Youth Theatre), our programs help aspiring actors and triple threats build skills and develop performance confidence.

Shoreline Studios (Acting) Vancouver, 604/874-9979 shoreline-studios.com/ schedule-kids

Ages 5–12

Surrey SPARK Stages: Performing Arts for Kids Surrey surrey.ca/spark

Ages 0–12

Surrey SPARK Stages performances get families learning, dancing, and enjoying the magic of the performing arts together. We present memory making shows and activities by artists from across Canada and around the world at our annual three-day celebration in May and throughout the year.

Vancouver Performing Stars Vancouver, 604/671-3775 performingstars.ca

visual arts

4 Cats Arts Studios North Van, Richmond, South Surrey, Vancouver, West Van 4cats.com

The Arts Connection Richmond 604/241-0141 theartsconnection.org

Ages 4+

The Arts Conservatory  Richmond, 604/241-0141 theartsconservatory.ca

Ages 3+

Welcome to our Richmond visual arts school, where creativity knows no bounds. Join our diverse community of aspiring artists and skilled instructors. Explore your imagination, refine your technique, and unleash your artistic vision with us!

Arts Umbrella – Visual, Media, and Applied Arts

Vancouver, 604/681-5268

Surrey, 604/535-1127

artsumbrella.com

Ages 2–22

Creative Edge School of Arts Abbotsford 604/855-3343

creativeedgebc.com

Ages 6+

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 5+

Place des Arts  Coquitlam, 604/664-1636 placedesarts.ca

Ages 3+

Place des Arts provides a friendly, non-competitive environment where creativity and innovation can flourish for students of all ages and skill levels. Develop a deep appreciation for the arts through a wide variety of mediums, including drawing and painting as well as fibre arts and ceramic arts, that run during the fall, winter and spring sessions.

Surrey Art Gallery 604/501-5566

surrey.ca/artgallery

Ages 3+

specialty

Asland Academy Vancouver, 236/991-8696 aslandacademy.ca

Ages 6–12

These specialized classes cover a wide range of subjects, including Math, French, Spanish, Chinese, and STEM, among others. These classes are designed to not only enhance academic skills but also foster a love for learning in a fun and engaging environment.

BrainSTEM Learning

North Van, 604/379-2767  brainstemlearning.ca

Ages 4–14

Bricks 4 Kidz

Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby 778/872-STEM (7836) bricks4kidz.com/vancouver

Ages 5–12

Build a Biz Kids

Port Moody, 604/313-9996 buildabizkids.com

Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

Lower Mainland, 604/408-9484 bccerebralpalsy.com

Chi Kids – Happiness Tools for Life

Vancouver, Burnaby chischool.ca

Chorus and Clouds

Vancouver, 604/873-0091 chorusandclouds.ca

Christianne’s Lyceum of Literature and Art

Vancouver, 604/733-1356 christianneslyceum.com

Ages 1–8

Dolphin Kids™ Achievement Programs 778/939-6440 dolphinkids.ca

Girl Guides of Canada Canada wide info@girlguides.ca girlguides.ca

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre

North Van, 604/990-3755 ecologycentre.ca

Mindful Changes

West Van, 778/999-6457 mindful-changes.com

Nature Kids BC

Province wide, 604/985-3057 naturekidsbc.ca

On The Mic Voice-Over Training

Vancouver, 604/669-0654 onthemictraining.com

Ages 10–17

Petit Architect Design for Kids

Vancouver, Richmond petitarchitect.com

Ages 6–14

Sea Smart – After School Program

Vancouver, 604/358-3001 seasmartschool.com

Ages 6–9

Sewing with Frances Burnaby, 604/433-1030

The C.O.D.E. (Creating Opportunities Defining Education) Initiative  Vancouver (UBC) 778/875-0548 thecodeinitiative.ca  Helping children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) find a passion and an interest in coding.

Under the GUI –Coding for Kids

Kitsilano, Vancouver South, North Van, Coquitlam 604/700-9931 underthegui.com

Ages 7–15+

Young Entrepreneur Learning Labs South Surrey/White Rock, Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, Richmond, 1-800/243-0335 yelearninglabs.com

Ages 7–15

sports

Absolute Cheer and Tumbling Camp North Van, 604/984-4107 absolutegym.ca

Ages 5–12

Academie Duello Vancouver, 604/568-9907 academieduello.com

Aquaventures Swim Centre

Vancouver, 604/736-SWIM aquaventuresswim.com

Ages 6 months+

Burnaby/New West Ringette New West, cometryringette.ca bnwr.ca

Ages 4–14

Club Aviva

Coquitlam, 604/526-4464 clubaviva.ca

Ages 6 months+

Come Try Ringette

Burnaby, New West, Vancouver, Poco, Coquitlam, Fraser Valley, West/North Van, Richmond, Surrey, Chilliwack cometryringette.ca

Ages 4–14

Dynamo Swim Club

Burnaby, Surrey, 778/866-6604 dynamoswimclub.net

Ages 3–18

Climb Base5  North Van, 604/984-9080 climbbase5.com

Ages 6–18

Grandview Skating Club grandviewskatingclub.com

Ages 3+

Jump Gymnastics

City Square: 604/559-6492 Richmond: 604/559-6492

North Van: 604/971-0513 jumpgymnastics.ca

Ages 0–7

Langley Gymnastics Foundation

604/455-8845 langleygymnastics.ca

Ages 11 months+

Marina’s Swim School Richmond, Whiterock 604/818-4650 marinaswimschool.com

Momentum Ninja

Port Coquitlam, 778/941-9631 momentumninja.com

Ages 1 yr+

My Gym Children’s Fitness Center

Surrey, Maple Ridge, Langley, Richmond, mygym.com

Ages 6 weeks–10 yrs

Pedalheads Bike Camps

1-888/886-6464

pedalheads.com

Ages 2–12

Phoenix Gymnastics

Vancouver, 604/737-7693 phoenixgymnastics.com

Ages 6 months+

RBL Basketball

Vancouver, 604/269-0221 RBLBasketball.com

Ages 5–15

Richmond Gymnastics Association

604/278-3614 richmondgymnastics.com

Ages 18 months+

Soccer Shots

Burnaby, New West, Surrey, Coquitlam, Delta, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge, Langley

soccershots.org

Ski Wee & Wee Riders

Grouse Mountain, North Van 604/980-9311

grousemountain.com

Ages 3–6

Sportball

604/688-3157 sportball.ca

Ages 16 months–12 yrs

Tri-Cities Gracie Jiu-Jitsu® Port Moody 866/936-1252 tricitiesgjj.com

TumbleTown Movement Education Centre Vancouver, 604/357-7355 tumbletown.ca

Ages 4 months–8 years

UBC Active Kids Gymnastics 604/822-2027 outreach.kin.educ.ubc.ca/ active-kids

Ages 18 months–18 years

Uphoria Yoga Vancouver, 604/326-2995 uphoriayoga.com

Ages 3+

Wayland Sports Maple Ridge, 604/465-9293 waylandsports.com

Ages walking to 10 yrs+

White Rock Gymnastics 604/542-0386 whiterockgym.org

Ages walking to 11 yrs+

YogaButtons Studio Vancouver, 604/739-9642 yogabuttons.com

Ages newborn–12 yrs

Zone Camps – Ski/Ride

Grouse Mountain, North Van 604/980-9311 grousemountain.com

Ages 5–18

Summer Camps

Residential Camps

British Columbia Family French Camp (BCFFC)

Shuswap Lake, Gwillim Lake and Nanaimo bcffc.com

Camp Qwanoes

Vancouver Island, 250/246-3014 qwanoes.ca

Ages 8–18

Qwanoes is a Christian camp built from the ground up for kids to experience an unforgettable life-changing week. Qwanoes is wild action and pure fun, sun-soaked days, new friendships, tasty food, great music, over 75 activities, and all in a spectacular setting with amazing staff from around the world... all who love kids. Life like no other awaits!

Camp Artaban

Gambier Island, 604/980-0391 campartaban.com

Ages 8–18

Camp Fircom Gambier, 604/662-7756 fircom.ca

Ages 6–16, plus Family Programs

Camp Imadene Mesachie Lake, 250/749-6606 imadene.com

Ages 7–18, plus Family Camps

Camp Jubilee Indian Arm, 604/937-7388 campjubilee.ca

Ages 8–16

Camp Pringle Shawnigan Lake, 250/472-6877 camppringle.com

Ages 6–17

Camp Suzuki: Howe Sound Howe Sound – Camp Fircom 604/732-4228 campsuzuki.org

Ages 7–13

Children’s Horse Camp –Webbs Holiday Acres Aldergrove, 604/857-1712 webbsholidayacres.ca

Ages 6–14

Debate Camp Canada

Vancouver, Victoria 888/512-8154 debatecamp.com

Evans Lake Camp

North of Squamish 604/294-2267 evanslake.com

Ages 8–16

Excellerix

12057 88 Ave. Surrey, BC 778/328-7729

camp@glhcommunityservices.org glhcommunityservices.org/ excellerix-kids-summer-camp/

July 2–August 23, 2024

Get ready for a spectacular summer experience for your kids. Our Excellerix Kids Summer Camp offers a unique combination of experiences that go beyond traditional camps including math, literacy & science, cooking, arts & drama, languages & character development skills, sports & recreation. Register your child for only $40 a week!

Ages 6–16

Green Bay Bible Camp

West Kelowna, 250/768-5884 greenbay.bc.ca

Ages 6–14

Kawkawa Camp & Retreat Hope, 604/869-9637 kawkawa.com

Ages 7–18

Keats Camp Keats Island, 604/925-6799 keatscamps.com

Ages 7–18

Pioneer Pacific Camp Thetis Island, 250/246-9613 pioneerpacific.ca

Ages 7–18

Sasamat Outdoor Centre Belcarra, 604/939-2268 sasamat.org

Ages 4–17

Stillwood Camp

Cultus Lake, 1-800/507-8455 stillwood.ca

Ages 5–16

Timberline Ranch Maple Ridge, 604/463-9278

timberlineranch.com

Ages 9–16

Horseback riding is just the beginning of your adventures on our 73 acres where activities include trail riding, challenge and team building courses, climbing wall and rock face, archery, rifle range, zip line, petting zoo, swimming pool and much more.

Wyld Summer Camps and WYLD Expeditions

Strathcona Park, 250/286-3122

gowyld.ca

Ages 12–18

YMCA

Camp Elphinstone 604/939-9622

gv.ymca.ca

Ages 7–15

special needs

Find camps that cater to children with special needs in our online listings: bcparent. ca/camps-for-special-needscampers.

art, music, drama & dance

Arts Umbrella

Summer Camps

Vancouver, 604/681-5268 Surrey, 604/535-1127 artsumbrella.com/summercamp

Ages 3–19

Bard on the Beach Summer Camps

Vancouver, Senakw/Vanier Park 604/737-0625 ext 2262 bardonthebeach.org

Ages 5–18

Boogaloo Academy

604/805-0558, Vancouver boogalooacademy.com

Camp Monarch –Music, Art & Dance

North Van, 604/723-8151 monarcharts.com

Ages 5–12

Colourstrings Conservatory Musical Summer Camps

Vancouver colourstrings.ca

Ages 4–10

Fun interactive summer music camps and classes. Immerse your child in music, art & drama at Colourstrings Conservatory of Music!

Discover their enthusiasm and create a unique musical foundation as they explore their creativity and make friends.

E.J.S. School of Fine Arts

Surrey, 604/596-4883 ejsfinearts.com

Ages 5+

Evergreen Cultural Centre

Coquitlam, 604/927-6555 evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Seasonal arts camps, a curated art gallery, and free family arts programs, just steps away from the Lafarge Lake – Douglas Skytrain station!

Gateway Academy:

Acting, Musical Theatre Richmond, 604/247-4975 gatewaytheatre.com/academy

Ages 6–18

Year-long Classes & Summer Camps

Whether your child is outgoing or shy, Gateway Academy provides performance and life skills for kids to express themselves confidently. Students get the unique opportunity to learn inside a professional theatre taught by industry artists in a safe, welcoming environment.

Goh Ballet Academy Canada Vancouver, 604/872-4014 gohballet.com

Ages 4–7

Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools

Locations throughout the Lower Mainland

1-888/502-5253 lightsuptheatre.ca/camps

Ages 4–12

Shine a Spotlight on FUN at Lights Up Musical Theatre camps. Every kid is a born performer—no prior experience is required. Get ready for a week filled with fun and performing. Our camps teach

children to work in teams, build confidence, sing, dance, act and SHINE! Sign up for a week they won’t forget!

Place des Arts

Coquitlam, 604/664-1636 placedesarts.ca

Ages 5–14

Our Summer Fun! camp runs for six weeks offering many exciting week-long, full and half day options for creative young people. Summer Fun! includes a variety of visual and performing arts classes to inspire the artist in every student who attends.

Tutu School

North Van, 778/732-5044 tutuschool.com/northvancouver

general activities

Alexandra Neighbourhood House

604/535-0015

alexhouse.net

Ages 5–12

Clubhouse Kids

Vancouver, 778/939-2389

clubhousekids.ca

Ages 5–12

False Creek C.C. Daycamps

Vancouver, 604/257-8195

falsecreekcc.ca

Ages 3–14

Pear Tree Education

Vancouver, East Van, Burnaby, North Van, White Rock 604/355-2155

pear-tree.ca

Ages 5–14

SFU Summer Camps 778/782-4965, sfu.ca/camps

Ages 5–19

Spare Time Child Care Society

Vancouver, sparetimesociety.org

Ages 5–12

SMS Co-ed Camps

Victoria, 250/479-7171 stmarg.ca

Ages 6–12

Sunset Community Centre

Vancouver, 604/718-6505 mysunset.net

Ages 6–16

Kidtropolis’ Summer Break Kid Camp

Richmond, 604/285-7529 kidtropolis.ca

Age 6–10

West Point Grey Community Centre Summer Day Camp

Vancouver, 604/257-8140 westpointgrey.org/programs/ day-camps

Ages 3–13 years

Westside Montessori Academy

Vancouver, 604/434-9611 wmasummercamp.com

WMA’s Summer Camps are professionally led camps for grades K–7 at our new location near 41st and Fraser, making summer fun and full of learning in spacious, air-conditioned classrooms and nearby Memorial South Park.

YMCA

604/324-9622, gv.ymca.ca

Ages 5–12

specialty camps

Adventure Day Camps

Grouse Mountain, North Van 604/980-9311

grousemountain.com/camps

Ages 3–14

Asland Academy

Vancouver, 236/991-8696 aslandacademy.ca

Ages 6–12

Summer Camps

Where children explore new interests, make friends, and create lasting memories. Camps feature a variety of activities, including outdoor adventures, creative arts and crafts, sports, and more. With a focus on holistic development, the camps aim to inspire curiosity, build confidence, and encourage teamwork.

BrainSTEM Learning

North Van, 604/379-2767 brainstemlearning.ca

Ages 4–14

Brain Booster

Summer Camps Surrey, 778/839-5515 westcoastcentreforlearning.com

Ages 6–12

Cousteau Multi

Specialty Camps

North Van, 604/924-2457 cousteauschool.org

Ages 3–5 & 6–9

Bricks 4 Kidz® Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby 778/872-STEM (7836) bricks4kidz.com/vancouver

Dive into Summer Camp at the Vancouver Aquarium 604/659-3552

vanaqua.org

Ages 4–16

Dolphin Kids™ Achievement Programs 778/939-6440

dolphinkids.ca

Eaton Arrowsmith Camp

Surrey, Vancouver 604/264-8327

eatonarrowsmith.com

FarmWonders Camp

UBC Farm, 604/827-4048 farmwonders.ca

Ages 6–14

Fraser Academy Summer Boost Camp

Vancouver, 604/736-5575 fraseracademy.ca

Ages 7–13

Jump Gymnastics

Yaletown, North Van 604/568-9690 jumpgymnastics.ca

Langara Summer Camps

Vancouver, 604/677-0198 langara.ca/summer-camps For teens 13–17 years

LEGO® Robotics Summer Camps with Daedalos Enrichment Programs

5375 University Blvd 604/ 345-8603 daedalosacademy.com

Ages 6–13

This year we are celebrating our 10th Anniversary! At these LEGO® Robotics Camps, kids create, build, program and operate robotic animals, machines and vehicles using LEGO® Education Robotics and Computer Programming. Every year our activities are centered around a fun theme. Children are given grade level appropriate activities based on skill, ability, experience and preference.

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Mini Camps

North Van, 604/990-3755 ecologycentre.ca

Ages 5–12

Summer Camps

Maplewood

Farm Camp

North Van 604/929-5610

maplewoodfarm.bc.ca

Age 8–12

Youth gain firsthand experience learning how to care for domestic farm animals! They learn about animal care and animal enrichment, get a behind-the-scenes look into animal husbandry, grooming, and feeding, and complete interactive activities and crafts.

Petit Architect

Design for Kids

Vancouver, Richmond petitarchitect.com

Ages 6–14

Reframe Education

Summer Sessions

North Van, 604/417-3300 reframeeducation.ca

Ages 5+

Richmond Nature Park Camps

Richmond, 604/276-4300 richmond.ca/register

Ages 4–12

Saplings Outdoor Program & Nature School North and West Van 778/838-0335 saplingsoutdoorprogram.ca & saplingsnatureschool.ca

Sea Smart –Beach Camp

Vancouver, Richmond 604/358-3001 seasmartschool.com

Ages 6–13

Sprout the Chef Cooking Camp

Vancouver, Burnaby 604/505-0074 sproutingchefs.com

Ages 7–13

TWU Summer Camps

Langley BC 604/513-2121 ext. 3441 twu.ca/camps

Ages 4–15

sports

Atlantis Swim Programs

Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, 604/874-6464 pedalheads.com

Ages 4 months+

Academie Duello 604/568-9907 academieduello.com

Knight Camp is an authentic knight school for youth (ages 8–14), where knightly skills are taught in a safe and engaging environment by Academie Duello’s trained instructors. Knight Camp Vancouver has been voted “Best Children’s Camp” by the Georgia Straight.

Diving Locker

Vancouver 800/DIVE-398 divinglocker.ca

Ages 10+

Heroheads

Multisport Camp

Vancouver, Burnaby, North Van

604/874-6464 pedalheads.com

Ages 4–8

The Hive Climbing

North Van, PoCo, Surrey, Vancouver hiveclimbing.com

Ages 6–12

Jump Gymnastics

City Square: 604/559-6492 Richmond: 604/559-6492

North Van: 604/971-0513 jumpgymnastics.ca

Ages 4–7

Learn to Sail

Deep Cove Yacht Club, North Van, 604/929-1009 deepcoveyc.com

Ages 4–16

MyGym

Richmond, 778/859-9680 mygym.com/richmondbc

Oval Summer

Sport Camps

Richmond Olympic Oval, 778/296-1400 richmondoval.ca

Ages 4–18

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Pedalheads Bike Camps

Locations all over Greater Vancouver, 604/874-6464 pedalheads.com

Ages 2–12

Pedalheads Mountain Biking (PHMB)

Point Grey, Burnaby, North Van, 604/874-6464 pedalheads.com

Ages 4–15

Phoenix Gymnastics

Vancouver, 604/737-7693 phoenixgymnastics.com

Ages 3+

RBL Basketball

604/269-0221 or 604/253-5295

RBLBasketball.com

Ages 5–15

Royal Soccer Club

Lower Mainland & Fraser Valley 800/427-0536 royalsoccer.com

Ages 5–13

Royal Soccer Club is the #1 grassroots summer soccer day camp in British Columbia. Host to children aged 5 to 13 across 16 locations in the Lower Mainland, we operate during July and August.

Timberline Ranch

Maple Ridge

604/463-9278

timberlineranch.com

Ages 9–16

Horseback riding is just the beginning of your adventures on our 73 acres where activities include trail riding, challenge and team building courses, climbing wall and rock face, archery, rifle range, zip line, petting zoo, swimming pool and much more.

Total Athlete Training –Athletes in Action Langley, 604/514-2079 athletesinaction.com

Ages 14–18

TumbleTown Movement Education Centre –Gym-venture Days

Vancouver, 604/357-7355 tumbletown.ca

Ages 3–8 yrs

Twin Rivers

Equestrian Centre

Cloverdale, 604/574-5481 twinriversequestrian.com

UBC Sport Camps

Vancouver, 604/822-6121 ubccamps.ca

Uphoria Yoga

Vancouver, 604/326-2995 uphoriayoga.com

Vancouver, 604/739-9642

Family Health

acupuncture

Carlie Smith Parkinson

Aspire Naturopathic Health Clinic, North Vancouver 604/990-9569

aspirenaturopathic.ca

Carlie uses a light touch to help heal patients with chronic issues and acute injuries.Using Tuina, Moxibustion, Auricular Acupuncture, and other techniques to shift the body’s energy providing healing results for all ages.

childcare

Vancouver Nanny Connection

Vancouver, North & West Van, Burnaby, Surrey and Delta 236/333-4455 vancouvernannyconnection.com

chiropractor

In Touch Chiropractic

Vancouver, 604/879-5566 intouchchiropractic.ca

Jassal Chiropractic

Vancouver, 604/731-3006 jassalchiropractic.com

Pathways Family Chiropractor

Surrey, 604/372-4558 pathwayschiro.ca

The Powerhouse Chiropractic

Vancouver, 604/662-3304 thepowerhousevancouver.com

Family Wellness

Chiropractor

Vancouver, 604/566-9088 FamilyWellnessChiro.ca

community

Autism Society of BC 604/434-0880 autismbc.ca

BC Epilepsy Society 604/875-6704

bcepilepsy.com

Children’s Centre for Ability bc-cfa.org

Children’s Hearing & Speech Centre of BC

Vancouver, 604/437-0255 childrenshearing.ca

Co-ed, grades K–3

Developmental Disabilities Association develop.bc.ca

Family Services of the North Shore 604/988-5281 familyservices.bc.ca

Learning Disabilities Society of Greater Vancouver (LDS) 604/873-8139 ldsociety.ca

Matthew’s House Located in Abbotsford, serving families in BC 604/850-6608 mattshouse.ca

Marpole Oakridge Family Place Vancouver, 604/263-1405 mofp.org

Vancouver Resource Society for the Physically Disabled 604/731-1020, vrs.org

counselling

Becker Burrows & Associates

Online, 250/668-8885 beckerburrows.com

Harbourside Counseling Centre Vancouver, 604/689-9116 michelekambolis.com

Moving Forward Family Services All Care Site Surrey, 778/321-3054 movingforward.help

Sharon Selby sharonselby.com

Seedlings Child and Youth Counselling and Consulting Vancouver, 604/785 4846 seedlingscounselling.com

The Compassionate Parent Coach 604/329-0865 thecompassionateparentcoach. com

The Wishing Star: Lapointe Developmental Clinic Surrey, 778/294-8732 lapointepsychology.com

craniosacral therapy

Connected Heart New West, 778/233-2087 cranialsacraltherapy.ca

gloWithin North Van, 778/246-2960 glowithin.ca/ craniosacral-therapy

Mama Milk Vancouver, 604/340-6684 mamamilk.ca

crisis/support services

BC Children’s Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre 604/875-2084

Toll Free: 1-800/665-1822 keltymentalhealth.ca

BC’s information source for children, youth & families

Foundry BC

1-800/784-2433 foundrybc.ca

Kids Help Phone 800/668-6868 kidshelpphone.ca

Parents Support Services Society 877/345-9777 parentsupportbc.ca

Sophie’s Place Child and Youth Advocacy Centre Surrey, 604/588-0727 the-centre.org/sophies-place

A child and youth advocacy centre dedicated to supporting victims of physical and/or sexual abuse, up to 15 years old living in Surrey.

fertility

Olive Fertility Centre Vancouver, 604/559-9950 olivefertility.com

Pacific Centre for Reproductive Medicine Surrey, 604/422-7276 pacificfertility.ca

Thuja Wellness

Vancouver, 778/985-4970 thujawellness.com

foster parenting

Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society 604/216-7447, vacfss.com

maternity & infant

Bloom Community Midwives

Vancouver, 604/609-3550 bloomcommunitymidwives.com

Doula Services Association of BC 604/515-5588 bcdoulas.org

MamaBear Holistic Care Coquitlam, 778/229-6415 mamabearholisticcare.com

Pacific Post Partum Support Society Burnaby, 855/255-7999 postpartum.org

Pomegranate Community Midwives

Vancouver, 604/255-5556 pomegranate-midwives.com

Surrey Community Birth Program Surrey, 604/575-7275 communitybirth.ca

The Midwiferey Group Vancouver, 604/877-7766 midwiferygroup.ca

Westside Midwives

Vancouver, 604/224-0686 westsidemidwives.com

neurotherapy

Vancouver Neurotherapy Health Services Inc. Vancouver, 604/730-9600

neurofeedbackclinic.ca

Achieve your full potential with neuroscience & self-regulation techniques. Explore how you can optimize learning, academic success, and athletic performance with biofeedbackbased Virtual Reality technology. Improve self-awareness & behaviour. We can support ADHD, anxiety, depression, headaches, insomnia, brain injuries, learning difficulties, pain, stress, and more.

occupational therapists

Kids First Pediatric Therapy Burnaby, 778/379-5862 kidsfirstot.ca

Monarch House Burnaby, Surrey, Port Coquitlam, Abbotsford 778/887-3573 monarchhouse.ca

Play 2 Learn 4 Life –Children’s Therapy Services Inc. Vancouver, 604/568-1986 play2learn4life.com

Skilled Kids Occupational Therapy 778/322-1242 skilledkids.com

Symbiosis Pediatric Therapy Surrey, 778/395-8752 symbiosispediatrictherapy.com

We Play Kids Gym Surrey, 604/385-2883 weplaykids.com

WonderKids OT Burnaby, 604/291-0078 wonderkidsot.com

Family Health

optometrists

@ 180 Optometry & Eyewear

Kitsilano, 604/568-5378 180optometry.com

@ 180 Optometry & Eyewear is a full scope clinic that specializes in myopia control. They are focused on the future of little eyes by providing the latest, pain-free myopia management treatments.

Proactive eye care for the whole family is important to them.

Della Optique Optometry & Eyewear

Vancouver, 604/742-3937 dellaoptique.com

Eyelab, Doctors of Optometry

Kerrisdale, 604/260-1166 helloeyelab.com

A unique and creative team of optometrists who are leaders in Myopia Management, Vision Therapy and Dry Eye Treatments! They can also fulfill your daily family eyecare needs.

Hollyburn Eye Clinic

West Van, 604/913-0135

North Van, 604/984-2020 hollyburneyeclinic.com

InSight Developmental Learning

Langley, 604/455-4077 insightlearning.ca

Lynn Valley Optometry

North Van, 604/987-9191 lynnvalleyoptometry.com

Maple Ridge Eye Care – Optometrists

Maple Ridge, 604/463-4469 mapleridgeeyecare.ca

Mount Pleasant Optometry Centre

Vancouver, 604/874-7302 aokvancouver.com

Optomeyes

West Van, 604/922-0413 optomeyes.ca

Perspective Optometry

Vancouver, 604/435-3931 visiontherapy.ca

orthodontists

BC Orthodontic Group bcorthodonticsgroup.com

Clear Advantage Orthodontics

Oakridge Centre, Downtown Vancouver, 604/266-8277 clearadvantageortho.com

Coquitlam Family Orthodontics

604/229-4460

coquitlamfamilyorthodontics. com

Langley Orthodontics

604/229-4460 langleyorthodontics.com

Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre & Orthodontic Centre

Burnaby: 604/434-9060

Port Moody: 604/461-9160

Surrey: 604/589-9160

Vancouver: 604/876-9060

MonarchDentalCentre.com

Our aspiration is to provide the best quality of care and service to our patients and their families. Our commitment is simple—to provide a friendly environment throughout orthodontic treatment so that our patients will enjoy the longterm benefits of this rewarding experience.

PDG Pediatric Dental Group

Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam 604/PDG-1000 (604/734-1000)

pdgdental.com

Ridge Meadows Family Orthodontics

Maple Ridge, 604/229-4460 ridgemeadowsorthodontics.com

Smile Town Dentistry Burnaby, 604/482-9633 smiletownburnaby.com

Viva Orthodontics

New West: 604/522-9871

S. Surrey: 604/385-0850

Surrey: 778/574-8484

Port Coquitlam: 604/552-3899

vivaortho.com

parenting support

Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver 604/876-2447

Big Sisters of BC 604/873-4525

Canuck Place –A Children’s Hospice 604/731-4847

canuckplace.org

Family Support Institute of BC Society

New West, 604/540-8374

Toll free: 800/441-5403

familysupportbc.com

Inclusion BC 604/777-9100 inclusionbc.org

Parent Support Services

Society of BC 604/669-1616

parentsupportbc.ca

Fraser Valley Multiple Miracle Association surreytwinclub.com

Pacific Post Partum Support Society

Vancouver, 604/255-7999 postpartum.org

The Centre for Child Development

Surrey, 604/584-1361

Langley: 604/533-3088 the-centre.org

Helping to overcome societal barriers for those with disabilities and empower vulnerable children and families throughout the South Fraser Region.

Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society

Toll free 1-877/982-2377 vacfss.com

pediatric dentists

Just4Kids Pediatric Dentistry

Surrey, 604/575-7785 j4kdentistry.com

Kits Family Dental 604/738-1816

kitsfamilydental.com

Lolo Pediatric Dentistry North Van, 604/770-0890 lolosmiles.ca

Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre & Orthodontic Centre

Burnaby: 604/430-4980

Port Moody: 604/461-4980

Surrey: 604/585-4980

Vancouver: 604/419-4980

MonarchPediatricDental.com

Monarch has been providing the best quality dental care for infants, children, and adolescents across the Lower Mainland since 1997. Our goal is to help your family achieve optimum oral health. Building Healthy Happy Smiles that Last a Lifetime.

Pacific Pediatric Dental Centre

North Van, 604/983-2253 pacificpdc.com

PDG Pediatric Dental Group

Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey, Delta, Coquitlam 604/PDG-1000 (604/734-1000) pdgdental.com

Smile Town Dentistry

Burnaby, 604/482-9633 smiletownburnaby.com

Tot 2 Teen Dental

Vancouver, 604/569-3669 tot2teendental.com

physiotherapists

Kids Physio Group

Vancouver, North Van, Surrey kidsphysio.ca

Kinectiv Sport + Health

Maple Ridge, 604/ 465-4263 kinectiv.ca

PlayWorks Physio

Port Moody, 604/492-3888 playworksphysio.com

neighbourhood houses

Cedar Cottage 4065 Victoria Dr. 604/874-4231

Collingwood 5288 Joyce St. 604/435-0323

Gordon 1019 Broughton St. 604/683-2554

Kitsilano 2325 W. 7th Ave. 604/736-3588

Kiwassa 2425 Oxford St. 604/254-5401

Little Mountain 3981 Main St. 604/879-7104

Mount Pleasant 800 E. Broadway 604/879-8208

North Shore 225 E. 2nd St., North Van 604/987-8138

South Vancouver 6470 Victoria Dr. 604/324-6212

The Centre for Child Development – Early Years Hub Newton, 604/619-9488 the-centre.org/early-yearsprogram

Free family-focused, play-based early childhood education experience in an inclusive and welcoming setting where children (0–6 years old) and caregivers can play, read, and make friends. safety

On the Go First Aid

Lower Mainland OnTheGoFirstAid.com

Safe Beginnings First Aid

Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Sea to Sky, 604/340-3790 safebeginnings.ca

Survivormate: 72-Hour Emergency Preparedness Province-wide, 855/781-7878 survivormate.com

sleep consultants

Dawn Whittaker Consulting 604/897-2997 dawnwhittaker.com

Good Night Sleep Site Coquitlam, 778/686-8717 goodnightsleepsite.com/ coquitlam

Say Yes to The Rest –Pediatric Sleep Consulting Serving all of BC 250/571-5586 sayyestotherest.com

Helping exhausted parents successfully get their child sleeping through the night. Giving parents the ability to get their “me time” back and start feeling like themselves again! All of this, while creating necessary, healthy sleep habits for their child that will last into adulthood. Private coaching locally and remotely, working with children ages 5 mths–12 yrs. Free Sleep Assessment Calls.

Welcome To The Start of Better Rest – Sleep Dreams Professional Sleep Consultants North Van, 604/985-2991 sleepdreams.ca

The Peaceful Sleeper Vancouver, 604/908-1548 thepeacefulsleeper.com

ultrasounds

Discovery 3D Ultrasounds Surrey, 778/395-8558 discovery3dultrasound.com

UC Baby 3D Ultrasound Abbotsord, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Victoria ucbaby.ca

Where to Draw the Line

How to Start a Family Discussion on Homework, Plagiarism, & the Use of Artificial Intelligence—AI.

By Carew Papritz, the award-winning author of The Legacy Letters

Out of nowhere, a great bogeyman has pounced on our students, schools, teachers, and parents simultaneously creating chaos, confusion, and wonder. What is this strange beast that has created such a conundrum of fear, curiosity, and euphoria? Artificial Intelligence or AI, as we all know it. Why out of nowhere? Because on November 30, 2022, ChatGPT was released. In the span of several months, it acquired over 100 million users.

The operative word in ChatGPT is “chat.” You can now “talk” with the internet, and it will reply as if you were talking to a real human being. You can ask it anything and it will serve up an internet answer as if it were your own personal information butler. No more pokey searches on Google or wading through pages of search engine weeds and sponsored ads. Now you ask and you will receive—and immediately. Almost as good as an Amazon Prime order.

For our Pavlovian reward/response system, you couldn’t ask for anything better for immediate pleasure. Endless amounts of knowledge at our fingertips, delivered with virtually no effort. What’s even better is AI can assimilate that knowledge into a cohesive and cogent written response that allows us to avoid the next worst thing to working out—writing a paper.

What has become an educator’s nightmare is now a student’s dreamworld. With a few written prompts, one can sit back, play vids, and crank out a fully formed, A+ paper that will jettison you to the front of the honour role. Of course, that would be plagiarism, but what is AI but not the greatest plagiarist in the history of the world? Where do you

If everyone is thinking the same way, who is thinking differently?

think it gets all that knowledge and creativity from? It scours the entire internet, taking all the human-created knowledge and artistry— without permission, mind you—and allows you to re-use it for whatever purpose you desire. And the only finger you have to lift is that on your keyboard.

So where do we go as parents and educators in the brave new world of AI? Do we ban it from the classroom entirely? Or ban our kids using it on their computers? Or do we face it head on, understanding the far-reaching implications of its use—or misuse.

Our students have been practising “everything digital is free” ever since they were born. The basic premise of the Internet is knowledge for all—and it’s free. But it’s not free. Someone had to write it, or create it, and thus the reason behind copyright—that a person who creates something should either be paid for it or get credit for it. But that went out the window with the internet. All our kids have known in their Internet existence is to download, copy, and paste without a thought to copyright, let alone plagiarism.

Plagiarism is a form of identity theft. To plagiarize is to consciously use someone else’s words and creativity and take credit for it as your own. Plain and simple, it’s stealing someone’s imagination, hard work, and creativity and saying it’s yours. And we’re all guilty of internet plagiarism. We do it so easily that we don’t even think about it. The plagiarism talk should now be right up there with the birds-and-bees talk. It’s that important. Because now, you can plagiarize with AI impunity and never get caught.

But wait, I’ve heard about software that can distinguish between AI-written papers and student- written papers so it should be easy to ferret out those who wrote an AI paper. Recently, a graduate student tried an experiment with such AI software. She wrote a paper in front of her teacher so that

her teacher could see all the draft versions and revisions. When the final version was finished, they submitted it to an AI writing detector. The AI software said her paper had been written by AI. The software was correct. It was written by AI—an “Actual Individual.” Now, if AI can’t tell whether a human being writes a paper or AI, then who are we to believe?

The real question we should be asking is: Why shouldn’t we use AI to write our papers? Or as my son so elegantly puts it, “Why do I have to learn that?” Now we have a real discussion on our hands and not the fingerwagging, do-as-I-say response. Now, we as parents and educators can purposefully talk about the true value of character and the real value of learning.

Character is your moral engine. Coming from within you, it powers much of your belief systems and how you “walk your talk.” The discussion we now need to have with our kids and our students is the practical morality of plagiarism. Why is it wrong? Because it’s not your own thoughts. It’s not your take on the universe. It’s not your opinion, your emotions, or your hard-won knowledge that you are giving to the world. It’s the Internet’s version of you—which isn’t you. The very essence of what distinguishes you in this world is your “you-ness.” That there is no other you in the world. Why would you substitute that for a machine-generated version of you? Because it’s easy? That’s an interesting place to start a conversation.

If you don’t write, you don’t learn how to write. Writing is rewriting. For better or worse, writing teaches us how to think and communicate clearly. It’s a way of developing our thought muscles to become “stronger” and better at thinking, and as a result, become better at communicating our thoughts to the world. I wish it were easier but it’s not. Don’t we all wish we could take the magic work-out pill and instantly be in great shape? But now we do have a magic writing pill. It’s called AI. But you’re not learning unless you count learning as asking AI to write a paper for you.

Who better than Arnold Schwarzenegger to put it succinctly: “There are no shortcuts—everything is reps, reps, reps.” Just like a professional basketball, football, baseball, hockey player—a thousand thousand reps of

whatever skill you need to learn makes you the best at what you do. And yes, a thousand words written a thousand times will actually teach you how to write. I wish it were otherwise, but the way we humans are constructed makes learning a bit Schwarzeneggen—as in pain makes gain.

As a writer, I am naturally biased towards becoming a better writer. But there’s a fundamental reason for learning to read and write.

Talking, discussing, and questioning matters. We must engage our kids and our students, asking them to be the best they can be to themselves and give them free rein to think and communicate those thoughts. We want our children to engage. To be curious. To be passionate about learning. And to be spectacularly themselves.

It makes us better thinkers so we can question the universe around us. It makes us more curious, which makes us more creative, which makes us more innovative, and the list goes on. I can’t adroitly answer the universal kid question of “Why do I have to learn that?” What parent or teacher can? But much like the importance of teaching character, the importance of reading and writing makes us smarter, savvier human beings who, with these timeless tools, will have a better chance of navigating our Internet/AI laden society.

If everyone is thinking the same way, who is thinking differently (to paraphrase General Patton’s saying). If all you do is become an AI addict, then you will think the same as everyone else. Because the strange twisty algorithmic logic of AI is that as it learns more and more from every response it gets, it also learns more and more mistakes. Computer scientists are finding more and more errors in AI now because AI is learning from AI. And with each iteration of AI, there are more

problems. Think about how much you want to plagiarize from a source you can’t fully trust.

The ultimate question becomes: Why read or write when AI can do it all for you? What then is the purpose of education or of learning at all? We are now instantly and existentially placed at the crossroads of what it means to learn as human beings. Why be curious when curiosity can be so easily manufactured?”

Our kids and students are surrounded by technological shortcuts, actions that they think will make their life easier. AI will become the ultimate shortcut as we all become AI addicts.

It is an urgent time at this crossroads of AI and learning. As parents and teachers, we must remain vigilant to our greatest strength—our humanness and humanity. We cannot give that away as it is our prize possession. So, we must teach timeless values… That character matters. Hard work matters. Thinking, reading, and writing matter. Talking, discussing, and questioning matters. We must engage our kids and our students, asking them to be the best they can be to themselves and give them free rein to think and communicate those thoughts. We want them to engage. To be curious. To be passionate about learning. And to be spectacularly themselves.

Carew Papritz is the award-winning author of the bestselling inspirational book, The Legacy Letters. Through his innovative literacy efforts to inspire kids to read, Papriz has created the “I Love to Read” and “First-Ever Book Signings” through his “CarewTube” video series. He is also the creator of National Thank You Letter Day, and the World’s Largest Thank You Letter–receiving a Guinness World Record for the project. As an educational thought leader, Papritz continues in his personal passion to teach people of all ages about personal and global legacy issues. Papritz’s writing has been published in a number of media outlets including the Kelly Clarkson Show, Huffpost, Inc., Reader’s Digest, Fox News, Woman’s World Magazine, Yahoo! News, & First Time Parent Magazine. For more information visit thelegacyletters.com.

Nestled in the heart of North Vancouver, Maplewood Farm is a serene oasis, offering a unique blend of urban living and rural charm. Owned by the District of North Vancouver and operated by the Parks Department, this haven for nature enthusiasts, families, and curious minds alike holds the key to unlocking a deeper understanding of animal care, husbandry, and the profound connection between humans and animals.

Just outside of the bustling urban landscape of Vancouver, where glass skyscrapers and concrete dominate the scenery, Maplewood Farm stands as a testament to the importance of preserving a link to nature. As cities expand, it becomes increasingly crucial to provide spaces where residents of all ages can reconnect with the natural world. This is where Maplewood Farm steps in, offering a sanctuary where visitors can escape the daily grind and immerse themselves in the wonders of the animal kingdom.

At Maplewood Farm, the sights, sounds, and smells of rural life come alive, creating an immersive experience for visitors. It is a place where children can marvel at the horses, pet the friendly goats, or delight at the playful antics of the chickens. The farm provides a hands-on opportunity for children to engage with animals they may not have encountered otherwise, fostering a sense of empathy and respect for all living beings.

Animal care and husbandry are vital lessons that Maplewood Farm imparts to its visitors. Through interactive experiences, guided tours, and educational programs,

the farm strives to raise awareness about the responsibilities and challenges of caring for various animals. This firsthand exposure is invaluable in cultivating a generation that understands the importance of ethical and compassionate treatment of animals, laying the foundation for responsible pet ownership and animal stewardship.

One of the farm’s primary missions is to bridge the gap between urban life and the agricultural roots that often seem distant in the modern world. Many urban-dwelling children may have limited opportunities to witness the daily activities on a farm or interact with animals up close. Maplewood Farm acts as a living classroom, offering a gateway for urban residents to gain insight into the intricacies of agriculture, animal behaviour, and sustainable living practices.

Moreover, the farm is pivotal in fostering a sense of community. In a society where individuals are increasingly isolated, Maplewood Farm serves as a gathering place for families, neighbours, and friends. The shared experience of interacting with animals and exploring the farm’s picturesque surroundings creates lasting memories and strengthens the bonds that tie communities together.

Beyond the educational aspect, Maplewood Farm is a sensory haven. The farm’s aromatic scents, the gentle rustling of leaves, and the melodic sounds of animals contribute to a holistic experience that transcends the visual. These sensory encounters stimulate curiosity and inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural world, reminding visitors of the beauty that exists beyond the confines of city limits.

Maplewood Farm Offering Families a Gateway to Animal Education and Community Connection

By Selina Cowman

Maplewood Farm’s impact extends beyond its immediate community. By providing an accessible and inclusive environment, the farm welcomes individuals of all ages and backgrounds. It serves as a microcosm of biodiversity, encouraging visitors to embrace diversity in nature and, by extension, in their human interactions.

In an era dominated by screens and virtual experiences, Maplewood Farm is a tangible reminder of the importance of reconnecting with the real world. It offers a respite from the digital noise, allowing individuals to unplug, unwind, and engage in the simplicity of observing, appreciating, and learning from the natural world.

Maplewood Farm is not merely a local attraction but a living testament to the harmonious coexistence of urban and rural life. This farm provides a sanctuary where the values of animal care, husbandry, and community connection come to life. Through its educational initiatives, sensory experiences, and community-building efforts, Maplewood Farm plays a vital role in shaping a generation that cherishes the delicate balance between humanity and the natural world.

So, let’s take a step back from the urban hustle and bustle, visit Maplewood Farm, and rediscover the joy of connecting with the simplicity and beauty of nature.

Selina Cowman, Parks Programming Section Manager at the District of North Vancouver Parks Department, coordinates Maplewood Farm’s daily activities, cultivating an enriching environment for individuals of all ages to engage in farm education and community-building programs.

We would like to start off by offering all you new parents—and to those of you who are expanding your family—a big congratulations! Welcoming a new baby into your family is both exciting and a little bit stressful at the same time. We are so happy to be adding our Baby Guide as part of our Resource Guide, which will grow along with your family. Our thoughtfully curated resources are chosen to help cover your basic informational needs when it comes to navigating those precious early days. It will also help you feel more relaxed about hitting all those important

Let us grow along with you!

developmental milestones, just without the added pressure of information overload.

We are starting off this guide by offering you some basic yet necessary information that is readily available at your fingertips. Our hopes are that this compiled resource will offer the support and reassurance you might need to free yourself up to spend those early days making special memories.

Two experts share their stories and resources here to help get you set up, starting with nurse consultant Angel Leung, who has so generously created our comprehensive compilation of health related resources. This guide is guaranteed to support you in any imaginable health related scenario that might come up during your early days as a new mother, with your very own Baby Health Resource Directory. Next, as far as baby registries go and getting set up for all your baby’s needs, we have an informative piece about what sorts of products others can gift you at your baby shower—from the most unique to the most convenient—including the options of receiving a financial contribution so parents can make their own choices of how to

best make use of these gifts and stretch out their budgets!

We hope you enjoy the infancy of our new Baby Guide and we look forward to growing this guide in our Resource issue each year and we are open to receiving suggestions from you about what you would find most useful and helpful for next year! Please email your suggestions to our managing editor at lholmes@ bcparent.ca.

Welcoming a baby— a

wonderful but wild ride

Every pregnancy is different. Every birth experience is different. And unsurprisingly, every baby is different.

By Angel Leung

It doesn’t matter if you are a first-time mom or a seasoned mom, having the right support as you journey through pregnancy, power through labor and delivery, and transition into postpartum is paramount!

As a registered nurse who specialized in working with tiny, sick babies, and a seasoned mom of five (2 in my arms and 3 in heaven), I didn’t bat an eye when it came to preparing for postpartum with my youngest. I had done it before, and I thought I could do it all by myself again. But boy was I so wrong! I had a repeat cesarean booked and literally everything that could go wrong, went wrong! I developed a reaction to the medications while in the operating room (even though I had the same surgery a couple of years prior while delivering my firstborn). My son came out and needed oxygen support and ended up in the NICU for a bit. I developed mastitis multiple times in the first 6 weeks postpartum, along with an uterine infection that required a course of antibiotics to clear!

With all that happening, I found myself suddenly needing additional support that

I had not anticipated. I’m grateful to have known of the resources and could tap into them without frantically scouring the internet. But I remember how scared, frustrated, exhausted and helpless I felt and that’s led me to creating this list of resources for parents to be familiar with before their baby gets here. Being prepared doesn’t always mean booking every service available “just in case”, but it should mean having the knowledge of what support is available and knowing how to access them when needed.

Parenthood is full of highs and lows, and the most appropriate advice should be to confidently become your baby’s (and your own) health care advocate! Here’s the list of resources that can help guide you through:

Health Care Support

Private Registered Nurse: Did you know that in BC, women are typically discharged from their OBGYN or midwife at 6 weeks postpartum? Yet at 6 weeks, many moms are just figuring out their rhythm (healing from having a baby, managing sleep deprivation,

breastfeeding, spouse returning to work, etc.)

Connecting with a private RN who specializes in healthcare advocacy for women going through pregnancy & postpartum can be extremely helpful! This role is to advocate for your best care—by taking the time to know your story and medical history, helping you navigate our healthcare system, and empowering you to articulate your needs and make informed decisions. The support from the private RN is the bridge between uncertainty and confidence, ensuring you receive the highest quality of care. This may be the key to a wholesome pregnancy & postpartum journey!

Physical Support

Postpartum Doula: Have you always envisioned a calm and supported postpartum transition after having a baby? You might want to look into hiring a postpartum doula! A postpartum doula is a trained individual who specializes in bringing you non-medical support after having a baby! Their services may include emotional and physical support for recovery from childbirth, infant feeding/ soothing skills and coping skills for new parents. They might also provide light housework, meal preparations, or assisting with an older child. Doulas often come alongside the new parents during actual labor and their support can last from a few days to a few weeks postpartum.

Lactation Consultants: Nervous about how to keep a tiny human being alive with your boobs? Get connected with a lactation consultant sooner rather than later! A lactation consultant is a health professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding! Their services range from offering support, advice, and guidance to people who chose breastfeeding to helping families as they find alternative ways to feed their baby (formula feeding, pumping and bottling, combination feeding, etc.). They are well-versed in addressing common nursing issues such as painful nipples & mastitis, poor latch, milk supply and breastfeeding positions. They can also help with babies who have tongue or lip ties! LCs can be a helpful resource at any point in your breastfeeding journey!

Infant Sleep Consultants: The dreaded newborn stage sleep deprivation can be truly

awful. Or it can be completely manageable. Work with an infant sleep consultant and welcome sleep back into your routine! An infant sleep consultant typically works with the family to understand your current sleep situation and offers a holistic approach to sleep. They are equipped with the knowledge of and the science behind normal infant and child sleep. Common sleep issues they can help address include newborn settling techniques, routine support, and sleep regressions. A sleep consultant can be a great resource at any point of your baby’s (and household)

I remember how scared, frustrated, exhausted and helpless I felt and that’s led me to creating this list of resources for parents to be familiar with before their baby gets here.

sleep journey!

Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist: Labor and delivery can sometimes be fast and furious, resulting in physical injury and trauma. And we’ve all wondered, at some point in time, if everything is still the same “down there”. Pelvic floor physiotherapists offer assessment and treatment of a variety of conditions including the pelvic floor muscles, ligaments, nerves and connective tissues. The importance of maintaining good pelvic floor health is often overlooked, but since the pelvic floor supports muscles and organs (bladder, rectum and reproductive system), it is a high priority to take care of and strengthen your pelvic floor postpartum.

Mental Support

Clinical counselling, specifically perinatal mental health certified counsellors: Remember how cabin crew members always state you have to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting those beside you? That same theory is absolutely applicable in parenthood. You need to take care of yourself, physically and mentally, before you can fully

take care of your baby! Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC) are specifically trained to help people improve and maintain their mental health and wellbeing. Those who are perinatal mental health certified are qualified to support you through this season of parenthood! Whether it’s short, periodic check-ins or long-term, regularly scheduled appointments, RCCs are a great resource in supporting your mental health journey postpartum.

Emotional Support

Local parenthood meetups: We are not meant to journey through parenthood alone. And if you see someone trying to do it on their own…they probably could use some support, so reach out! Local parenthood meetups are a great resource in offering emotional support to new (and seasoned) parents. Individual consultants will often host these events, and partner with local coffee shops who graciously offer the space for these parenthood meetups. Special guest speakers are often invited to present on a specific topic (breastfeeding, sleep, doula support, etc.) and it’s a great way to meet other parents, learn something new, and feel connected!

Drop-in play groups: Similar to parenthood meetups, drop-in playgroups offer the opportunity for wee ones to interact socially with other kids around the same age, and for parents to connect and potentially develop emotional support from other parents and families. These play groups can be hosted by local community centers, kids’ gymnastic groups, physio clinics, etc.

Other Support

Public Health Nurses (immunization and wellness checks): Each health authority within BC has a public health sector, with community health centers that provide infant immunizations and wellness checks. These public health nurses are a wonderful resource when it comes to newborns, infant wellness, and growth & development.

Infant Development Programs (IDP): As a parent, we know our babies best. But sometimes, we are simply not sure if our baby finds it humorous to pretend to ignore us or if they actually need some age-appropriate developmental support. Infant Development Programs can help. They are a great resource

in helping parents to learn ways to encourage their child’s development, meet other parents, discuss parenting issues, and make the best use of other community resources. Their services may include home visits, developmental assessments, playgroups with parent participation, therapy referral and service coordination. They typically work with children from 0 to 3 years of age as the emphasis is on early diagnosis and early intervention for the most optimal outcomes.

Two Important Phone Numbers in BC

8-1-1 (Healthlink BC): Did you know you can connect directly with a registered nurse, a registered dietitian, a qualified exercise professional, or a pharmacist all by simply dialing 3 digits on your phone? 8-1-1 is a provincial wide health information and advice phone line. It is available 24/7 and is completely free of charge! This is a great resource to tap into when you are not sure if you should be bringing your baby into the hospital emergency room, or if a doctor’s office visit will suffice. 3-1-0 Mental Health Support (310-6789): This

is also a provincial wide health information and advice phone line—specifically for mental health! It is built on the founding principles of confidentiality, accessibility, resources, and evidence-based practices (CARE).

In essence, welcoming a baby into your lives can be a wonderful but wild ride... Hopefully, this list is helpful in equipping you with the relevant knowledge of resources you can tap into as you transition into parenthood! Please feel free to reach out to the author for more information on specific recommendations of local resources or to learn more about the services available at Baby Bean Consulting

Angel Leung is the founder of @babybeanconsulting. Angel doesn’t provide conventional bedside nursing, rather she coordinates your medical services, advocates for your best care, and helps you navigate the complex BC healthcare system. She helps you achieve your goal of receiving timely, knowledgeable and genuine care. Learn more about her story and services at babybeanconsulting.ca

How baby registries can help maximize a budget

Instead of bibs and strollers, consider gifting cash and services to new parents amid the cost-of-living crisis

By Scarlett Li-Goshawk

The continued rise of overall costs, fluctuating interest rates, and layoffs across the workforce have collectively heightened the financial strain on many people, impacting both their day-to-day and longterm needs.

Due to uncertainties in affordability, people who might be planning to start a family are understandably hesitant to bring a child into the world when they themselves are feeling financially stretched. New research reveals that in 2022, 38% of young adults between the ages of 20 to 29 didn’t think they could afford to have a child in the next three years.

Pregnancy and raising a child have always come with significant expenses including food, clothing, transportation, healthcare, childcare, and other expenditures. With the accelerated rise of inflation however, these essentials–and by extension, parenthood–are becoming out of reach for many young Canadians.

According to new estimates from Statistics Canada, Canadians can expect to spend more than $350,000 to raise a child from birth to the age of 17, or roughly $1,745 a month. If parents continue to support the child through postsecondary studies until they turn 22 years old, those costs could go up by an additional 29 percent, or up to $486,500.

While the cost-of-living crisis casts its shadow over prospective parents, perhaps it’s time to consider offering them financial support instead of material objects. As their baby gear needs can be addressed by hand-me-downs or gifts, providing cash could help parents offset other expenses beyond physical goods, which are just as important.

Online baby registries have expanded their scope over recent years to meet the evolving needs of parents beyond baby gear, enabling

the gifting of cash, services, and subscriptions.

Giftstart, an all-in-one baby registry platform for Canadian parents, recently launched its cash fund feature, allowing users to provide monetary contributions for parents’ baby registries. Through this personalized and secure channel, funds are received directly by the parents, eliminating the awkwardness of directly asking for financial support from individuals.

Giftstart’s platform allows users to add services such as babysitting agencies, household assistance and dental care to their baby registries, to help subsidize these costs throughout their parenthood journey.

Most importantly, the flexibility of cash funds allows parents to utilize contributions for various expenses, including daycare, education, or even building an emergency fund to tackle unexpected costs that may arise during the early years of parenting.

Although there are cash funds integrated with baby registries that are available for Canadian users, almost all of them are affiliated with US-based companies. This means that their transaction fees are processed in US dollars, potentially increasing costs for Canadian users. Giftstart’s cash fund feature is tailored for CAD transactions, offering a more economical and convenient option.

There have also been added barriers for Canadian parents when it comes to the baby registry process. While many baby gear stores offer direct shipping to Canada, the challenge arises because most baby registry

platforms are rooted in the United States. Consequently, these registries’ affiliated retail stores primarily cater to the U.S. market and frequently do not provide shipping services to Canada.

Founded in Canada, Giftstart’s comprehensive baby registry platform is intentionally built for Canadian parents with features and offerings that are made available throughout the country. Giftstart also partners with businesses that are based in or operate in Canada, ensuring every product or service is tailored towards Canadian parents.

Another way people could help support parents is by gifting services or subscriptions through their baby registries. Modern baby registries like Giftstart have partnered with a network of service providers to offer much needed support for parents beyond tangible goods.

Giftstart’s platform, for example, allows users to add services such as babysitting agencies, household assistance and dental care to their baby registries, to help subsidize these costs throughout their parenthood journey.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on child-rearing, it’s become more important than ever to explore different options to effectively manage your spending.

Far from its simple beginnings, online baby registries and their features for gifting cash and services can be leveraged to offer some assistance for both existing and prospective parents as they navigate a costly milestone in a tight economic environment.

Combining her passion for helping families with her finance and business expertise, Scarlett Li-Goshawk is the founder and CEO of Giftstart, Canada’s most comprehensive baby registry that lets you add cash funds, subscriptions, and services: www.giftstart.ca.

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