BC Parent Summer 2023

Celebrating

summer issue 2023 bcparent.ca

Years of Service to BC Families

2023 Summer Camp Guide Strengthening Family Connections The Smart Trap

Celebrating

Years of Service to BC Families

20

23

E V R U O F C OLK N A V E F S C I S AL U M 4-16 JERICHO BTEAICV H JULY 1

FEATURING BRILLIANT FOLK, WORLD & ROOTS MUSIC FOR ALL AGES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE

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A special on-site area for fun, participaton and discovery

Kids 12 and under get in free Discount tickets available for Youth (ages 13-20)

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THEFESTIVAL.BC.CA 2 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Letter from the Editor

Inside…

t’s hard to believe that we are close enough to the summer break that we can start counting down the days!

Summer holidays can be fun and exciting—or long and boring. Luckily this summer there are amazing events to go to.

There are also a lot of exciting camps that your kids could attend. They can Carlie Parkinson sing and dance, learn STEM with LEGO, be around horses, and many other great activities. Read our article The Adventures of Summer Camp and check out the Summer Camp Guide to get more ideas.

Finally, in this issue you will find out from a member of Generation Alpha how to better understand their digital world.

There’s even a list of key terms that I had no idea about.

Enjoy this issue and have a great summer break!

4 Summer Events

I

7 Strengthening Family Connections 9 I’m Worried About the Youth Mental Health Crisis 12 The Adventures of Summer Camp!

14 Summer Camp Guide 20 Be Prepared for the End of the School Year Slide 23 The Smart Trap 25 Everything a Parent Needs to Know about NFT’s and the Metaverse 30 Summer Essentials

Summer Issue 2023 Volume 32, Number 2

Mailing Address: P.O.Box 30020, North Van, BC V7H 2Y8 email: info@bcparent.ca www.bcparent.ca Canadian Publications Mail Registration No.251836

Publisher/Executive Editor: Carlie Parkinson

Editorial Design & Layout: www.retrometrodesign.ca

Editor: Geoffrey Legh Assistant Editor: Lorrie Holmes Advertising Design & Layout: Julie Cochrane

Contributors: Gayle Browne, Director, Clinical Operations, Kids Help Phone, Rebecca Hastings, Julia Heinz, Zach Hirsch

BC Parent Newsmagazine

bcparentmag

The Publisher reserves the right to omit advertising which is judged to be in poor taste or which does not conform to the concept of this publication.

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bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 3

2023 Upcoming Events Studio Ghibli Forever – Part 2!

April 28 and July 17 viff.org/series/studio-ghibli-forever The Studio Ghibli Forever! series continues at the VIFF Centre. Upcoming gems include Ponyo and Howl’s Moving Castle, as well as charming smaller movies like The Secret World of Arrietty. Titles play every other Sunday afternoon, first in the English language dub, then again, on Monday nights, in the subtitled version. All ages welcome.

Fans need no encouragement to dive back into these movies on the big screen.

Newcomers should expect fantastical cinema imbued with a palpable sense of the sublime, featuring plucky, curious heroines, fabulous contraptions, endearing, mythical creatures, and a living, breathing world which is both familiar and thrillingly unexpected.

include A Simple Space and ZOOOM from Australia and Sakasaka from Madagascar as well as local and national favourites.

Bard of the Beach Sen̓ áḵw/Vanier Park

June 8–September 30 bardonthebeach.com The festival’s 34th season brings back the most successful production in Bard’s history, plus a famous tale of political intrigue, a sweeping historical drama, and a unique interpretation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

On the BMO Mainstage the season takes off with the return of Bard’s triumphant production of As You Like It. Enjoy Shakespeare blended with The Beatles hits in this romantic comedy conceived and directed by Daryl

2023 Vancouver International Children’s Festival

Children’s Festival

Ponyo at Studio Ghibli Forever

Theatre Under the Stars

In person on Granville Island: May 30–June 4 Online: May 30–June 23 ChildrensFestival.ca Enjoy spectacular performances from around the globe for kids and families of all ages at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival.

The 2023 festival will offer a mix of in-person (on Granville Island) and online performances featuring circus arts, puppetry, theatre, dance, music and lots of arts activities created just for children. Highlights of this year’s festival

4 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Cloran (As You Like It, Shakespeare in Love).

The Howard Family Stage will host two contrasting productions: Henry V is a historical drama with a twist and the clever and hilariously imaginative Goblin: Macbeth, created

by Rebecca Northan with Bruce Horak Theatre Under the Stars presents The Prom and Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical

July 6–August 26 tuts.ca Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) presents its hilarious and heartwarming 2023 season, featuring The Prom and Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical, on stage July 6–August 26, at Stanley Park’s scenic Malkin Bowl. From high school prom to elementary schoolyard, Bard of the Beach

both musicals invite audiences to witness the power of kindness and inclusion in the fight for freedom to love and be loved. A beloved Vancouver tradition since 1940, find more information and tickets at tuts.ca

Folk Festival

Folk Festival

July 14–16 Jericho Beach Park thefestival.bc.ca The Vancouver Folk Music Festival will again grace the grass at Jericho Beach Park for its 46th year, from July 14–16, 2023. Not only will audiences experience a stunning range of great folk, world and roots music from around the globe, but kids of all ages can visit the Little Folks Village for a ton of interactive fun.

See Redbird’s juggling and stilt walking, and give it a try yourself. Have fun exploring the incredible musical sounds on the homemade Gamelan Bike Bike, and so much more! Kids under 12 are free. Early Bird ticket discounts to June 5.

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 5

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Strengthening Family Connections 8 Ways to Connect with your Kids

By Carlie Parkinson

S

ummer is a great opportunity to reconnect with our kids. Although, this is easier said than done with the stresses of full-time work and other responsibilities. The wheel keeps on turning with us overcompensating to provide more for our kids when what our kiddos want most from us is our undivided time and attention.

Luckily there is something we can do.

Start with quality over quantity by scheduling the uninterrupted time we do have.

It’s much more impactful if we spend a few hours a week totally engaged with our kids rather than endless hours multitasking and only giving them a fraction of our attention.

Chaperoning our kids distractedly to activities and peeking over our cell phones is not what they’re hoping for.

Here are a few suggestions on how to create memorable family time and take advantage of the amazing local options we have available.

1. Get Outside

We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful city. The mountains literally meet the sea.

You can go for a picnic at one of the stunning beaches or an afternoon hike on one of the mountain trails. The options are endless.

2. Pretend or Dramatic Play

If it’s too hot or too wet, why not head to an indoor gym? Playing with our kids is a great place to start. Take them to Kidtropolis and explore the 18,000 square foot city. Let them run the grocery store or be the dentist.

Dramatic play helps children develop language skills, empathy, compassion, collaboration, and communication skills. Not to mention an improved skill in sharing.

3. Get a Rush

If your child is a dare-devil, why not take them somewhere exciting? An afternoon at

Playland or WildPlay is the perfect choice for all those thrill-seeking kids. But don’t stand on the sidelines. Be prepared to go on a ride or zipline through the trees. Be kids with your kids and enjoy the experience.

4. Get Cultural

Visiting a gallery or a museum is a good way to spark great conversations with your kids.

Before you go, get them to choose a theme they are interested in. For older kids, get them to research where you’re going so that they are invested and feel included in the decisionmaking part of your experience.

There are so many options available—visual arts at the Vancouver Art Gallery, a trip through a historic mine at Britannia Mine Museum, the Canadian Museum of Flight, or even hands-on forensics activities at the Vancouver Police Museum.

One really fun museum that can easily

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 7

become a full-day trip is Burnaby Village Museum. Bring the entire family including aunties and uncles and especially grandparents as they can reminisce and share in conversations about the history of the area. Explore the 10-acre historical open-air museum. Watch demonstrations in the blacksmith shop, order your favourite flavour of old-fashioned ice cream from the parlour, or visit the general store and school. You can also hop on board the antique Vancouver streetcar train. Of course, don’t miss the carousel that is fun for all to ride!

5. Play with Animals

Everyone loves some “fur-time”. Being around animals helps children build empathy and learn how to care for other creatures.

The Bunny Cafe and Cat Cafe are great places to snuggle and just hang out with smaller animals.

If your children are more interested in farm animals, bring them to Maplewood Farm.

Nestled in North Vancouver, kids can have

fun becoming little farmers for the day as they gain firsthand experience about animal care.

They can get behind the scenes and look into animal husbandry, along with the grooming and feeding of their favourite farm animals.

They can even see the hens lay eggs. There are also new interactive activities taking place daily, from farm programs to themed crafts for the kiddos.

6. Explore a New Neighbourhood

The Lower Mainland has many unique areas to explore. You could spend an afternoon in Deep Cove kayaking and eating a doughnut from Honey’s or further south, buy fresh seafood right off the dock at Steveston Spot Prawns and Seafood. Exploring an area you’re not familiar with is a lot of fun.

Granville Island is a perfect place to just pick up and go to, and figure it out when you get there. Start by taking the Aquabus which will deliver you right to the Granville Island Public Market. Take your time and browse the market full of kiosks from local crafters

Discover the power of family music-making.

Con ta us to ct visit a cla ss!

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HOLIDAY CAMP

8 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

and artisans. For lunch, there is no shortage of choices to enjoy outside on Fisherman’s Wharf while watching all the action on the water, seagulls, and talented buskers.

After lunch, visit the Kids Only Market.

The kiddos even have their own pintsized entrance. Once inside they will find Vancouver’s best selection of toys, games, gifts, party supplies, specialty items, kid’s clothing, dance wear, puppets, and candy.

They can play at the arcade in Circuit Circus and the multi-level playground and ball pit of the Adventure Zone.

If you are looking for outdoor adventure, you can get out on the water with Vancouver Water Adventures. Boat tours and family kayaking are great options but plan ahead with this one, as things book up fast here!

7. Get Artistic

Make a plan to go to a show at the theatre.

Visit Carousel Theatre For Young People at Granville Island, or plan a visit to Evergreen Cultural Centre, the visual and performing arts hub of the Tri-Cities. Evergreen presents a variety of arts programs including professional theatre, dance and music presentations, art exhibitions, arts education programs, and public programs for both children and adults.

8. Get Musical

When it comes to music, it’s fun to sing in a group or sing along to a performance. West Side Music Together offers classes where you can shake, jingle, sing, dance, and jam with your little one. It’s ideal for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers to jam with the adults who love them.

If everyone just wants to be in the audience?

Sing along to the songs of Matilda at TUTS (Theatre Under The Stars) or listen to Bugs Bunny at the Symphony as they celebrate the world’s most iconic Looney Tunes and their legendary stars projected on the big screen July 13th and 14th.

Now get out your calendar and start scheduling some quality time and strengthening your family connection!

I’m worried about the youth mental health crisis.

How can I make sure my child feels heard and supported?

By Gayle Browne, Director, Clinical Operations, Kids Help Phone

T

he youth mental health crisis—it’s a topic that strikes fear into the heart of every parent. It doesn’t matter if your child is a few hours old or a few decades old; every parent wants to know their kid is happy, healthy and safe.

But in a world where young people are constantly exposed to crisis after crisis—war, climate change, recessions, natural disasters— and where mental health supports can be difficult to find, how can we help our children not only cope, but thrive?

As director of clinical operations at Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental

health service for young people, I have some suggestions to offer that may be helpful.

But first, I want to share some good news for every parent out there: Kids Help Phone has just announced the largest movement for youth mental health in Canada’s history.

A $300 million movement to transform youth mental health

On March 2, we officially launched Feel Out Loud—a national movement to raise $300 million for Kids Help Phone, with a goal to reach young people in every corner of Canada by 2024.

The achievement of our campaign goal will mean that young people in every part of the country—maybe even your child, should they ever need us—will always have a place to turn to where they can feel heard and supported.

We’re already well on our way to being there for all 8.5 million young people in Canada. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic alone, we’ve had an incredible 14 million interactions with young people from coast to coast to coast, and that number grows every single day.

And we know they trust us: a full 71% have told us they’ve shared something with bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 9

Kids Help Phone that they’ve never shared before. And 81% said they felt less upset after interacting with us. Feel Out Loud will bring this remarkable impact to even more young people nationwide, including those living in the most remote communities.

As a parent myself, this brings me great comfort. Feel Out Loud is a movement that’s addressing the youth mental health crisis head-on. It represents a seismic shift for youth mental health in this country—one that will help our kids develop mental and emotional resilience that will serve them for a lifetime. So, you can rest assured that Kids Help Phone is here and will continue to be here for generations to come.

But as parents, we also have a crucial role to play in helping our children manage their mental health and reach their greatest potential. Which brings us back to the original question: What can we do, as parents, to help our kids not only cope, but thrive?

Eight strategies to help the young people in your life feel safe and supported

Here, I’ve compiled the best tips from our team of youth mental health experts. I hope these insights will help you feel empowered to support the young people in your life as they navigate an increasingly complex world.

1. Let them know you’re someone they can talk to—and show it. Make it clear that you’re open to talking about difficult topics with your child, and that they don’t need to deal with tough stuff on their own. Just make sure that when they’re ready to talk, you’re ready to listen.

2. Encourage them to open up by asking questions differently. Many young people, especially teens, don’t respond well to direct questions like “How was your day?” Try asking questions about topics they can respond to in a neutral way, like a TV show they’ve been watching, a sport they’ve been playing or a new friend they’ve been hanging out with. This will help you connect and open doors to more in-depth conversations.

3. Make an effort to really listen and validate their feelings. Being a good listener means genuinely hearing what someone is telling you, and not just waiting your turn to respond. Listen carefully to what your 10 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

child is saying and validate their feelings by reflecting back what you’re hearing.

Kids and teens feel empowered when their concerns are taken seriously. If they know you’ll be there to truly listen, they’ll be more likely to turn to you when they need someone to talk to.

Make an effort to really listen and validate their feelings.

Being a good listener means genuinely hearing what someone is telling you and not just waiting for your turn to respond.

4. Don’t talk too much! When you’re engaged in a conversation with your child, resist the urge to fill every silence. Often, those moments of pause provide the space young people need to share what’s really on their mind.

5. Pay attention to their preferred mode of communication. Many young people prefer to have difficult conversations by text, email or even through handwritten notes.

Be open to communicating with your child in different ways.

6. Be mindful of how you talk about mental health in general. Pay attention to your

responses to stories about mental health in the media or how you speak about people experiencing mental health challenges. If your responses are rooted in stigma, your child may not feel comfortable approaching you when they need to talk.

7. If you’re concerned your child may be having suicidal thoughts, ask them. Many parents worry that talking about suicide will increase the likelihood their child will have thoughts of suicide. This isn’t true; in fact, asking directly about suicide will let them know they can talk to you about the topic.

8. Let your child know you value and accept them for who they are. Don’t assume they already know or don’t need to hear it again.

Make it a regular habit to tell your kid how great they are and how much you love them.

A final word

For more insights on supporting the young people in your life when it comes to their mental health, I encourage you to access the resources available at kidshelpphone.ca.

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed, Kids Help Phone is here for adults too! Just text WELLNESS to 741741 to chat with a volunteer crisis responder.

Remember: we’re all in this together. The more we support one another, the stronger we’ll all be—today and for years to come.

With 15 locations across British Columbia.

Visit our website to find the location nearest you!

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The Adventures of Summer Camp!

By Lorrie Holmes

S

ummer is almost here. That time of year when our kiddos will be ready to put their school books away and fill their backpacks full of snacks, sunscreen, bathing suits, and whatever else they need to accompany them on their adventures and explorations.

Though the featured choices in this story are only a sampling of the wide variety of camps that are offered province-wide, each one provides so much opportunity for our kids to engage their minds and imaginations, learn new skills, while also building upon their social and emotional skills.

When considering an overnight camp, one option that I can share with you is my past family experience at Camp Qwanoes. I recall the special memories made here with my daughter and her entire daycare class.

Laughter and conversations linger in my memory of shared cabins and meals and bus rides to beautiful outdoor spots where we embarked on many adventures on land and in water. Our evenings often ended with gatherings full of high energy youth music and stories. It was a wonderful shared family and community experience.

Overnight Camps

On land or sea, kids love to pet, play with, and possibly even ride animals (depending on their size and nature), making for amazing memories and experiences that might not be offered to them in any other environment.

Let’s start off with overnight camps as they have always been a highlight of summer break.

Kids can spend a few nights to a few weeks diving into endless thrill seeking and social experiences—from water sports to ziplines, from nature hikes during the day to fun games, activities, and collaborative projects in the evenings. Of course, one unforgettable moment is the magic of sitting around the campfire and sharing songs and stories with youth leaders and new friends.

12 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Animal Camps

Sea Animals: One place that offers endless

opportunities for children to move through their progressive programs is the Vancouver Aquarium. Starting at the tender age of 5 years, my own daughter was eager to start

camp as soon as she could. She attended every summer until she aged out at age 12.

At 9 years of age, she entered into the Family Volunteer Program. Acting primarily as her ride and chaperone, I completed the training program alongside my now aspiring shark biologist. During our shifts she would proudly set up exhibits of her favourite animal—the great white shark! Next we would walk around and provide information to guests before ending our days at Clown Fish Cove where Haylee would guide children and their families on how to safely handle small sea creatures. Annual sleepovers and visits to the Mammal Rescue Centre were some of the most precious memories of her childhood.

Land Animals: As for land animals, there is

something really special about the connection between a child and a horse. I first learned of Timberline Ranch during a school field trip years ago and was blown away by its immense offerings—from the beauty of the property and its facilities to the friendly and knowledgeable staff, and of course, to the beautiful horses for the children to engage with.

At the time of my visit, I was not aware of the wide range of camps that are offered at Timberline Ranch and how much more is involved than just horseback riding. Ideal for ages 9+, choose from the newly added day camps, for the campers that aren’t ready for overnight, to the week long overnight camps.

Days are packed full of riding and bonding with the horses along with CYOA (choose your own adventures) with many other extra activities including archery, rock climbing, zipline, and so on.

Nature Programs

Gaining attention as a safer option for kids to engage in during COVID, outdoor programs have now become a favourite choice of parents for both camps and formal education during the school year. One such program, that years ago started off as an outdoor preschool and school-aged program has gained so much attention and merit that it resulted in them now also operating as a BC Independent

School in North Vancouver for grades K–5.

Saplings Outdoor Programs and Nature School are both offering summer camps at many of their locations.

While visiting their nature centre a few years back, I was dazzled by the trained forest educators while witnessing the way they inspired the children to explore the wonders found in our local forests and beaches. What most impressed me was how the educators fostered the relationship between child and nature. This to me is a huge opportunity to help kids grow their self-confidence as they learn to become risk assessors and decision makers while doing things like building shelters, hiking, and going on nature treasure hunts.

If your children love nature, two other nature based camps worth checking out this summer are Burns Bog in Delta and Stanley Park Eco Camps. Both camps are committed to nature conservation and are beautiful tourist attractions in themselves.

Sports

From team sports to dance, yoga, bicycling or scooter clubs, to the very unique experiences of learning archery or even joining the circus for a week, the camp choices available in the sports category are extensive. The ones that stood out to me were two soccer camps that focused on character development and sportsmanship as their main goals.

First there is Free Kick, founded and run by soccer icon and pioneer of women’s soccer in Canada, Carrie Serwetnyk. As a former Canadian National team player Carrie has created a program for kids drawing from her love of sharing her extraordinary World Cup experiences with the younger generation. Her main objective is to instill the love of soccer through character development.

Another soccer camp, not to be missed, that shares similar goals of this game is Royal Soccer Club. This program has grown to be one of the largest across Canada because of its reputation for quality programming and

Maple Ridge, BC

Summer & fall registration is open!

Camps for children and families. www.TimberlineRanch.com

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 13

is available in many communities across our province.

Arts

Starting off this category is iconic interdisciplinary arts organization, Arts Umbrella, offering top notch programs in all art disciplines—from visual arts to music, dance to performing arts. As a fellow early music educator, I have to also include a program that’s offering a beautiful foundation of conservatory music in age appropriate and playfully fun music camps for kids of all ages at Colourstrings Conservatory of Music.

Next, another camp choice not to be missed this summer is at Gateway Theatre. This quality theatre company offers unique experiences that will leave lasting impressions. Kids who attend these camps are inside a professional theatre, taught by working professional artists who are passionate about helping kids grow in a safe environment. Kids in these camps are set up for success by practicing Gateway Theatre’s philosophy of process over product.

Book now at VIFF.org

Studio Ghibli Forever!

Seven enchanting Ghibli favourites.

All ages welcome.

14 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Lights Up Musical Theatre Schools are also offering performing arts camps this summer with a similar philosophy of focusing on setting their kids up for success by teaching them theatre skills while instilling self-confidence in these young performers.

I love this because this way the kids are able to learn the hows of acting and singing and dancing before performing in front of an audience while still having parents and guardians attend to watch and encourage the progress they are making in developing their performance skills.

Academics

Who said that STEM was only sought after during the school year? Definitely not kids who are into building Lego® robotics.

Daedalus Enrichment Programs offers programs where kids can create their own ideas with constructive learning and exploration and have built up a strong reputation for doing so. Another camp worth mentioning that offers a very unique blend of STEM and

environmental studies is at Petit Architect.

Here kids build their own constructive creations while learning about the relationship between architecture, interior design, sustainability, and the environment.

Play Based

We would like to end off this story with a whole new world, or rather an 1800 square foot indoor city, at Kidtropolis. As a licensed early childhood educator who is a huge fan of dramatic play I can safely say that this level of imaginative play is nothing I have ever witnessed before and offers kids unlimited opportunities to play, explore and learn all at the same time. At Kidtropolis summer camps, kids enjoy a whole schedule of fun activities, experiments and games offered within this amazing environment! Read more about Kidtropolis in Strengthening Family Connections on page 7.

Happy camping and be sure to check out our Summer Camp Guide for a full list of summer camps to choose from this summer!

summer camp guide

Summer Camp Guide Residential Camps

Camp Artaban Gambier Island, 604/980-0391 campartaban.com Ages 8–18

British Columbia Family French Camp (BCFFC) Shuswap Lake, Gwillim Lake and Nanaimo bcffc.com

Camp Fircom Gambier, 604/662-7756 fircom.ca Ages 6–16, plus Family Programs

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 lifechanging 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 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

greenbay.bc.ca Ages 6–14

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 Green Bay Bible Camp West Kelowna, 250/768-5884

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

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 15

summer camp guide 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 Adaptive Multi-Sport Camp Cloverdale, 604/333-3520 bcwheelchairsports.com Ages 11+

FEATURING Summer Camps SeaQuest Kayak Camps Leadership Programs Family Retreats Summer Staff

Camp Alohi Lani Port Moody alsbc.ca/programs-services/camp-alohi-lani For youth who have a parent or grandparent in a significant role living with ALS. Camp Goodtimes and Teen Program campgoodtimes.org For children ages 7–15 and teens ages 15–18 with cancer, and their families.

Camp Kodiak Parry Sound, Ontario campkodiak.com Ages 6–18 For children and teens with and without Learning Disabilities, ADHD and high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder DYT Summer Camps fndc.ca Focussing on language enhancement (ASL) and social opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing children ages 5–18.

Qwanoes.ca 1-888-997-9266

16 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Easter Seals Camps 604/873-1865 or 1-800/818-4483 eastersealscamps.ca Ages 6–18 For children and teens with physical and/or mental disabilities.

Empowering Steps Club Aviva, Coquitlam 604/526-4464 empoweringsteps.ca Camps for students with developmental challenges

Eureka Camp 604/520-1155 eurekacamp.ca For children and adolescents with invisible disabilities.

Young Burn Survivors Camp burnfund.org/camp-for-young-burnsurvivors For young burn survivors ages 6–18

art, music, drama & dance Artmania West Van, 604/670-7592 artmaniabc.ca 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!

summer camp guide

Gateway Academy – Acting, Musical Theatre Summer Camps & Year-Long Classes

Richmond, 604/247-4975 gatewaytheatre.com/academy Ages 6–8 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 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. Campers will strut their stuff for family and friends at our

camp presentations. Like all Lights Up programs, 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 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

in various fun hands-on educational activities ranging from the sciences, to the arts and to everything in between!

West Point Grey Community Centre Summer Day Camp Vancouver, 604/257-8140 westpointgrey.org/programs/day-camps Ages 3–13 years

SFU Summer Camps 778/782-4965, sfu.ca/camps Ages 5–19

Westside Montessori Academy

Spare Time Child Care Society Vancouver, sparetimesociety.org Ages 5–12

Vancouver, 604/434-9611 wmasummercamp.com WMA’s Summer Camps are professionally led camps for 3 to 12-year-olds celebrating our final year at the Italian Cultural Centre, making summer fun and full of learning in secure, air-conditioned classrooms and adjacent Beaconsfield Park.

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

YMCA 604/324-9622, gv.ymca.ca Ages 5–12

Richmond, 604/285-7529 (PLAY) kidtropolis.ca Age 6–10 This summer, let your child experience camp like no other at Kidtropolis!

We’re taking imagination to the next level and your child will be able to join

specialty camps Adventure Day Camps Grouse Mountain, North Van 604/980-9311 grousemountain.com/camps Ages 3–14

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 17

summer camp guide BrainSTEM Learning North Van, 604/379-2767 brainstemlearning.ca Ages 4–14

Eaton Arrowsmith Camp Surrey, Vancouver 604/264-8327 eatonarrowsmith.com

Brain Booster Summer Camps Surrey, 778/839-5515 westcoastcentreforlearning.com Ages 6–12

FarmWonders Camp UBC Farm, 604/827-4048 farmwonders.ca Ages 6–14

Ages 6–13 At these LEGO® Robotics Camps, kids create, build, program and operate robotic animals, machines and vehicles using LEGO® Education Robotics and Computer Programming. Children are given grade level appropriate activities based on skill, ability, experience and preference.

Cousteau Multi Specialty Camps North Van, 604/924-2457 cousteauschool.org Ages 3–5 & 6–9

Fraser Academy Summer Boost Camp Vancouver, 604/736-5575 fraseracademy.ca Ages 7–13

Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre Mini Camps North Van, 604/990-3755 ecologycentre.ca Ages 5–12

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

Maplewood Farm Camp

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

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

LEGO® Robotics Summer Camps with Daedalos Enrichment Programs Vancouver, 604/345-8603 daedalosacademy.com

Summer Camps Enrolling NOW!

Sing, Dance, Act, Shine!

Classes and Camps for 3yrs and up

1-888-502-5253 lightsuptheatre.ca

18 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

North Vancouver, 604/929-5610 maplewoodfarm.bc.ca Ages 8–12 Maplewood Farm Camp offers a unique opportunity for youth to learn about domesticated animals in a Farm setting. Learning and working alongside our Farmers, children will create animal enrichment, learn feeding and grooming techniques, as well as some animal husbandry.

July 31–August 3 and August 8–11 8:30 am–11:30 am

Petit Architect Design for Kids Vancouver, Richmond petitarchitect.com Ages 6–14

Reframe Education Summer Sessions

North Vancouver, 604/417-3300 reframeeducation.ca Ages 5+ One to one Programs including OG Tutoring, Executive Function Coaching, and Art Therapy. Small group programs including Writer’s Workshop, Social Communication Skills, and Keyboarding Skills. Now accepting registrations.

Richmond Nature Park Camps Richmond, 604/276-4300 richmond.ca/register Ages 4–12

Saplings Outdoor Program & Nature School

North and West Vancouver 778/838-0335 saplingsoutdoorprogram.ca & saplingsnatureschool.ca Saplings campers love exploring the

HAVE FUN & BUILD CONFIDENCE!

ACTING & MUSICAL THEATRE SUMMER CAMPS AGES 6-13

SAVE TODAY! EARLY BIRD PRICING ENDS MAY 31ST

Learn More & Register Now gatewaytheatre.com/academy

summer camp guide natural wonders of our local forests & beaches. Children grow in selfconfidence while learning to become risk assessors and decision makers when shelter-building, hiking, going on nature treasure hunts and playing group games alongside forest educators.

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

Vancouver Neurotherapy Health Services Inc.

Vancouver, 604/730-9600 neurofeedbackclinic.ca Ages 3+ An Orton-Gillingham-trained multisensory tutor will guide your child through kinaesthetic, visual & auditory activities to optimize performance & learning. Children will acquire new skills while learning rhythm, rhyme, music, and coding with a goal to improve academics, organization, integration & language. Biofeedback Virtual Reality games are used to teach self-regulation, self-control & how to achieve optimal performance.

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, 778/2961400 richmondoval.ca Ages 4–18 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

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

Phoenix Gymnastics Vancouver, 604/737-7693 phoenixgymnastics.com Ages 3+

TumbleTown Movement Education Centre –Gym-venture Days Vancouver, 604/357-7355 tumbletown.ca Ages 3–8 yrs

RBL Basketball 604/269-0221 or 604/253-5295 RBLBasketball.com Ages 5–15

Royal Soccer

Sportball Mulitiple Locations 604/688-3157, sportball.ca Ages 16 months–12 yrs

Twin Rivers Equestrian Centre Cloverdale, 604/574-5481 twinriversequestrian.com

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.

UBC Sport Camps Vancouver, 604/822-6121 ubccamps.ca Uphoria Yoga Vancouver, 604/326-2995 uphoriayoga.com Yoga Kiddo Buttons Camp Vancouver, 604/739-9642 yogabuttons.com Ages 3–7

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 19

Be Prepared for the End of the School Year Slide

By Rebecca Hastings

I

t happens the same way every year. You would think I would be ready for it— the onslaught of papers coming home, projects due, last-minute field trips, and endof-the-year concerts, parties, and assemblies.

One would think.

Instead, I find myself scrambling. By midMay I’m wound tight, running from place to place unsure we can fit it all in and survive.

Jen Hatmaker nails it perfectly in her post, Worst End of School Year Mom Ever. She gets it.

To be proactive I’m doing something about it. I don’t want the rest of the year to feel like a vortex sucking us all down. Not this year.

No ma’am. This year I’ve got a game plan.

Here are 10 things to do today to get ready for the end of the school year.

1. Get rid of as many papers as you can. You

know the deluge is coming. The art projects, the worksheets, the reports with stickers on the front. Clear out what you have 20 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

now so you will be ready. And this does not mean just moving it to a new pile or basket. Be ruthless and get rid of anything you don’t need. File away the things you need. Do we even file anymore? Well, you get the idea. Purge the papers.

I don’t want the rest of the year to feel like a vortex sucking us all down.

2. Create a space. In the last weeks of school,

the kids will be coming home with full backpacks ready to empty on the kitchen table five minutes before dinner. Not this year. Get a basket with their name. Better

yet, a box. You can even let them decorate it to get excited about everything they will bring home. Give the box a home and tell them all end-of-the-year stuff goes right in their special box. Set aside a time you can go through it together, preferably not while stirring spaghetti sauce and setting the table, so you can give all the appropriate ooohs and aaahs.

3. Gear up. Now, hear me out on this. I know

the end of the year feels like the last time you would want to stock up on school supplies. But trust me on this. Make sure you have some glue sticks and markers that still work. Have a few sheets of poster board around or some colored paper. Those lastminute end-of-the-year projects will be a lot less stressful if you can avoid a 9 pm Walmart run. Just think of it as getting craft supplies for the “I’m bored” days of summer.

4. Clear the calendar. Here’s your chance to

get ready. This is not the time of the year to add in extra, unnecessary events. That calendar is going to fill up fast and without warning. It’s not the best time to have a stressful dinner party or extra appointments. Clear what you can to make room for what’s coming.

Make sure you pass along important dates to the grandparents or other special people who would want to come to celebrate.

5. Track it. Now that the calendar is cleared,

track the incoming dates like it’s your job.

Find out when the band concert or the end-of-the-year songfest is going to be.

Notice hasn’t come home? Check with the teacher or school secretary. They’re usually in the know. If a notice comes home or an email comes through with a class sharing or end-of-the-year hoopla, get it on the calendar right then. Maybe even on two calendars. As much as I like the calendar on my phone, I can’t give up my amazing wall calendar. You can even set reminders on your phone now. These dates are important and out of the usual routine.

Be ready. Knowledge is power.

6. Wash backpacks and lunchboxes. By this

point in the year, they’re pretty gross. Do yourself and your kids a favor and wash them now. This is also a great way to make sure they will make it until the very last day. Also, tell the kids to check lost and found for water bottles, sweatshirts, and anything they may have lost track of.

7. Get shopping. Teacher gifts are handled dif-

ferently everywhere. Find out how things are done and get shopping. What you will purchase isn’t much different now than it will be in a few months. This is an easy thing to check off your end-of-the-year list. Get what you need. Wrap it up and put it in a designated place. Also, set up a phone or email reminder a week before the last day so you know where you put everything. You’ll be so glad you did.

8. Invite the Grands. With graduations, moth-

er’s day tea, and end-of-the-year assemblies make sure you pass along important dates to the grandparents or other special people who would want to come to celebrate.

Giving them the heads up early will ensure you don’t forget to invite someone special.

9. Food stock up. The last few weeks get

10. Pick one thing. As a family, pick one thing

crazy, but we all still need to eat. Make a double batch of whatever you’re cooking and put one in the freezer for an easy meal when the days are packed. Stocking up on packaged snacks and quick meals helps too. When you run home from work and school pick up to sports and then have to go back out for a science fair you’ll be glad you have dinner prepped. Stocking up is also a big help for packing lunches during the last weeks of school when the cabinets usually look pretty bare.

you will look forward to doing when school gets out. It can be a day at the pool together or ice cream for breakfast. Have something relaxing you can look forward to doing together after all the craziness has passed. You will all be glad to have that special something to look forward to!

And a final word of encouragement for you fellow parents: you will all make it through this.

No matter what the end of the year looks like, no matter how much chaos or calm you find, you will all make it through for another year.

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22 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

www.WestsideMontessoriAcademy.ca

The Smart Trap

By Julia Heinz

When we call a child smart, we present “smart” as a trait, not as a process that requires practice, failure, and patience.

T

elling children they are smart can give rise to a plethora of negative outcomes.

While this form of praise is intended to make a child feel good about themselves, in reality it can have long-term costly effects.

Calling a child “smart” assigns them this label, leading their future choices to reinforce this given identity.

At first glance, a child making choices that align with the identity of “smart” seems beneficial. We imagine this child challenging themselves and developing new strategies to “succeed”. However, in reality, living up to the given identity of “smart” leads to a fixed mindset and fear of failure, resulting in surface level learning experiences.

When we call a child smart, we present “smart” as a trait, not as a process that requires practice, failure, and patience. Culturally, being smart is seen in a positive light, commonly offered as a compliment or in an attempt to raise someone’s self esteem.

Naturally, once labeled “smart”, a child becomes highly motivated to live up to this claim, not only to maintain this given identity but also in order to win praise and feel good about themselves.

Labeling a Sense of Identity

Most of us will agree that labeling a child with a trait that is culturally viewed as “negative” such as being lazy or not good at math, could have devastating effects on that child’s mindset and engagement with school. However, it is essential to notice that whether we are “negatively” or “positively” labeling a child, any label will affect a child’s sense of identity. When a child is called smart, they tend to develop a fixed mindset, understanding “smart” to be a part of their identity that should be stable. In contrast, a growth mindset is the understanding that learning is a malleable process that requires constant reflection and adjustment.

Developing Mindset

While we often expect children to take on the mindset of the adults around them, Haimovits and Dweck (2017) found that instead, the mindset a child develops is highly dependent on the direction of the praise that is offered to them.

When a child receives feedback that is oriented at who they are (“you’re so smart”) rather than the process they took (“your

patience paid off ”), they understand their results to be reflective of their identity, rather than the effort they put in. Due to the higher weight given to the opinions of teachers and parents, children are likely to take personoriented feedback quite seriously, reinforcing a fixed mindset.

A Fixed Mindset

How does having a fixed mindset affect your child’s learning experience? When a child has been told that they are smart they believe it is in their best interest to maintain this identity.

As Dweck (1999) states, “if someone looked at your performance and told you you were really smart, would that make you eager for challenges that might show your deficiencies?

Or would that make you want to keep on performing well and keep your label “smart”? (p.117).

Time and time again research has shown that when children hold fixed mindsets about being smart, they do not see the benefit of challenging themselves and potentially losing this identity.

In another study, children who were praised for their intelligence after completing a first bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 23

task, were “no longer interested in challenges and learning”. On the following round of tasks these children were more likely to “opt for the task that would [make them] keep on looking smart” as opposed to facing a task that could challenge them. (Dweck 1999, p117).

Furthermore, when this group experienced failure on the second task they were less likely to enjoy doing the third task and less likely to persist. These studies indicate that once students have been praised for their intelligence, doing poorly (or the thought of doing poorly) can become a debilitating experience as they fear the loss of the glorified identity of “smart”.

Zhao et. al (2017) observed whether children as young as three years old would be willing to cheat on a test in order to maintain an identity of “smart” that they were primed with.They found that the children who were explicitly told they were smart during the practice round were significantly more likely to cheat on the test in order to maintain this title, bringing to light the influential power of praising the person rather than the process they undertook.

as a fixed product.The power of developing a growth mindset has even been shown to buffer against the effects of having a low socioeconomic status, which is a well known predictor of academic outcome (Claro et.al, 2017). Importantly, it seems as though hav-

Fostering a Growth Mindset

Mindful Changes

Fostering a growth mindset allows children to learn how to learn, and to see learning and development as a process, rather than

Are we ready to change our verbal habits in order to better support our children in their learning and development?

our intentions are good, praising a child for their ability inadvertently puts a label on them that could promote a fixed mindset, emotional distress, and long term “bad” habits like cheating and avoiding challenges.

Second, what do the reactions we have to our own failures and successes model to children in terms of the process of learning?

Expressing these experiences through the lens of growth and development can model to children what a growth mindset looks like.

By becoming more mindful of how we frame success and failure, we empower children to shape their own learning and lives.

Julia Heinz is currently completing her Masters of Education at

UBC in Social and Emotional Learning.

References

ing a growth mindset allows a child to see a potential for change and to feel empowered in making these changes.

So, telling children they are smart does them more harm than good, but are we ready to change our verbal habits in order to better support our children in their learning and development?

Claro, S., Paunesku, D., & Dweck, C. S. (2016). Growth mindset tempers the effects of poverty on academic achievement.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, 113(31), 8664-8668 Dweck, C. S., & Taylor & Francis eBooks A-Z. (1999). Selftheories: Their role in motivation, personality, and development. Psychology Press.

Haimovitz, K., & Dweck, C. S. (2017). The origins of children’s growth and fixed mindsets: New research and a new proposal.

Child Development, 88(6), 1849-1859.

Zhao, L., Heyman, G. D., Chen, L., & Lee, K. (2017).

Praising young children for being smart promotes cheating.

Psychological Science, 28(12), 1868-1870.

To take away: research indicates that we must be mindful of the words we use in response to a child’s successes or failures. Even when

What do the reactions we have to our own failures and successes model to children in terms of the process of learning?

Expressing these experiences through the lens of growth and development can model to children what a growth mindset looks like.

24 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

Ready Player 2?

Everything a Parent Needs to Know about Web3 and the Metaverse

By Zach Hirsch

W

hat should you do when your kids are spending hours immersed in Fortnite or seemingly in another world with their Oculus on, playing Beat Saber? The answer is simple: join them!

Today’s internet has already revolutionized the world of work, games, and social interactions. Web3, the next iteration, will offer a much more immersive way to meet, play, and earn a living in the near future. Today’s games, along with the NFT’s and avatars your kids have been talking about, are a gateway to the future Metaverse and coming Meta-Economy.

My Background

To introduce myself briefly, I’m Zach Hirsch, @instagram ipickwins, a Web3 entrepreneur, social influencer, and podcaster. I’m also only two years out of high school, and a member of Generation Z.

My journey into the virtual world started by playing VRChat seven years ago. This gave me a taste of what it’s like to build both a world and identity online, while contributing to the experience of others in the same community.

I first came across the term ‘Metaverse’ when I read Neal Stephenson’s classic book, Snowcrash. After seeing the 2018 Spielberg movie, Ready Player One, I was all in. The Travis Scott Fortnite concert in April 2020 proved to me that the Metaverse would someday be a reality. I knew it was my destiny to help build it, and started looking for others to build it with.

I met my co-founder, Danny Mozlin, the CEO of Mozverse, and found he had a different story. Danny is a noted kid inventor who conducted AR and VR experiments in middle school. By age ten, Danny was spending hours playing Nintendo’s Virtual Boy,

the first gaming console that allowed you to immerse yourself into your own universe.

Our two paths may have been different, but we were both undeniably headed towards the future in Web3, and your current gamer, NFT collector, or 3D artist might be headed there as well.

A Crash Course

Unlike some trends that come and go, Web3 and the Metaverse are here to stay, eventually affecting everything we do in the future. As a parent, encouraging your kids’ immersive activities is the first step to helping them participate in this new tech revolution.

While your kids might think it’s cringe when you try to decode their lingo, in this case it’s important to understand the language of Web3. Here are my definitions of the most basic terms that are often thrown around. bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 25

26 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

The Metaverse is a series of interconnected, highly immersive, virtual worlds.

Web3: “Web1” refers to the early days of the

internet, when it was essentially just a bunch of web pages for you to read. “Web2” came about when companies like Facebook and YouTube made it possible for regular users to publish blogs and release videos. “Web3” takes things one step further. Now, you can create and own the content you create, with an immutable record of it stored on the Blockchain. Web3 also allows for a much more immersive experience than previous generations.

Blockchain: The blockchain is a record of transactions that everyone can agree on because it’s decentralized. Why does this matter? It’s immutable meaning you have transactional finality that leads to real transparency.

Tokens: Tokens are how value is exchanged between different participants on the blockchain,and they can take many forms.

They can be a currency like Bitcoin, or they can be a way to store value. When a token is linked to a specific object or person, it is called a non-fungible token or NFT. In other words, ‘digital property’.

NFTs: A non-fungible token can represent

ownership of anything (including in the physical world, but the lawyers are still working on that one—stay tuned). Currently, NFTs mainly represent ownership of virtual objects or entities, such as avatars, clothing, accessories, equipment, or even digital land.

Web3 will offer a much more immersive way to meet, play, and earn a living in the near future.

The Metaverse: You’ll see a few different defi-

nitions of the Metaverse, but here’s mine: the Metaverse is a series of interconnected, highly immersive, virtual worlds. These virtual worlds, while independent, are connected through the common use of technologies (i.e., AR [augmented reality], VR [virtual reality], XR [Extended Reality], Blockchain, NFTs), and share the same foundational principles of interoperability and decentralization.

Avatars

An avatar is a digital representation of who you are, in either a virtual world or gaming experience, where your avatar’s actions are based on the decisions that you make. The avatar concept was first introduced in Neal Stephenson’s revolutionary book, Snow Crash, which, as I mentioned earlier, also first introduced the concept of the Metaverse. 30 years later, companies like mine are now actively improving avatars, to be hyper-realistic. A Hyper-Realistic Avatar is an avatar that is a literal and virtual manifestation of the user. This innovative technology has become especially important and prominent in the Immersive Entertainment space.

Immersive Entertainment

Immersive entertainment occurs when a platform transports a user to a digital representation of a real or virtual world where the user can interact with an event, such as a concert, in a variety of ways that leave the user feeling highly connected to the performance.

Immersive entertainment offers endless new experiences, free from real-world constraints of distance, physical hazards, and even gravity. bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 27

Immersive experiences are created by combining AR, VR, and hyper-fidelity audio.

Believe it or not, your kids may have already built their first virtual world in a place like Minecraft or Roblox. Immersive entertainment also provides us with places to meet and share experiences, such as the Travis Scott gig (27 million Fortnight players in attendance), at a scale that was previously technically and financially impossible.

Immersive games are creative, social, and offer experiences that physical reality can’t compete with. When we combine the hypercreative and social dimensions of immersive entertainment with digital currency and digital property (which are worth real money), we have the building blocks of a new reality that is not constrained by available capital and physics. We have an environment where kids can earn not only part-time money, but enough money to support themselves and others.

In this world, games are far more than a form of simple entertainment. Each game, at its core, provides its users with educational tools that will become invaluable as more and more of the world’s economy increases its reliance on blockchain technology, Web3, and

Young people today are born into a world where it is not only normal to socialize online, but where everyone is their own media enterprise, with access to multiple channels and audiences.

28 bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023

the Metaverse. They can be used for education for sure, but they are themselves an education in how to operate in a new economy that will become increasingly important, and I think eventually dominant.

As digital natives, my generation is perfectly positioned to take full advantage of this new reality. If anyone is going to use this technology to remake the future, it will empower us, and our younger siblings in Generation Alpha.

Opportunities for the Next Generation

Does all of that sound a little crazy? It probably does. Let’s take a step back, and consider where we are.

Think about what the shift from Web2 to Web3 means again. Instead of just creating content, kids can own and monetize it. That is huge.

Young people today are born into a world where it is not only normal to socialize online, but where everyone is their own media enterprise, with access to multiple channels and audiences. The younger generation has never known a world where this is not the norm.

As an influencer with a large following, I get paid to express my opinions in the cur-

rent creator economy. Unfortunately, if you don’t have over a million verified followers on a social media platform or a hit podcast, opportunities to really earn are somewhat limited today.

The calculus of the meta economy is fundamentally different. NFTs make it possible to redistribute revenues so that anyone can get paid directly for the value they create— whether this is digital clothes, digital music, digital art, or digital real estate.

There are plenty of examples of this. Take Samuel Jordan, who started out on the online gaming platform Roblox as a teen. Ten years later, he’s killing it, running a successful fashion design business that sells only NFT-based goods (such as virtual earrings and jackets).

There is a reason that Web3 is the perfect environment for young entrepreneurs. In Web3, digital money and digital property make it possible to connect and exchange value directly with those who value your work. Just like in a regular business, you don’t need to become the biggest, just the best at what you do, in order to succeed with your target market.

My Experience

All this is more than just theory for me. I know it can work!

I have been playing video games since I was three years old. In addition to the immersive games I mentioned, I loved sports games, especially Madden. I played so much that when I was twelve years old my father took away my gaming consoles but that didn’t deter me from my passion. I was the #1 Madden Mobile Player in the World at 13 years old when I made the decision to put my efforts into sports analytics, building my social following and helping to build the future Metaverse. My friend Pavan, who I used to play Madden with late into the night, went on to win the Madden Club Series Championship on NFL Network and is one of the highest earners in the history of the game. My guy Jake, who was a Youtube, Vine and Disney star, reinvented himself and now brings the audience he built to professional boxing matches where he’s paid eight figures a fight. Jake’s taken some of those big bags and started his own Venture Capital Fund that’s invested in Web3 technology and infrastructure. Scott Storch is, in my opinion, the

So join your kids Player 2, grab a VR headset and see for yourself what this future looks like.

greatest music producer of all time. He’s made hits for everyone from Dr. Dre and Eminem to Megan The Stallion and Beyonce. Scott’s a musical genius but he’s smart enough to know what he doesn’t know. When he hears some new sound, he’ll ask his son Jalen who’s sixteen years old and also a talented producer before dismissing it and when anyone brings him anything related to Web3, he calls me.

I’m currently advising him on a Metaverse Concert featuring Lil Baby.

Thanks to social media, I’ve been able to share my passion with those who share it, and now thanks to the podcast I run with rapper Jadakiss on Worldstar, I get to meet and interact with my favorite icons in the world of sport and hip hop.

I’m also witnessing the real-time fusing of sports, entertainment, and business in the virtual realm that will eventually become the Metaverse—everyone can be right there in it.

That’s why my mission is to grow Mozverse with Danny and help build a bridge to the Metaverse for the next wave of young gamers, inventors, and founders who will in turn build the future Metaverse economy.

The vital role of parents

Most articles about kids and the metaverse tend to focus on near-term things like the potential for VR in education, or tips on how to stay safe online.

These are all super important things, particularly safety. Being a good parent will always mean keeping your kids from being exposed to bad people that unfortunately can inhabit every realm, virtual, or physical.

What I would add though, is that it’s just as important to take a long-term view. The kids of today don’t have the right to vote in the traditional world, but in Web3, they are the upcoming entrepreneurs, engineers, and

influencers who will lead us into the future, if they have support and encouragement from early on.

My Dad told me a story a few weeks back about how Gabriella, the nine year old daughter of a friend of his, had over twelve hours of screen time in a day, between Roblox and TikTok, and that didn’t even count any Oculus activities. I said, “Wow, what dedication! I have a feeling she’s going to be a future Web3 influencer.”

So, join your kids Player 2, grab a VR headset, and see for yourself what this future looks like.

“Mystic” Zach Hirsch is a sports influencer and host of

Worldstar’s Kiss and the Myst Podcast. He co-founded the Web3 platform Mozverse with Danny Mozlin, which gives entrepreneurs and established firms practical experience on how to operate in the metaverse. He regularly speaks on the future of the metaverse at conferences, and has been featured as an expert in Forbes and Entrepreneur magazine.

bcparent.ca • summer issue 2023 29

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