Family Fun

Mother’s Day in Ottawa (2016) will be celebrated on Sunday, May 8, 2016. In Canada, Mother’s Day is on the second Sunday in May each year.

Seeing as it is celebrated on different days around the world, if you need to send a card or gift to another country, you may want to check the date!! Trust us, we got stuck one year and couldn’t find a card to send to the UK in March. A lot of card shops do sell Mother’s Day cards throughout the year now (phew)!

As a Mom, I know how special this day can be for the children. They get so excited to make me hand made gifts and to do something special.

Here are a few ideas on what to do with the Mom(s) in your life and/or to suggest to your children if they are looking for ideas for you:

• Canadian Tulip Festival – the festival is always held in May so it is a perfect time to take Mom (or have your children take you);
• a “Spa Day” – some spas are open on Sundays now. If the one you want to go to isn’t, ask your Mom if she wouldn’t mind celebrating on a Saturday;
• a fun day at home and take out – I know this sounds silly but I don’t like to cook on Mother’s Day so in previous years, if we don’t want to deal with the crowds in the restaurants, we do a take out at home. It leaves more time to spend with the kids and Mom doesn’t have to do any work in the kitchen;
• the kids can cook a special meal for Mom (regardless of their age);
• Brunch – there are many restaurants around Ottawa that are having special Mother’s Day brunches. Make sure to make reservations early to avoid disappointment. Here are some restaurants that we know of:
  Strathmere (at the Lodge)
  North Gower
  613-489-2409 Brookstreet
  Kanata
  613-271-1800 The Herb Harden
  3840 Old Almonte Road
  613-256-0228 Lago
  Dows Lake Pavillion
  613-235-5246

If you are looking for more ideas on how to spend the day with your Mom or gift ideas, we will be updating this page regularly to help you out.

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If you are planning on going bowling in Ottawa then our Ottawa Bowling Guide will help you find the perfect spot for your family and/or friends.

Ottawa’s Bowling Centres offer various types of bowling, activities and events:

• five pin bowling
• ten pin bowling
• glow in the dark bowling
• bowling leagues
• birthday parties
• “Rock n Bowl”
• arcades
• and so much more!

Here is a list of the Bowling Centers in the Ottawa area:

Centre Francophone De Vanier
270 Marier Avenue
Vanier
613-746-0611

McArthur Lanes
175 McArthur
Vanier
613-745-2117

Merivale Bowling Centre
1916 Merivale Road
Ottawa
613-228.9190

Orleans Bowling Centre Inc
885 Taylor Creek Drive
Orleans
613-837-7000‎

Walkley Bowling Company Limited
2092 Walkley Road
Ottawa
613-521-0132‎

West Park Bowling Centre
1205 Wellington Street
Ottawa
613-728-0933

So come on out, strap on a pair of funky bowling shoes and have a great time at one of the many locations in Ottawa.

Our family really enjoys going bowling together on occasion. We may not be the best (and throw a few balls in the gutter) but it’s still a good laugh and it makes for a great family activity.

Besides bowling with friends and/or family, bowling is a terrific place to hold a birthday party. Our children have been to a few parties at different bowling centres and they had a blast. They can accommodate all ages and the kids all had so much fun. Most places also offer a private party room to celebrate and have a bite to eat and some cake too once all the bowling is done with. Make sure to call far enough in advance to book your party so you avoid disappoinment.

You can also hold your office Christmas party at one of the bowling centres. I organized one of our work parties at one a few years ago and we all had a fantastic time. It was a perfect opportunity to get to know some of our colleagues and it turned out to be a fantastic team building exercise.

Have fun bowling in Ottawa!

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March Break in Ottawa (2016) will be from March 14th to 18th, 2016 and in Gatineau it will be from February 29 to March 4th, 2016.

Not sure what to do or what to plan for your children? Can’t take a lot of time off of work? No worries! Check out our list of fun events and activities that you can register your children for. There is surely something here that will please all age groups.

Keep in mind, we can’t list them all but this will give you a few more ideas of what to sign the kids up for. Please contact them for more detailed information:

City of Ottawa Recreation The City of Ottawa plans oodles of great activities for the entire family. They have programs for:

• swimming
• arts & crafts
• baking
• computers
• riding
• drama
• and so much more.

City of Ottawa website

• Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum – They don’t have an actual camp but they do have some special activities planned for that week. Read more details about their activities and exhibits on the Canadian Agriculture Museum website
• A Gym Tale
• Above the Rim Basketball School – full day camps for those who love basketball!
• Carleton University – sports camps
• Future Kids – Digital Kids – educational and fun computer camps
• The Independent Filmmaker’s Co-operative of Ottawa – camp activities include acting, directing, animation, sound recording and more!
• Kanata Gymnosphere – gymnastics for all ages
• Kanata Montessori School – swimming, games, crafts, songs, stories, baking etc
• Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts – martial arts & field trips
• Ottawa Athletic Club – various sports, crafts and games
• Ottawa Catholic School Board – camps for children for all school boards. Some camps include “Survivor Camp”, Tennis Camp, “Go Girl Camp” and more
• Ottawa Gymnastics Centre – various gymnastics programs
• Ottawa Humane Society
• Ottawa Public Library – various activities, crafts and other fun stuff at most of the libraries around Ottawa
• OYP Theatre School – French and English class
• Pawsitively Pets
• Pottery Playhouse
  1300 Main Street, Stittsville
• Sensplex
• Shenkman Arts Centre – acting, mixed media, drawing, pottery, dance etc
• Spring Action – fun trampoline camp!
• Starr Gymnastics – day camps, full week camps, lots of fun
• Tracy’s Art Studio – art classes
• Westar Farms – horseback riding lessons
• Winners Day Camps – games, sports, arts & crafts, drama, for boys & girls aged 3-12

Fun Outdoor Activities for the whole family:

You can also do a lot of fun stuff outdoors on your own, without signing up for a camp:

a visit to the Ottawa Sugar bushes;
tobogganing;
skiing;
skating at a local arena (or outdoor rinks and/or Canal if it is really cold out still);
nature walks;
snowshoeing;
and so many other activities!

Indoor Activities for everyone:

Too cold for the little ones outside? Museums are a great alternative when the weather isn’t cooperating, plus they have the added bonus of being educational – shhhh!

Need a break from winter? There are lots of fun places to visit that don’t require snowsuits and winter gear:

museums
libraries
fun stuff in your own home
play dates
play centres

At Home

Don’t forget that March Break can be a great wind-down time for children. Instead of signing them up for a camp or an activity for the entire week, you can also plan some fun stuff at home for a day or two. You can find a fun project to do together, you can watch a favourite movie or you can even bake some yummy treats that they can bring back to their friends when they return to school. The opportunities are endless!

Our March Break in Ottawa section is being updated often so we can provide lots of great ideas for you and your family. Please bookmark this page and check back very soon!

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As one of the many families in Ottawa, we are always looking for something fun to do with our entire family. Are you like us and are looking for some family outings or attractions to fill up your weekends, summers or evenings? There is a long list of fantastic activities you can do with the whole gang further down the page.

In the meantime….

Are you trying to find an Ottawa playcentre to bring your little ones to or to get together with other friends for a playdate?

Are you trying to plan a chidren’s birthday party in Ottawa?

Heading back to work and looking for daycare in Ottawa?

Are you trying to figure out what to plan for March Break in Ottawa?

Are you trying to find a listing of Summer Camps in Ottawa?

Are you spending Easter in Ottawa and looking for something to do for the entire family?

Are you looking for some great Halloween activities for the family (or for the adults)?

Are you trying to find a listing of the school boards in Ottawa or private schools?

Are you looking for a fun place to go camping in Ottawa for a weekend with the entire family?

Since creating our site, we have received numerous emails from parents trying to find out information on different places around the city for their children. We thought we would share with you some of the topics that came up in their emails.

We are also parents to young children so a lot of what we are going to discuss is from our own experiences.

This section is going through some wonderful changes and improvements so make sure to bookmark it and keep an eye on the new additions!

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions (or even some recommendations).

Activities and Resources for Families and Children in Ottawa

Here are some ideas of indoor & outdoor places to visit with your children:

• Valleyview Little Animal Farm
  4750 Fallowfield Road
  613-591-1126
  Open from mid-April until the end of October
  www.valleyviewlittleanimalfarm.com
• Adventure – this will bring you to another section of our website that lists activities for all age groups
• spend a day apple picking at an apple orchard in Ottawa
• Beaches
• Berry Picking – grab the family and spend some time picking fresh strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. There are plenty farms to choose from.
• Concerts & Performances – shows in the past have included Dora the Explorer, The Wiggles and Disney on Ice
• Logos Land
  15906 Highway 17, Cobden
  1-877-816-6605 or 613-646-9765
• Museums in Ottawa – there are so many museums to choose from
• Ottawa 67s
• Ottawa Senators
• Parc Omega
  323 North Road, Montebello
  819-423-5487
  We had an amazing time when we brought our children. We truly believe that this is a hidden gem outside of Ottawa. Not enough people know about it and it really is spectacular!
• Playtime 4 Kids
  1547 Merivale Road
  613-224-PLAY
• bring the whole family out one of Ottawa’s Pumpkin Patches for some great photos and to pick up some pumpkins for Halloween
• Saunders Farm
  7893 Bleek Road in Munster
  613-838-5440
  Award winning mazes, wagon rides, tree forts and beautiful gardens. There really is something for the entire family and EVERY age group.
• Splash Pads
  We love taking the kids to the splash pads around Ottawa on a hot, summer day. There are plenty of them around the city.
  Here is a list of the Ottawa splash pads
• Sleigh Rides
  Various locations to go for a sleigh ride, wagon ride or hay ride with the family
• Ottawa Sugar Bushes – A great way to spend the day and teach our children about a great Canadian tradition!
• Superex – this event usually takes place every August but hasn’t for the past few years as Lansdowne Park goes through major renovations
• Swimming – this section gives you all the details on where to find a great place to cool off or to take a few lessons. Whether it be an indoor pool, outdoor pool, beach or splash pad, Ottawa has it all!
• Tobogganing – a great winter activity to burn off some of that energy!
• Upper Canada Village
• Water parks – pack up the whole family on a hot summer’s day and cool off at one of the Ottawa water parks

Theatre for Children & Youth

• Platypus Theatre
  12 Java Street
  613-792-1250
• Rag and Bone
  1693 Boyer Road
  613-824-5972
• Salamander Theatre
  Arts Court
  2 Daly Avenue
  613-569-5629

Accommodations for Children in Ottawa

For those of you who are traveling to Ottawa with your children, you will find a list of accommodations here:

Best Hotels in Ottawa for Families

Our Families in Ottawa section will continue to grow so add Ottawa-Information-Guide to your favourites so you can check back often and find out about other great places in Ottawa to bring your family!

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Our Birthday Parties in Ottawa section is intended to help take the stress out of planning your child’s birthday party (actually, some of the ideas will be well suited for an adult party as well).

We have hosted and been to numerous Ottawa birthday parties so we want to share some birthday party ideas and tips with you.

This section is fairly new so please make sure to bookmark our site and check back often.

Our goal is to assist you with the following while planning the party:

• birthday party ideas
• Ottawa birthday entertainment – extensive lists of entertainers and party performers to hire for the party
• birthday locations in Ottawa – you will be amazed at how many locations there really are around this city. We have been to some fantastic places in Ottawa for either our own kiddies or their friends. You can book the party at a bowling alley, a fun centre, a grocery store, a museum, a gymn etc.
• theme ideas – we will provide with you with different themes that you can use for your party (i.e. princess, pirate, black/white etc). Sometimes all you need is to invite a few kids over to your house and plan a great theme party!
• where to get birthday party supplies and equipment in Ottawa. There are quite a few places to buy everything you need to make a great party and/or loot bag.
• where to buy scrumptious birthday cakes & cupcakes – as simple or as fancy as you want
• where to get loot bags in Ottawa to give out to your child’s guests
• and much more!

Please check back often as our Kids Birthday Parties section will be growing quite rapidly in the upcoming weeks. Also, don’t forget to contact us if you have any neat ideas or if you have any questions about planning a birthday party.

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