We’ve been discovering the variety of kids’ activities they offer, from day camps to building stuffed bears to beading to movie nights, and tennis or swimming lessons.  Grace and Ella have been having a blast and there’s always some artwork or project they’re bringing home with them.  The day camp in particular is great fun and unless things get really rainy, it’s all held outdoors under the shade of trees, so the kids get a full day of fresh air and sunshine without the burn.  And that means – thankfully – they usually get to sleep nice and early at night (my concern here is for the children’s health and well-being, of course).  Most activities are available for a fee to non-residents of the resort, but always check ahead and book for activities, as they fill up fast.

The heart of the street market is being able to browse over 120 vendors selling everything from artichokes to artworks, bread to beads, clocks to candles, and from every other letter of the alphabet.  The kids bought a very fun puppet here and they’ve also found unique gifts for friends’ birthdays.  If they can sample something – like honey or fresh bread – they’re extra happy campers.  And they’ve made lots of new friends there too because plenty of families come to the market.

The kids always have a fabulous time dancing to the top quality musicians featured each week.  We’ve tried in the past to have the kids stay in their shoes, but it’s a losing battle and blackened feet are a small price to pay for all the fun.  Face painting is another favourite and the ice cream wagon gets a regular visit as well.  And since the beach is so close, we often come up there first for a picnic and then show up for the market starting at 6pm (which is crucial if you want some of the fresh bread and other goodies!). The market is every Tuesday night through to August 18 from 6pm to 9pm.

Heather’s work is collected around the world and this is a chance to see her workshop and how she produces her enchanting creations, including her new air-brushed 3-D wall plaques celebrating the rugged west coast of the Island.  Joining Heather will be photographers, quilters, water colourists, and glass artists, not just displaying their works but showing you how it’s done.

In addition to seeing all  the beautiful art, kids can make their own wind chimes, get their faces painted, and enjoy the musicians and singers who will be entertaining throughout the weekend.

This art spectacular runs both days 10am – 4pm, and there’s plenty of cover, so stop by rain or shine! Admission is free and delicious picnic lunches from Lantzville’s popular Black Dog cafe can be pre-ordered for just $10.00 by calling 250-390-1514.

The address is 6998 Strait Road in Lantzville.

She started Grace and Ella on a simple project that she calls “The Paperbag Scrapbook.” You take a bunch of small paper bags, fold them all in half and staple at the fold. That forms a whole series of pockets that the kids decorate and then fill with photos or mementos or whatever you want. It’s a nice simple way of getting kids into the world of scrapbooking, so they can look back on “all those years” or their summer vacation or whatever.

Aside from classes, scrapbooking stores often have drop-in sessions or you can even set up your own classes or do birthday parties. And if you’re into scrapbooking and the kids aren’t, Scrapbookin’ Adventures has a kids play area where they can have fun while you shop. Forgot to ask if they have a “husband area.”