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.

Then we met Sally Whibley who has a booth at the Errington market selling hand-made hula hoops and helping people like us. Partly it’s a matter of having the right kind of hoop (too light and there’s nothing to counter-balance against), then you need to find the right swing of the hips (think minimalist instead of wild gyrations).  You also don’t want to have too big a hoop. Pretty soon, we were putting the hula back in the hoops.

Ok, so maybe we only got about two feet and not 10 kilometres, but we were keeping those hoops going!  Grace was absolutely into it, though I had the feeling Ella wondered why we were all so concerned about encircling our bodies with plastic tubing.  Surely a princess, like Cinderella, would never do such a thing.  I was liking it because the hula hoop gives me some exercise and it’s something I can do with the kids.  George is into to as long as it’s in the backyard and no one can see.

Sally is bringing a hula hoop expert to Oceanside for a whole series of workshops on Hoola Dance from August 8 – 16th.  The woman’s name is Betty Hoops – no really, that’s her name.  Betty is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records for having travelled 10 kilometres while hooping. She combines dance, aerobics, and yoga to make hula hooping a fun routine.

Over 25 local kids are involved in the production, and for many of them this is their first foray into the world of theatre.  With the help of director Eliza Gardiner and choreographer Silvia Knapp, that foray has been an exciting journey – I know Grace is chomping at the bit to do more musical theatre.  And the dedication of all the kids, and the Red Room Studio staff has been amazing.

For weeks on end now, they’ve been attending two three-hour sessions, learning lines, practicing songs, performing their dances, and trying to stay quiet when they’re not in the number being rehearsed at that moment.  We’ve seen the organized chaos that is any large musical rehearsal and as non-actors, it made us a little nervous.  Until we saw the piece on Shaw cable the other day, where the kids were all in their costumes and performing their numbers beautifully!  Now we’re feeling more like cucumbers heading into final rehearsals and then the performances.

The first show is Saturday May 23rd at 7pm up at Vancouver Island University’s Malaspina Theatre in Nanaimo.  Then on Sunday May 24th there’s a 2pm show.  Tickets are just $10 in advance or $12 at the door.  BTW, our youngest is dressing up as Jasmine for the show, so put on your best Aladdin outfits and we’ll see you there!

Now we’ve also got some tickets to give away – just click here for all the details

I remember the first time I saw the sign World Parrot Refuge and I thought, that sounds like some brash marketing, but it turns out to be one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world and certainly the largest of its kind in North America.  Co-founded by Wendy Huntbatch, the Vancouver Island facility opened in 2004 and the public was allowed in a couple of years later.

As well as visiting the facility or making donations, one way kids can help the parrots is to bring in donations of food (fruits and nuts are a favourite) and stuffed toys.  Those stuffed toys are then “bought” by visitors for $2 and you give the birds the toy while walking through the facilities.  One family from Surrey makes an annual trip to donate over 2,000 stuffed toys.  And the birds love them, as we discovered – they spot you from quite a distance and fly over to be first in line. You can also do a virtual adoption of a bird as a way to help out.

Grace was curious about where the birds come from and Wendy told us that they’re from all over Canada and sometimes from the United States.  And while there’s the occasional rescue bird, most are brought to the refuge by people who are moving and can’t take their pet, or they’ve had to move to a seniors home, or someone in the house develops an allergy.  Wendy points out that parrots live for many decades and require a good deal of care, so it’s no small decision to have a parrot as a pet.

BTW, children are required to wear the ear-plugs provided by the refuge, while adults are encouraged to do so.  Let me really really encourage you to do so, adults!  I thought it wouldn’t be a problem until one or two extremely piercing cries convinced me otherwise.

Ella was fascinated by the fact that they stir the cheese with a large shovel, though we explained it’s different than our garden shovel! Grace had a ball petting the very friendly goats and watching them walk overhead on the special ramps that have been lovingly built for them. We also saw the area where the pregnant cows were waiting to give birth to 80 lb. calves. Grace turns to me: I guess you had it pretty easy with us, eh mom? I turn quickly and point “Oh look, isn’t that a Red Highland over there?” cleverly avoiding an answer.

Their self-guided tours let you roam through the barns and milking sheds to see what’s behind the wonderful cheeses and meats found in their store. Or if you put together a group of 8 or more you can get a guided tour. Then it’s off to the store where you can sample some of the delicious cheeses. Grace loved the Berry and the Normal, while I was particularly partial to the Brie. Lactose-intolerant Ella was compensated with some of their famous bacon and some jerky.

We didn’t get a chance to walk the trail or see all of the animals, but we’ll be back for a full afternoon, perhaps during Spring Break. And hopefully we’ll get a clear day for the spectacular views of Mount Arrowsmith.

If you’re looking for pre-planned days for the kids, I really like what the Boys and Girls clubs offer. You’ll find them all over, from Duncan to Lantzville, and they have week-long programs or you can pick and choose days over Spring Break. The kids go on great outings including hikes and tours, do artwork and games at the club facilities, and all with excellent supervision.

Local parks and rec departments also offer Spring Break camps by the day or the week. Among the many offerings I’ve seen in the program guides, some of the more intriguing include the 3D animation camp and the diving camp in Nanaimo. Up in Parksville, the rec department has a week-long Junior golf camp for 7 to 13 year olds, while the 11-15 year olds can enjoy a rock-climbing camp.

The 23rd Annual Pacific Rim Whale Festival offers the possibility of nice family getaway to the west coast of the Island. Running from March 14-22 in Tofino, Ucluelet, and Pacific Rim National Park, you can not only spot some migrating grey whales, but take in great music – the Juno-nominated Kerplunks will be there! – great food, storytelling, demonstrations, and much more!

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Spring Break, you can see The Great Green Adventure show at Nanaimo North Town Centre. Safari Jeff and Shannon will be bringing their message of conservation and a whole host of snakes, turtles, alligators and lots of other reptiles. There are two shows daily, and it’s all free.

I’m also looking forward to us getting out in the fresh air more during Spring Break, so fingers crossed that we keep these mild temperatures. Grace keeps reminding me that it shouldn’t snow again until April (remember last year?).

In Grace’s case, they’ll be putting on the musical Aladdin from May 22-24th, and considering that the classes only began in late January it’s moving along at quite a pace. The discipline of having to learn lines, practice songs, rehearse dance steps, all while attending three-hour sessions twice a week, has been very good for Grace. The energy she spends making up her own dances and songs has been given a direction. It’s made her more focused, while still having lots of fun.

The other thing I like is that the kids around her are all focused too. No one is there for “child-minding” purposes and that means everyone is on the same page; there’s a show to put on! Instructor Eliza Gardiner is great with the kids – keeping a firm hand while allowing the creativity to continue to flow.

Oh, and did I mention that when Grace comes home she immediately starts practicing her steps and her songs; no prodding required? As Aladdin would say “A whole new world” is opening up!

The pomegranate mousse, for instance, was highly moussey without a drop of dairy! And the Kale salad with the house dressing – yum! Zucchini spaghetti has no pasta in it, but you’d never know! Did I mention the truffles? Did I mention they do all this without baking or cooking? Did I mention we’ll be back?

Take the winding river, for example.  After a couple of rounds with the kids, you can always watch them having fun while you sit in the little circular area in the centre of the rapids. If you find the right spot, there are some of the most powerful water jets in the building – for that deep back massage.

Of course the hot tub and the sauna are obvious candidates for some relaxation, but that’s where everyone goes.  Have you thought about the kids play area with the boat and small slides?  There are a couple of water pipes there that drop the H20 a good three or four feet, resulting in some decent pummeling – just the thing for tired shoulders at the end of the week.

If you’re really needing some heavy-duty body work, I would recommend the outer wall of the shallow wading pool – the one when you first come in from the dressing rooms.  As you enter the open wave pool, sit down along that wall, facing toward the water slides and the deep end of the wave pool. When the waves start, you’ll find that one spot is where the waves build to their greatest force.  I’ve had several semi-chiropractic experiences there.