CNE Tips for moms with girlie girls

Pandora Pink at the CNE

Visiting the CNE with a girlie girl?

You'll want to see:

• Bridesmaids Uncovered, the exhibition in the Arts Crafts & Hobbies Pavilion (an exhibit of the good, the bad and the ugly in bridesmaids dresses). That should be fun!

• My Little Pony Live Show, in the west end of the grounds near the Kiddie Midway (Aug. 16 to 21, ask for schedule on arrival).

• Mardi Gras Parade, starting daily at 6 p.m. from Princes' Gate (apparently, they toss Mardi Gras necklaces from the colourful floats).
• Dance shows on the International Stage, closer to Princes' Gate, featuring all kinds of colourful costumes.

Other posts on the CNE:

CNE on torontofunplaces.com
CNE Tips for moms: About admission
CNE Tips for moms: About rides
CNE Tips for moms with animal lovers

CNE Tips for moms with artsy kids

CNE Tips for moms with big kids

CNE Tips for mom: About food

Pretty benches at the CNE

Foot massage at the CNE

CNE Tips for moms: About food

Nutella fries

Food as an adventure at the CNE?

This year, for the first time, I attended the CNE media event prior to the official opening of the Ex. Now I know why we hear so much about the food at the CNE in the media! 

After watching a few excepts from shows to be presented during the CNE, and before members of the media were invited to try the Zip Line (which I didn't because I'm such a wimp), the real action was taking place around the food table set up for us so we could taste all kinds of "edible creations" I am sure teens and husbands will be tempted to try at the Ex.

What's a cronut? It's a sort of croissant fried like a doughnut and part of the Maple Bacon "Cronut" Inspired Burger, the new creation of the Epic Burger Team who brought the Krispie Cream Burger to the CNE in 2011. Don't expect a calorie count from the maker! I tried a quarter of this cheese burger... Not bad. For the bragging factor, you might want to share one with your family.

What's in your purse? I really liked the Halloom Cheese Sesame Purse (much healthier! with tomato and Greek cheese). I thought they charged $5.50 for what I sampled but no! It's the price for the bigger purse which sat next to the samples. Definitely big enough to share.

Click here to learn more about food at the CNE.

Other posts on the CNE:

CNE on torontofunplaces.com
CNE Tips for moms: About admission

CNE Tips for moms: About rides
CNE Tips for moms with animal lovers
CNE Tips for moms with artsy kids
CNE Tips for moms with big kids
CNE Tips for moms with girlie girls

Bacon ice cream at the CNE

CNE Tips for moms with artsy kids

Muskoka chairs throughout the CNE, done by young artists in Toronto schools

Visiting the CNE with an artsy kid?

You will want to see:

• Celebrity Sand Sculpture in the Better Living Centre.
• International Sand Sculpting Competition in the Direct Energy Centre. It involves six international competitors. See them in action until August 21. Admire their artwork until September 2.
• Butter Sculpting in Better Living Centre (where OCAD students sculpt pounds of butter).
• Mixed media craft activities at the Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Centre (to create small cards, theatre mask and origami). Don't miss the Toronto in origami, a display by Yuri and Katrin Shumakov. 

• Fibre arts craft on Kids Street near Kids World Park.

• Circus workshops in Kids World Park (seven daily sessions).
• Tic Toc at the Ricoh Coliseum, a Cirque du Soleil-like show (daily at 2 and 5 p.m.). 
• Recycled Orchestra from Paraguay on the International Stage closer to Princes' Gate. They use instruments made out of stuff fund at the landfill! (August 16-20 & 22-25, check the schedule upon arrival).

Click here for CNE's official website.

Other posts on CNE:
CNE on torontofunplaces.com
CNE Tips for moms with animal lovers
CNE Tips for moms with big kids
CNE Tips for moms with girlie girls
CNE Tips for moms: About admission
CNE Tips for moms: About rides
CNE Tips for mom: About food

An original summer project for rainy days

Out of the closet!
Have you checked your husband's closet lately? My friend recently counted no less than 70 T-shirts in her husband's overflowing closet! Mainly gifts from sponsors. 

Most had never been worn because they're the kind of T-shirts you don't want your husband to be seen with outside of the house.

Here's a fantastic project for rainy days, to make good use of them: a knotted rag rug. Perfect screenless option for bigger kids who don't want to do a puzzle. 

It comes from the blog chawedrosin.wordpress.com where they teach you:

1) How to cut an old t-shirt

2) How to tie knots and link sections together

What is it I'm seeing on the totem at McMichael?

Look closer!
Read about the outdoor Sculpture Garden walk I took a couple of weeks ago at McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg. Even if you don't plan to visit the exhibitions, you can have access to this garden and have a look at the totem in the lobby of the main building. 

If you want to visit the collections with your kids, check this page about their Family Sundays (offered on select Sundays). The next one is on September 8th.

A good tip when visiting a museum or an art gallery with kids is to turn it unto a treasure hunt, asking them to find animals, or kids in the artwork. 

Chances are, if they're under 8, their favourite part will be the ramps between the floors and the Discovery room.

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A few simple ideas for summer fun

It's all right to slow down
Last year, I wrote an article for kidsaroundcanada.com for parents who might be panicky because they had not fully planned the summer for their kids.

In the second part of the article I came up with a few last-minute suggestions to enjoy the summer.
Easy on the wallet, hardly any planning required. Intrigued? Check Kidding around summer fun.

Perfect timing for Franklin Children's Garden

Another gem on Toronto Islands

The young kids I've visited Toronto Islands with were always so content with Centreville Amusement Park that I never could drag them beyond. A few weeks ago, I finally had the chance to visit Franklin Children's Garden and I loved it!

As it turns out, Friday and Saturday August 16 & 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be a very good time to visit the place thanks to the first Teddy Bear Picnic to be held at Centreville Amusement Park. Following free activities at the amusement park (you still need to pay if you want to do the rides), Franklin and Beasley Bear will lead a parade over to the Children's Garden for storytelling and giveaways.

To Franklin Children's Garden
To get to the Garden, you have to walk past Centreville Amusement Park (near Centre Island ferry) and cross the bridge to go towards the fountains. To your right, you will eventually notice the cute splash pad (beyond the reflecting pool with fountains). 

I suggest you walk by it and reach the lovely entrance to the Children's Garden further west (promising the kids you'll return to enjoy the water fun once you've explored the Garden).

The site is peppered with bronze statues of characters from Franklin the Turtle (Kids Can Press beloved books for 6 to 7-year-old readers). They're part of the decor, enjoying the place as we do. Expect Franklin, Bear, Rabbit, a goose, a snail and a beaver.

 

 

I was impressed by the attention to landscaping and detail. The microcosm of Franklin Children's Garden encompasses a pine grove, a storytelling stage, a wetland with turtles, frogs and birds, a treehouse, a vine tunnel, the elevated Unilever Snail Trail and a cute hands-on gardening section (offering craft activities and watering opportunities daily from 1 to 5 p.m.). 

Kids 8 years and under were having a ball when I visited. The treehouse was very popular, and so was the elevated trail, from which we can see the beach. 

Water fun
Centre Beach, the beach just south of the Garden, is protected from the waves by a wall and perfect for young kids. Gibraltar Beach, less than 5 minutes west, on the right, is more secluded and, on a windy day, offers fun waves bigger kids will appreciate.

The pretty splash pad is located right by the playground structure just east of the Garden.

Facing Centre Beach

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