It's snow time

My 5 year old regularly goes cross-country skiing. I think she enjoys the time with dad more than the act of skiing itself, but either way she's out enjoying the sunshine and snow on a regular basis. And because she's familiar with the sport, she's loving the Olympic skiing coverage (although she insists on cheering for the person wearing her favourite coloured outfit.)

If Olympic fever has hit your home, check out the Everything Mom Olympics page which features links to everything you ever wanted to know about the Olympics.

If your family is not that into the Olympics but you still love to get out and ski, then the ski savvy info on the Savvy Mom website will come in useful. They have compiled a guide to ski lessons and daycare options at four ski areas close to Calgary.

And if neither the Olympics nor skiing float your boat, then head to the new interactive dinosaur display at the Calgary Zoo. Until October, the Prehistoric Park features 20 roaring, moving dinosaurs sure to thrill kids of any age.

And if you are travelling to Calgary for any reason this spring and need to rent baby equipment -- including snowsuits -- contact Little Travelller baby equipment rentals.

Winter Fun in Calgary

Here are a few of my favourite things to do with kids in Calgary in the winter:

- dress up warmly and head to the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary for a winter walk
- enjoy toddler storytime at Pages in Kensington on Mondays at 10 a.m. or Monekyshines in Marda Loop on Thursdays at 10.30 a.m. (it's free)
- go tobogganing at a local hill (visit familyfuncalgary.com for a list of venues and safety tips). Helmets recommended!
- meet friends at Coffee and S'Cream (or one of the other indoor play areas around Calgary) and catch up with friends while your kids let off steam
- strap on some skates at Bowness Lagoon and warm up with a hot chocolate around the fire pit
- if it's blustery and cold outside, treat the kids to a movie at the theatre. The Uptown on 8 Ave downtown will screen "'Toons for Toddlers" aimed at 2 to 5 year olds on November 28.
- don't want to leave the house? Bake some muffins and cookies at home with the kids then invite some friends over for a fancy tea-party.
- take a ride on the C-Train -- just for fun. I usually aim for Dalhousie Station and the Chapters store where we hang out and maybe pick a new book or two to take home. If you return within 90 minutes, there's no need to buy a return ticket for the train.
- immerse yourselves in culture at the Glenbow Museum and spend time creating your own masterpieces in the art area
- enjoy a bbq at one of Calgary's parks on a sunny winter's day. Pack plenty of warm clothes, blankets and a thermos or two of hot chocolate and grill hamburgers for the family. Bring a soccer ball to keep the kids moving!
- head to the Telus World of Science for some indoor adventures. Check out the Creative Kids section and Wow Town. Click here for a coupon for free admission for a child.
- and last but not least, take advantage of free events around the city. Visit the city of Calgary website and head to the "Living" section for an event listing and keep an eye on the local papers. Family Fun Calgary is an excellent resource for parents in the Calgary area. Check out the "Cheapies and Freebies" page for more great ideas.

Dinosaur Capital of the World

Not only does Calgary have proximity to the Rocky Mountains in its favour, it's also close to one of the world's biggest discoveries of dinosaur bones. According to voters on Smithsonian.com, Drumheller, Alberta is the dinosaur capital of the world. The town is just 90 minutes drive northeast of Calgary and is a great day trip for kids of all ages. The Royal Tyrrell Museum is the star attraction. I took my two children (aged 4 and 1) a couple of months ago and spent the day at the museum enjoying the interactive exhibits, the roaring dinosaur (!), the inside look at a paleontology lab and much more. The weather wasn't great so we didn't hike the outdoor trail, but we did pack a picnic and enjoyed the gorgeous views of the badlands.

This weekend (September 18-20, 2009), the museum is celebrating Alberta Arts Days with free general admission and tons of kid-friendly activities scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

To find out how to get there click here. Want to get your little ones excited before you go? This site lists a big selection of kid-friendly dinosaur web sites.

Get fit while the kids play!

Sometimes I feel like my life is slipping away as I wile away another afternoon at the local park. But now I can keep myself busy, too. Two Calgary mums have started PlayFit -- a fitness class that allows you to bring your your kids along. For a nominal babysitting fee of $1 or $2 your kids can play at the nearby playground while you sweat it out with the PlayFit trainers.

There are classes around the city (check out meetup.com for a full list of classes) and Margaret and Dawn are introducing new locations all the time, though sadly none in the Kensington/Hillhurst area yet (anyone interested in being a community organizer and working out for free??) The cost is $10 per class or 10 classes for $95. Head to their website www.playfit.ca or their Facebook site PlayFit Canada for more information.

Calgary Stampede Tips and Tricks Part III

Click on the photo above to find out what's new for 2009 at the Calgary Stampede. Some of the highlights include the new Midway Circus featuring celebrity racing pigs, a high dive show and freestyle extreme motocross. On the Saddledome Plaza stage check out Recycled Percussion for some exuberant high energy beats performed on plastic buckets, ladders and recycled containers. Band member Justin Spencer is apparently the world's fastest drummer.

If you plan on enjoying the midway rides and are in Calgary before the Stampede starts, head to a Mac's convenience store (there are 20 locations around Calgary) to purchase a book of advance tickets. This is the best deal in town.

Here's a link to a coupon for 20% off merchandise at the Calgary Stampede Store. Click on the Calgary Stampede.

July 5 is Family Day and July 8 is Kids' Day. Enjoy free admission both days from 6 til 9 am and a free pancake breakfast for the first 20,000 people. Arrive early to avoid the line-ups.

If you haven't already done so, check out more tips Part I and Part II or request a Stampede with Kids Cheat Sheet from Little Traveller. Have a fantastic time!

Calgary Stampede Tips and Tricks Part II

When I am out for the day with my children I tend to get a little stressed about what we're going to eat. I find the day is so much more enjoyable if we can manage regular snacks, drink plenty of water and eat a decent lunch with a chance to sit down.

If you get to the Stampede early (before 8am) on Family Day July 5 or Kids Day July 8 then you'll hopefully get to sample the free pancake breakfast that is served to the first 20,000 people. Head to the grandstand to take advatange of the free food and a show.

Although the Stampede is supposed to be a trans-fat-free zone this year, there is still plenty of junk food around. If you want to avoid it for lunch or dinner, try The Range food court on the lower level of the Big Four Building for a selection of fast food. It's open from 11 am to 11 pm.

While I don't believe there are any sliced grapes or peeled apple slices in these packs, the souvenir Stampede Packs do contain a juice box, bag of Munchies, sunflower seeds and more. In other words, you probably won't need to hunt for snacks. For $12 you get a colourful kids backpack filled with goodies. There are several pack options for older kids. To get yours, head to the BMO centre Hall A.

For more insider tips to the Stampede, email a request to Little Traveller for our 2009 cheat sheet.

A map of Calgary's Attractions

For a quick overview of Calgary's main attractions, click here to view an online map.

Click on the link at the top right for family friendly coupons.

Travel Alberta Family mag

If you are visiting Alberta this summer or live here and plan to take a vacation close to home, then take a peek at the new edition of Travel Alberta's STAY Family magazine. It's packed with great ideas for things to do with kids in southern Alberta.

Click here to download the pdf (it's a big file - about 11 mb - so may take a while).

Calgary's Amazing Attractions

The Travel Alberta web site just announced some summer coupons and special deals for Calgary. By signing up for a holiday card (which is free) you can take advantage of some great deals at some of the best family friendly attractions in the city. For example, you can enjoy 50% off admission for up to four people at Calaway Park. And there are similar deals for the Calgary Zoo, TELUS World of Science, the Aero Space Museum and more.

Strolling back into shape

I don't care for the gym and running is too sweaty for my liking. But I love to walk, and when the sun is shining I can't wait to get out the door.

When my oldest child was a baby, I'd walk for a couple of hours several times a week while she napped. Organized stroller fitness hadn't caught on yet. But now there's a wide choice of stroller fitness classes and boot camps to choose from in Calgary. And there's another option, too. You can become your own personal trainer with the Strollometer. This wireless device straps onto your stroller and measures your speed, trip distance and time, daily mileage and even the temperature so you know when to tuck an extra blanket around baby. It fits any stroller and is available from Ontario-based BabyBling.ca for $54.99.

Heritage Park in the news

Exciting things are afoot at Heritage Park. This weekend (May 9/10) is your last chance to visit Thomas the Tank Engine who has rolled into Calgary for a visit. There are limited tickets available at the gate (advance tickets are sold out).

Heritage Park recently unveiled its new $65 million expansion. With the addition of Heritage Town Square, the park now covers 127 acres on the banks of the Glenmore Reservoir. From May 16 to September 7 the historical village is open daily and is a great spot for a family day out. The new additions such as the interactive Gasoline Alley Museum give families more "all weather" options at the park. So you don't have to change your plans when one of Calgary's infamous spring storms rolls into town...

Top 5 things to do in Banff

Ciao Bambino just published their top five things to do in Banff for those who are not familiar with the town.

Baby B'Air in print

The brand new May/June edition of Calgary's Child (page 4) features the Baby B'Air flight vest for lap-held infants. These are available to rent for or purchase from Little Traveller baby equipment rentals in Calgary.

Pick up your copy of the Calgary's Child spring issue to browse their annual summer camp and program guide and their festival guide for the upcoming Children's Festival in May. And don't miss the hulabazoo family event sponsored by Calgary's Child at the Calgary Zoo on May 9.

Calgary Children's Fest

Tickets went on sale this week for the 2009 Calgary International Children's Festival. If you are in town from May 19-23 then be sure to take the kids along to this event, which has been a big hit in my family for the past few years. This year, I'm taking both my children. My youngest will be 16 months but she loves music and likes to wriggle to a good rhythm so I've picked a performance by Splash 'n Boots as her entree into the world of performance art. There are 13 shows plus workshops to choose from.

Five great kid's websites

Check out the SavvyFive websites for kids article which I wrote this month with plenty of input from my 4 year old daughter. Like most kids nowadays, she has an instinctive grasp of computers and technology in general and has no trouble navigating around even the most complicated websites. I have these five websites bookmarked for her in a folder named "Lily."

If you're travelling with kids, consider downloading a few Sesame Street video podcasts onto your iPod, iPhone or something similar. They're free and available through iTunes or here: www.sesamestreet.org/podcasts

10 things to do in Calgary

Looking for fun things to do in Calgary? Here's an article I just wrote for Helpwevegotkids.com with 10 fun things to do in Calgary -- take a gander if you get stuck for ideas.

Family Day events in Calgary

Family Day is fast approaching. If you are looking for some fun activities to do as a family, check out the list of special events on the Family Fun Calgary website. They also have a month-by-month listing of events in the city.
My favourite page, one that I have bookmarked for those "what shall we do today?" moments, is the Cheapies and Freebies. These value events and activities won't cost you a cent. For example, check out the Home Depot workshops for kids aged 6 to 12 or Friday night stargazing at the Science Centre.

A Baby Guide to Calgary

In my life before children I was a publishing exec and I love books. So Little Traveller has partnered with the author/publisher of "A Baby Guide to Calgary" to offer you this jam-packed guide to all things baby related at a discounted rate. Even better, it's free from us if you spend more than $200 on rentals. The book has 20 informative chapters and covers everything from surviving the first six weeks to shopping with baby to child-friendly hikes and activities.

The author, Paula McGarrigle, was featured on City TV's breakfast show today (December 8) in an 8-minute slot.

Check out Paula's web site at: www.babyguidetocalgary.com