Strong Start Riverview School District 43 in Coquitlam

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017 / Tricities Mom / 1 Comment

Program: Strong Start

Location: various schools in BC

Cost: free, parent participation required

When: mornings or afternoons, depending on the school

Parking available: yes, limited

This is probably the most complete program for 0-5 years olds that exists at the moment and it is completely free. It is more of a 360 program and I will explain why. It requires parent/ caretaker participation.

The program runs in the morning from 8:45am to 11:45am or in the afternoon, depending on the school you go to. Some schools offer it in the morning, some in the afternoon. Here’s a schedule that I found, some may have changed, it’s been a while since I found this, actually it was handed to me by a representative some time ago.

It starts with a 1h 30 m of free play, then they do clean up and head out to the gym, 15 minutes later, they come back for snack and then circle time. There are a large variety of toys and activities, every day is different, and entertaining. My daughter goes here almost daily, and she is never bored, neither am I, just by watching her. You get to network with the other parents as well.

The only downsize I see is that there are kids of different ages so sometimes the older ones will take the toys from the little ones, or some toys are not suitable for all children and so on. But the parent is there to watch the child. There is of course a coordinator as well, that makes sure things happen as they should; Jennifer Benoit is this person at Riverview Elementary and she is very nice, and helpful, my daughter loves her very much. She is definitely a good influence on her.

There is a washroom, for children mainly of course.

That’s it for now!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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Sorina

Town Centre Park and Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam

November 8, 2017November 8, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, BC

Parking available: yes

Probably one of the biggest parks in Tricities, Town Centre Park and Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam together are definitely a good option to spend time outdoor with the family.

There is a generous playground, with sand pits, water/ spray park for the summer, the playground offers a large variety of play stations for different age groups. My daughter is now 20 months, and every time we go there she wants to climb up to the big kids slide, but none of the options given is something she can use, as she still too young to climb something other than stairs; so you get to the point that they were designed a certain way, so that kids of certain age to not access them.

The challenging part is that sometimes it can get pretty busy, popular place so expect it to be full from time to time. Especially during summer, when the water park is open, it really feels busy, crowded, everyone trying to find a spot in the shade.

My daughter started walking only in August, close to the end of the season so we didn’t spend too much time at the water parks, but we tried it a few times and it is quite fun for kids and adults as well. Who wouldn’t want to cool off a bit when the temperature reaches 30 degrees!!! We ended up leaving the place soaking wet, and learned our lesson for the next time and mommy made sure we had the right equipment with us.

Apart from that, we enjoy nice long walks in the park, watching the ducks, avoiding feeding them; what is odd about it is that there is a big sign saying not to feed them, and yet a lot of the passers-by feed them.

You can jog, run, enjoy a picnic, good weather and a mountains or urban scenery!

Plenty of parking and washroom available, so go check it out and I will see you around!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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Sorina

Salmon come home in Coquitlam

October 31, 2017November 1, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: Hoy Creek Hatchery – located on Hoy Creek Trail Linear Park, west of the City Centre Aquatic Complex at the corner of Pinetree and Guildford Way

Program cost: free

This rain or shine event took place on October 22nd in Coquitlam, more precisely in Hoy Creek. Usually it is on the 3rd Sunday in October. The annual Salmon Come Home event co-hosted with the City of Coquitlam Municipality celebrates the return of the salmon to Hoy Creek. The free family event run from 11 a.m. through to 3 p.m. at the Hoy Creek Hatchery.

You can watch spawning chum salmon in stream (see pictures below), learn about the Hoy Creek Hatchery, view live salmon demonstrations, and enjoy musical entertainment, interactive children’s activities, food, and educational exhibits. It’s true we arrived closer to 3 p.m., but we got to see pretty much everything. It was our first year and we enjoyed it a lot. Next year we will go earlier for sure.

It rained a bit, but we wouldn’t let rain ruin our mood, after all, we need to embrace it right?

We parked at Douglas College. The trail has several entrances, and of course it is one place you can visit any time of the year, not just now. Click here for more information.

Surrounded by condos and shopping malls, the coho population is returning year after year to this forested stream, in the middle of an urban area. We learned that a lot of work is being done to maintain this unusual habitat from being contaminated, the traffic around the area means there is garbage left behind, invasive plants are a constant battle and even garden waste being dumped. A lot of volunteers help make that happen.

We learned about the salmon life cycle and lots of interesting information. For example, there are 5000 to 10000 salmon in this rearing pond only. There is also a Leave Home Festival, that happens in May, when fish are released.

Also, the salmon (Coho) swim out to the ocean and return to this creek to spawn in 18 months.

Walking on the trail we could actually see the salmon spawn, they rub their tail on the rocks in the water, which is of course very interesting to see. All in all, a pleasant family event, a nice location and very very informative!

I hope you enjoyed this post!

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Sorina

Panorama Park in Deep Cove

October 24, 2017November 1, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: Panorama Dr, North Vancouver, BC V7G 1L2

Parking available: yes limited; the area is full of tourists, and parking is not easy to find. Street parking available as well.

The first time we went to Deep Cove was to have the doughnuts, the famous doughnuts, I didn’t really imagine the potential there is, but the area is gorgeous and it is worth visiting, with or without doughnuts.

Walking around, after having the doughnuts, we run into this little playground, full of kids. It was amazing, the children were amazing, playing around, so Astrid jumped in and gave it a try. A slide, some climbing structures, actually quite a few and wood chips everywhere. A bit rusty here and there, but it did the job. The kid was happy, well entertained, so objective achieved.

The area is famous for beautiful hiking trails, so you can do that if you want. We did that the first time we went there, we didn’t have any children back then, now with the little ones, it is a bit of a challenge but we will do it again when they’re older. The view was gorgeous. Even if you don’t hike, the whole area is nice. Also, you can choose to rent a kayak, lots of people were doing that when we went last time, and the weather was nice and it was worth it.

Washrooms are available close-by and like I mentioned parking can be a pain, yet don’t get discouraged.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing around!

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Sorina

Rocky Point Park in Port Moody

October 24, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: 2800 Murray St, Port Moody, BC V3H 1X2

Parking available: yes, limited and it can be a pain sometimes to find a spot

This is actually the first park I’ve been to when we moved to the Tricities area. I had just had my daughter and we were off from a breastfeeding discussion when we stopped at the park. It was April and it was raining and the park was empty and beautiful. And I said to myself, if this park looks gorgeous when it’s raining and cold, imagine when it’s sunny. We continued going there and we love it. It is one of the most popular parks in the area and it’s definitely worth going there.

Huge playground, for different age groups, generous trails if you want to hike and simply stroll, forest all around, gorgeous scenery, picnic areas, this park has a lot to offer. I tried to capture as much as I could in my pictures, there is so much you can do. In the summer we used to stroll all the way from Port Moody library, which is next to the same forest connecting Rocky Point Park. The walk is beautiful, not too long but not too short either.

Except of course for when the bear season is on.

Washrooms are available, there is also the famous Rocky Point ice cream and if you like, you can rent a kayak, when the season is open. Don’t worry about the ice cream, that one is open all-year long.

Go there, it’s worth it!

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing!

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Sorina

Lions Park in Port Coquitlam

October 24, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: 2300 Lions Way, Port Coquitlam, BC

Parking available: yes

Another park worth checking out is Lions park in Port Coquitlam. No matter the age of your toddler, there is something to do for sure. The play structures offer a variety of options designed for children of all ages, interests and abilities. From swings to climbing structures, slides, water park and a generous sand pit, this park has it all. There is a rubberized surface too and a colourful theme that kids enjoy. They can try zip line and run around the generous playground area.

Located next to the Coquitlam River, you and your baby/ toddler can enjoy a walk in the park along the river, go up to Dairy Queen on Shaughnessy Street for an ice cream and head back to the park, at least that is what we do most of the time. There is a lot forested space, if you enjoy that and you can even sun tan in the summer.

Washroom available and a covered picnic shelter that you can rent. I find that it has an easy access, there are a lot of shops around if you want to do your groceries.

It also features a section of the Traboulay Poco Trail, which you can enjoy from Gates Park.

We are heading there this afternoon! See you there!

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing!

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Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina

Bear in the area

October 18, 2017October 18, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

This bear thing is new to me. Where I am from, we didn’t really have any around. Originally I am from a small town in Romania with absolutely no bear activity.

That sounds like danger. And it’s what we go through during the summer season when the bears start to wonder around. We have two little parks aka forests nearby and a simply walk in the park can turn into a saying hi to a bear (Mundy park and Riverview Forest).

This sign is everywhere and when you need to stroll with your baby daily, it becomes something you need to pay attention to. My mom is visiting from abroad and she takes Astrid out for walks daily. And the other day, when I happened to be with them, a man on his bike stopped and told us there was a bear 50 m behind us – we were on a sidewalk next to Mundy park, so we hurried to avoid the area and put some distance between us and the bear. We walked fast down the street and disappeared on one of the streets, getting as far as possible from there.

But what do you do when you meet the bear? What would have my mom done, as she doesn’t even speak English, therefore wouldn’t have understood the man telling her to watch out? Exactly. Now, apparently when you run into a bear, first thing to NOT do is run. Stay or walk backwards slowly, trying to appear big in front of the bear.

So here is my 2nd story, which this time involves an actual bear and answered my above mentioned question. One Saturday morning we went to Alouette park, which is close to Mundy park and we took Astrid for a swing. Me, 40 weeks pregnant and ready to pop, I was sitting on a bench, the only bench that park has and notice a bear crossing the street and coming towards my bench. It was obviously looking for food, sniffing around. And what do i do? Scream at my husband to grab our daughter and leave the park. At the same time, I start running, or more of a fast pacing, I couldn’t really run, given the advance pregnancy status I was in and join my husband in leaving the park.

We left the stroller behind and took a detour, came back, took the stroller and headed home. And that was it. So my immediate reaction was to run, despite the warning.

And that answers my question.

Check these articles below. More on what actions to take:

https://www.portcoquitlam.ca/city-services/pets-wildlife/bear-safety/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/how-to-survive-a-black-bear-encounter-1.2718756

Be bear aware!

Sorina

Keswick Park in Burnaby

October 16, 2017October 18, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: 9452 Cardston Ct, Burnaby, BC V3N 4R6

Parking available: there is parking available on the street

I know, I said Tricities, and yet I crossed the border and ended up in Burnaby. Just kidding. Close to Lougheed mall, where we go often, as it is close to our place in Coquitlam, you can find Keswick Park, a spray park and outdoor playground, with a lot to offer for kids of different age groups.

Several slides that appeal to kids of different ages, tunnels, climbing structures, lots of room to run around, swings, all there for your little one to enjoy. The place is great overall, worth stopping by for sure, if you’re in the area. There is a sand pit and wood chips available, as you’ve noticed, my daughter simply loves playing with the wood chips, even when it’s wet.

The playground is next to a tiny hiking zone, if interested, I remember one time i actually took the stroller on those paths, which turned out quite a workout. I only had one baby back then, but still, not a very wise decision.

If you enjoy basketball, there is a court available too. With decent amount of seating area, washrooms, green space and a generous playground, a picnic is a good option too. It is very close to the main road and the Lougheed Skytrain, which makes it pretty noisy, but still a nice urban park to consider taking your little one.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing!

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Sorina

Simply loving the wood chips

Lougheed mall indoor playground in Burnaby

October 16, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Program: free indoor playground

Location: 106- 9855 Austin Ave, Burnaby, BC V3J 1N4

When: daily, depending on the mall hours

Parking available: yes

Lougheed Mall offers two indoor playgrounds, one for 1-5 year olds, and one for 5-12 year olds. We’ve only checked out the first one, as my daughter is 18 months, but we’ve watched kids play in the other one and it definitely looks like a lot of fun. The children can enjoy a lot of climbing structures and slides, and the whole playground encourages the children to move a lot, have a lot of coordination and strength.

The playground for the little ones is not very spacious, it is actually quite small, compared to the Coquitlam indoor playground, and it has built-in wall games and a few climbing options. But it will do the trick on a rainy day for sure.

The main focus is on the older children playground. Most of the children go there, it looks like fun, more than the other one, but until we’re older, I guess we can enjoy this one.

Just like pretty much all indoor playgrounds, your child and yourself will need to wear socks at all times. If you don’t have a pair, you can buy one from the vending machine next to the playground, $1 per pair.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing!

If you have any comments, please feel free to add them. If you like this post and would like to be notified by email about similar articles, don’t forget to subscribe.

Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina

Blue Mountain Park Coquitlam

October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: 975 King Albert Ave, Coquitlam, BC V3J

Parking available: yes

Lovely park! This one is set in an actual forest and it looks great. We go there every now and then, I used to go with my daughter when she was very very little and draw some sketches while she would take naps and now that she is able to walk (finally!!!) we go to the playground they have in the park. Plenty of parking and washrooms available.

Again one of those great areas to play, renovated with rubberized safety surface, swings, slides, both roller-slide and normal one, music chimes, climbing structures and different built-in entertainment options for the little ones.

There is also a spray/ water park, decent size, with a lot of options, for different age groups, although at some point it doesn’t matter, everyone gets wet anyway. Last time we went, my husband along other dads too, got socked wet running around, trying to keep up with Astrid, who was enjoying the water as much as she could. You can enjoy the pool too.

Let’s not forget about the picnic shelter, there is one that can be rented, on a first come, first serve basis. Other than that, there are some tennis courts, if you enjoy that kind of workout. Again, just lovely, on hot summer days, it is definitely the place to go, especially this last summer, which was very very hot.

An interesting feature of the part are the two huge horses, that are somewhere near the swings, you can’t miss them for sure. I was reading somewhere that they are pretty old and they used to be in that place since a long time ago, not sure since when, but they are a true attraction for big and small.

For more information on the park, click here.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing around!

If you have any comments, please feel free to add them. If you like this post and would like to be notified by email about similar articles, don’t forget to subscribe.

Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina

Zumba at Lougheed Mall in Burnaby

October 11, 2017October 11, 2017 / Tricities Mom / 2 Comments

Program: Zumba for Mom and Babies

Location: Lougheed Mall 106- 9855 Austin Ave, Burnaby, BC V3J 1N4

Cost: free

Parking: yes

Mommies everywhere, this is a very good workout option! I did it during my first mat leave and I am going now again, during my second mat leave with my son.

The Zumba for mom and babies class is held in front of London Drugs at Lougheed Mall every Monday at 11am and Friday at 10am. It used to be only on Fridays, so I guess it became quite popular and they increased the frequency.

From personal experience, I can tell you it is a great program, where you get to dance, sweat and get a good workout, not to mention get to socialize and meet moms, who are also looking to meet other moms. I got to meet one of my best mom friends at Zumba and we are in touch all the time.

If your little one is napping, even better, you get to enjoy 45 minutes of pretty intense workout. Water included and at the end you also get a stamp, every time you go; once you have 10 stamps, you will receive a $10 gift card to spend in selected stores throughout the mall.

Of course, since you’re in the mall, why not take advantage and do your shopping, have lunch or check the indoor playgrounds! Pretty convenient!

They have covered parking, which is pretty handy when it’s rainy, or snowy, but last time I went the access was blocked and it looked like they’re starting to work on a new buildings project. The area is being developed quite rapidly lately, lots of cranes around. That can only mean one thing, new construction sites.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy working out!

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Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina

Eagle Run in Squamish BC

October 7, 2017October 7, 2017 / Tricities Mom / Leave a comment

Location: Squamish BC

So this post was supposed to come out some time ago, but for some reason got stuck in draft. It will look weird with all the snow that you see in the pictures, but here it is. It’s October and we have no snow – yet. It was simply a beautiful cold day and we came back home with beautiful memories.

And because taking walks is good for when you’re pregnant, we drove 1h up to Eagle Run in Squamish on Saturday to see the eagles. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any, but we surely enjoyed a nice walk in the sun.

A long white road in front of us, feeling the snow underneath our feet- just lovely. We haven’t felt that since we moved from Quebec. Strange thing how one misses the thing he most hated in the past, not the snow in particular, but the cold that came with it.

Although we went to check the 3800 eagles announced, we ended up seeing none. The sun and lovely weather weren’t strong reasons enough to make them come out, nor the volunteers that were prepared with high-resolution camera to catch the moment and share it with the curious.

But nonetheless, great area, great outdoor location to spend time and just think of nothing.

Astrid, the walk was lovely, the warmth of the sun was very present- you probably felt it too <3. They say during pregnancy the future moms have a higher body temperature, which is true in my case. There were -7 degrees outside and usually I would be freezing, but that day I didn’t feel any of it. Of course I get my share of critics that I should put more layers and make sure I am warm, but this winter everything is different, everything is special. I am warm and I am enjoying it.

Next we went to another place in Squamish, not sure how the area was called, a bit wild and industrial, close to the downtown, Squamish downtown, which is small, but neat and cute. It was a nice and quiet area to walk your dog or walk on the string like some old man was doing.

By 3pm, we ate and head home. Back home, when I craved milk and Nesquik, I realized that all I ate that day was in the form of a breakfast. In the morning, before leaving the house, then lunch in Squamish where I chose an omelette, and milk and cereal in the evening, so the whole day I ate breakfast.

I am morning person, what can I say!

I hope you enjoyed this post! I am simple looking forward to go there again, this time with both my children, Astrid and Jamie.

If you have any comments, please feel free to add them. If you like this post and would like to be notified by email about similar articles, don’t forget to subscribe.

Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina

Tri City Family Place in Port Coquitlam

October 5, 2017October 5, 2017 / Tricities Mom / 1 Comment

Program: Tri City Family Place drop-in

Location: 2062 Manning Avenue Port Coquitlam, BC V3B 1L6

Cost: donation

When: Wednesday – Saturday 9:00-13:00 am

Parking available: yes

Tri City Family Place in Port Coquitlam is yet another parent participation drop-in you can check out with your little one. With a family-oriented feel when you walk in, this drop in is an indoor playground, offering several interesting options, varying from drawing to building blocks, a little slide, play dough and lots and lots of toys to choose from for children 0-5 years old.

Washrooms are available and so is parking. Not a very spacious playroom inside, but enough to keep your little one busy on a rainy day for sure. Take off your shoes and you’re ready to play. Some snack is provided, and the offer is based on donation, just like the cost of the actual drop-in.

Also, moms can enjoy a good chat and a good coffee while they’re there and what can be better now that the rainy season is coming. Last time we went, there weren’t a lot of kids, so not very crowded, which was nice. Apparently the season has just started, which means it will get busier with time. The children varied in age and my daughter was the youngest I think.

Clean, quiet, well-lit, this place is definitely a good alternative to check out.

You can find more information on the program here.

I hope you enjoyed this post and like always, happy playing around!

You can find some pictures below.

If you have any comments, please feel free to add them. If you like this post and would like to be notified by email about similar articles, don’t forget to subscribe.

Also, share your experience if you happen to visit this location!

Sorina