Walkindergaten

Mar 28 2009

Posted by Krystal as Adventures in Parenting

A while ago I recall reading a magazine article from Canadian Parents about outdoor childcare. Kids and care providers would hangout outside rain or shine so long as it was no colder than -10c. Sound ideal? It’s real.

Wood kindergartens or waulkindergardens originated in the Scandinavian Countries and have since migrated through to the UK and Germany.

They meet (their teachers) at the train station every morning at 8am and take the train two stops to just outside of town. From there they walk into the forest and spend the morning outside – breakfasting, playing, doing arts and crafts, running, jumping, rolling, inspecting plants and animals, learning about seasons and food, and just about anything kids usually do inside – just outside in the forest.

Around noon they head inside for lunch and a nap. In the afternoon they either stay inside and play (with trains, blocks, puzzles, paints, etc.) or they go outside and play on their playground (mainly a big sandbox). The kindergarten is open until 5pm.

Can you imagine dropping your child off to play in the forests? I wanna come. Man kids get to have all the fun.

Wanna read more about forest kindergartens?
Also waldkindergarten

A gal who tried it in her home town.

Class sizes are 15-20 children with 2-3 care providers. You would require a space to be in when the weather was cold or especially bad. Children love it they get to muck around in nature, have picnics, build forts it is a childhood dream come true.

Maybe I am biased. My babysitter lived on an acreage were there was a small grove of trees or ‘forests’. We learned what sap was, what bugs did or did not do, sneezed from sniffing a bunch of pollen, see frog eggs turn into tadpoles and then frogs. If my child’s care environment could be like that. I’d be on that like a fly on honey!

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Yoga Marathon

Mar 25 2009

Posted by Krystal as Event Calendar

March 28, 2009
7:00 am	to	7:00 pm

Amnesty Yoga Day – Yoga Marathon
A Nationwide fundraiser for Amnesty International
12 hours yoga nonstop with 12 different instructors!
check outwww.amnesty.ca/yogaday/
Classes with different instructors every hour on the hour all day long! Come by donate, pledge, take a class or just come and chat.

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Kamloops Energy Fair

Mar 25 2009

Posted by Krystal as Event Calendar

May 23, 2009
12:00 pm	to	5:00 pm

The Kamloops Energy Fair is an annual trade show and educational event featuring sustainable energy: demonstrating how we can all be more sustainable in our energy use, through energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy conservation. The 2009 Fair is our third annual event and we are bigger and better every year.

Visit our website at http://www.bcsea.org/energyfair

***Where and When***

* McArthur Island Sports Centre, 1665 Island Parkway Drive, Kamloops, BC. This is a modern facility in central Kamloops and easy to find. Exhibitors and educational displays will be at the Curling Rink on the main floor, and we’ll use the upstairs Lounge for speakers, films, and workshops.

* Saturday, May 23, 2009, open to the public from 12 noon to 5 pm

* The event is free to the public.

***The Kamloops Energy Fair Features***

* Businesses showcasing energy information, products and services

* Non-profit organizations providing energy-related educational content

* Kid’s Corner for fun learning about energy

* Speakers, movies, and workshops on energy-related topics

As Fair day comes closer, we’ll post details here about exhibitors, workshops, and speaker schedule, so mark this page!

***2nd Annual BCSEA Kamloops Energy Fair a Success***

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Safari Jeff & Shannon’s Great Green Adventure Show

Mar 25 2009

Posted by Krystal as Event Calendar

May 16, 2009 9:00 am

May 18, 2009 4:00 pm

At the BC Wildlife Park CONTACT: 250-573-3242 www.bczoo.org

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3nd Annual City of Kamloops Bike Rodeo

Mar 25 2009

Posted by Elizabeth as Event Calendar

May 9, 2009
10:00 am	to	12:00 pm

At McArthur Island Youth Centre, kids of all ages are invited to bring their bikes and helmets and put their bike smarts to the test!

The RCMP bike patrol will be on hand to take kids through a pre-ride check, plus will review the rules of the road, proper hand signals, helmet safety, and more. See how safely you can ride your bike through the bike rodeo stations, including the Driveway Ride Out, Crazy Crossroads, Rock Dodge, and Slow Race!

There will be lots of prizes! To register for this free event, call 828-3500.