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We Knew He’d Be a Train Boy
Even before he was born, we must have known that Aiden was a train boy… Aiden can’t get enough of his trains… of his toy trains, of reading train books (that’s a post of its own!), of watching train...
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The New Grand Boulevard Playground
The playground at Grand Boulevard Park was recently re-launched earlier this Spring. The playground now features a large play structure good for older toddlers and young children, skewing a little...
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Heywood Park Review
One of the newest playgrounds in North Vancouver was built in the 16-acre Heywood Park. The new playground is touted as an “adventure play park” complete with a zip line, a stilt walk, king of the...
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Bouncy Castle Fun at the PlayZone
During the summer months, West Vancouver converts its Ice Arena into a Ride&Slide PlayZone! Running 4 days a week until August 17, 2012, the PlayZone features a 20′ slide, a toddler play zone, a...
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Strider Bike Review
We recently purchased a Strider bike for Aiden. He was a pro at his Wishbone Bike in the 2-wheel combination, but never seemed to get the hang of two wheels. He said it was “tippy.” Since there were a...
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Bridgman Park Review
Bridgman Park is a beautiful area to take a walk along Lynn Creek. You can take a 5.5km loop around the river or follow the trail right up to Lynn Canyon. The area is very popular for dog walkers. We...
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Ridgeway Annex School Playground
A short walk from where we live is an unused elementary school, Ridgeway Annex. Once Ridgway school was upgraded, Ridgeway Annex was closed and may be redeveloped in the future. Until then, it features...
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Dorothy Lynas Elementary
Earlier in the summer, we paid a visit to the playgrounds of Dorothy Lynas Elementary in North Vancouver, up towards Mt. Seymour. One of the more impressive school playgrounds, there are several...
View ArticleThe ‘Games’ Kids Come Up With
This sketch by Louis CK rang true on so many levels. One of the sketches is about how his daughter would play Hide & Seek by simply crouching near a wall. Like a good Dad, he would pretend not to...
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Dr Aiden and the Lion
It seems like Halloween is something I always get behind on writing about, but for once I wanted to properly post it (a few months late). Aiden’s first costume was a bear at a couple of weeks old,...
View ArticleTrain Boy, v 2.0
It’s no secret that Aiden is obsessed with trains. It’s the one constant in his play – he always goes back to his trains. He has a huge collection of Thomas trains, a special order Mallard when he...
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Aiden’s Captain America Costume and My Issues with Superheroes
As a second child unable to yet voice his preferences, Damien re-used Aiden’s dragon costume from when he was little for this past Hallowe’en. It’s a great costume I was happy to see again. Aiden, on...
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Afternoon Tea Party Bliss
Sometimes, when the weather is nice, all it takes is a picnic on the patio to make everyone feel better. We set up some tea (strawberry) and some tea sandwiches (cream cheese) with some strawberries...
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Fostering Independent Play
One of my favourite early childhood parenting gurus is Janet Lansbury whose advice on communicating with children and dealing with conflict has been instrumental in helping me form my parenting...
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Bearfoot Playground Comes to Lynn Valley
In 2013, Lynn Valley Village became an even more inviting place for kids with the addition of the Bearfoot Playground, an indoor play centre that was envisioned as a place where kids could play while...
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Myrtle Park Playground and Spray Park
After writing up my review of the Spray Parks in North Vancouver, I knew I had to revisit Myrtle Park to get a better feel for it (and some photos). The park features 3 main areas: the spray park, a...
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Taming the Sprinkler
Aiden has never really loved water parks, or playing in sprinklers, because he has an aversion to getting water in his face. His ears are his most sensitive area (something that comes of having a very...
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Modifying Adult Board Games for Kids
Aiden was about 26 months old when he first became obsessed with board games. His first board game was the Curious George Discovery Beach game that was all about finding shapes and colours hidden in...
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Creating an Invitation to Play
Have you ever heard of an “invitation to play”? Essentially, the concept is to set up some open-ended materials (craft materials or toys) and invite your child to play. The goal is not to create an...
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Playland Adventures with 2 Kids
A couple of weeks ago, we braved the sun and the long-lines to spend the day at PNE / Playland. I was really on the fence about it this year. I took Aiden last year on his own and he had a great time…...
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