As the summer holidays get under way, you may
be having a bit of a migrane trying to figure out how to drain some of the high
octane energy your kids had previously reserved for their school teachers. It’s
a bittersweet feeling to have them back full time so it's best to make the most
of it while you can. This summer, our 5 year old will be attending some really
fun and enlightening camps to expand his horizon but beyond that, it will be my
duty as his best friend/dad to plan some awesome fun stuff so that it can turn
into some epic stories for him to tell his friends when he gets back to school!
It can be quite expensive to go out, so the goal is to try fun things which
have little to no cost attached.
Here is a list of ten fun activities to do
with your kids this summer without putting a dent in your wallet!
1. Visit a farm and go berry picking.
Is there a way to turn grocery shopping into a
family activity? You bet there is! We do this every summer and this year will
be no different! One of our favorite farms is Krause Berry Farm in Langley. At
Krause Berry Farm you can pick a good selection of berries such as:
strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries! This year, a family
fun field will be introduced where your kids can have an interactive learning
experience testing their farming skills! I highly recommend visiting this place
if you don’t mind the drive. Earlier this month, we spent $8 on the berries we
picked, and after a good 6 hours in the kitchen together, we have ourselves a
good supply jams, Jello, scones, muffins, and bagels! We froze some and gave
some away to neighbors and everyone was happy except my impending dad bod!
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| Our favorite farm in the Fraser Valley, Krause Berry Farms is an awesome family activity not far from home. |
2. Go hiking.
Vancouver has some of the most beautiful
scenery around and it would be a real shame if we didn’t take advantage of it.
If you are looking for an easy route, I would suggest Deer Lake in Burnaby. Most
of the trail is along a boardwalk and visitors are often treated to calm
breezes in the shade and some mild wildlife lurking among the woods. Those of
you who love a good challenge should definitely check out Quarry Rock in North
Vancouver. It offers a good mix of terrain with an amazing view as a reward for
reaching the peak. Just be sure that your kids can handle the hike too before
you find them attached to your back half way up or down!
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| A hike that is easy enough for a kid is also not too strenuous for adults. |
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| View from Quarry Rock. I think our dog enjoyed it the most. |
3. Have a picnic.
This is an activity that we do all the time.
It can perfectly complement any of the activities on this list or be the reward
of a skytrain journey to a local tourist destination such as the Convention
center to watch seaplanes take off or the Lonsdale Quay just so we can ride the
seabus. You could pack some lunch, find a spot somewhere with a view, and enjoy
your company. The kids can even help prepare the lunches and snacks.
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| Looks simple enough except I would want Big Star to make my sandwiches for me. |
4. Collect rocks and paint them.
We were introduced to this idea last summer
when a friend invited us to his fishing cabin on the island. All guests were to
paint a rock as a signature of their visit. We loved it and vowed to do this
when we got home. A good place to find stones is the seawall at Stanley Park. The
key is to find rocks with nice shapes and smooth surfaces. You can paint some
silly faces, landscapes or even write a special message on the rocks. You can
keep it as decoration or give them to as a personal gift, which I am sure the
receiver will enjoy.
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| Collecting rocks at Seymour Mountain. This guy found many nice smooth and flat rocks for us to use! |
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| This was done by Saya and D from our last haul. |
5. Have a waterfight.
One of the more obvious things you could do
this summer is have a waterfight. Having a waterfight is one of the best ways
to cool down when it's hot. You could buy some colourful water balloons or some
inexpensive squirt guns for this purpose. Find a quiet park with facilities to
reload and run wild!
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| This idea from Pinterest is my dream water fight. Not sure if I have the patience to fill the balloons though. |
6. Build a fort at home.
As we do live in a wet climate, it is
inevitable to experience a few rainy days. This is a good activity because
building a fort doesn't require much material and can be done in your living room,
or backyard. Everything you need can be found around the home. Chairs, tables,
and bed frames make for a good foundation and bed sheets are breathable, which
offers good coverage for a roof. Furnish the insides to your taste and you can
practically live in it! This activity is great because it will test your kid's
hand-eye coordination, and stimulate their imagination.
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| Something like this cardboard fort I found on Pinterest would be ideal! |
7. Play sports.
Like other 90s kids, I spent my much of my
free time outdoors playing street hockey, riding a bike or playing catch. It
was a lot of fun and I learned a lot of life skills playing sports. While my
playing days are mostly behind me, I feel that, as someone who enjoyed
competition in their youth, I can contribute to the athletic success of the
kids by joining them in play. D loves soccer, tennis and basketball and I enjoy
watching him improve each time out. We also like to visit Deer Lake on a really hot day for some canoeing, which I highly recommend to anyone looking for some leisurely paddling. On a cold day, swimming or golf at the
driving range are great alternatives.
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| The driving range at Eaglequest is child friendly and the instructors are great if you want to get some lessons! |
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| Paddling at Deer Lake is an intimate activity that is a great way to relax while staying in the city. |
8. Attend a free outdoor concert or movie.
Did you know the City of Burnaby sponsors some
great free concerts and/movie nights all summer? Summer Sundays at Civic Square
in Burnaby Metrotown Library or Symphony in the Park at Deer Lake are great
events to enjoy a free outdoor concert or movie. Bring a blanket, a good
attitude, and enjoy the evening with your kids!
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| Symphony in the Park 2015. We didn't get center stage seats as we got there a bit late but still not bad! |
9. Go bike riding.
My hope is that we can ride a bike together
this summer since my little buddy is still on training wheels. If we succeed,
this classic activity will be awesome because it is much cooler on a bike with
the breeze on a hot summer day. Your kids will be outside and you will be
getting some much needed exercise since “Dad Bod” will never be in style.
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| The Aldergrove zoo was where this picture was taken a couple of years ago but this is a safe place for a kid to learn. |
10. Catch a fish.
I had an interesting conversation with my
cousin the other day about our upbringing versus the ideas both of us have
about life. We are both highly technical and eager learners plus we don’t
really know our limits. They sound like great attributes until we realize we
really don’t have a clue what we are doing and it became especially depressing
when it dawned on us that we would likely die if we didn’t have electricity. As
I continued to reflect, I was determined to use the knowledge I so
painstakingly acquired through not knowing what I was doing to teach the boy
how to survive in the wild! I am aware that this may sound like what Homer
Simpson or Peter Griffin might attempt but I swear that I know some stuff! This
summer, we will try our luck at fishing at a local lake. Did you know that many
of the municipal lakes are stocked with trout twice a year and you can catch
them? You will need to buy a license but if you have the equipment, then you
are ready to go fishing! We like Como Lake and Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam and
you can find many other lakes in your area where you can do this!
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| This was us last fall at Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam shortly after a fish release. |
