Playing Wild Music at the RBG

Looking for something different last week, I took my kids on a great little family field trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens and visited the new "Wild Music" exhibit.

Despite living so close to the RBG (it's only a quick 20 minute drive from Oakville) we had never been. I heard about the Wild Music exhibit from my baby's kindermusik teacher and then read all about how awesome the RBG was on the momstown message board.

Off we went to explore!
There were some very cool instruments to play with, animals (parrots, iguanas, turtles were visiting for March break), crafttime, storytime, interactive exhibits.... totally a place we need to plan a momstown Oakville field trip to soon!! (Kids under 5 are free - inexpensive bonus!!)


The instruments were fun to play and the interactive centre hosted handmade noise makers from remote parts of the world. We found giant African seed pods to shake, rain sticks made out of sugar cane and leather to roll, dried gourds filled with seeds to rattle and my personal "favourite" a bracelet with what looked like black mussel shells sewn on which made a fun clacking sound - then we found out they were really cow's toenail clippings, not shells (ewww!).

Once home, it inspired us to talk about making our own instruments like these simple shakers -- no toe nails needed, just rice!! We also dug out some great books on music and then had a little dance party with our shakers.

Maple syrup in my coffee, pancakes & baby pigs at Bronte

We had a fabulous day out at Bronte Creek today for the Maple Syrup Festival. momstown Oakville had a field trip and it was a perfectly sunny almost-spring day. The sap was running and well, so were the children!

Today I learned:

• Bronte has fantastic sausages with their breakfast
• maple syrup is ten million times better than sugar in coffee (seriously, you need to try it)
• go for pancakes first for brunch versus lunch, the line-ups are way shorter
  
• it takes 40L of sap to make 1L of syrup
• little boys never miss a mud puddle
• little boys would try to kiss baby pigs if the pigs were not behind the gate
• maple taffy is the best bribe ever (at only $2 it was a steal for a well behaved day)
  

If you are looking for a maple syrup festival this season - click here for a listings of all things maple from momstown!

Visit momstown Georgina's blog here for a great pancake recipe too!

St. Patrick's Day Fun!

Our Crafty Kids playgroup met at The Little Gym last week to make some funky hats for St. Patty's Day!

Check out their new hats!

momstown Oakville Crafty Kids playgroup meets every month and is a great event for all ages. Not only do we have crafts for the older kids, we also set up mats for babies to lounge on. And we have a potluck table so we can all chat over some snacks :)

If you'd like to attend our next Crafty Kids playgroup, register here for your free two week trial or contact Holly for more information.

For more St Patrick's Day ideas, check out momstown Barrie's blog for their event recap and click here for momstown arts and crafts blog for a long list of St Patrick's Day crafts and instructions.

Spring recipes wanted!

The snow is melting... I think? Spring has got to be around the corner!

With the focus on springtime, momstown is searching for spring recipes to feature on our momstown meals blog. We know you have your favourites!!!

Enter the momstown recipe contest here - we're looking for spring inspired dinner ideas & dessert recipes. There will be 2 prizes - each a $100 grocery gift card!! Plus, of course, bragging rights! Nothing to lose - share your recipe before March 18th to enter.

Baby Signing Buddies

Nothing makes this mama happier than seeing friendships develop at momstown. This momstown Oakville group of moms and babies established an awesome weekly playgroup with a sign language focus (thank you Sarah for your expertise!!) and it's turned into a lovely group of friends.

That's what momstown is all about - finding other moms with common interests and connecting them together. Makes this momstown mama's heart happy to see it. :)

Want to join this playgroup or any of our other momstown Oakville events? Click here for a 2 week trial membership and join us for fun!. Coming up soon Field Trip to the Maple Syrup Festival, Mom's Poker Night, momstown Nursery Rhyme Party and much more!

7 great March Break activities in Oakville

March Break – a weird break when you have young kids who aren’t in school yet. For those of us with little ones it just means a week when our favourite places are closed or jammed full with big kids. (PS: momstown isn’t closed though!)

For school aged families it’s a chance to spend time together, take a trip or a staycation or maybe find a super cool daycamp. It’s a time that can be a bit tricky to find things to do, depending on the type of weather and your affinity towards crowds! So let us help with momstown March break local ideas!

March Break activity ideas:

1.) March Break Bucket List

Sit your family down with pieces of paper, pencils and a jar. Everyone writes down 4 family things they’d like to do over the March break. If you’re working on a budget, one choice has a cost and the rest of the activities are free (or close to free). Fold the papers up individually and tuck into the jar. Over the holiday, pick two things out of the jar each night and plan to do them tomorrow. The fun is in the randomness and you'll have a spontaneous holiday! After March Break is over, you can use this idea as an I’m Bored Box so you don’t have to hear that phrase again!

2.) Family Geo-caching

Families in momstown Burlington have held geocaching events and all were a success! It's an international scavenger hunt and the clues are already prelaid out for people to find. Great fun for families any age! Partner with your child to find the incredible clues first!

3.) Three S’s: Skating, Sledding, Swimming

Free or close to free activities are always best when on a budget and these physical activities are just that. Also, adaptable for all ages to participate. Public pools and skating rinks tend to run on different hours over March Break so check your local listings for details.

Oakville Swimming & Skating March Break Schedule

4.) Think Green!

Plan a St Patrick's Party together! Decorate the house green, bake some Irish soda bread and Guinness stew, create shamrock craft decor and invite the neighbours over for some board games and green kool-aid!

5.) Sticky Syrup Visit!

Maple Syrup tours are always fun and full of delicious teachable moments. Little ones will love to touch the sap buckets (just about their height)! momstown Oakville is so lucky to live in Halton as we have two great places to visit just minutes away!

Check out both! Bronte Creek Maple Syrup Festival and It's Maple Syrup Time at Mountsberg

6.) Get busy Indoors

March Break is supposed to be free time, right? So crack open that board game you haven’t had time to play together yet, plan a puzzlepalooza afternoon, get baking and try a new muffin recipe or pull out the craft supplies and cut, glue and draw until little hearts are content.

7.) Stay-cation Field Trips

Great day trip ideas – just zip onto a highway to visit any of these terrific spots – all have special March Break activities planned and are ready for you and yours!

Ontario Science Centre – they have a special KidsPark area just for kids under age 8

ROM - great Water exhibit over March Break

The Toronto Zoo – open in all weather!

Royal Botanical Gardens – Their Wild Music exhibit looks incredible for all ages and has been a hot topic on our momstown boards recently

Butterfly Conservatory – a great place to feel the humidity without a plane trip

At the end of the day, March break is supposed to be about family time and taking a break from the everyday. Enjoy your week together!

Mmmmm....Cereal!

momstown "My Body" Party Sponsored by Kellogg's

momstown Oakville moms and their little ones were treated to a yummy breakfast courtesy of our generous sponsor, Kellogg's! The Kids enjoyed their choice of cereal, fruit, yogurt and juice while their moms learned about the nutritional benefits of cereal as a breakfast choice.



After breakfast the kids got crafty, creating flowers made by tracing their own hand prints.

And of course there's always time for play after all that hard work!

As a thank you for participating in today's fun, each mom got to take home a fabulous gift bag provided by Kellogg's! We also learned more about how good cereal is for all of us - lots of fibre, nutrients and low in sodium. Makes for one delicious breakfast or snack! Check out more info on the Kellogg's Love Your Cereal site.

A big congratulations to Laura P. who won a the giant basket of Kellogg's goodies. Enjoy! And thank you, Kellogg's!

Check out other momstown Kellogg's Breakfast Club events at momstown Burlington, momstown Milton and momstown Hamilton!

Interested in checking out momstown Oakville? Register here for your free two week trial!