Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in halifax, NS

Green Life

by Raechelle Masuda

September 17, 2009

In an effort to live green, eco-conscious and more healthy, I have been obsessively attempting to go beyond my comfort level. I am so not a cook. My husband did all the cooking when we were students and later when I graduated and started working. This worked out perfectly as far as I was concerned, however once I started staying home with the kids, it felt wrong to expect him to cook when I was here, like all day. So I find myself attempting all sorts of recipes to keep us healthy and to reduce our consumption of packaging. I actually enjoy cooking, if I have the time and space to do so. It is another form of creative self expression, something I never appreciated before.  Read more...

Enjoying Halifax with the Family

by Raechelle Masuda

September 15, 2009

Ok first off, I love weekends, don’t you? Carefree days of exploring, relaxing and time with the family! I am so so so happy here.

Halifax is the coolest city ever! Ok not only do we have the most amazing recycling program here (we virtually throw nothing away it is so cool) there is so much to see and do here. Halifax has this big city feel, totally metro but without all those people getting in the way. So my kind of town.

Hellping Kids Avoid Colds

by Raechelle Masuda

September 14, 2009

Cold and flu season begins when school begins, or so it seems. The second week of school completed and my daughter was sick with a cold. Luckily not a hard core, knock her totally out of the game cold. She has a sore throat and runny nose. She successfully passed this on to her brother and now the newborn has it too! So how can we avoid colds?
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Haircuts for Kids in Halifax

by Raechelle Masuda

August 24, 2009

Some mothers fearlessly cut their child's hair. I am not one of them. I absolutely have to leave cutting hair to the professionals. I have attempted on a few occasions to trim my daughter's hair, or even bangs. It never turns out well. It is a combination of my nervousness and her anxiety that I am nervous that causes many uneven cuts. I even tried to cut my son's hair, thinking it would be easier since he is a boy. Nope. I must leave it to the professionals!
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Tips to Prepare Kids for Bad Weather

by Raechelle Masuda

August 20, 2009

Hurricane Bill is heading north towards Halifax this weekend. It is a fact of life living so close to the ocean that hurricanes may affect our lives. The Hurricane Juan impacted Halifax in the night from Sunday, September 28, 2003 to Monday, September 29, 2003. Over 300,000 homes were without electricity from 1 day to over a week. We did not live in the Maritimes at the time. However we get the impression people were not as prepared as they could have been for the devastating effects of the storm.
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Great Potty Books

by Raechelle Masuda

May 19, 2009

When learning any new skill it is good to do some research. Children love stories and if we can provide them with stories about potty training, it may just help us, help them make it to the potty!
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Adventures in Potty Training

by Raechelle Masuda

May 18, 2009

Most parents will admit that potty training tops the list of the most dreaded milestones. In fact, I have friends that claim they had no more children just to avoid having to potty train again! Potty training is a tough gig. It takes time, patience and dedication on the part of the parent(s) and the child. However the end result, no more diapers is fantastic!
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Preschoolers Like to "Work" Too: Jobs Around the House for the Li

by Raechelle Masuda

May 12, 2009

Preschoolers are learning so much about the world. In everything they do it is an opportunity to learn, explore and be creative. So often we witness preschoolers playing house, going to work and pretending to do chores. It is their way of making sense of the world and what they see. We have a play kitchen that our daughter has spent endless hours cooking and baking in. Having chores not only helps them master new skills, it gives children a sense of responsibility, develops independence and promotes strong self-confidence.
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Tips for Children Coping with the Death of a Pet

by Raechelle Masuda

May 05, 2009

By no means is this list exhaustive. Know that your child is hurting, in their own unique way. Allow them to feel, experience and live through their grief. The process for our child was long. Much longer than I anticipated. However, talking with other parents that have experienced pet loss, I found out that everything that she was experiencing was normal.
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Tough Stuff - The Death of a Pet

by Raechelle Masuda

May 04, 2009

When our preschooler was three years old our beloved cat, Charisma died. My daughter was devastated. For whatever reason, I guess we will never know for sure, moving that time was hard on Charisma. Was it the altitude change? The lack of furniture in the beginning? Too much change? His people were stressed and busy and did not see how little he was eating.

Sunday Suppers and Other Family Feast Fun

by Raechelle Masuda

April 20, 2009

We always eat supper together as a family. We are lucky that my husband can be home early enough to do this every night. As the kids grow up the importance of these family dinners with only grow with them. Yet on the weekends, we have more time and energy for creative dinners we try to have fun and try new things, as well as enjoy our favourites. 
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The Great Outdoors

by Raechelle Masuda

March 30, 2009

Rain or shine, show or sleet kids need time outside. That is the mantra right? Yet somehow it isn't always that easy. When we were children we were sent outside. It was an expectation not an exception. Our mothers and caregivers let us loose in the world without a care. We were free to explore, learn, debate, wonder and dream. The endless days of summer were truly endless.

In our time as parents things have changed. We no longer send our children out to play without a worry in the world. In fact all we do is worry. Society has made us afraid, untrusting and unknowing. On my street I am the only mom that stays at home. When my children are out playing, they are the only children out. The people that live behind us have this awesome play structure yet we have never seen any one in their backyard.

Children are indoors a lot. I realize that not every family has a stay at home parent. However what about the weekends? Evenings? Where have all the children gone. In all the fear, we have lost sight on the things that are important to child development. Kids need to be outside. They need time to discover things on their own without a parent holding their hand. They need to play at the playground and discover their own forms of conflict resolution. Parents with the best intention hover over their children taking away what little freedom they have left. I have experienced this over and over again at the playground. Most parents are amazed that I give my children so much freedom.

It is a balance, between safety and freedom. Children need room to roam, to play to experience nature. Yet even in our our yard we are not free from fear. My children were playing outside, while I fluttered from inside to outside, making dinner and supervising their activities from a far, when a car pulled over unrolled the window and spoke to my children. I flew outside as they were pulling away. My preschooler did not know what they said, when I asked she shrugged her shoulders. Was it an innocent comment about playing or was it a predator?

One of my goals as a parent is to have my kids outside once a day. Either to play, for a walk anything to get them out in the fresh air, exploring their world. I cannot say that I reach this goal every day, but we try.

What are your views on outside play and freedom? Are you afraid?

Tomorrow I will share with you some ideas of what to do when you get the kids outside.  Read more...

Where to get the Goods, The Organics

by Raechelle Masuda

March 09, 2009

We are so blessed in Halifax to be so close to a strong, healthy and many organic farms spread out all over Nova Scotia. I was excited to learn that Halifax has many options for those of us looking to feed our families well. While I lived in California, I learned of CSA's which stands for "Community Supported Agriculture," or, as some prefer to call it, "Community Sustaining Agriculture." I was eager to find out if Halifax had something similar. Buying local is something that I am very committed to, as well as fresh, safe foods for my family. Here are some of the options for Halifax parents.
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5 Basic Boosts for Busy Parents

by Raechelle Masuda

March 05, 2009

Most of us are dedicated to ensuring that our children get the best foods, limited junk food and healthy choices. However, when life gets busy sometimes it is hard for us as parents to do the same for ourselves! Today's guest posters, Bonnie Johnson and Deanna Segrave-Daly, serve up five great ways parents can maintain a healthy lifestyle even in the midst of all the childhood chaos.  As registered dietitians, they know the ins and outs of good nutrition.  Even more important, they are moms who understand that our busy, crazy schedules means we need quick, manageable solutions -- and all the help we can get.
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February - A New Beginning

by Raechelle Masuda

February 02, 2009

February the month of Love. It is also usually the beginning of later winter, early spring! The harshness of December and January fades, the snow melts and once again we can venture outdoors. I am so ready to celebrate that! So what is up and coming in Halifax for kids in February to keep that cozy, melting, warm thoughts going? Art Gallery of Nova Scotia The Art  Read more...

Inspiration

by Raechelle Masuda

January 29, 2009

I have moved three times since becoming a mother. The packing, cleaning, unpacking, organizing, settling, transferring, etc are all very taxing especially with children in tow. However the hardest part about moving for me, was attempting to reestablish a community of mothers around me in each new location. When I need inspiration, help, and general stress relief as a  Read more...

99 Things Continued ...

by Raechelle Masuda

January 27, 2009

Back in September I started a list of 99 things I want to experience with the children in Halifax . So far we have done some of the things listed. We attempted to go whale watching twice last summer. Both times we did not see any whales. My preschooler was so disappointed! We promised her another trip this coming summer and hopefully we will time it just right! We have went  Read more...

Heading to Preschool or Not?

by Raechelle Masuda

January 22, 2009

Being a stay at home parent, I really considered preschool for our daughter. When she turned three, we were living internationally and had no hope of getting into the "good preschools" since we had not been on the waiting list since she was conceived. Upon arriving back in Canada, the options for preschool were plenty and available, yet we did not enroll her in a traditional preschool.  Read more...

Record Keeping

by Raechelle Masuda

January 15, 2009

Our children's lives pass before us so quickly. When our first was a newborn, premature, so tiny and I was so needed, I felt like time stood still. I wanted to reach that next milestone, that next pound gained, I wanted her to grow. Now that she is four and a half, I want time to stop, I want her to remain unchanging, I want to capture these days, hold them forever. Although I cannot  Read more...

The Big Picture

by Raechelle Masuda

January 06, 2009

Preschoolers can be strange folk. From day to day their favourite toy changes, their tastes in food, and even friends. Yet there are certain things that really matter with preschoolers and small things that really don't. The following are some things I have observed since becoming a parent to a preschooler. What really matters to preschoolers: Love - Knowing without a doubt that their  Read more...

The Best of the Best

by Raechelle Masuda

December 30, 2008

Halifax has been part of the Savvy Source for Parents since September, and I have had a blast writing and researching topics. Now that the weather is cold and frightful at times, in the new year we will be focusing on winter activities to keep your preschooler active and your sanity. Looking back at the last few months a few favourite posts come to mind. My favourites appear to also be  Read more...

A Book that Inspires Wonder

by Raechelle Masuda

November 03, 2008

When The Opinionated Parent , first approached me to review the book, " Child of Wonder: Nurturing Creative & Naturally Curious Children " by Ginger Carlson, in e-book form, I was so thrilled at the opportunity as creativity is so my thing. Unfortunately, as geeky as I am I could not bring myself to the computer to read a book. Blogs, geeky news, email *cough* games, were all  Read more...

My Top 99 Things

by Raechelle Masuda

September 30, 2008

When we first moved to Halifax, I was in awe. What a beautiful, amazing city to raise our children in. I am still awestruck with the city. In fact, I have an ever-growing list of activities, festivals and events that I want to experience with my children before they grow up, here in Halifax. Here is a sample of the 99 things I want to experience with the children in Halifax: - Watch a Huskies  Read more...

Princess for a Day

by Raechelle Masuda

September 08, 2008

We are a candy free household, so the chances for my children to score the sweet stuff are pretty low on a regular bases. Yet there are those special occasions that call for some yummy treats. Since her little brother is still too young for candy, it is extra special in my preschooler's eyes! It is nice that she still cherishes that special trip. It is her day to be a princess. Taking the bus is  Read more...