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

Beach Days

by Raechelle Masuda

June 04, 2009

Every week last summer we have attempted to hit a beach. Each week bringing new excitement and a new location! My friend and I called it the Beach Tour 08. It is a great way to get to know our surroundings, while giving the children an opportunity to swim, play in the sand, get completely and utterly exhausted...it is awesome.

We had gone to a couple ocean beaches and a couple lakes. It has been so much fun to explore. I live in the most beautiful place ever! While driving to a new beach I watched a bald eagle circle the sky. It was AMAZING. I get a little bummed that I cannot take my uber great camera with me. Wrangling the children, chairs, towel, beach toys, a cooler and miscellaneous goods is too much to balance. Besides sand in the camera is a bad bad thing. I do however have my cell phone but ALWAYS forget that it takes pictures!

The kids are AMAZING at the beach. My preschooler is a complete beach babe. She was in the OCEAN ALL DAY. Seriously I had to beg her to come out and eat. She wolfed down an entire sandwich then RAN back to the water. It wasn't even all that pleasant out yesterday and she still spent the entire time in the water. Today she is sore and tired. Poor girl.

My toddler always takes about an hour to settle in. He is cranky and whiny at first then finds his groove. The ocean moves a little too much for him so he prefers not to "swim", opting for digging in the sand, licking rocks, tasting seaweed and eating all our food. At the lake he totally goes into the water, splashing around, DUNKING HIS HEAD UNDER, all the while holding his breath (it is the coolest thing I have ever seen!) We have a little inflatable ring that he likes to go in then he kicks his feet and swims!?!?! He is so cool.

I love the water, the sand and all that. I feel so fortunate that we live in a location that we have both  ocean beaches and lakes to choose from. The kids are most definitely loving the chance to frolic in the sun :) I hope that we can still hit some beaches this summer, while I am on my last leg of this pregnancy and once we have a newborn along for the ride. Our toddler went to Laguana Beach when he was a newborn!

What is your favourite summer activity?

Beach Gear with Children

by Raechelle Masuda

May 26, 2009

Since we are talking about beach trips I thought it would be a good idea to share with you a list of must have's at the beach with children. When we lived in California, my husband and I would pack everything and  the kitchen sink, needing a wagon to cart it all to the beach and back. We only had one child at the time! Now that we are a little more experienced at parenting and heading to the beach we take  a lot less and still have a fabulous time.
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99 Things To Do with Children in Halifax, NS

by Raechelle Masuda

April 07, 2009

I have been attempting to tackle this massive, all-inclusive and fun list for months. There is so much to do in Halifax, NS with children! In fact now that I have completed the list, I can think of additional activities! What would you add to your list?
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Crab Night

by Raechelle Masuda

February 20, 2009

Living on the east coast has many advantages. I loved the ocean when we were in California. The smell of the salt air, the sand, the water ... All very appealing especially to one that grew up on the prairies. As I gaze out my window to the harbour, I take a deep breath and taste the salt in the air. I am fully accepting of this being our home. It is new, a little intimidating at times and very far from family, but it is our city now.

(see he totally know J is going to cook him!)

Taking advantage of fresh seafood and farmer's markets we are starting to learn to cook the fresh foods of the Atlantic (mostly J since I am not really all that into dealing with our food if it is still alive).

We started off simple. Mussels. Mmmm, J steams then with a broth, garlic and basil ... My mouth is watering at the thought.

Then this past Saturday night we cooked up a couple crab ... J & B picked them out a the fish market and brought them home. I really really cannot touch a squirming nervous animal that totally knows it is about to die. Thankfully my adoring husband has overcome his phobias. The meal was so yummy and we hope to make it a Saturday tradition to make up a fabulous seafood meal, bought locally, prepared together as a family.

Note: Even the cat is sniffing around!

Helping Daddy