Family Friendly Archives

Spiderman Schmiderman. These Boys Scale Walls Too!

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

The image of kids climbing the walls is a frightening one… unless they’re at Cliffside Climbing Gym located on Laval Crescent in Kamloops. As a mother of two young boys, I am constantly looking for things for my boys to do to help keep them active and to burn off a little energy.

The inside climbing gym is a perfect place for them to be kids and to have a great time. When you first enter the facility, there’s a lounge area, brightly coloured walls and a shoe rental/front desk area, plus some funky tunes coming out from the stereo system. It just looks like it’s going to be fun as soon as you walk in. The team at Cliffside are great too, especially Sabrina, who you can tell loves having the kids come in for some fun. Even though it’s fun, it’s pretty educational too as both boys know what ‘carabineer’ and ‘belay’ mean, and both know how to get in their harness unaided. My boys were in a class that ran each week and you could see real differences in them from the start of their sessions to the end in the difficulty of the walls they were climbing. Both boys were even having fun climbing blindfolded, and my 8 year old got so good, he was assisting in belaying kids bigger than him, a real confidence booster.
There’s a great balcony area for parents to watch the kids if they are not interested in climbing, but it makes for a good family time too. You’ll quickly be amazed at how good of a workout it is hoisting your body around a vertical wall, because the kids make it look REALLY easy (which it’s not).

The Cliffside Climbing Gym has group classes and drop in times, plus you can host parties there too, making it an all around awesome facility. And safety is of top concern to the staff, so you can rest assured that your kids will have fun and be safe too. So move over Spiderman, and watch your kids dazzle you with their wall climbing antics.

~ Awesome Aleece

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Let’s Go Blazers Let’s Go!

Posted on March 12, 2012 by

Canada’s favourite sport. The anticipated drop of the puck. Thousands of cheering fans. Arena food (yes … it’s awesome). It’s all hockey, it’s all Blazers, bring it on! Our family headed out for a Kamloops Blazers hockey game the other night and it was great. I highly recommend a Blazers home game with kids because there’s so much visually going on to entertain them. We got our seats on the first level of seating, which I wasn’t thrilled about at first since my family usually likes sitting higher up, but that’s now my new spot of choice. You feel like you’re right in the game because when a puck pings of the glass or a player is checked and they come flying right at you, it’s exciting. I wasn’t sure who jumped more, me or the kids.

Blazer hockey games typically start at 7pm with the singing of the National Anthem and are comprised of 3, 20 minute periods with 2, 20 minute intermissions. I recommend for kids, to walk around the concourse during the intermissions to stretch out the legs. Plus, bring cash with you (there’s an ATM there but has a fee for usage) as there are many vendors selling kettle corn, cotton candy, ice cream, mini donuts, lemonade, etc… Though not the greatest in terms of nutrition, absolutely PERFECT for a hockey game!

The Blazers have a mascot named Digger, a big ol’ orange dog sporting a Blazers jersey and can be found wandering the stands, giving kids high five’s, starting the ‘WAVE’ and getting fans into the game. The hockey club also does a great job of in-house promotions with spot prizes, on ice promotions in between periods and my favourite, ‘Dance For Your Dinner’ where TV cameras capture fans dancing on the big screen and the best (or funniest) dancer, wins a dinner certificate while entertaining the rest of us.

The night we went was A&W Teen Burger Night. If the Blazer scored 4 or more goals and won, everyone (5,683 fans) won a Teen Burger. Sure enough, the Blazers pulled out a 5 to 1 win over the Portland Winterhawks, so our tickets were worth burgers! That’s like magic to a 5 and 8 year old! A great night of family entertainment for sure, but make sure you get your tickets in advance as the Wednesday night game we went to was standing room only, which I wouldn’t recommend for kids.

~ Awesome Aleece

Posted in Attractions, Events, Family Friendly | 1 Comment

Rick Hansen is coming to Kamloops March 29th!

Posted on March 2, 2012 by

Twenty-five years since his Man in Motion World Tour commenced its historic cross-Canada journey, Canadian hero Rick Hansen will continue his journey of making the world more accessible and inclusive with the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay.


The 25th Anniversary Relay began on August 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, Newfoundland. From there, the relay is retracing the Canadian segment of his original tour, but this time the Relay is engaging 7,000 participants from across Canada who have made a difference in the lives of others. Focusing on engaging Canadians to take up the challenge and become catalysts for positive change, the Relay will feature Medal-Bearers who will run, walk, wheel or bike and complete their segments through a variety of forms of movement for all abilities.

 

Kamloops was chosen as one of the Relay’s End of Day Celebration cities, and Rick Hansen himself will be attending this celebration. Taking place on March 29th at 4:30 pm at the Tournament Capital Centre, this event will feature Rick Hansen completing the final 250 meters of his Kamloops segment with the City’s local Medal-Bearer and difference-maker, Todd Harding. This event will include demonstrations of wheelchair basketball and Special Olympics floor hockey, as well as a challenging wheelchair relay race, information booths, entertainment, free food and free parking.

 

The legacy of Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion Tour 25 years ago has resulted in Kamloops being a more accessible community. The two accessible playgrounds at Riverside Park and Prince Charles Park, as well as lift access at Norbrock Stadium and full accessibility at the TCC are just a few of the projects that resulted from the Rick Hansen Foundation.

(Information Via City of Kamloops)

- Kamloops Kendel

 

Posted in Events, Family Friendly | 2 Comments

Leap Day! So much to do on our “extra day”!

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

Happy Leap Day everyone!

Today was a very exciting day around our office!  With our participation in the Kamloops Project – we all set out to do something unique or something we hadn’t done before.  Our list ranged from greeting passengers at the Kamloops Airport, having a spa treatment, get up close and personal with the wildlife at the BC Wildlife Park, playing a round of indoor golf at Legends and finally going on a Helicopter Tour with CC Helicopters around Kamloops.  What a wonderful way to spend our extra day!

Watch our Video here:

Check out some pictures on Facebook

Hope your leap day was awesome!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Kamloops Kendel

 

Posted in Attractions, Events, Family Friendly, Golf, Outdoor Adventure Spring through Fall | 2 Comments

Curling….there is more to it than you may think!

Posted on February 3, 2012 by

This week we were lucky enough to be invited to learn to curl at the McArthur Island Sports Centre with some great curlers who are also great teachers. It seems as though we all walked in thinking it was pretty easy and all it took was chucking a rock from one end of the ice to the other. Guess what!?!? There is more to it than that! I don’t mean to make it sound difficult or that you have to be an excellent athlete to participate. I mean to say it is a wonderful challenge and since there are so many variations to throwing the rock they have made it a sport that anyone can participate in, whether you choose to use the aids available is up to you.

What I really enjoyed about learning to curl was that they show you one step at a time. If I were to just walk onto the ice and try to throw a rock, I imagine I wouldn’t be as graceful as I may think I could be without some tips from the pros. We went through each step of the game and learnt how to do it the proper way. Afterwards we split into 2 teams and had a mini game. With 6 sheets of ice it is possible to have 48 people participate at the same time.

This is a great team building opportunity for groups of almost any size, ability or age. You start with some instruction and then jump into a mini tournament. There are some surprise twists you will find as the game goes on that keeps things fun and exciting for both teams.

So, as the game goes on I imagine you will be getting kinda hungry and possibly even a bit thirsty! Curling and beer do go hand and hand for some and one of the perks of this venue is the fact that you are allowed to bring your beverages onto the ice with you. It might not be the smartest decision, but it’s allowed! If you make your way up the stairs you will find the Bread Garden Lounge. If your team has a break you can sit and watch through the windows onto the ice, or watch one of the TV’s located over top of each house while sipping on a hot chocolate and enjoying a delicious soup and sandwich!

For those of you who are interested in trying the Learn to Curl program or the Corporate Curling team building offered by the McArthur Island curling club here are the contact details.

 

McArthur Island Curling Club – website

Phone:250-554-1911

Email: micc1@telus.net

 

 

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When life gives you snow…. Go snowmobiling!

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Last week, a co-worker, Meghan, and myself were heading down to Abbotsford for the Vancouver Motorcycle Show. We left Wednesday morning in a rental SUV with good winter tires and 4 wheel drive. After stopping for a lunch at the best little bakery in Merritt (Brambles… it’s a must do!) we hit the road. Just as we got back on the Coquihalla, we heard that they had closed the highway in both directions. At this point, we were already on a section that you couldn’t turn around so we just decided to take our chances and keep going. Worst case scenario, we figured we could play cards for a few hours if we got stopped – plus we had a safety kit with some extra food, water and warm clothes (highly recommended for any winter travelling). Visibility was poor and the highway had pretty much turned from 3 lanes to 1 ½ lanes but we slowed down and just took it easy! It may have taken a little bit longer than we had hoped, but with good music, good tires and four wheel drive – the trek really wasn’t that difficult.
After five days at the Motorcycle Show (which was so much fun!), it was time to come home. Sunday evening we checked the road reports while eating dinner in Chilliwack (such a good sushi place there) and everything looked fine… definitely not worse than Wednesday so we figured we were in the clear… There was heavy rainfall through to Hope and then the snow started falling. It was a complete white out to the point of not being able to see a foot in front of the vehicle. Even being prepared with a good vehicle and supplies – we couldn’t go faster than 40-50km/hour. Thinking the snow might clear up the higher we got – we kept going! By the time we reached the summit – we did not want to continue. Yes, I am sure we would have been fine to keep going slow but neither of us felt like driving that slow in those conditions when we had just worked all day. Wishing we would have stayed overnight in Hope, we stopped at the old toll booth rest area to try and figure out what to do. At this point, we figured it would take just as much time to go back to Hope as it would be to continue onto Merritt so away we went. Two minutes later, we both just realized that there was no way we could drive in the blizzard as it was just too nauseating to drive through all that blowing snow.
It was at this point I said “I really wish there was somewhere to stay overnight here”… Meghan looked at me and with what seemed like an epiphany – said something that was music to my ears… “I think there is a place just ahead”. And she was right!  A moment later we were just able to make out a sign for the Coquihalla Lakes Lodge. We immediately pulled over and called to see if they had any space for the night and we were in luck, they did! The owner Mark told us to drive down – 2 mins from the highway but with the limited visibility and nearly snowed in road… it seemed like a lot longer. He met us in the parking lot on a snowmobile and was overjoyed at the amount of snow that had fallen! He told us to park and jump on the sled. Pardon? We have to sled in? I was a little apprehensive as I have never been on a snowmobile but was also excited to try it out. Meghan and I decided right then, that instead of being disappointed we couldn’t make it home, we would look at this as an opportunity to check out a local tourism product and make a bit of an adventure out of it. Approaching the main lodge, we were immediately greeted by Coconut, the resident dog which made us both feel immediately ‘at home’ since we were both missing our dogs! Mark and his on-site employee were so hospitable and made us feel so welcome that evening. After having been sold out for the weekend – Mark invited us into his home and offered us dinner and drinks while he got our cabin ready. After a short wait, we were taken to our cabin on what has to be one of the most unique valet services in the area… by snowmobile.


I didn’t really know what to expect as usually I am the type of person to research where I stay first, but the cabin was great. With a full kitchen, living room, bathroom and loft with two double beds – we were so excited to be staying there. After a glass of wine (we definitely had our priorities straight when grabbing what we needed from the car for our overnight stay), we both snuggled up in our beds with some very comfortable bedding Mark graciously supplied us with (usually, you bring your own) – we feel alsleep to the crackling and glow of the wood fire. Waking up feeling rested, we were excited to go outside and check out the area… there was a ton of snow… I mean a TON! It was above our heads in some places and we both wished we had our winter clothes with us so we could jump right in. The cabin patio opened up to a view of the lake and the peacefulness of the area just stunned us. Looking around, it was easy to see that the outdoor recreation opportunities were endless – from snowmobiling, ice fishing, snowshoeing or cross country skiing in the Winter (did we mention you can pretty much do these activities up until April!) to swimming, fishing, ATV’ing, mountain bike riding and more in the summer months. There is even a person on-site to give you a massage after a long day snowmobiling (must call ahead to book)! After having a wander around, another little rip on the snowmobiles and some coffee – Mark had plowed us a route out and we were on our way. Monday morning, the roads were clear and the sky was blue and we had a beautiful drive into Kamloops. This place is definitely great for families and would be a perfect addition to your  getaway to Kamloops!
They say everything happens for a reason, so next time life gives you snow… go snowmobiling!!

-Kamloops Kendel

Posted in Family Friendly, Travel, Winter Activities | Leave a comment

6am Wake Up Calls Welcome on SKI DAY!

Posted on January 25, 2012 by

It’s Friday morning and my alarm clock goes off at 6am. The snooze button is about to be hit for the first of at least three times until wait … it’s not a work day, it’s a ski day! Isn’t it amazing how easy it is to bound out of bed when the snow capped mountain tops are calling your name? The same holds true for my kids, who are normally morning people, but especially more so today. The kitchen is a flurry of activity as hot cocoa is being poured into thermoses, hearty sandwiches are being wrapped, and of course a myriad of cookies, chips and other treats make their way into the super stuffed lunch bags! Oh, we’re stoked.

 
The day we headed up to Harper was on the tail end of the cold snap, so when we got to the mountain, it was minus 17. Brrrr! Despite the cold, it was beautiful. The lodge’s chimney showed that the fire was already going inside and the evergreen trees laden with snow and were beautiful. We unpacked our gear and made our way inside to meet up with our group.

 

Our boys were taking ski lessons that day and renting equipment, and the process was an easy and smooth one. The kids love the instructors, especially the realllllly tall guy with the Scottish brogue. The nice thing about Harper Mountain is that you can sit inside the lodge if you want, and you can see the hills that the tow rope and T-bar service where the kids are skiing. Most people are used to solely going on a chair lift, but there are some pretty decent runs off of the T-bar including a black diamond and many blue runs. The chair lift is also great, but didn’t open until 12:30pm on the weekday we were there.


What I like about Harper is the family atmosphere. We don’t feel pressured to bag as many runs as we can, but ski for about an hour or two, come in to warm up, visit and snack by one of two fireplaces, and then head out again. There is also night skiing which I’m excited to try and tubing which we’re going to do with a bunch of friends for sure this year. Downstairs are a bunch of cubbies where you can keep your lunch, boots and other gear, plus if you don’t want to pack a lunch, there’s a cafeteria where you can purchase hot dogs, burgers, fries and other bevies.  Harper Mountain is only 20 minutes from Kamloops, so even if you’re looking to do a half day, the cost and drive are reasonable and make it a good morning, afternoon (or all day) activity.

~ Awesome Aleece

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No Explosions This Time, Just BIG Science Centre Fun!

Posted on January 10, 2012 by

What kid (or big kid) doesn’t love science? Even if you don’t have a passion for science, I guarantee you’ll LOVE the BIG Little Science Centre as our family did.

The BIG Little Science Centre first opened its doors in February of 2000 by Gordon Gore, a retired science teacher who aims to teach science through interactive and hands on teaching. We were fortunate to have Mr. Gore do the ‘Science of Light and Colour’ show on the Saturday we went to the Centre. The Centre has been in a few locations in Kamloops but now is at its home in the George Hilliard School on Kamloops’ North Shore. When we first walked in, we were cheerily greeted by Susan Hammond who showed us where we could put our coats, where the washrooms were, told us what time the show started and encouraged us to check out the interactive displays.

We were treated to a show first where Mr. Gore showed various experiments with light and colour. Takes me back to my days of high school science classes, though this was much more fun enjoying the oohs and aahs from the crowd, with no test after either (best part). Kids ranged from 3 years of age to teens, and along with grandparents and parents, the show was appropriate and fun for all. Our 5 year old son Calum was chosen as a volunteer and enjoyed being a part of the experiment with light.

Next we went to explore the hands on experiments. There are three classrooms devoted to hands on experiments (140+) and I’d recommend giving yourself a good 2 hours to explore them all. There are volunteers on hand to explain what to do, but the kids had a great time figuring out for themselves what would happen and each station has clearly written instructions. From blowing MASSIVE bubbles, experimenting with magnets, screaming into a sound proof box and enjoying the many mirrors which warp and contort your face and body, our family loved it. The nice thing too, was that there is so much room, you don’t ever feel crowded or pushed to rush through the Centre. And it’s cost effective too. It was $10 for our family of 4 (2 kids and 2 adults). There are special presentations each Saturday at 1:30pm, and they typically theme them from the Science of Christmas: Santa’s Secrets, to other fun shows and demonstrations. Check out the Tourism Kamloops page for more information and enjoy the wonders of Science this year!

Until next time,

Awesome Aleece

 

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Cap off the holidays with 1000′s of sparkling ‘wild’ lights!

Posted on December 29, 2011 by

It’s Monday night and I’ve just gotten home when there’s a knock on my door. I open it and find my boyfriend standing there, rather unexpectedly. He tells me to “get changed and get in the car” and absolutely won’t tell me where we’re going. I trust him enough to know it’s not a kidnapping, but past that I’m oblivious. So now I have a problem, and every girl reading this already knows what it is. What do I wear? Is casual okay or do I have to step it up a notch? Winter boots or runners? Extra warm socks or everyday regular socks? And I was getting no hints from the boyfriend.

So he eventually gets me into the car and off we go… to the BC Wildlife Park! Every year around the holidays they put on their Annual Wildlights Festival. This year is the 14th year and it runs from December 9th – January 2nd, 5:00pm-9:00pm. Upon our entry (only $12/person!), we were greeted by Santa, jolly as could be and handing out candy canes – definitely a favourite holiday treat of mine. We spent a little bit of time walking around the interior of the building and looking at the different snakes and other reptiles. My favourite snake was Purshia and she is a Coluber constrictor or “Racer Snake.” She definitely looked like she was built for speed and she had huge black eyes. We also learned a lot walking around the indoor Discovery Centre which explores the various habitats in BC – Rain Forest, Grasslands, Mountains, Interior Plateaus and the North. This is also where the (extremely cute) Burrowing Owls have their home and the BC Wildlife Park is the largest Burrowing Owl breeding facility in the world!

When we finally got outside, the park was beautifully lit up all around with various light displays and I giggled like a little girl when I got to hit the “push” button on an interactive display which caused a penguin to go slip-sliding off of an iceberg. There was hot chocolate, apple cider, hot dogs and other snacks available for everyone as well. We got to see Uncle Chris the Clown entertain the crowd while we sat around campfires and enjoyed the treats. Even though we had already walked around the park to see the lights, we decided to take the Wildlights Express Mini Train that runs around the park for a second look. It was nice because you get to see the light displays from different angles, and some displays you get closer to on the train than you can following the walking path. You can also take a wagon ride if you want!

Since it is so dark out during the Wildlights Festival, there’s not much to see in the way of the animals while you are strolling around the park but we did manage to see the shadowy masses of sleeping buffalo and a few sheep. The noctural coyotes were actively running around their habitat as well, which was fun to see. You are able to go and say hello to the animals in the Home Hardware Double H Corral Family Farm too, and they even had pot belly pigs in there this year. Every night at 7:30pm is the wolf feeding too which is quite the sight to see. You can tell they know it’s dinner time as the four of them line up and pace by where the food will be thrown over by the park staff. Once the wolves are fed, the park staff tells the audience a little bit about them and how a wolf pack functions.

In past years, the BC Wildlife Park caps off the night with an incredible fireworks show but new this year was a Laser Light Show that happened twice throughout the evening. It was a fun showcase of what is possible with today’s light technology set to Christmas tunes ranging from the smooth Michael Buble to the rockin’ Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and the kids absolutely loved it! This event is perfect for a fun family night out. I had a great time while I was there but if I could pass on any advice, it would be to make sure you wear the extra warm socks instead of the everyday regular socks.

Happy Holidays!
Kess

Posted in Attractions, Events, Family Friendly | 1 Comment

FORE!!! Golf in December? It’s No Joke!

Posted on December 6, 2011 by

On a sunny but brisk December morning, Let Loose Lisa and I were feeling up for a round of golf…  but where, oh where might we golf in December?  With the beautiful weather we have been having, I’m sure you’d believe me if I said we went out and played a round of 18 at one of our 12 local courses… but in honesty – we’d be waiting all day due to frost delay.  So, we instead ventured deep into our city centre to a location so central, you’d have to be a hacker to miss it!

We arrived at Legends Indoor Golf which is located in Lansdowne Centre.  Upon arrival, we were immediately impressed with the facility.  As you walk in, there is a section to the right selling golf equipment which is very reminiscent to entering a Pro Shop.  We instantly felt that this place was for golfers… the modern feel and decor was definitely above par to many other similar establishments I have seen. There are 5 simulators in the main area all fitted with a bar top table and a few chairs and a few more tables down the centre to accommodate larger groups.  There is a more private room fitted with leather chairs and the largest stimulator of them all perfect for a private party.  The whole facility is licensed with a snack bar and options for catering.

Let Loose Lisa and I were immediately drawn into the large private room.  We were anxious to test these simulators out and I was first up.  The first thing Dave (the owner) showed us was the golf analysis tool.  I stepped up and took a swing while a camera filmed me from the back and side.  Next, he brought up an avatar which indicates the proper movements of a swing.  What I found out was that I actually have pretty good form.  Other then my arms not being quite straight enough, my posture was very good and my accuracy was better than many experienced players (or so he said).  I found this so interesting because I am not a golfer at all, and have only played a few times in my life but he said with a bit of practice, I have potential to be really quite good.  This was great news to hear and actually made me more motivated to get out and practice  this upcoming year!  After the analysis, he showed us a few of the 21 courses available including Banff Springs, Pebble Beach & Wooden Sticks (to name a few)… the High Def screens were so realistic – (including sounds of birds, waves, etc.) it does actually feel as though you are right there. 

If playing a full round of golf isn’t quite up your alley – there are several other fun games to pick from including skills contests (window break, hit the tractor, long drive competitions, etc.)  Heck – you can even bring your Wii or Xbox to set up and play or play a round followed by watching a Canucks game or the like.  There really is something for everyone here.  If you’re a serious golfer, you will love this facility to practice over the winter – head on down for Men’s or Ladies’ Night, lessons with the GPA certified professional or just grab a group of friends and head down for a drink and some fun!  Bring your own clubs or rent them there… the options are endless.

From out of town?  No problem… Grab a foursome and head into Kamloops overnight.  One night accommodation at the Best Western Hotel Plus Kamloops, complimentary breakfast and a round of golf at Legends all for $70/person (based on a foursome).

Overall – this is a great new tourism product in Kamloops and Lisa and I will definitely be back down sharpening up our skills for the spring ;)

- Kamloops Kendel

 

Watch our Video from Legends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UnMHR1ZWg0

 

 


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