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Electronic Guitar Shirt |
Cindy McGlynn
Movie Entertainment
March 2010
Three cheers for March break – the just-in-time breather that helps kids and parents survive until they’re wrapped in summer’s warm embrace. Whether you’re staying home or going away, we’ve rounded up some cool activities to make sure your break is as entertaining as it is relaxing.
MARCH SOMEWHERE NEW THIS YEAR
Disney’s always a crowd pleaser, but if you’ve done the mouse house before, consider the West Coast and a visit to California’s Legoland, just outside San Diego. Similar to the Lego-themed parks popular in Europe, North America’s only Legoland is geared for kids from 2 to 12 and offers more than 50 rides and attractions including interactive adventure rides, a waterpark, stunning Lego miniatures, unique shows and dozens of other features in a grassy, 128-acre park setting. While you’re in the ’hood, swing by the wonderful Sea Life aquarium next door, and then see the pandas at the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Visit www.legoland.com and www.sandiego.org for information.
LATER SKATER!
Enjoying a staycation this month? Kick it up a notch with a Disney on Ice show. Small children are thrilled by the wonderful costumes and sets, sparkling special effects and talented performers. Princess Classics is for little ladies, featuring Cinderella and the gals; Let’sCelebrate has something for everyone with old favourites like Woody and Buzz Lightyear and an introduction to Disney’s newest princess, Tiana.
Princess Classics: March 3-7, Montreal’s Bell Centre; March 10-14, Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place; March 17-21, Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum.
Let’s Celebrate: March 3-7, Toronto’s Rogers Centre.
DAY TRIP
Maple syrup festivals will be showing off how Canada’s tastiest treat is made. Sleigh rides, hot chocolate, music and, of course, maple syrup abound at private and public sugar shacks in Central and Eastern Canada. Call your local conservation area or tourist board for local dates. By early April, western readers can taste Canada’s other delicacy: birch syrup!
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, Elmira, Ont.: March 27.
Saint-Georges Sugar Festival, Saint-Georges, Que.: March 17-21.
Sugar Moon Farm, Earltown, N.S.: Open year round, with special March-break programming.
Birch Place Farm, Quesnel, B.C.: Early April birch sap tours.
FAMILY CHANNEL HITS THE ROAD
Family Channel goes on the road over March break with a tour of science centres in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. There will be games, basketball shootouts, bungee runs, photo booths and great prizes. All dates, times and locations will be available on Family.ca as of March 1.
HOW DO THEY PUT THE CENTRES IN THE CHOCOLATES?
Filmmaker Don White solves the mystery (in tasty Technicolor) in one of a series of Canadian children’s films answering this and other puzzlers: How do they make money? How do they recycle paper? See these films for free at
www.nfb.ca – the National Film Board of Canada’s website. There are also hundreds of fun, educational films and wonderful children’s classics like Paddle to the Sea and The Sweater.
COLOUR ME
Turn your favourite March madness photos into printable colouring pages, with a cool online gizmo at www.crayola.com/colourme. Follow the simple instructions to create an account and use the promotional code PR24QCHT to upload your photos. They’ll be rendered into drawings waiting to be coloured.
READ MUCH?
Word Nerd follows the adventures of 12-year-old Ambrose – a homeschooled smart kid who loves words, hates bullies and is deathly allergic to peanuts. When local kids try to slip a peanut into his sandwich, his mother keeps him home, where he meets his match at Scrabble in Cosmo, the landlord’s son and neighbourhood jailbird. A wonderful friendship develops against the backdrop of competitive Scrabble. Susin Nielsen’s rollicking story is nominated for a 2010 Red Maple Award.
DRESSED TO THRILL
Got a budding guitarist in the family? Check out the Electronic Guitar Shirt – a multi-tasking T-shirt that lets kids rock out with apparel. Recorded major electric-guitar chords are housed in a (removable) electronic panel inside the front of the shirt. You “strum” the shirt with a magnetic pick (included) and clip the powerful mini-amp to your belt. Hey Mom, it’s machine-washable! $29.99 U.S. at www.thinkgeek.com.