Black Pearl Life Style

We discovered a lovely new park, Red Oak Park in Wasaga Beach. It's quiet and safe  (a long walkway from the road). the play structure is new and exciting for the kids and the swings are old school (they go very high!). It's a great find and lovely spot for the local community.  Here's the link! https://www.wasagabeach.com/Document%20Library/Parks%20and%20Amenities.pdf

We stumbled across this great Easter activity and it satisfied Ella's curiosity for a Bouncy Castle experience. Starting with a horse drawn carriage ride, then in to the Rec Plex for an intense 15 minutes of activities including balloon modelling and soft play adventure playgrounds. Very cool and the kids loved it! Here's a link! https://thepeakfm.com/event/383/wasaga-beach-easter-eggstravaganza/

This is a great, seasonal craft for the kids (albeit messy), but some great options available that make the process easier. Walmart sells 'fake'eggs (impressive considering the price) that come with dye and display egg carton. I would recommend newspaper and/or plastic covering anything within a 2 meter radius and wipes at the ready. The end result is wonderful and the kids love it. Happy Easter! Here's a link! https://www.walmart.ca/en/kc/how-to-dye-easter-eggs/KC1427732697000

Home made Pizza is such a quick, easy and simple way to prepare a home cooked meal and a great introduction for kids to the kitchen. I use store-bought dough but the kids can help with spreading the tomato sauce and adding toppings. It's a great way to get them involved, give them independence and teach some basic cooking skills. I transfer the (hot) dough onto the kitchen counter using parchment to avoid contact with the hot metal cooking tray. It's a good way to reaffirm safety in the kitchen, especially around hot foods and the oven. Magnus liked to nibble the toppings pre-oven... another potential/ good teaching moment. I tend to make a huge batch of marinara prior to the event and add goodies like bell pepper, carrot and sometimes even zucchini (then blend) for added nutritional benefit. 

For a active & educational day with the kids, we would highly recommend Smart Moves play place in Barrie. It's a great facility, with a 'science' theme, although the main goal is fun and adventure through play. There are a plethora of fantastic installations and would suit little ones through to older kids ( the larger play structures would entertain much older kids). I was very satisfied with the locking gates at the entrance with a stamp system to identify the caregiver with their respective children. Washrooms and Cafe are also great. Tailor made for kids at a great price ($12 per child). Highly recommend.  Here's the link! http://www.smartmovesplayplace.com/

This is such an easy craft for the kids. It's fun and the finished work is fantastic! Just keep any old toilet rolls and find some paint. Use scissors, ( good training for the kids too) and cut lines around the toilet roll on one side. Once bent, this forms a toilet roll 'paint brush'. Use wildly and expressively! Here are some pic from our afternoon! 

It's important to find fun things to do during March Break. Elephant Thoughts is a fabulous organisation, with a retail store in Collingwood (a regular pit stop for the kids and I). We played with foam and planted seeds, as well as check out our friends the Lemurs and Turtles. Read about the work Elephant Thoughts does World Wide! Here's the link! https://www.facebook.com/elephantthoughts/

 Such a fun way to spend March Break in Wasaga Beach. The Tree Fort is a new soft play area for kids. It's small but has a vast array of activities available. The kids were instantly compelled to explore and the area is small enough that you can see what's happening at all times (something that is impossible in the bigger soft play areas). Well worth the trip Here's the facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/thetreefortkidsfunzone/

As the Winter Session began at the fabulous 'Head over Heels' gymnastics club this week, the kids are enjoying the great program and facilities that they offer. While Ella joins the 'Kindergym' group, Magnus has started Parent and Tot, as well as joining the drop in program in the mornings. It was a great introduction and he was thrilled. Gymnastics is a wonderful way for kids to build confidence, learn important life skills such as team work, conflict resolution and taking turns and keep fit! I have been impressed by the dedication of the staff as well as their focus and compassion with the kids. All in all, an enriching and worthwhile experience. Here's the link to the gym http://www.headoverheelsgymnastics.ca/

It's hard to play outside when it's minus 30... so why not bring the snow inside! This was an improvised craft using snow and food colouring. I'll invest in some snow-specific paint next time. Food colouring was fun, but didn't quite mix and blend like paint. Here's a video of the snow/painting frenzy.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hlqz0HNForg&feature=youtu.be

Happy New Year! Hopefully everyone had a fun, (warm and safe) day welcoming 2018. The New Year symbolizes a new chapter, a great opportunity to change habits or re-focus our energies on something new. Experts suggest a gentle approach, to avoid 'resolution-bomb' and to visualize life one year ahead "without coffee/ with six pack abs/ volunteering in the community/ with new culinary repertoire" (insert resolution) to encourage success. Every year I attempt to give up lattes. (Not this year, it's too hard). I have however vowed to carve out time to email friends I love and miss.  Stay happy and healthy folks! See you in 2018! Love from all at Black Pearl Emporium See links for some great tips! https://globalnews.ca/news/3940146/tips-achieve-2018-new-years-resolutions/ http://abcnews.go.com/Health/years-resolutions-nutritionists-tips-staying-healthy-inside-2018/story?id=51745220

Collingwood is truly a Winter Wonderland and becoming an iconic holiday destination. Despite the bitterly cold temperatures, the town is hosting an icy celebration,  'Frozen in Time', 28th - 30th December. As well as some stunning ice sculptures lining the streets of downtown Collingwood, Simcoe Street is closed to traffic, housing games, a welcoming open air fireplace and a thrilling 'ice slide' ( pictured below). The kids will love it, bundle up and get Frozen in Time! Here's the link! http://frozenintimefestival.visitsouthgeorgianbay.ca/

We featured this craft during a Festive Play Date we hosted last week. Looking for an easy, appealing craft that the kids would enjoy, we found plenty of variations on trusty Pinterest  http://mommylittlehelper.blogspot.ca/2011/12/santa-claus.html   With just paper plates (that I pre-cut, and pre-glued using Popsicle stick 'holders')some glue and cotton wool, the kids were able to conjure up their Santa masks. I didn't have red card, so managed to find some decorative card for the hat cut outs. Here's a quick video we made while Ella, Magnus and I were practicing  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pNCSc_zZl0&feature=youtu.be