Ashley Tisdale as nerd girl
Picture This (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) — She’s blonde, she’s pretty and she can sing, hence Ashley Tisdale is everywhere. And she’s starring in her own movie (which she actually helped produce). She plays Mandy
Back to home school
Even if you homeschool throughout the summer, there are things to get ready at the beginning of the traditional school year. This is the time of year new curriculum materials come out, and let’s face it, everyone needs a deal
See the circus through art
The Circus Comes to Town (Toronto Reference Library) — A lot of art and entertainment helps us escape the everyday. And when you see this collection of posters, pamphlets, books and artefacts celebrating c
A dietitian wades into the food fight
Ask any group of parents whether their children are ‘good’ eaters and you’re likely to get a collective eye-rolling groan. One may be struggling to please a picky eater, another may be trying to combat a child’s weight problem and
Pick what’s on your plate
City dwellers often don’t have the space to grow their own fruits and vegetables, let alone the time that it takes to cultivate them. A small plot or containers filled with herbs or a tomato plant or two are as
Bikes aboard
Timmy Salama hands his bike up to an orange-vested Bike Train loader. The 10-year-old has just returned from a couple of hours cycling around Niagara Falls with his mother and father. It’s his first trip to The Falls and he’s
Same dream in High Park
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (High Park) — Complain all you like that CanStage keeps remounting the same play for its annual High Park outdoor showing. Be even more annoyed that ahdri zhina mandiela urban-inspired version is being totally
The ugly side of the beauty business
My two daughters – aged five and 10 – routinely return home from birthday parties with goodie bags stuffed to the brim with lip-gloss, nail polish, body glitter and “perfume”. Putting aside for the moment my concerns that they’re
Summer fun by the dozen
Whether on the beach, at the cottage or on the home front, with this round-up of toys, the playing is easy.
Sesame Street’s Beaches addrress
Who would wear fur from head to toe on a tropical Caribbean island? The answer is just one of the things that makes Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort ideal for preschoolers. Furry and familiar, Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster and fellow
Geocaching – a sport that is ”caching” on
The 10- year- old looks at the small gully, glances down at her hand- held Global Positioning System (GPS) then, with her head up, jumps over the ditch and runs up the hill. According to her coordinates, she is “arriving
Anxiety in New Moms
While most people are tuned into the warning signs of postpartum depression in new mothers, friends and family members are far less likely to make the connection between a mom's feelings of anxiety about her new role as a mother
Understanding the four stages of learning
Our children learn new things every day at school, and we often do the same at home or work. But have you ever stopped to consider exactly how we learn a new skill? While it may not be something to
Fringe Festival caters to kids
The Fringe Kidsvenue (Palmerston Library) — If your family is crazy busy (if? of course it is), the Fringe is forgiving. At any given time during the festival you can whip out when you’ve got an hour and soak up
Next Star for Canadian kids
(YTV) — Reality TV is taking over the tube, and seeping into the kid market now. This latest addition is one your youngsters might want to catch. This Canadian production is going to find a promising singer under 15 from
Play it safe outdoors this summer
On a typical summer day, parents may find themselves participating in more activities with their kids. As the heat draws us outdoors to take trips, explore nature and try to cool off.
And, as children head outdoors, many parents sens
Charity creates Little Geeks
Wondering what to do with the computer that’s been shuffled off to some corner of your house to make room for a newer model? Donate that used computer and related items to Little Geeks Foundation, a not-for-profit that collects, refurbis
Summer reading to make you smile
Long summer days give us time for contemplation as well as play. These new titles take us into summer with a smile.
For a start let’s tag along with author Carolyn Beck and illustrator Andrea Beck as they take us
Alice Upside Down
(Anchor Bay) — If you and your family are tired of the perfectly cute and perfectly polished teens in today’s movies and TV shows, you will like Alice. Played by Alyson Stoner (she was the tomboy Sarah in Cheaper by
Get set for summer reading
You can hear the groans from students and parents alike as every June the teachers merrily wave the students on their way to summer vacation with cries of, “Have fun! Play outside! Don’t forget your sunscreen! Read! Read! Read! You