March break
I love writing a post about this wonderful week we have to break up the winter. If you’re lucky enough to have the time off with your kids there is so much fun to be had.
It’s nice that the temperature is usually starting to warm up and it’s actually nice to be outside. It may be the perfect time to hit the outdoor skating rinks or the really interesting and beautiful skating through the forest we have so close to us in Lac-des-Loups (they update daily with their ice conditions).
Sliding is always a great way to spend some time outside with friends, we have a great hill here in town at the RA. There’s skiing and snowshoeing, hiking, walks through the trails and so much more. Get outside together and take in some great fresh air.
March break is a great time to catch up with the kiddos. Take some down time to reconnect. The great thing about this school break is it comes at a time where there’s nothing big to prepare for, no big holiday lurking around the corner.
Take advantage of the time and try to choose activities that will enable you to bond and connect with your child/children. Sometimes this can come in the form of a game day, or a PJ day, an art day, or a hockey day.
It really depends on your child. You can brainstorm what they’d like to do before the week begins and delegate days so that you make time and fit it all in.
If you’re looking to head out of town for a day there is lots to take in so close to home. We are so lucky to have free passes available at the library to all the Ottawa museums. Check them out soon if you plan to attend one.
There’s also the possibility of a tour of the Parliament buildings, going trampolining, swimming at a wave pool, indoor amusement parks, bowling and the movies. Check out a City of Gatineau website for any special events happening during the Gatineau March break. Make a list of your kids’ favourites and pick one out of a hat so there’s no fighting.
If you’re staying home this March break and run out of fun stuff to do, you can always try some science. Science experiments are so much fun to do, so cool to talk about and really are a great learning experience. Here are a few experiments that are simple to do and really interesting to explore:
Electric Eels
(https://bitzngiggles.com/electric-eels/): What you need: Two glasses, a small dish, fork, four to six gummy worms, three tablespoons of baking soda, 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 cup of water. What to do:
1. Cut each gummy worm lengthwise at least four times with kitchen shears (an adult should do this).
2. In a glass mix the water and baking soda.
3. Add the gummy worms to the baking soda mixture and mix.
4. Let the gummy worms sit in the baking soda mixture for 10-15 minutes.
5. Transfer the gummy worms with a fork to a small dish.
6. Pour the 1/2 cup of vinegar into the empty glass and begin to add the gummy worms one at a time. You can repeat the process with the same worms a few times, just rinse them off before re-doing the experiment.
The Milk experiment
This is super easy and quite neat to watch. Pour milk into a bowl or shallow dish, add food colouring (a few drops of a few colours). Dip a Q-tip in dish soap and then pass it through the milk. Watch how the colours and soap react.
Water bottle experiment
Fill an empty plastic water bottle three quarters full of baking soda. Colour a few cups of vinegar with food colouring in a separate bottle or glass. Stick your water bottle in a snow bank and pour the vinegar into the water bottle. Watch the explosion.
Whatever your family decides to do this March break have a wonderful time at it.
