Christmas has always been my favourite holiday season - I love the music, the decorations, the holiday traditions, the giddy kids, and the feeling of happiness that fills the air. Our family seems to attend the same events and take part in the same Christmas activities year after year though and I wonder sometimes if we should branch out a bit and try something new. But, upon reflection, I think that I love these activities precisely because they have become family traditions and an integral part of our holiday celebrations so we'll continue with the same old things but leave open the possibility of trying something new.
I recently had the pleasure of attending Medieval Times Dinner & Tournamentas a chaperone with Emma's grade 4 class. This is probably the most anticipated field trip of the year for the students as many of them have heard glowing reports from older siblings that participated in previous years.
One of our family's favourite attractions in Toronto is the Royal Ontario Museum (The "ROM"). The ROM is one of the world's leading museums of natural history and of world cultures and has many engaging permanent exhibits as well as fantastic temporary exhibitions. My 9 year old daughter, Emma, and I recently paid a visit to the ROM as we were keen to check out the world premier of the Ultimate Dinosaurs Exhibition. Neither of us are particularly interested in dinosaurs but I had heard so much about this exhibition that I thought we should see it for ourselves.
The Art Gallery of Ontario ("the AGO") is located in downtown Toronto and is one of the largest art museums in North America. The AGO, which was founded in 1900, now has more than 80,000 works in its collection, including a large Canadian collection as well as many masterpieces of European art, contemporary art and photography. It's a world-class art museum and it's also one of the most family-friendly galleries we have visited.
St. Lawrence Market has been thriving in downtown Toronto since 1803 and has recently been recognized by National Geographic as the number one food market in the world. Anyone who enjoys food markets simply must make it a priority when visiting Toronto. Emma and I recently visited late one week day morning and discovered that it's a fun place for kids to visit too.
One of the best art galleries in Canada can be found in the village of Kleinburg, just a short drive north of Toronto. It's a great choice for families who want to experience an art gallery with their children as kids seem drawn to the landscape art (particularly if they have studied the Group of Seven in school); the gallery is not too large so it's easy to spend 2-3 hours and see the collection; there is great programming for families, particularly on weekends; and the extensive grounds and walking trails are a great way to burn off some energy while exploring outdoors.
The Toronto Zoo is a great place for families with kids of any age to spend a few hours or an entire day. The zoo, which is considered one of the world's finest, is open year-round although hours vary depending on the time of the year. Some animals are also not on display during the winter and some of the snack bars and other attractions are closed as well. We prefer to visit in the spring or fall when the weather is pleasant - not too hot and not too cold for walking around.
Katie, Emma and I attended a performance of Potted Potter at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto last evening that was one of the funniest things that I have seen in the theatre in a long time. Arriving in Toronto direct from London's West End, Potted Potter is an unauthorized parody of the Harry Potter series written and performed by British actors Dan Clarkson & Jeff Turner.
For quite some time I have been dreaming about visiting a traditional European Christmas Market. It's highly unlikely that this will happen anytime soon though since the reality of having school-age kids means that we aren't able to travel in early December. Early last week, however, I was delighted to discover that there is a Christmas market practically in my own backyard.
I recently accompanied my daughter Emma's grade 3 class on a field trip to Black Creek Pioneer Village located in north-west Toronto. The last time that I visited was with Katie's class seven years ago and I had forgotten how much fun it is. Yes, that's right - two teachers, four parents and about thirty 8 year-olds and I had fun - despite the downright chilly weather.
Welcome to Gone with the Family! I'm Lisa and I'm on a mission to show my kids the world - one trip at a time! This site is about the adventures that we have had along the way - 16 years and counting. We hope to inspire you to
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