Ditch the backpacks, put away the pencil cases and store the lunch boxes - school is almost out and the freedom of summer awaits! Sounds like the perfect reason to party! Whether you invite all the kids on the street, a few classmates or just your family it’s time to celebrate your child's hard work. Just be sure to keep it casual and unstructured – unlike their last nine months of busy schedules and classrooms.  Here’s a few tips and ideas to help get your party started: 

Mark the Occasion:  Get out the sidewalk chalk and welcome your child home to a “Bring on Summer” message in the driveway or create a banner across your doorway for them to rip into to kick off the fun.

Fancy Fruit: A pretty easy way to add some flare to a fruit salad.  Use your imagination to carve a basket or bowl shape out of  a large watermelon and the kids won’t be able to refuse having fruit out of such a cool serving dish.

Flip Out: Have a new pair of flip flops ready and waiting for each child when they arrive in the door. There’s nothing they’ll like more than taking off their socks and letting their feet breath in the summer air.  Except maybe this fun flip flop cake that’s easy to make and will be even more enjoyable to eat!

Water Ways: Blow up the pool, pull out the sprinkler, pump up the squirt guns and fill up some water balloons for some all out water play.  Let loose, cause nothing will kick off summer better than a refreshing splash of water in the backyard.

What are some of the ways you’ll be celebrating the end of the school year?  Feel free to post your ideas below, we would love to hear from you.

1. Let your Curiosity get the best of your with the Curiosity Kits! Join the Discovery Centre on Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm for an event that will have kids bouncing off the walls! Local toy company The Orb Factory, has launched a make-bouncy-ball kit which, after being featured on The View has become one of the hottest craft kits in North America. Pulsar Powerballs allow children to design and create their own bouncing balls that really light up! The Orb Factory is partnering with the Discovery Centre to let children try the Powerballs for themselves – for free! 2. Are you ready to take the first step in the fight against prostate cancer? Put on those running shoes, invite your friends and family, and make this Father's Day one to remember. Head to the Canada Games Centre at 9:30am on Sunday for for the Prostate Cancer Walk/Run. 3. The oldest and largest cultural festival in Halifax, NS. Join in this weekend for authentic entertainment, delicious food, cultural exhibits and tours and family activities! Greek Fest welcomes your little Olympian with an area dedicated just for them! They have face painting, an inflatable ride, cool treats, and balloons (of course). Or bring your kids to participate in the Greek Fest Scavenger Hunt – a fun and interactive way of learning about Greek culture. Find all the items on the sheet, get them stamped and then return the sheet to the Kid’s area for a prize! 4. It's Telus Family Sunday at the Art Gallery! Join them for an afternoon of art making inspired by Nova Scotia folk art! Work in both two and three dimensions to create whimsical and humourous pieces of art. So much fun for the whole family, from 1-4 on Sunday! 5. The Sobey MBA Society, in support of the Make a Wish Foundation presents the Pirate Family Fun Day. Join them for a water fight on the high seas (Halifax Harbour Waterfront, Cable Wharf) as Theodore the Tugboat and the Tall Ship Silva duke it out for naval supremacy! There will be two sails, one at 9:30am, and one at 10:00am from the Cable Wharf Dress: Participants are encouraged to wear pirate gear! Yarr! There will be Face painting, Barbeque, Tattoo Booth, Make-A-Wish Merchandise!

These mini-meatloaf and potato cupcakes are just as much fun to make as they are to eat and could be a fun Father's Day meal for the kids to help prepare.

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs ground turkey or beef

1 egg beaten

½ cup rolled oats

½ cup bread crumbs

1 small onion diced

3 tbsp ketchup

¼ tsp dry mustard

salt and pepper

cooking spray

4-5 Potatoes

Milk or cream

sour cream

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg, rolled oats, bread crumbs, diced onion, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper.  Mix until combined.

3. Lightly grease muffin pans

4. Fill muffin cups with turkey mixture and press slightly to flatten

5.  Bake for approx. 20-25 mins or until brown and slightly shrunken on the sides

6. While turkey is cooking, peel, chop and boil potatoes in lightly salted water until tender

7.  Drain potatoes and add a bit of milk and 1-2 tsp of sour cream to taste. Mash until well blended and smooth.

8.  To prepare the cupcake place the turkey muffin on a plate and top with a scoop of mashed potato

9. Use your imagination for the “sprinkles” on top: chopped chives, grated cheese, coarse black pepper, shredded carrots…we used Roasted Maple Flax Seeds from Omega Crunch (a great local company)– so yummy!

Celebrating the end of school with a party is a great way for your family to create lasting memories and it’s the perfect opportunity to start a new tradition that your kids can look forward to year after year. 

But as you know, if you're planning a kids' party you need plenty of activities to keep your young guests busy. Make sure some of your games are active ones, so kids can burn off energy and excitement (not to mention calories).

Here are a few creative ways to celebrate the end of school and kick off the start of a fun, active summer:

Water, water everywhere: Take advantage of the warm early summer weather with slip n’ slides, kiddie pools, water balloons, sprinklers, etc!  Play water games like sponge relays, water balloon catch, water balloon relay races, fill the cup on partners head with a water gun or sponge, etc...it all turns into a water fight anyway!

Have a P.O.O.L Party: Playing Outside On the Lawn...If it’s nice but not warm enough for water play, set up croquet, bocce ball, badminton, soccer baseball, Frisbee, skipping ropes, etc (or whatever you have in your garage). 

Throw a Sidewalk Chalk Festival: Keep it simple with some popsicles, lemonade, and baskets of sidewalk chalk scattered around the driveway and let the kids inner Picasso run wild and free. Work a bit of physical activity in with all the creativity by drawing hopscotch, tic tac toe and four square grids on the sidewalk for the kids to play with when they get tired of drawing.

Throw a neighborhood/block-wide scavenger hunt: Draw up a list of items found outdoors (red leaf, green leaf, rock bigger than your thumb, etc.). Distribute to individual party guests or form teams and have players fan out to find the items.Check out this great blog for a printable check list for your hunt

Rainy Day? No problem! You can still get the kids up and moving around inside if the weather is too poor for them to play outside. Music games are fun, like freeze dance (kids freeze in silly poses when music stops), musical chairs or hot potato, not to mention classics like Simon Says (or in this case, Teacher Says) or grab a broom and get them to try to limbo.

Dalplex, Dalhousie University's main fitness and recreation facility, has been proudly serving the community for over 30 years, offering a wide variety of fitness, wellness and recreation programs and classes for adults, children, youth and seniors.  Visit their website or follow them on facebook.

With summer just around the corner, it is well past time for some outdoor science from Let’s Discover. This week, you won’t need much at all: just patience, some binoculars (optional!) and most importantly, some sort of recording/playback device (a smartphone or a handheld recorder would work very well).

Birds can be found all over the world, but how familiar are you with the feathered fellows in your own backyard? Get ready because we are going to have you introduce yourself this week! The plan is very simple: many birds are at least a little bit territorial, and the way that they stake out their space is by singing. This is convenient for identification by ear, but you can also use this habit to attract birds to you. If you sit quietly outside for a period of time, you will notice the occasional birdsong. Get a good recording of one song, and play it back. The bird most likely to respond or react will be one of the same species that the song came from – possibly the original owner. You can meet your flighty neighbours by playing back their songs, seeing who comes to investigate, and putting a face to a tune. Note: there are smartphone apps that will do this for you, but we recommend the collecting process as part of the fun.

There are two catches: first, try not to play back the birds’ songs for too long at a time. It’s at least a little stressful for them, and though they won’t be as diligent about investigating songs as in the very early spring (when they’re first establishing their territories), by doing this, you are taking them temporarily away from the important business of foraging and possibly raising some young. Second, try not to attract them if any neighbourhood cats are around. Cats will catch and eat small birds and they don’t need any help from us!

Enjoy meeting your avian neighbours! Try to collect lots of songs, and if you bring a birding book (or the Internet) along, you can identify a few. If you’d also like to meet our ocean-going neighbours, keep an eye firmly on our website – our latest exhibit, TANKED: An Atlantic Aquarium Exhibit will be fully open soon – stay tuned!

For more great things to discover - visit the Discovery Centre on Barrington Street in Halifax, check out their website or join them on facebook

Even though it has only been two years since we had an infant in the house, I am constantly amazed by all of the new baby products I keep seeing on social media and in advertising. I can’t tell you how many times in the last few months I’ve said to myself, “Oh that’s a smart one, that would have come in handy.”

So even with the risk of sounding like I used to walk three miles to school in two feet of snow, I thought I’d share five baby products that I’ve seen recently that I wish existed (or that I knew about) when I had babies in the house. Note: I have not been solicited by these companies, these are my own opinions!

BooginHead SippiGrip - This is so simple and so smart. It’s a bungee cord that attaches a sippy cup to a stroller or high chair so the child can’t throw it and can get it themselves.

AngelCare Bath Support - There has always been a lot of debate when it comes to products for bathing babies. We kept it pretty simple with the traditional tub and inclined holder but when I saw this product I thought it would have been handy (and much easier on the back). I love the mesh and that it goes right in the tub – looks so much simpler than what we used ‘back in the day’.

Itzy Ritzy Wrap n Roll - I vividly remember the pain in my inner arm from lugging that infant car seat everywhere. This product protects your arm from getting sore and doubles as a play mat/ change pad. Need I say more?

Shaidee - I remember having our babies in carriers on hot days and trying so hard to keep them shielded from the sun. Hats would fall off or tilt to the side and cover half of their faces as they moved their heads back and forth. I remember draping receiving blankets over their bald heads to try and protect them but constantly being worried that they were getting too hot under it. A shade for carriers is an awesome and incredibly practical idea.

Yoomi - This bottle system warms milk itself. Seriously? I nursed the kids for their first year and we introduced bottles around a month after each of them were born. It gave us another option for when nursing wasn’t convenient or when someone else was looking after them (gave me some freedom as well). I do remember many times at restaurants asking for boiling water and trying to warm a bottle up at the table. How cool would it have been to have a bottle that came with a warmer you charge at home before you leave and takes only 60 seconds to warm when you need it?

Deanna is a Mom of three, wife, marketer and blogger - lover of travel, morning coffee, family time, belly laughs, good friends and uninterrupted showers! Follow her on twitter @DeannaCMiller

1. Doors Open takes place annually in cities around the world. Buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and social significance open their doors to the public for special programming and tours. Visitors are invited to properties that are not usually open to the public, or normally charge an entrance fee. Venues in Halifax include: Beth Israel Synagogue, The Canadian Hurricane Centre and Atlantic Storm Prediction Centre, City Hall, Saint George's Round Church, Ummah Mosque and Community Centre, the Halifax Club, the Little Dutch Church, Government House, Halifax Central LIbrary and many others! 2. On Sunday it's Switch Open Street Sunday! A 2km route on the Halifax peninsula (North & Agricola to Bell to Victoria Park) will be closed to vehicular traffic from 10am to 3pm and open to walkers, cyclists, in-line skaters, strollers, dancers, and more. 3. Ever since explorers began searching for a Northwest Passage over 400 years ago, the Arctic has been a fascinating and important area of study, rich with drama, adventure, even tragedy. Using artifacts, images, audio-visual presentations, and art, Echoes in the Ice: History, Mystery, and Frozen Corpses examines Arctic exploration past and present, profiles the explorers involved in the search for the Northwest Passage, and decodes the mysteries of the lost Franklin Expedition of 1845. 4. Come out and support the 233,000 Canadians living with Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis at the Gutsy Walk! Highlights of our event include: Ceremonial walk Optional 5 km run Family friendly Music and entertainment BBQ and refreshments Face painting and bouncy castle for kids Prizes Fun! All funds raise go towards finding a cure for Crohn's and colitis. 5. Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's newest production, Treasured Stories by Eric Carle, brings together old favorites and new friends. Featuring evocative music, stunning visual effects, and innovative puppetry, the triple-bill celebrates three of Eric Carle’s most beloved tales. All performances will be held at Neptune Theatre's Fountain Hall as part of the "Stages Theatre Festival".

With Halifax's famous "Greek Fest" just a week away, we thought we would get in the mood with a few Greek inspired recipes:

Moussaka - Likely one of the most widely recognized Greek dishes! Takes a little time to make is so worth it for the taste it brings. If eggplant isn't your thing, you can always experiment with other veggies like zucchini.

Whether you like it with lettuce or without, Greek Salad is a great side with any dinner. Cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese - yum!

Even though they still have trouble saying it, Souvlaki is a big favourite with our kids. Without a doubt they will eat the whole thing and often ask for more. Tasty and tender chicken on a stick  - what's not to love? This recipe includes a great tzatziki sauce as well.

And to finish it off here's an old Greek Fest inspired blog post on Baklava. Total indulgence that we couldn't help but share again.

From all of us at HRM Parent, we want to congratulate Wendy on the launch of her new cookbook, Real Food for Real Families. We are so thrilled that her super easy and always healty recipes will be used in home across the country! Way to go Wendy!

This summer, why not get into the habit of making your own popsicles? They are super easy, cheap, and healthier than the store-bought alternatives.

Commercial popsicles and other frozen treats often contain less-than-healthy ingredients like artificial colours, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners.

Kids often donʼt have the same “thirst sensors” as adults and need to be encouraged to take in more liquids on hot summer days. Homemade popsicles can help keep them hydrated and cool!

For all of these reasons, it’s a great idea to make your own frozen treats.  All you need to get started is a popsicle mold or two (choose BPA-free plastic, I found mine at HomeSense but they are also easy to order on-line), or even just some small disposable cups and some popsicle sticks. Most smoothie recipes can be frozen into popsicles easily. Even 100% organic fruit juice frozen in molds is a better option than most commercial popsicles.

Here is a delicious, easy recipe to get you started. When the molds are empty, just whip up another batch and re-freeze.

Natural Fudge Pops
Oh holy creamy! These are divine.  I have to admit, I was a lover of fudgesicles as a child.  In fact, anything cold and chocolate was a hit with me.  But I’m not a big fan of what’s also in the commercial brand, in particular the high fructose corn syrup.  I wanted to come up with a natural alternative and I think I hit this one out of the park, but you be the judge!

Ingredients:
- 2/3 c. pitted dates
- 2 c. coconut milk
- 2 bananas
- 4 tbsp dutch-processed cocoa
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp natural vanilla

To prepare:  In a food processor, finely chop the dates.  Then add the remaining ingredients and process until well-blended.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze at least 4 hours, or until solid.  Makes about 6 large fudge pops.

Wendy McCallum, LLB, RHN, is passionate about providing busy parents with the tools & support they need to feed their families wholesome food, so everyone can play, learn, and feel better!  She is a mother of two terrific HRM kids, aged 8 & 9. For information and recipe ideas, visit her website.

Manners seem to be an ongoing topic of discussion in our household these days and since we’re likely not alone in this, we thought we would share the following article written by etiquette specialist, Joy Schmitt as posted on the Family Time website:

Three Simple Ways to Teach Manners to your Kids: Parents may despair of ever teaching their children manners but there are ways to do so. And they are so simple and sensible!

Be a strong role model. Actions speak louder than words. Set a good example and think twice before you gesture rudely at the guy who cuts you off, yell at the telemarketer on the phone, or eat standing over the sink.

Treat your children with courtesy. Ask your kids to come to the table or take out the trash; don’t bark orders. Say please and thank you. Respect their privacy and dignity. Do not rummage through their rooms when they are not home. Do not embarrass them in public but instead take them aside for correction.

Be clear and consistent about your etiquette expectations. Make sure your children know the correct way to behave in public and understand the rules. For example, teach them how to make introductions and rehearse good table manners. Familiarity breeds success.

Top 10 Most Important Manners According to Parents: Parents want their children to shine when they interact with others. According to a number of surveys, they say they most want their kids to:

1. Always say “please,” “thank you,” and “excuse me.”
2. Write thank you notes for gifts.
3. Look people in the eye when speaking to them.
4. Pick up clothes left on the floor; put dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
5. Wait their turn to speak rather than interrupt.
6. Use proper table manners.
7. Be thoughtful and considerate of others – especially about opening doors and offering seats to older people.
8. Listen when others speak and respond clearly when spoken to.
9. Respect the privacy and property of others
10. Have good phone manners.

None of the above is impossible to achieve and all are traits and practices that will stand your children in good stead when they are adults, too. With just a little persistence and role modeling, your kids will make you and themselves proud!