Family Resource Guide 2020

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Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 32 Years

Family Resource Guide Family Travel

New Parent Resources

Classes & Programs

Health & Wellness

Family Fun & Entertainment

The Meet Up Play Space, Classroom & Party Place is open now!

Curiosity • Diversity Exploration • Nature Play-Oriented Learning

Half Day & Full Day Early Learning Programs

STROLLERS • CRIBS • SHOES • BOOKS • TOYS • CLOTHING CAR SEATS • CARRIERS • MATERNITY • SLEEP AIDS DIAPER BAGS • HIGH CHAIRS • SKINCARE • BEDDING

1581 Hillside Ave, Victoria 778•265•5651 Across the street from Hillside Centre

SHOP ONLINE AT MOMEASE.CA

3905 Haro Road, Victoria BC

250-477-3731 arbutusgrove.ca

vancouverisland.madscience.org 250-391-1814

SPACE EXPLORER: To the Moon and beyond Celebrate with us the 50th Anniversary of Apollo missions to the Moon

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! ng hers lli Ca teac ce en all sci ol! e o r c ho s t m Ge your in

l coo our mps! k c a Che nce c e y! sci da r to e t is Reg

250-391-1814 info@madscienceisland.com vancouverisland.madscience.org Looking for Chief Mad Scientist

2 Island Parent Magazine

BECOME MAD SCIENTIST

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Brookes Westshore

SCHOLARSHIPS: APPLY NOW

Unlock Your Potential

IB World School offering Grades 6-12 Co-education Personalized, small class sizes 100% university acceptance Global exchange opportunities

Brookes Westshore VICTORIA, CANADA @brookeswestshore @brookeswestshore www.westshore.brookes.org 1939 Sooke Rd, Victoria, British Columbia, V9B 1W2, Canada

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+1 250-929-0506 admissions@westshore.brookes.org

Family Resource Guide 2020  3

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

5

30 Things to Do

6

The Best Days of Your Life

8

New Parent Resources

20

Education

38

How to Help a Reluctant Reader

24

40

Annual Calendar of Events

Family Business

26

43

Classes & Programs

Party Planning

43

12

Party Directory

18

Family Groceries

19

Legal & Financial Services

19

Physical Activity of Canadian Children & Youth

44

Family Support

45

Kids on a Plane

46

Family Travel Overnight Camps

29

Kid-friendly Island Bike Parks

34

Family Fun & Entertainment

36

Health & Wellness

On the Cover

Cal F. (4), Wes F. (18 mos), Krista Phillips & Dan Francis Photo by Ashley Marston, ashleymarstonbirthphotography.com

2 0 2 0

Vancouver Island’s Parenting Resource for 32 Years

Family Resource Guide Family Travel

New Parent Resources

Classes & Programs

Health & Wellness

Family Fun & Entertainment

4 Island Parent Magazine

Jim Schneider Publisher publisher@islandparent.ca Sue Fast Editor editor@islandparent.ca Linda Frear Account Manager/Office Manager linda@islandparent.ca Kristine Wickheim Account Manager kristine@islandparent.ca Katie Derion Account Manager katie@islandparent.ca Island Parent Magazine, published by Island Parent Group Enterprises Ltd., is a monthly publication that honours and supports parents by providing information on resources and businesses for Vancouver Island families.

Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. No material herein may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. Annual mail subscriptions (12 issues) are available for $35 (GST included).

Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement 40051398. ISSN 0838-5505.

Island Parent Magazine 830–A Pembroke St Victoria, BC V8T 1H9 250-388-6905 islandparent.ca

IslandParent.ca

30

Things to Do on Vancouver Island

Go tubing, snowboarding or skiing at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort.

Visit Butterfly World & Gardens in Qualicum Beach.

Marvel at the Goats on the Roof at Coombs Old Country Market.

Play mini golf at Paradise Mini Golf & Fun Park in Parksville.

Have a hands-on experience at the Ucluelet Aquarium.

Zip, bungee and swing at WildPlay Nanaimo.

Dig for dinosaur fossils at the Courtenay and District Musuem & Palaeontology Centre.

Saddle up for a trail ride at Alpine Stables in Duncan.

Hike the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet.

Go go-karting, play mini golf or swing a bat at All Fun in Langford.

Visit the animals at Seaview Game Farm in Black Creek.

Climb the walls at Romper Room in Nanaimo.

Get bug-eyed at Victoria Bug Zoo. Watch butterflies flit about at Victoria Butterfly Gardens.

Marvel at the marine life at Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea in Sidney.

Watch flying demonstrations at The Raptors in Duncan.

Snuggle baby goats, chicks, sheep, and bunnies, at Tiger Lily Farm in Errington.

Peruse the petroglyphs at Sproat Lake Provincial Park.

Wave at the Woolly Mammoth at the Royal BC Museum.

Take a dip at Sooke Potholes Provincial Park.

Beachcomb at Botanical Beach.

Cool down with a cone from Beacon Drive-In in Victoria.

Ride the rails at BC Forest Discovery Centre.

Smell the roses at Butchart Gardens.

The Mothering Touch Centre is an owner-operated, family-run enterprise in Victoria. Our mission is to provide prenatal and postnatal support, and information to new and expectant parents.

We started out in 2004 in a tiny little storefront at the Oak Bay junction. We moved downtown to much more spacious and convenient premises on Fort Street in 2008.

At Mothering Touch, we believe parents value support and information as they make choices about their care during pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. We offer a wide range of classes and drop-ins for parents and their children, from pregnancy to age 3.

Our Childbirth Preparation and Parenting the Newborn classes provide a comfortable and friendly atmosphere where parentsto-be can meet to collect and discuss information and prepare themselves for the journey ahead. We also offer private sessions where families with difficult schedules or special needs can meet individually with a childbirth educator and have a personalized experience.

Prenatal Yoga Classes are scheduled six days a week, and help pregnant folk get to know their bodies and stay healthy

IslandParent.ca

Watch a movie at IMAX Victoria.

Flip, flop and fly at Airhouse freestyle trampoline centre in Nanaimo.

Explore Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic sites.

Take a walk on the wild side at North Island Wildlife Recovery & Discovery Centre in Errington.

Stroll the boardwalk at Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary in Saanich.

Ride dirt bikes at Westshore Motocross Park.

and flexible throughout pregnancy. Our Pregnancy Happy Hour is a place you can come to meet other pregnant people and share joys, and woes, and resources.

After the birth of your baby, you can join our graduated Postnatal Yoga Program, with classes to accommodate and challenge the postpartum body as it recovers from pregnancy and birth. Babies of all ages are welcome, of course. We even have a Yoga for Toddlers class!

Baby groups are a great place to meet other parents, and learn about your baby and about what is coming next in this crazy experience called parenting! We run three groups a week, for babies of different ages.

Our retail store features carefully curated products to make pregnancy and early parenting and babyhood more comfortable, more convenient and more fun! We make special efforts to source our products locally, and are proud to sell a broad range of Canadian baby products.

Checkout our website at www.motheringtouch.ca, shop our online store, read about all our classes and special workshops (from cloth diapering to grandparenting!) and register online for classes.

We are mothers, daughters, doulas and friends—we’re here for you.

975 Fort Street | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca Family Resource Guide 2020 5

The Best Days of Your Life (or something like that)

W

hat goes through your mind when someone says “don’t blink, these are the best days of your life”?

I’ve heard this adage a few times over, actually. First as a child, where adults told me how easy it was being me, with no responsibilities or concerns. No bills or a job to think about.

Easy? I questioned. It didn’t feel easy.

In my young mind, I had a lot of worries that felt big! Like would anyone notice that I only had one cool pair of flared jeans…that used to be my sisters? How embarrassing. Or what if no one asked

was a little disturbing for me. Did this mean it would all go downhill from that point on? And what if I had a bad day? (of which I had many). What if I screwed up? (which I often did). These couldn’t possibly be the best days, so what was I doing it wrong?

And then the big one came: I had a baby.

Now this, more than any other time, was supposed to be the ultimate best time of my life. This would surely take the cake. At least that’s what everyone told me (except other new moms who seemed to stay eerily quiet on that matter).

me to slow dance and I just stood in the corner feeling like a loser? Or would I make a total fool of myself during my presentation the next day? I had a lot of worries. Adulthood looked pretty cool to be honest.

Then people told me during my university years to “soak it up, because these are the best days of your life!” and I remember thinking, “huh, is this it?”

Now, I loved living in dorms with all my friends, eating cereal for dinner, skipping the odd class because I just didn’t feel like going, calling my parents when I needed a little cash (okay a lot of cash…I had zero dollars to my name). I loved university. Adult freedom with little actual responsibility? Yes please!

But even still, the idea that I was possibly living the “best days of my life”

I knew how fortunate I was to get pregnant, to have healthy children, to have support around me. I was genuinely grateful.

But I remember those early days of motherhood very well, and even a few years later my memory hasn’t erased the tough times like more seasoned moms promise will happen eventually. In fact, my mom tells me she doesn’t remember it being that hard at all. Mother Nature does sweet favours for us, doesn’t she?

My mother, after all, had three under three (#superhero), so she must have had a bad day every now and again!

But right now, I still remember.

I remember the early days that I now refer to in a joking-not-joking way as the “dark days.” Those blurry couple years where I felt shocked. In pain. Desperately

6 Island Parent Magazine

sleep-deprived. Like I had gone through some kind of personality change (or more like my personality was replaced with a vapid haze of weepy-overcaffeinatednothingness).

Life felt day-by-day. Moment-by-moment. Survival.

My mind reminded me over and over again that I should be grateful. I should enjoy this. These are the best days of my life; don’t miss them! Write it all down, savour it! But what was I doing wrong, then? Why didn’t I feel like I was supposed to feel? Was I getting ripped-off here?

With the beauty of hindsight, I can already see the balance that I certainly did not feel at that time. I can remember that new feeling of pride that would swell as I witnessed my daughters learn and grow. The joy sprinkled here and there.

The giggles. The snuggles. The simple pleasures that I never truly appreciated before, like a freshly poured (not microwaved) coffee and the sound of a quiet house.

And as I support new mothers today, their words jog my memory even further. I hear their pain alongside simple moments of joy. I hear their disappointment that motherhood wasn’t what they expected. Their acknowledgement that they don’t love everything about it. Their courage to say that these might not be the best days of their lives. And quite honestly, I feel this sense of collective shame that builds alongside the honesty.

This part of us that wonders: is it okay if I don’t like everything about this?

When we hear messages about what’s “normal” that fall outside our personal experience, we have to find a way to reconcile the difference. We can’t help but believe the messages we hear from society. And so, when our experiences don’t line up with what we expected, we often conclude “I’m not normal”, or “I’m not good at this” or “there’s something wrong with me” when in fact, we might be feeling something that most other parents feel, too. Maybe we aren’t doing this wrong after all.

IslandParent.ca

Most parents have some difficult times with their kids. Most parents have moments where they feel like they don’t know what they’re doing. It’s normal for parents to miss their life pre-kids, to miss their career, their identity, their freedom, their sleep. It’s normal to feel frustrated, discouraged, exhausted. It’s normal to question how these could be the best days of your life.

Because ultimately, there’s no phase in life that’s all good, or all bad. Most things have a shadow, that’s just life.

Maybe our challenge is to accept the greyness rather than search for black and white? What if you allowed yourself to acknowledge how hard these days can be, without judging yourself for it and without taking on guilt? And what if, during your darkest days, you could expand your awareness to also notice your encounters with ease, joy, and fun, no matter how brief they seem? Remembering that everyday brings a whole mixture of emotions, can you look for the joy, seek it out, go find it? Can you give more energy to it when it happens, make it bigger, soak it in?

There’ll be times in life when we can’t necessarily change the situation, but we can always shift our mindset. We can shine our awareness in new areas. We can give ourselves compassion. We can allow ourselves to show up and experience life exactly as it truly is without telling ourselves that we’re not good enough or that we’re doing it wrong.

And hopefully, there’ll be times when we can find the silver lining somewhere in those dark days. In fact, many people who go through difficult life experiences go on to say they wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. They grew from it.

It became part of their tapestry, their life story. So even during these phases and stages of parenting that bring about incredible challenges, I wonder how they’ll change you? How they’ll help you grow, and shift and transform into an even better version of you? You might not look back to say these were the best days of your life, but you’ll probably look back with a grateful smile, not trading those memories for anything.

SINCE

1978

Dedicated to providing Vancouver Island families with high-quality infant and toddler products at affordable prices for over 25 years

Strollers

Safety

Car Seats

Playtime

Furniture

Bath & Health

Baby Carriers Bedding

Feeding & Kitchen

Nursery

Apparel

3045–C Douglas St. Victoria, BC

tjskids.com 250-386-2229

Finlayson St.

St.

IslandParent.ca

The Kiddies Store

Douglas

Kate Borsato is a mental health counsellor on Vancouver Island. With her online counselling practice, she supports women during their transitions into motherhood and postpartum stages.

Learn more at kateborsato.com.

Call for a tour of our campus.

250.746.5919 Download registration forms from our website. queenofangels.ca Join us at our "kindergarten" OPEN HOUSE. Thursday, January 16th, 2020 5:30-6:30

At Queen of Angels our mission is to provide an excellent education in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive Catholic environment where together we prepare future leaders.

Larch St.

Entrance off Larch St.

T.J.’s

Family Resource Guide 2020 7

community receiving more than an education faith community faith family family

DOULAS

Christ centred, community focused education.

Victoria Doula Directory

Christ centred, community Uncovering God-given talents focused education.

in everyone.

Uncovering God-given talents Integrating in everyone.new educational

technologies.

Integrating new educational technologies.

Giving back through service

learning projects.

Giving back through service learningaprojects.

Serving diverse student body

with extensive support programs, Serving a diverse student body academics, athletic teams, trades with extensive support programs, and hands on apprenticeships for academics, athletic teams, trades thosehands near on graduation. and apprenticeships for

NEWPARENTRESOURCES PRENATAL SERVICES V Aboriginal Prenatal Support

doulasofvictoria.ca

These are just a few are of the These just areasons few ofyou the reasons may wantyou to may wantDCS to join the join the DCS family family

those near graduation.

Preparing youth for Preparing youth for life life beyond beyond the the school school doors doors .. .. ..

VIDA Doulas

V Birthright Victoria

250-661-2544 | vidadoulas.ca

MIDWIVES Access Midwifery & Family Care

Camosun College V 250-370-3550 | ce.camosun.ca Cowichan Valley Craniosacral

sports art Cowichan Midwifery Group academics music CALL CALL FOR FOR AA TOUR TOUR TODAY! TODAY! 250.746.3654 250.746.3654 office@duncanchristian.com

www.duncanchristianschool.ca Get Connected!

Learn more and stay informed

V

Dandelion Midwifery 709 Connaught Rd | 250-590-7770 dandelionmidwifery.com/

547 Michigan St | 250-592-5407

The Midwives Collective 107–1120 Yates St | 250-590-7605

60% labour and birth information to help you prepare for a variety of outcomes.

40% newborn care, new parent adjustment and breastfeeding information.

We are Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators and Experienced Doulas.

For Class Registration visit

www.vidadoulas.ca 8 Island Parent Magazine

D

164 Station St | 250-709-2040 cowichanmidwifery.ca

Midwifery Care

60/40 CHILDBIRTH PREPARATION CLASSES

V D

250-748-5551 | cowichancraniosacral.com Born Healthy N Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy supports physi630 2nd Ave, Ladysmith | 250-245-3079 cal and emotional health in utero for babies and throughout pregnancy for mothers, promoting Community Midwifery Care G early bonding and strengthening attachment, 130 McPhillips Ave, Salt Spring | 250-537-2243 altogether optimizing an experience of birthing together.

101–1005 Cook St | 250-386-4116 cookstmidwives.com

www.duncanchristianschool.ca

V

515–620 View St | 250-380-0305 birthrightvictoria.org

208–2951 Tillicum Rd | 250-380-6329 accessmidwifery.ca

Cook Street Community Midwives

495 Beech Avenue l Duncan, BC, V9L 3J8 495 Beech Avenue l Duncan, BC, V9L 3J8 office@duncanchristian.com

V

231 Regina Ave | 250-384-3211

Mid-Island Midwifery 2506 Maxey Rd, Nanaimo | 250-741-1294 or 350 Stewart Ave, Nanaimo | 250-716-1366

Midwifery Services of Victoria 2000 Beach Dr | 250-592-0099

Sooke Midwifery

N

1717B Kerrisdale Rd | 250-714-2191

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Gulf Islands Early Years 250-653-4465 | giearlyyears@shaw.ca

V Mothering Touch Centre V V 975 Fort St | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca Prenatal classes taught by certified childbirth educators. Pre- and post-natal yoga and fitness, V breastfeeding education, parenting the newborn, baby groups.

N Sooke Family Resource Society Prenatal Program

W

250-642-5152 | sfrs.ca

V

BEST BABIES PROGRAMS

Esquimalt Neighbourhood House W 250-385-2635 ext. 203

2050B Townsend Rd | 778-425-0780 sookemidwifery.com

Victoria Midwifery Group

Crossroads Crisis Pregnancy Centre of Nanaimo

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Peninsula Best Babies V

V

2410 Malaview Dr | 250-655-5300

35 Cambridge St | 250-381-1977

West Coast Midwives

V

2823 Dysart Rd | 250-384-5940

Western Communities Midwifery 287 Stewart Ave | 250-589-3417

W

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

IslandParent.ca

Saanich Neighbourhood Place Best Babies

V V

250-360-1148 | saanichneighbourhoodplace.com

Sooke Family Resource Society Best Babies Program

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250-642-5152, ext. 237 | sfrs.ca

Victoria Best Babies

V

1240 Gladstone Ave | 250-381-1552 fernwoodnrg.ca

Victoria Native Friendship Centre

V

250-384-3211 | vnfc.ca

WestShore Best Babies

Victoria City Rowing Club

excels in providing high quality rowing experiences for all ages and abilities. Here is your chance to learn to row, get back into rowing and enjoy the beautiful outdoors of Elk Lake this summer.

Youth Programs 11-17 Full day week long camps and half day beginner, intermediate and experienced camps.

Adult Programs 18+ Evening Classes: Beginner, Intermediate and Novice Morning and Evening: Club and Competitive

website: www.vcrc.bc.ca email: vcrcprograms@gmail.com

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250-217-6787 ext. 204 | bgcvic.org

PUBLIC HEALTH (Island Health) Campbell River Public Health

Life Like No Other C

200–1100 Island Hwy | 250-850-2110 islandhealth.ca

Duncan

D

675 Canada Ave | 250-709-3050 | islandhealth.ca

Esquimalt

V

530 Fraser St | 250-519-5311 | islandhealth.ca

Gulf Islands

G

250-539-3099 | islandhealth.ca

Ladysmith Health Unit

N

224 High St | 250-755-3342 | islandhealth.ca

Lake Cowichan Health Unit

D

58 Cowichan Ave | 250-749-6878 islandhealth.ca

Nanaimo Health Unit

N

1665 Grant Ave | 250-755-3342 | islandhealth.ca

Nanaimo Princess Royal Family Centre

N

260 Irwin St | 250-755-3342 | islandhealth.ca

Parksville/Qualicum Health Unit

N

249 W. Hirst Ave | 250-947-8242 | islandhealth.ca

Peninsula

P

2170 Mt. Newton X Rd | 250-544-2400 islandhealth.ca

Port Alberni Health Unit

N

4227 6th Ave | 250-724-1315 | islandhealth.ca

Saanich

V

3995 Quadra St | 250-519-5100 | islandhealth.ca

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Family Resource Guide 2020 9

Salt Spring Island

G BC Association of Family Resource Programs

V

1–137 Crofton Rd | 250-538-4880 | islandhealth.ca

Sooke

W

104–2145 Townsend Rd | 250-642-5464 islandhealth.ca

Tofino & Ucluelet Public Health & Coastal Family Place

N

250-590-5706 | frpbc.ca

Central Vancouver Island Crisis Society

N

Nanaimo | 250-754-4447

Cowichan Valley Craniosacral

D

265 First St | 250-725-4020 | islandhealth.ca

250-748-5551 | cowichancraniosacral.com FREE newborn screening and tongue-tie assessVictoria V ment. Treatment for pre and post revision, faux 1947 Cook St | 250-388-2200 | islandhealth.ca tongue-tie, trauma imprints, injuries and skilled support for breastfeeding between mother and West Shore W baby.

345 Wale Rd | 250-519-3490 | islandhealth.ca

BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT La Leche League of Greater Victoria

Family Resource Association

250-727-4384 | llc.ca

Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

NEW PARENT SUPPORT Aboriginal Infant Development Program 231 Regina Ave | 250-384-3211 | vnfc.ca

Aboriginal Infant Development Program 5768 Allenby Rd, Duncan | 250-746-6184 cowichantribes.com

Aboriginal Infant Development Program

N

198 Morison Ave, Parksville V 250-752-6766 | d69fra.org

V

V

250-479-7450 | gvdss.org

G

Hands On Prevention & Education Centre 790 North Rd, Gabriola Island | 250-247-8730

D hopecentre.yolasite.com

N

Healthy Beginnings Ladysmith, Nanaimo | 250-755-6230

N Infant Development Program

V

3970 Haro Rd | 250-477-1826

668B Centre St, Nanaimo | 250-470-2348 snuneymuxw.ca 10 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

La Leche League

N

409 Belmonte Place, Nanaimo 250-754-5853 | lllc.ca

La Leche League

N

Let’s Get Crafting!

Parksville | 250-954-2922 | lllc.ca

Ladysmith Family & Friends Resource Program

N

250-210-0870 | familyandfriends.ca

Margaret Moss Health Centre

D

675 Canada Ave, Duncan | 250-709-3050 islandhealth.ca

Nanaimo Infant Development Program

N

1135 Nelson St | 250-753-0251 | nanaimocdc.com

Peninsula Best Babies Program

P

9860 Third St, Sidney | 250-656-0134 beaconcs.ca

Sundrops Centre for Child Development

Toys, games and puzzles for all ages

koolandchild.com

#102 – 2517 Bowen Rd, Nanaimo 888.390.1775

The Freya-Sophia Waldorf

D

Natural Childhood Store Books, Toys, Clothing ~ Art & Handwork Supplies

5856 Clements St, Duncan | 250-746-4135 clementscentre.org

250-597-4763 ~ 3, 5380 Hwy. 1 ~ in the Sol Centre, Duncan

Vancouver Island Multiple Birth Association vimba234@hotmail.com

Victoria Pregnancy Centre

V

112–826 North Park St | 250-380-6883 victoriapregnancy.org

Y Young Moms Program

V

250-382-1004 | vancouverislandy.com

Open Mon.— Sat. 10 - 4; Closed Sun. & Stats Great selection of beautiful and inspiring books, organic wool clothing, wooden toys, puzzles, games, silks, dolls, calendars, cards and prints. Art, painting, knitting and handwork supplies.

Committed to providing Waldorf-inspired resources to parents, educators, carers and homeschoolers! Evening hours & groups visits can be accommodated by appointment. We also carry a full line of Uriel Home Remedies & Biodynamic Preparations.

DISCOVER DISANA WOOL LEGGINGS!!!

100% organic, very soft, warm & lightweight; can be worn inside or outside. Kids love them!!!

ADOPTION SUPPORT Adoption Support Program

V

2400 Arbutus Rd | 250-721-6751 | islandhealth.ca

Adoptive Families Association of BC 1-877-236-7807 | bcadopt.com

Family Services of Greater Vancouver 1616 West 7th Ave | 604-736-7613 | fsgv.ca

Victoria Pregnancy Centre

V

112–826 North Park St | 250-380-6883 victoriapregnancy.org

Origins Supporting People Separated By Adoption

V

250-419-1200 | originscanada.org

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Family Resource Guide 2020 11

FAMILYSUPPORT James Bay Community Project

COMMUNITY CENTRES Beacon Community Services

P

9860 Third St, Sidney | 250-655-5313 beaconcs.ca

Braefoot Community Association

V

1359 McKenzie Ave | 250-721-2244

Burnside/Gorge Community Centre Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society

810–6th Ave | 250-245-6424

Ladysmith Resources Centre Association

V

250-595-2649 | lifeseminars.com

N Duff Psychological Services

V

250-580-1690 | duffpsychological.com

Duncan Mental Health & N Addiction Services

D

250-709-3040 | islandhealth.ca

Oaklands Community Association

Esquimalt Neighbourhood House V V 511 Constance Ave | 250-360-0644 | enh.bc.ca

Quadra Village Community Centre

V

N 1–2827 Belmont Ave | 250-370-9101 | oaklands.life

101–319 Selby St, Nanaimo 250-753-6911 | cvims.org

Cherry Creek Community Centre

Ladysmith Parks, Recreation & Culture

V 721 First Ave | 250-245-3079 | ladysmith.ca

250-388-5251 | burnsidegorge.ca

V Dr. Allison Rees

547 Michigan St | 250-388-7844 | jbcp.bc.ca

N

3720 Moore Rd, Port Alberni | 250-724-1660

901 Kings Rd | 250-388-7696 quadravillagecc.com

Saanich Neighbourhood Place

V

3100 Tillicum Rd | 250-360-1148 Child Development Centre N saanichneighbourhoodplace.com 1135 Nelson St | 250-753-3521 | nanaimocdc.com

District 69 Family Resource Association 198 Morrison Ave, Parksville 250-752-6766 | frabc.ca

Esquimalt Neighbourhood House

Shawnigan Lake Community Centre D N 2804 Shawnigan Lake Rd 250-743-1433 | cvrd.bc.ca

Sooke Family Resource Society V

511 Constance Ave | 250-385-2635 | enh.bc.ca

Fairfield Gonzales Community Association 250-382-4604 | fairfieldcommunity.ca

Fernwood Neighbourhood Resource Group

V

V

1240 Gladstone Ave | 250-381-1552 fernwoodnrg.ca

French Community Centre

250-247-9291

Inter-Cultural Association

Victoria Immigrant & Refuge Centre

V

Victoria West Community Association V 521 Craigflower Rd | 250 590-8922 victoriawest.ca

YM-YWCA of Greater Victoria

Life Dances Counselling

COUNSELLING

Maxine Fisher, M.Ed., RCC, MTA V Canadian Mental Health Association D 250-686-7582 | victoriafamilycounselling.com 371 Festubert St, Duncan | 250-746-5521

Cowichan Valley Youth Services V Society

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

V

lifedancescounselling.com

250-748-8281 | cowichanfamilylife.org

V

Men’s Therapy Centre D

554 Trunk Rd | 250-748-0232 | cvyouth.ca

Cowichan Family Life

12 Island Parent Magazine

V

G cowichanvalley.cmha.bc.ca

930 Balmoral Rd | 250-388-4728 | icavictoria.org

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

V

1004 North Park St | 250-361-9433 | vircs.bc.ca

851 Broughton St | 250-386-7511 vancouverislandy.com

2–1218 Langley St | 250-388-7350 francocentre.com

Gabriola Community Centre

W

250-642-5152 | sfrs.ca

D

250-381-6367 | menstrauma.com

V

South Island Centre for Counselling & Training 250-472-2851 | southislandcentre.ca

South Vancouver Island Assessment D & Resource Service, Duncan

Discovery Youth & Family Substance V 305–394 Duncan St | 250-746-6900 Use Services Island Health vancouverislandcounselling.com 2nd Flr, 530 Fraser St | 250-519-5313 islandhealth.ca

IslandParent.ca

Thaiss Psychological Services

V

209–2186 Oak Bay Ave | 250-516-6692 | thaiss.ca Dr. Laila Thaiss is a Registered Clinical Rsychologist (CPBC 1583) who specializes in Psycoeducational, Neuropsychological and Diagnostic Assessments for children, adolescents and adults.

Torchlight Counselling

Pack light and rent top of the line gear from

V

321–1095 McKenzie Ave | 250-889-9502 torchlightcounselling.ca

Vancouver Island Crisis Society

Traveling with Toddlers?

B A B Y N

R E N T A L S

Vancouver | Toronto | Victoria weetravel.ca 1.800.933.0810

1-888-494-3888 | vicrisis.ca

Vancouver Island Psychological Services

E Q U I P M E N T

V

218–284 Helmcken Rd | 250-727-7060 202–4420 Chatterton Way | 778-440-8880 vipsychology.ca

Victoria Counselling Service

V

420–1105 Pandora Ave | 250-418-0550

GRIEF SUPPORT Compassionate Friends of Canada

V

The perfect setting for your outdoor adventures!

Residential and Wilderness Camping for:

250-478-9270 | tcfcanada.net

Compassionate Friends of Canada

D

Camp

N

Explore

V

Dream

250-510-4360 | tcfcanada.net

Compassionate Friends of Canada 250-714-4995 | tcfcanada.net

Learning Through Loss 250-413-3114 | learningthroughloss.org

Nanaimo Community Hospice Society N 1080 St George Crescent 250-591-8811 | nanaimohospice.com

Discover

Origins: Supporting People Separated

by Adoption 416-400-5730 | originscanada.org

Rainbows, Nanaimo

N

Youth

N

Adults

250-751-7888 | rainbowsnanaimo.ca

Rainbows, Parksville (4–12 yr olds) 345 N. Pym St | 250-248-3927 | kucparksville.ca

Spectrum, Parksville (13–18 yr olds) N

Schools

345 N. Pym St | 250-248-3927 | kucparksville.ca

Victoria Hospice Bereavement Services

V

Teams

250-370-8868 | victoriahospice.org

3202 Young Lake Road, Sooke, BC www.campbarnard.ca IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020 13

Boys and Girls Club of Greater Victoria Parenting Programs

PARENT EDUCATION Children’s Health & Human Rights Partnership

V 1195 Esquimalt Rd | 250-384-9133 ext. 222 bgcvic.org

CHHRP.org

LIFE Seminars Parenting Programs

Bridges for Women Society

V 1809 Douglas St | 250-385-7410 | bfws.ca

Dr. Allison Rees | 250-595-2649

Child Abuse Prevention/ Mary Manning Centre

PARENT SUPPORT 1UP Single Parent Resource Centre 602 Gorge Rd | 250-385-1114 | 1-up.ca

Dr. Allison Rees 250-595-2649 | lifeseminars.com

Big Brothers Big Sisters 230 Bay St | 250-475-1117 victoria.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

Big Brothers Big Sisters 1–60 Ingram St, Duncan 250-748-2447 | bbbscowichan.ca

V

Family Caregivers’ Network Society V 6–3318 Oak St | 250-384-0408 V Family Place Community Services

Child Care Resource & Referral

Family Services of Greater Victoria

Cowichan Family Life 250-748-8281 | cowichanfamilylife.org

G

V

1004 N Park St | 250-386-4331 | fsgv.org

First Metropolitan United Church

V

250-388-5188 | firstmetvictoria.com

First Unitarian Church of Victoria

5575 West Saanich Rd | 250-744-2665 Child Development Centre N victoriaunitarian.ca D 1135 Nelson St | 250-753-0251 | nanaimocdc.com

Children Who Witness Abuse Counselling & Support

V

familycaregiversbc.ca

210–1175 Cook St | 250-385-6111 | vcapcc.com

vancouverislandccrr.ca | ccrr.bc.ca V Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868 Sooke: 250-642-5152 V Westshore: 250-391-4324 Duncan: 250-746-4135 ext. 231

G

Pender Island | 250-629-3039 | dragonflycentre.ca

Salt Spring Island | 250-537-9971 saltspringcommunityservices.ca

Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Nanaimo N Salt Spring Island | 250-538-5569 | iwav.org 2030 Northfield Rd | 250-756-2447 cvi.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca

V Dragonfly Child Care & Family Resource Centre

Foster Parents Support Services G 145-735 Goldstream Ave

P

W

1-888-922-8437 | fosterhope.ca

Foster Parent Support Services D 102–6421 Applecross Rd | 1-888-922-8437

N

fpsss.com

Practical Family Law Advice Would you like to resolve your family law problem as efficiently as possible?

Kirby Hayes provides clear and practical advice about separation agreements, child and spousal support, property division, parenting, and other family law issues to help you prevent or resolve your conflict.

7th Floor – 1175 Douglas Street | Victoria, BC | V8W 2E1

250-385-1411 | cookroberts.bc.ca

14 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Hulitan Family & Community Services Society

902A Caledonia Ave | 250-384-9466 | hulitan.ca

250-544-1400 | niltuo.ca

DRS Dialogue & Resolution Services W Nutsumaat Lelum 102–2220 Sooke Rd | 250-383-4412 dialogueandresolutionservices.ca

Home Instead Senior Care

PacificCare V 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273

Island Parent Magazine 250-388-6905 | islandparent.ca

250-478-8357 | pcfsa.org

Salt Spring Island | 250-537-0735 | iwav.org

Kw’umut Lelum Child & Family Services

lighthousechurch.ca

Parent Support Circles N Nanaimo | 250-468-9658 Parent Support Circles

V N

1070 Townsite Rd | 250-754-3331 | nflabc.org

1-877-345-9777 | parentsupportbc.ca

Parents Together Parents Line

150 Wallace St | 250-753-0633 nanaimowomen.com

Nanoose First Nation 209 Mallard Way, Lantzville | 250-390-3661 snawnawas.org

NARSF Programs Ltd. 201–170 Wallace St | 250-754-2773 | narsf.org IslandParent.ca

N

G

Mayne Island | 250-539-2371

Saturna Island | 250-539-2472

V Success By Six successby6victoria.ca

Tillicum Lelum Friendship Centre N 927 Haliburton St | 250-753-8291

V N

tillicumlelum.ca

N TS Consulting

V

250-590-4114 | tsconsultingvictoria.ca

V UVic Family Centre

V

39208–2375 Lam Circle | 250-472-4062 uvic.ca/familycentre

N Victoria Immigrant & Refugee Centre V 1004 N Park St | 250-361-9433 | vircs.bc.ca

N Victoria Native Friendship Centre

668 Centre St | 250-740-2300 | snuneymuxw.ca

250-642-5152 | sfrs.ca

Strong Start BC, Early Learning for Families

G

505 8th St | 250-754-2621

N Sooke Family Resource Society

Galiano Island | 250-539-2261

Strong Start BC, Early Learning N for Families

The Representative for Children & Youth

Snu Ney Muxw First Nations

G

N Pender Island | 250-629-3711

80 Chapel St | 250-739-5845 | islandhealth.ca

Nanaimo Mental Health & Addiction N 1-800-476-3933 | rcybc.ca Services 250-739-5880 Salvation Army Meal Program

Strong Start BC, Early Learning for Families

G

Nanaimo | 250-754-9661 | bgccvi.com

Princess Royal Family Centre

V

1525 Begbie St | 250-595-4324 stbarnabaschurch.ca

Strong Start BC, Early Learning for Families

V Parent Support Services Society of BC

250-363-2640 | esquimaltmfrc.com

Nanaimo Women’s Centre

D

Parlsville | 250-468-9658

250-539-2402 | mayneislanddaycare.ca

Nanaimo Family Life Association

W

Shawnigan Lake | 250-384-8042

Mayne Island Early Childhood Society G Military Family Resource Centre

N

G Parent Support Circles

544 Centre St, Nanaimo | 250-591-0933 kwumut.org

Lighthouse Church

N St. Barnabas Anglican Church

vancouverislandccrr.ca

Pacific Centre Family Services Association, Colwood & Sooke

V

250-642-6364 | socla.ca

3947 Shell Beach Rd, Ladysmith | 250-245-0994

222–1595 McKenzie Ave | 250-382-6565 homeinstead.ca

Island Women Against Violence, Transition House

V Sooke Options for Community Living Association

V NIŁ TU,O Child & Family Services Society

V

231 Regina Ave | 250-384-3211 | vnfc.ca

W Victoria Sexual Assault Centre

V

201–3060 Cedar Hill Rd | 250-383-3232 | vsac.ca

SOS Child Youth & Family Centre N Young Parents Support Network 3100 Tillicum Rd | 250-384-0552 | ypsn.ca N 245 West Hirst Ave, Parksville | 250-248-2093

V

sosd69.com Family Resource Guide 2020 15

V Clements Centre Society

WIN Administration Office 812 Cormorant Ave | 250-480-4006

5856 Clements St | 250-746-4135 clementscentre.org

SPECIAL NEEDS & DISABILITY SUPPORT

Community Options for Children & Families

V 1595 Bay St | 250-380-6363 | cocf.ca

Autism Services, Community Living Victoria

Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association

250-477-7231, ext. 237 communitylivingvictoria.ca

V

BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities 250-386-0668

D HeadWay Victoria Epilepsy & Parkinson’s Centre 250-475 6677 | headwayvictoria.com

V Island Deaf & Hard of Hearing Centre N 205–55 Victoria Rd | 250-753-0999 | idhhc.ca

Lifetime Networks C 250-477-4112 | lifetimenetworks.org

V

Little Steps Therapy Services

V

250-746-1028 | ctra.ca

The Cridge Respite Resource Service V 1307 Hillside Ave | 250-995-6412 | cridge.org

BeConnected Support Services

V Early Intervention Team

250-727-3891 | beconsupport.ca

D

202–394 Duncan St | 250-709-9022

Canucks Autism Network

Family Support, Community Living Victoria

604-685-4049 | canucksautism.ca

Child & Family Counselling Association (Autism Program)

250-386-1171 | mylittlesteps.net

Nanaimo Brain Injury Society

1135 Nelson St | 250-753-0251 | nanaimocdc.com

250-585-4411 | footholds.ca

Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

N

285 Prideaux St | 250-753-5600 | nbis.ca

Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization

N

2–5801 Turner Rd | nuko.ca

Pivot Point Family Growth Centre

V

778-410-2319 | pivotpoint.ca

Power To Be Footholds Therapy Centre, Nanaimo N 250-385-2363 | powertobe.ca

N

Child Development Centre

V

3861 Cedar Hill X Rd | 250-477-7231, ext. 236 V communitylivingvictoria.ca

5–230 Menzies St | 250-595-4423

V

Queen Alexandra Centre for V Children’s Health

V V

2400 Arbutus Rd | 250-477-1826 | islandhealth.ca

250-479-7450 | gvdss.ca

STAGES

Day t

i me for t Pre -S ch he li ttle o o l Class ange ls... es

Performing Arts School since 1980

Come Dance With Us

• Offering classes for Teens & Pre-Teens in Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Tap. Musical Theatre, Acrobatics & Hip Hop, in a non-competitive atmosphere.

• Not sure which class to take?

- Try a Drop-In: No hassle, No Obligation.

STAGES Performing Arts School #301 1551 Cedar Hill X Rd Call 250-384-3267 Email us at: stagesdance@shaw.ca Or visit our website: www.stagesdance.com 16 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Ronald McDonald House rmhbc.ca

BC Schizophrenic Society

V

941 Kings Rd | 250-384-4225 | bcss.org

Special Olympics

V

250-477-7106 | victoriaspecialolympics.com

Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of BC 4480 Oak St, Vancouver | 604-878-7000 sbhabc.org

Victoria Brain Injury Society

V

D & E, 830 Pembroke St | 250-598-9339 | vbis.ca

Victoria Society for Children with Autism

V

778-557-7749 | VictoriaAutism.ca

Westshore Child & Youth Family Centre

The great choral tradition of Anglican cathedrals is renowned, and a wonderful opportunity exists today for your child to become part of this ancient tradition of musical excellence.

W

345 Wale Rd | 250-391-4320

YOUTH SERVICES Cowichan Valley Youth Services Society

D

554 Trunk Rd, Duncan | 250-748-0232 | cvyouth.ca

Island Sexual Health Society

V

Clinical Services: 250-592-3479 Community Ed: 250-388-2202 islandsexualhealth.org

Nanaimo Youth Services

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Chorister Program is now accepting applications for entrance in September 2020, particularly from children entering grade 4. We will also consider applications from grades 5-7 on a case-by-case basis. Weekday commitments only.

N

290 Bastion St | 250-754-1989 | nysa.bc.ca

PFLAG of Greater Victoria

V

Quadra at Rockland christchurchcathedral.bc.ca

250-385-9462 | victoriabc@pflagcanada.ca

Youth Clinic

V

533 Yates St | 250-383-3552 547 Michigan St | 250-388-7841

Young Parent Support Network

V

2541 Empire St | 250-384-0052

Youthspace Text to 778-783-0177 | youthspace.ca Chat based intant messaging service on website, or through text.

Victoria Youth Empowerment Society V 533 Yates St | 250-383-3514 | vyes.ca

IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020  17

Kids on a Plane

5 No-tech ways to keep them entertained

O

ur four-year-old daughter couldn’t wait to board our plane for Cancún. Minutes after take off she couldn’t wait to deplane. We asked our flight attendant if they had tablets to rent.

He replied that they stopped this service a few years ago now that everyone has their own phones and tablets. He said the only movie playing would be Gone with the Wind—right outside our window. We laughed and I thanked myself for installing the in-flight app. However, screens can provide entertainment for only so long.

Here are my Top 5 non-screen entertainment options for kids on planes. Keep in mind that a few of these activities will depend on your kids’ ages, too.

Write, Draw and Crafts

My kids enjoy watching me use handwriting in my journal, so I taught them how to hand write their names. Printing practice, sudoku, mazes, word searches, and connect the dots are also great time fillers.

We have a set of cards that you write and draw on with white board markers.

There are also colouring books that you colour with water and then reuse and mess-free colouring pages, too. Other great activities for passing the time include: drawing, airplane making, and Origami.

Read

I love the unlimited time that I have to complete tasks when I am travelling. You

might be able to read an entire magazine on the plane or an entire book. It won’t be uninterrupted, which is why magazines for kids are great. They also include lots of activities to keep kids busy.

Bring books, comics, and/or any books your kids love. I recommend carrying all these items in a wheeled carry-on bag— which is easier to transport. Perhaps you can even leave some of the books at your destination to free up space and weight for souvenirs on the way home.

Play Games

We have travel-sized games, but if you are worried about losing tiny pieces, a mini deck of cards will do. There are so many games from Go Fish, Crazy 8s, to Solitaire. Visit considerable.com for the rules to many card games. If your kids are too young for some of these, then even learning to recognize the numbers and suits can be a great activity.

Brainstorm

I try to think of all the items that I never have time to do at home or that the kids don’t have time to do.

Think of lists that you could write together. For example, How many different types of stickers are there? Fuzzy, scratch n’ sniff, puffy, etc. Write a list of all the photos you want to take while you are on vacation. Write lists of things to do when you are on vacation and when you are back from vacation.

Make a list of who you are buying souvenirs for or email thank-you notes from

your child’s birthday party. Update your electronic calendar with events for the year. While you are typing away on your phone or tablet, teach your kids to type, write a letter, or email to their friends.

Walk

Need more cookies or pretzels? Take the kids for a walk and ask for more at the back of the plane. Make it a game.

How many people did you pass on the way there? How did you fit by? Walk sideways and then change it up and walk on the other side. Stretch your legs. For stretch ideas, Google “Simple Airplane Stretches.”

If your kids are still small and you get tired of pacing the plane, they can even just stand up in the space in front of their seat.

After you‘ve spent some time on all of the above activities, your kids might be ready for a few more minutes of screen time. Remember to download their favourite shows and music ahead of time.

Empathy may be challenging to have as your patience is continually tested, but they can go a long way. Sometimes you have to accept that your kids will make noise and other passengers may not like it, but in some situations there is nothing you can do. Your kids ears may hurt or they may just be miserable and cry.

Sometimes you just have to accept the circumstances.

Serena Beck works full-time as a technical writer. She loves to write, travel, and swim at the beach with family and friends.

18 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

FAMILY TRAVEL

Tigh-na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre Parksville | 250-248-2072 | tigh-na-mara.com

NATURE

CAMPGROUNDS Pacific Playgrounds

Blue Vista Resort

Kwisitis Visitor Centre

Boys & Girls Club Wilderness Camp N 250-384-9133 | bgcvic.org

W 1-888-738-0533 | conservancy.bc.ca Raincoast Education Society

RESORTS 1-800-663-7309 | beachacresresort.com

BC Camping Association N bccamping.org

Sooke | 250-642-5920 | CampBarnard.ca

Camp Imadene N Mesachie Lake | 1-800-445-7575

Tofino | 250-725-2560 | raincoasteducation.org

N

Camp Narnia

OTHER

Nanoose Bay | 604-771-0972 | campnarnia.com

Mayne Island Chamber of Commerce G Camp Pringle G mayneislandchamber.ca Shawnigan Lake | 250-743-2189 | camppringle.com

Mayne Island | 1-877-535-2424 | bluevistaresort.com

Pacific Sands Beach Resort

Camp Barnard

The Land Conservancy of BC

250-478-3323 | weirsbeachrvresort.bc.ca

Beach Acres Resort

Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park

N Tofino | 250-726-7721 | pc.gc.ca/PacRim

250-248-3171 | parksands.com

Weir’s Beach RV Resort

OVERNIGHT CAMPS

C Qualicum Beach | 250-248-7829 | hornelake.com

Black Creek | 877-239-5600 | pacificplaygrounds.ca

Park Sands Beach Resort

N

Tourism Tofino N 250-725-3414 | tourismtofino.com

N

Tofino | 1-800-565-2322 | pacificsands.com

Strathcona Park Lodge 250-286-3122 | strathconaparklodge.com

C

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

Camp Qwanoes Crofton | 1-888-99-QWANOES

Camp Thunderbird vancouverislandy.com

Coastal Bliss Adventures Cowichan Bay | 1-800-896-9525 | coastalbliss.ca

Coastal Current Adventures Salt Spring | 250-537-2571 | adventurecampbc.ca

Galiano Conservancy 250-539-2424 | galianoconservancy.ca

Outward Bound 1-888-688-9273 | outwardbound.ca

Pioneer Pacific Camp 1-800-784-1415 | pioneercamppacific.ca

UVic Vikes 250-721-8406 | govikesgo.com Family Resource Guide 2020 19

EDUCATION V

Centennial Day Care

PRESCHOOLS, CHILD CARE & OCCASIONAL CARE

250-386-6832 | centennialdaycare.ca

N

Children’s Discovery Centre Qualicum Beach | 250-752-4343

V Little Star Children’s Centre

Ciara Early Childhood Centre V 846 Phoenix St | 250-386-7369

Arbutus Grove Children’s Centre

3905 Haro Road | 250-477-3731 | arbutusgrove.ca Formerly known as Goosey Gander Kindergarten.

Half-day and full-day Early Learning Programs.

Children’s learning is nurtured and supported through inquiry, exploration, play and creative expression.

P

Cordova Bay Preschool 250-658-3441 | cordovabaypreschool.org

P

Countryside Preschool countrysidepreschool.org

N

Qualicum Beach 250-752-4554 | littlestardaycare.ca

Lulu’s Child Care Centre

P

9830 Fourth St, Sidney | thisislulus.com

Metchosin Cooperative Preschool

W

250-478-9241

V

ArtsCalibre Academy

3220 Cedar Hill Rd | 250-382-3533 | ArtsCalibre.ca “The Art of Preschool”—an engaging, comprehensive program infused with music, dance, theatre and visual arts, giving children confidence and the social and academic skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Excellent staff and outstanding facilities within the Cedar Hill Recreation Centre.

Aspengrove School

Nightingale Preschool & Junior Kindergarten Ltd.

The first steps in your child’s education

250-595-7544 | nightingalepreschool.com

250-360-1148 | saanichneighbourhoodplace.com

813 Claremont Ave | 250-658-2331 carrotseedpreschool.com

Castleview Child Care Cathedral School Childcare & Junior Kindergarten

V Pacific Heart Childcare

Cathedral School Childcare & Junior Kindergarten 1806 San Juan Ave | NEW Gordon Head location 250-388-4550 | cathedralschool.ca Learning through play is an essential part of our enriched curriculum. Full day, licensed program for 3 and 4 year olds.

20 Island Parent Magazine

286 Island Hwy | 250-727-2929 islandkids.ca

P

250-477-8131 | lambrickparkpreschool.ca

La Pre-Maternelle Appletree Preschool

Ready Set Grow Preschool W 250-472-1530 | heosc.com

V

Recreation Oak Bay V 1975 Bee St | 250-370-7200 | oakbay.ca

V

The River Preschool V theriverpreschool.stbarnabaschurch.ca

V

The Sir James Douglas Playschool

250-479-0292 | prematernelleappletree.com

Lexie’s Little Bears Child Care Inc. 1931 & 1927 Millstream Rd | 250-590-3603 lexieslittlebears.ca

D

D

250-642-5152 | sfrs.ca/kingfisherpreschool.html

V

Queen of Angels Early Learning Centre

Queen Margaret’s School N 250-746-4185 | qms.bc.ca

V John Paul II Catholic School

Lambrick Park Preschool

Duncan | 250-746-1711

V 250-701-0433 | queenofangels.ca

jlcvictoria.com

Kingfisher Preschool

D

Parkside Academy

Island Montessori House

Port Alberni | 250-723-0637

P

1720 McTavish Rd | pacificheartchildcare.com

V JLC Victoria Japanese Preschool

1670 Richardson St | 250-383-5132 cathedralschool.ca Learning through play is an essential part of our enriched curriculum. Full day, licensed program for 3 and 4 year olds.

V

250-479-4532 | PacificChristian.ca

250-592-4411 | islandmontessori.com

250-595-5355 | castleviewchildcarecentre.com

V

250-592-1922 | oakbaypreschool.com

D Pacific Christian School Preschool

Island Kids Academy Camosun College Child Care Services V 542 Fraser St | 250-381-2929 V

3738 Cedar Hill Rd | 250-472-0668 oakcrestpreschool.org

V Oak Bay Preschool

Full o’ Beans Preschool

250-618-2201 | aspengroveschool.ca

Carrot Seed Preschool

V

Oakcrest Preschool Call for more information today: 250.746.3654

International Montessori Academy N 2375 Koksilah Rd, Duncan | 250-737-1119

250-370-4880 | camosun.ca/childcare

V

W

V

250-389-0500

St. Christopher’s Montessori School V 2619 Currie Rd | 250-595-3213 IslandParent.ca

St. Joseph’s Early Learning Centre

V

757 Burnside Rd West 250-479-1237 | stjosephschool.ca

Arc: Academy of Inquiry

St. Margaret’s School Jr. Kindergarten V 250-479-7171 | stmarg.ca

Sunrise Waldorf School Preschool

INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS arcacademy.ca

Arrowmith Independent School

Evergreen Independent School

Glenlyon-Norfolk School N 801 Bank St (Admissions) | 250-370-6801

861 Hilliers Rd, Qualicum | 250-752-2722

2148 Lakeside Rd | 250-743-7253 sunrisewaldorfschool.org

250-598-2667 | vicpa.org

Victoria Montessori 250-380-0534 | victoriamontessori.com

Westmont Montessori School C M Metchosin Y K 4075 Rd | 250-474-2626 68 35 2 2 west-mont.ca

ArtsCalibre Academy

V Aspengrove School

250-477-1312 | wisewaysvictoria.com

SCHOOL DISTRICTS Chemainus Crofton Community Schools Association

Brentwood College School D 2735 Mt. Baker Rd, Mill Bay 250-743-5521 | brentwood.bc.ca

Brookes Westshore

Conseil scolaire francophone de la Columbie-Britannique

556 Boleskine Rd | 250-475-3212 | sd61.bc.ca

CCCS is an Independent Anglican School for K – grade 8. Outstanding teachers, programs W and out of school care within a welcoming, inclusive community.

3143 Jacklin Rd | 250-474-9800 | sd62.bc.ca

School District #63 Saanich

P Discovery School

2125 Keating X-Rd | 250-652-7300 | sd63.bc.ca

School District #64, Salt Spring

V

1841 Fairburn Dr | 250-479-4746 mariamontessoriacademy.net

Queen Margaret’s School W 250-746-4185 | qms.bc.ca Queen of Angels Catholic School

912 Vancouver St | 250-383-5125

V cathedralschool.ca

Maria Montessori Academy

V

671 Agnes St (Elementary) | 250-479-9365 D 654 Agnes St (Secondary) | 250-479-4532 pacificchristian.ca

Christ Church Cathedral School V

School District #61 Victoria

P

250-658-5082 | lakeviewchristianschool.ca

Pacific Christian School

1945 Sooke Rd | 250-929-0506 westshore.brookes.org

180–10200 Shellbridge Way, Richmond 1-888-715-2200 | csf.bc.ca

Lakeview Christian School

N

Oak & Orca Bioregional School V N 2738 Higgins St | 250-383-6609 | oakandorca.ca

Nanaimo | 250-390-2201 AspengroveSchool.ca

3172 Garner St | 250-246-3588

School District #62 Sooke

John Paul II Catholic School V Port Alberni | 4006 8th Ave | 250-723-0637

4201 Tyndall Ave | 250-382-3533 | ArtsCalibre.ca Imagine a school where music, dance, theatre V and visual arts are infused into all aspects of an outstanding curriculum. Academic excellence is achieved in a dynamic, engaging and safe enviW ronment. Small class sizes, individualized education plans, highly skilled and dedicated teachers, excellent facilities and location.

8 95 55 16

Wiseways Preschool & Daycare

V

801 Bank St (Middle Years) | 250-370-6803 801 Bank St (Senior) | 250-370-6802 1701 Beach Dr (Primary) | 250-370-6854 mygns.ca

D arrowsmithindependentschool.ca

Vancouver Island Co-operative Preschool Association

D

3515 Watson Ave, Cobble Hill V 250-743-2433 | evergreen.net

D D

2085 Maple Bay Rd | 250-746-5919

Selkirk Montessori School

V

2970 Jutland Rd | 250-384-3414 selkirkmontessori.ca

St. Andrew’s Regional High School V

V

880 McKenzie Ave | 250-479-1414 standrewshigh.ca

250-595-7765 | discoveryschool.ca

P

112 Rainbow Rd | 250-537-5548 | sd64.bc.ca

School District #68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith)

N

395 Wakesiah Ave | 250-754-5521 | sd68.bc.ca

School District #69 (Qualicum)

N

100 Jensen Ave | 250-248-4241 | sd69.bc.ca

School District #79

D

2557 Beverly St | 250-748-0321 | sd79.bc.ca

IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020 21

St. Joseph’s Catholic School

V Welkin College School

757 West Burnside Rd | 250-479-1232 stjosephschool.ca

N KUMON Math & Reading

welkinschool.com

Westmont School

W

4075 Metchosin Rd | 250-474-2626 west-mont.ca

St. Margaret’s School

V

1080 Lucas Ave | 250-479-7171 | stmarg.ca Confident girls. Inspiring women. Junior kindergarten to Grade 12.

St. Michaels University School 3400 Richmond Rd | 250-592-2411 | smus.ca Jr. School | 820 Victoria | 250-598-3922

St. Patrick’s Elementary School

KUMON Math & Reading

250-954-3043 | SD69.bc.ca

V Hands-On Home-Learning for a Sustainable World

N KUMON Math & Reading

Broadmead | 250-744-1174 Saanichton | 250-656-4042 D ilc.sd63.bc.ca

KUMON Math & Reading V 5–6421 Applecross Rd | 250-390-2411

N

2753 Charlotte Rd | 250-743-3510 kumon.com

P LDABC The Learning Curve

2368 Trent St | 250-592-6713 | stpatrickselem.ca

250-370-9513 | ldasvi.bc.ca

Shawnigan Lake School

Literacy Central Vancouver Island

1975 Renfrew Rd | 250-743-5516 | shawnigan.ca

P

10091 Resthaven Dr | 250-656-6696 | kumon.com

2738 Higgins St | 250-383-6619 | oakandorca.ca

V Individual Learning Centre

W

115–963 Langford Parkway | 250-516-2991 kumon.com

DISTRIBUTED LEARNING CEAP School District #69 Home Learning Program

V

1560 Fort St | 778-746-3185 214-3965 Quadra St | 250-479-1800 kumon.com

V N

250-754-8988 | literacycentralvi.org

D

The Math Teacher 250-732-1597 | themathteacher.xyz

Nanaimo Unique Kids Organization

N

2–5801 Turner Rd | nuko.ca

Pivot Point Learning Centres Inc. 1-866-531-4544 | pivotpoint.ca

School Is Easy In Home Tutoring

N

1-877-ITSEASY | schooliseasy.com

Smart Tutor Referrals 250-544-1588 | SmartTutorReferrals.com

Sylvan Learning Centre

Juan de Fuca Distributed Learning 814 Goldstream Ave | 250-391-9002 jdfdl.web.sd62.bc.ca

Sunrise Waldorf School

Navigate Heartwood D Learning Community

2148 Lakeside Rd | 250-743-7253 sunrisewaldorfschool.org A fully certified Waldorf School established in 1980. Our 7 acre rural campus is located in the Cowichan Valley, just south of Duncan. Programs include preschool, kindergarten, and Grades 1-8

Victoria School for Ideal Education 2820 Belmont Ave | 250-383-6654 | vsie.ca

22 Island Parent Magazine

1-800-663-7925 | navigateheartwood.ca

V

1623 McKenzie Ave | 250-477-3212 3145 Jacklin Rd | 250-590-6211 sylvanlearning.com Proven results. Digital tablet technology. InnovaW tive teaching techniques, motivational programs and the Sylvan Insight assessment continue to make Sylvan Learning the leader in personalized N learning from K-12. Call today to find out more.

Sylvan Learning Centre

D

215–80 Station St | 250-746-0222 North Island Distance Education C sylvanlearning.com 2505 Smith Rd, Courtenay Proven results. Digital 1-800-663-7925 | navigatenides.com tablet technology. Innovative teaching techniques, motivational programs LEARNING CENTRES & TUTORS V and the Sylvan Insight assessment continue to Alliance Française de Victoria V make Sylvan Learning the leader in personalized afvictoria.ca learning from K-12. Call today to find out more.

Mak

IslandParent.ca

that they feel safe an

“We love Nchildren and we want to ensure Sylvan Learning Centre that they feel safe and supported.”

- Foster and adoptive parents, Julie an

3260 Norwell Dr | 250-758-1526 sylvanlearning.com Proven results. Digital We love children and want to ensure tablet technology. Innova- Foster and adoptive parents, Julie and Ken, withwe their family tive teaching techniques, that they feel safe and supported. motivational programs and the Sylvan Insight assessment continue to - Foster and adoptive parents, Julie and Ken, with their family make Sylvan Learning the leader in personalized learning from K-12. Call today to find out more.

“

”

V

Total Learning Services 778-440-0997 totallearningservices2014@gmail.com

V

Victoria German School

250-886-1420 | victoriagermanschool.org

Make this summer

V

Victoria Literacy Connection

COUNT

306–620 View St | 250-385-0014 victorialiteracyconnection.ca Previously READ Society and Literacy Victoria, we continue to provide nationally recognized Literacy Assessments, individually designed Remedial Tutoring to reinforce school work and stimulate learning, sponsored literacy after school programming called Noisy Kids Reading Club, as well as Kids can lose up to 2 1/2 our 1:1 Adult Literacy Tutoring. Proceeds from our summer.

Stay ahead remedial program subsidizethe our free programming.

WITH SUMMER LEARNING AT SYLVAN

months of learning in of the curve with Sylvan's summer sessions!

POST SECONDARY EDUCATION

Summer sessions are filling up fast. Call today!

V

Camosun College 250-370-3550 | camosun.ca

Royal Roads University 250-391-2511 | royalroads.ca

Considering fostering and Call now for more information: 1-800-EDUCATE would would like to learn more?

University of Victoria 250-721-7211 | uvic.ca

W

CISVvictoria.ca

1-800-663-99991-800BC Federation of Fosterbcfosterparents.ca Parent Associations “Another Branch of the Family Tree”

BC Federation of Foster Parent Associations

N

900 5th St | 250-753-3245 | viu.ca

CISV Victoria

“Another Branch of the Family Tree”

bcfoster

Sylvan of Vancouver Island fostering and Considering V

1-800-EDUCATE would like to learn more?

1-800-663-9999 bcfosterparents.ca

V Victoria & Area D Duncan & Area SYLVANLEARNING.CA P Peninsula N Nanaimo & Area BC Federation of Foster Parent Associations W Westshore C Courtenay/Comox G “Another Gulf IslandsBranch of the Family Tree” IslandParent.ca

like

V Offer valid at participating locations only. Expires 07/31/2019. Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon. All sales final.

Vancouver Island University OTHER

Considerin

TUITION SALE THROUGH JULY 31st

Family Resource Guide 2020 23

ANNUALFAMILYEVENTS Visit IslandParent.ca for updated monthly event listings

N Toronto Maple Leafs Alumni Hockey Game

West Coast Youth Fiddle Summit

Sunday, February 2, 2pm at Port Theatre, Nanaimo porttheatre.com

Childhood Anxiety Presentation

N The House at Pooh Corner

Wednesday, February 5, 6pm at Cedar Elementary ericfoundation.com

Chinese Lunar New Year

Friday, February 7, 7pm at Cowichan Performing Arts Centre cowichanpac.ca

Victoria Comic Book Expo Sunday, February 9, 11am at Comfort Inn and Conference Centre victoriacomicbookexpo.ca

The Secret Garden

V Be a Tourist In Your Own Town February 27 to March 2 beatourist.ca

D Capital City Comic Con Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22 at Victoria Conference Centre capitalcitycomiccon.ca

Fred Penner’s The Cat Came Back V 40th Anniversary Tour

Bear Mountain Bike Festival N Saturday March 28 and Sunday March 29 bearmountainbikefest.com

Kalabante: Afrique En Cirque

Thursday, May 28 to Saturday, August 29, 2pm, 7:30pm, 8pm at Chemainus Theatre V chemainustheatrefestival.ca

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

V

Oak Bay Tea Party Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7, 7am at Willows Beach N oakbayteaparty.com

Vancouver Island Exhibition W

N

August 21, 22, 23 | Nanaimo viex.ca

P

Saanich Fair

Saturday, September 5 to Monday, September 7 at Saanich Fairgrounds D saanichfair.ca

D

Cowichan Exhibition

cowichanpac.ca May 8–10 esquimaltbuccaneerdays.ca

D

V Disney’s Beauty & the Beast

Sunday, April 26, 7pm at Cowichan

Esquimalt Buccaneer Days

V

Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 at Topaz Park victoriahighlandgames.com

V Performing Arts Centre

Saturday, February 15, 10am at Victoria Conference Centre victoriaseedysaturday.ca

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore

Victoria Highland Games V & Celtic Festival

Saturday, March 21, 4pm at Port Theatre porttheatre.com

Thursday February 13 to Sunday March 1, 7:30pm at Village Theatre, Qualicum echoplayers.ca

Victoria Seedy Saturday

Friday–Monday, May 15–18 luxtonspringfair.ca

Saturday, February 22, 4pm and Sunday, February 23, 2pm at McPherson Playhouse rmts.bc.ca

Friday, February 7, 11:30am at Cook Street Village Activity Centre

Anne of Green Gables, the Ballet

Thursday, February 20, 7pm at The Q Centre lifetimenetworks.org/maple-leafs

W

W Luxton Fair

V

September 11, 12, 13 in Duncan cowex.ca

Elf: The Musical

D

Friday, November 20 to Thursday, December 31, 2pm, 7:30pm, 8pm at Chemainus Theatre chemainustheatrefestival.ca

A��n�i�� P���nt�!

WE ARE OFFERING A WIDE RANGE OF PARENTING CLASSES THIS SPRING. Check out our Infant CPR and First aid, Positive Parenting Drop-In, Transitions: Navigating your way through Change and Love Your Relationship workshops. Brush up your skills with our Small Talk workshop and Public Speaking Boot Camp.

Re�is��� a� 250-478-8384 | westshorerecreation.ca 24 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

CLASSES&PROGRAMS ART PROGRAMS Art Gallery of Greater Victoria Children’s Studio 250-384-4171 | aggv.ca

Artistic Statement Gallery & School of Fine Art 107–2250 Oak Bay Ave | 250-383-0566

Fired Up Ceramics firedupceramics.ca

McTavish Academy of Art

and self-expression. Balance, coordination and spatial awareness are developed in a fun atmoMaple Bay Yacht Club D sphere. Younger students are continually inspired 250-746-4521 | mbyc.bc.ca by our internationally acclaimed instructors and professional training program students from all V Nanaimo Navy League & Sea Cadets N over the world. VAB is the only ballet school on 750 Fifth St | 250-753-3797 Vancouver Island designated with the BC Ministry of Advanced Education.

V

321 Cairnsmore St | 250-748-1052 | girlguides.ca

V

Navy League Cadets V 250-565-3344 | navyleague.ca

V

Royal Canadian Air Cadets P 89pacific-aircadets.ca

1720 McTavish Rd 778-351-0088 McTavishAcademy.ca McTavish Academy of Art works with local instructors, organizations and the community, offering a unique range of creative classes, workshops and events for you to experience, at any age.

Poppet Creative

D ronment focused on creativity, group interaction

Girl Guides of Canada

250-940-3630 | batemancentre.org

V

Scouts Canada 1-888-726-8876 | scouts.ca

Boys & Girls Club, Victoria

Boys & Girls Club, Chemainus

V

310 Henry St | mapleleafballet.ca

C Nanaimo Contemporary Ballet ncballet.ca

D O’Brien School of Irish Dance

2471 Beverly St, Duncan | 250-748-1171

Boys & Girls Club, Ladysmith

250-340-2370 | obrienirishdance.com

N Stages Performing Arts School

730 3rd Ave | 250-245-8921

Boys & Girls Club, Lantzville 7–7221 Lantzville Rd | 250-390-4001

N

301–1551 Cedar Hill X Rd | 250-384-3267 stagesdance.com

Victoria Academy of Ballet

N victoriaacademyofballet.ca

20 5th St | 250-754-3215

The Victoria Academy of Ballet offers recreV ational dance classes to students aged 3–18 in a stimulating envi-

938 Mason St | 250-383-1712 | girlguides.ca

26 Island Parent Magazine

N W

V Boys & Girls Club

V

250-384-9133 | bgcvic.org

W Byte Camp

V

250-661-3358 | bytecamp.ca

Canadian Forces Sailing V 250-385-8873 | cfsa.wordpress.com

V

FUN Camps N 600 Richmond Ave | 778-712-2267

V

Glenlyon-Norfolk Marine Adventure N Program

V

250-370-6852 | mygns.ca

V Hands On Summer Camp

V

250-995-6425 | HandsOnSummerCamp.com

Christ Church Cathedral School V 250-383-5125 | cathedralschool.ca

V

700 Yates St, 2nd Flr | 250-590-6752

Boys & Girls Club, Nanaimo Girl Guides of Canada

BC SPCA

250-744-2327 | bearmountain.ca

250-361-3267 | danceunlimited.ca

Maple Leaf School of Ballet

V

V Bear Mountain Academy Programs

Arabesque Dance Studio

Leap Forward Dance School

Autism Services, Community Living Victoria

250-388-7722 | spca.bc.ca

2758 Peatt Rd | 250-818-9225 or 778-265-5955 leapforwardlangford.com

3172B Garner St | 250-246-5421

Boys & Girls Club, Duncan

DANCE

Dance Unlimited

1233 Clarke Rd | 250-652-3021 521 Craigflower Rd | 250-686-9108 410 Macaulay St | 250-686-9107 626 Hoylake Ave | 250-478-0721 345 Wale Rd | 250-216-9583 bgcvic.org

DAY PROGRAMS

V 250-477-7231 | communitylivingvictoria.ca

250-595-3107 | dancearabesque.ca

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

V

Westcoast Academy of Performing Arts

205 Collishaw Rd, Nanaimo | 250-754-0076

Victoria Sea Cadets V 250-363-0864 | vicseacadets.ca V

V

250-888-9421 | victoriairishdancers.com

N 250-415-1477 | wapa.ca

Royal Canadian Air Cadets

poppetcreative.com

Robert Bateman Centre Junior Nature Sketch Club

Victoria School of Irish Dance

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

IslandParent.ca

IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020  27

SMUS Education Extension Holiday Programs

V

GYMNASTICS Falcon Gymnastics Centre

250-370-6120 | smus.ca

208–721 Vanalman Ave | 250-479-6424

Tennis Kids

V falcongymnastics.com

250-412-1406 | KidsAtTennis.ca

• Ongoing registration.

• Classes for boys and girls.

V • Ages 20 months and up.

• Beginner through advanced.

• Preschool drop-in.

• The best birthday parties in town.

YM/YWCA 880 Courtney St | 250-475-3777 vancouverislandy.com

DRAMA PROGRAMS Four Seasons Musical Theatre fsmtheatre.ca

Kaleidoscope Theatre

Flipside Gymnastics

V 250-756-9102 | flipsidegymnastics.ca Victoria Gymnastics V 2051 Store St | 250-380-2442 victoriagymnastics.com

250-383-8124 | kaleidoscope.bc.ca

SKAM School of Performing Arts

V Victoria Gymnastics

250-386-7526 | skam.ca

Spotlight Academy 250-714-2555 | spotlightacademyvictoria.com

Victoria Academy of Dramatic Arts 250-580-2588 | vadarts.com

28 Island Parent Magazine

V

520 Mt View Ave | 250-265-6414 victoriagymnastics.com

LIBRARIES V Greater Victoria Public Library 250-940-4875 (GVPL) | gvpl.ca Bruce Hutchison Branch | 4636 Elk Lake Rd Central Branch | 735 Broughton St

Central Saanich Branch | 1209 Clarke Rd Emily Carr Branch | 101-3521 Blanshard St V Esquimalt Branch | 1231 Esquimalt Rd Goudy Branch | 119-755 Goldstream Ave Juan de Fuca Branch | 1759 Island Hwy Langford Heritage Branch | 102-1314 Lakepoint Way Nellie McClung Branch | 3950 Cedar Hill Rd Oak Bay Branch | 1442 Monterey Ave Saanich Centennial Branch | 3110 Tillicum Rd

Vancouver Island Regional Library Campbell River Branch

N 1240 Shopper’s Row | 250-287-3655 Chemainus Branch 2592 Legion St | 250-246-9471 V Cowichan Branch 2687 James St | 250-746-7661 Hornby Island Branch 1765 Sollans Rd | 250-335-0044 W Ladysmith Branch 3–740 1st Ave | 250-245-2322 Lake Cowichan Branch 38 King George North | 250-749-3431 Nanaimo Harbourfront Branch 90 Commercial Dr | 250-753-1154 Nanaimo Wellington Branch 3032 Barons Rd | 250-758-5544 Parksville Branch 100E Jenson Ave East | 250-248-3841

IslandParent.ca

Kid-friendly Island Bike Parks

Port Alberni Branch 4245 Wallace St | 250-723-9511 Qualicum Beach Branch 101–660 Primrose St | 250-752-6121 Sidney-North Saanich Branch 10091 Resthaven Rd | 250-656-0944 Sooke Branch 2065 Anna Marie Rd | 250-642-3022 virl.bc.ca

Victoria

MUSIC BC Music Teacher’s Association

V

bcrmtavictoria.webs.com Let Victoria’s British Columbia Music Teachers Association find you a private music teacher. All ages and levels are welcome, whether you are a young student learning your first note, returning student, or have always wanted to play. The BCRMTA assures you qualified and professional instruction. Lessons are available on every instrument at every level, in every area from Greater Victoria to Duncan. Find your teacher by name or location on our web site.

Comox Valley Youth Music Centre

C

cymc.ca

Drumwave Music School

V

778-679-7985 | drumwavemusic.com

Island Show Choir

V

islandshowchoir.com

Mary Rogers Music Studio

V

250-744-9049 | maryrogerspianostudio.ca

Music for Young Children 1-800-828-4334 | myc.com

Nanaimo Conservatory of Music

Cecelia Ravine Bike Park. Cecelia Ravine Park is the largest park in the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood. The park provides a variety of recreational opportunities, along with one of the largest natural areas in the City park system.

View Royal Pump Track. The paved track provides a continuous circuit of rollers, berms and jumps that loops back on itself allowing a continuous ride with little to no peddling.

Cowichan Valley

Cleasby Bike Park, located at Quarry Nature Park in Cobble Hill, includes dirt jumps, a skills section as well as a pump track.

Gordon Bay Mini-Pumptrack includes a an adventure playground within the camping area and a small BMX dirt track.

Nanaimo & Area

The Stevie Smith Bike Park encompasses an array of jump lines ranging from beginner to expert including a pumptrack and skills park.

The Henry Morgan Park in Bowser is a pump track and playground in one.

Sort of. The pump track is made with a natural surface and is suitable from beginners onward.

Parksville & Area

Rathtrevor Beach Campground has a and child-sized mountain bike trail and figure-eight pump track that includes dips, bumps and banked turns.

Tofino

Tuff City Bike Park includes a pump track, table top jumps, a learning area, ladder planks and other natural obstacles. Tuff City Bike Park is located at Arnet Road beside the Tofino Community Hall.

Courtenay/Comox/Campbell River

Cumberland Village Park & Coal Hills BMX Track is located in Village Park and accessed from Dunsmuir Avenue at the east end of the Village. The track is operated and maintained by Coal Hills BMX Association.

Comox Valley’s Pinecrest Bike Park includes intermediate and advanced jump tracks, a pump track for intermediate to advanced riders, as well as an all ages forested pump track consisting of berms, rollers and log features.

Campbell River Mountain Bike Skills Park. The asphalt pump track is at the north entrance to the Willow Point Sportsplex.

N

250-754-4611 | ncmusic.ca

Tom Lee Music

W

105–2401D Millstream Rd | 250-838-5222 tomleemusic.ca

Victoria Children’s Choir

V

250-721-0856 | VictoriaChildrensChoir.ca

Victoria Conservatory of Music

V

900 Johnson St | 250-386-5311 210–1314 Lakepoint Way | 778-265-5355 vcm.bc.ca WHAT IS INSEAM? The key measurements to determine which bike will fit your child best is their inseam and overall height. Kids are different sizes at different ages, so we base our measurements on size rather than age. Here are the bikes according to inseam length that will allow kids to sit on the saddle with two feet flat on the ground. From Kids Bikes Canada, kidsbikescanada.ca.

IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020 29

Crystal Pool & Fitness Centre

RECREATION CENTRES

V Ladysmith Parks, Recreation & Culture

2275 Quadra St Archie Browning Sports Centre V 250-361-0732 victoria.ca/recservices 1151 Esquimalt Rd | 250-414-7103 | esquimalt.ca Swimming lessons for all Beban Park Social Centre N ages and abilities; 50m pool with waterslide, two kids’ pools and sauna/steam rooms; full fitness 2300 Bowen Rd | 250-756-5200 facilities and wellness programs.

N

Bowen Park Complex

500 Bowen Rd | 250-756-5200 | nanaimo.ca

V

Cedar Hill Recreation Centre 3220 Cedar Hill Rd | 250-475-7121 | saanich.ca

W

City Centre Park 250-391-1738 | citycentrepark.ca

D

Cowichan Aquatic Centre 2653 James St, Duncan | 250-746-7665 northcowichan.ca

Esquimalt Parks & Recreation

V

527 Fraser St | 250-414-8500 | esquimalt.ca

Frank Crane Arena

N

2300 Bowen Rd | 250-756-5200 | nanaimo.ca

Gordon Head Recreation Centre 4100 Lambrick Way | 250-475-7100 | saanich.ca

Henderson Centre

810–6th Ave | 250-245-6424 | ladysmith.ca

N

McGirr Sports Complex 6185 McGirr Rd | 250-756-1173 | sd68.bc.ca

Nanaimo Aquatic Centre

D Kerry Park Recreation Centre

311 South Shore Rd | 250-749-6742 | cvrd.bc.ca

D

Cowichan Sportsplex 5847 Chesterfield Ave | 250-746-5666 cowichansportsplex.com

N

Nanaimo Ice Centre 750 Third St | 250-756-5200 | nanaimo.ca

North Cowichan Parks & Recreation D 2876 Fuller Lake Rd, Chemainus | 250-246-3811

V northcowichan.ca

Oliver Woods Community Centre N V 6000 Oliver Rd | 250-756-5200 | nanaimo.ca Panorama Recreation Centre D 250-656-7271 | panoramarecreation.ca

P

Pearkes Recreation Centre

V

1035 Shawnigan-Mill Bay Rd | 250-743-5922 cvrd.bc.ca

Kinsmen Park Pool 5799 Alderlea St | 250-746-1018

N

741 Third St | 250-756-5200 | nanaimo.ca

2291 Cedar Hill X Rd | 250-370-7200 | oakbay.ca

Cowichan Lake Sports Arena

N

N

3100 Tillicum Rd | 250-475-5400 | saanich.ca

Ravensong Aquatic Centre

N

737 Jones St | 250-752-5014 | rdn.bc.ca

New this season!

Student and Family Previews Experience the splendour of opera with your family.

DOVE

Flight TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18 BIZET

Carmen TUESDAY, APRIL 14 All previews 7:00 pm | Royal Theatre Adults $25 | Students $15

(At least 1 student ticket must be purchased with each adult ticket.)

PACIFICOPERA.CA | 250.385.0222

30 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

V

Recreation Oak Bay 250-595-7946 | recreation.oakbay.ca

P

Saanich Commonwealth Place 4636 Elk Lake Dr | 250-475-7600 | saanich.ca

Salt Spring Island Parks & Recreation G 145 Vesuvius Bay Rd | 250-537-4448

V

Save On Foods Memorial Centre

1925 Blanshard St 250-361-0732 victoria.ca/arena Passport to skating lesson programs for all ages and abilities; special events and theme skates; youth and sports programs; rental opportunities for ice/dry floor/meeting rooms.

SEAPARC Leisure Complex

T R I A NGLE BA SEBALL Westshore & Sooke Programs for Ages 5-18 Triangle Athletic Association trianglebaseball triangle_aa

trianglebaseball.ca

W

2168 Phillips Rd, Sooke | 250-642-8000 crd.bc.ca/seaparc

Shawnigan Lake Community Centre D 2804 Shawnigan Lk Rd | 250-743-1433 | cvrd.bc.ca

West Shore Parks & Recreation

W

250-478-8384 westshorerecreation.ca Juan de Fuca Recreation Centre and Centennial Centre offer a variety of programs for preschoolers, school age and teens, plus drop-in swimming, skating, child minding and more.

RIDING Alpine Stables

D

250-743-6641 | alpinestable.com

Cowichan Therapeutic Riding

D

Delivering Delivering RESULTS RESULTS

ACE THEACE NEXT REPORT CARD WITH THE NEXT REPORT CARDSYLVAN WITH SYLVAN

Delivering RESULTS

We knowWe academic results are important know academic results are important toDiagnostic Assessments We know academic results areto Initial in the month of February for you.students Sylvan students see up to two you. Sylvan typically see upstudents to two important to you.typically Sylvan just $40. Call now to see SCIENCE/NATURE ACE THE NEXT REPORT WITH SYLVAN how Sylvan’s proven process three times more growth in theirCARD math ACE NEXT REPORT CARD WITH SYLVAN to three to times more growth in math typically see upTHE totheir two to three can help your child see BC SPCA V and scores reading scores than if their they hadn't comesuccess at school. and reading than if they hadn't come We know academic results are important times more growth in 250-388-7722 | spca.bc.ca/kids celebrating 40 years of We know academic results aremath important to to We're We're celebrating years of delivering results 40 with Initial you.

Sylvan students typically see up to two to Sylvan*.

Call TODAY: 1-800-Educate to Sylvan*. delivering results with Initial Assessments for just and Sylvan reading scorestypically than if see theyup to two Diagnostic you. students Diagnostic Assessments for just $40 in the month of March.

Call Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre D to three times more growth in math of March.

Call now in to the seemonth how Sylvan's proven to three timescontrol more growth in their their math year.$40 now to take ofif this school hadn’t come tothis Sylvan*. to see proven 1845 Cowichan Bay Rd Act nowAct to take of school year. process canhow helpSylvan's your child see andcontrol reading scores than they hadn't come now 250-746-1028 | ctra.ca

Offer valid at participating locations only.

Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon. Expires 02/28/20.

processsuccess can help child see Initial at your school. and reading scores than if they hadn't come Initial success at school.

Diagnostic Assessments for just to Sylvan*.

Diagnostic Assessments for just Call TODAY: 1-800-Educate to Sylvan*. $40 in the month of March. Call TODAY: 1-800-Educate $40 inschool theCall month ofyear.

March. Call Act now to take control of this now to see how Sylvan's proven Act now to see how Sylvan's proven Act now now to to take take control control of of this this school school year. year.

250-597-2288 | cowichanestuary.ca

of Vancouver SylvanSylvan of Vancouver IslandIsland

Offer valid at participating locations only. Cannot be combined withatany other offerlocations or coupon.

Expires 03/31/19.

Offer valid participating only.

Cannot be combined with any other offer or coupon. Expires 03/31/19.

CRD Parks Programs 250-478-3344 | crd.bc.ca

Cedar Coast Field Station

N

cedarcoastfieldstation.org

Friends of Uplands Park 250-595-8084 | friendsofuplandpark.org

IslandParent.ca

1-800-EDUCATE 1-800-EDUCATE 1-800-EDUCATE

process can help your child see process can help your child success atsee school. success at school.

Call TODAY: 1-800-Educate Offer1-800-Educate valid at participating locations only. Cannot be Call TODAY:

Sylvan Sylvan of of Vancouver Vancouver Island Island Westshore, Nanaimo and Duncan Victoria,Victoria, Westshore, Nanaimo and Duncan

1-800-EDUCATE

combinedlocations with any only. otherCannot offer or be coupon. Expires 03/31/19.

Offer valid at participating combined with any other offer or coupon. Expires 03/31/19.

V

Victoria, Victoria, Westshore, Westshore, Nanaimo Nanaimo and and Duncan Duncan

*See the complete Sylvan Field Research Results at SylvanResearchInstitute.com. *See the complete Sylvan Field Research Results at SylvanResearchInstitute.com.

Family Resource Guide 2020 31 *See the complete Sylvan Field Research Results at SylvanResearchInstitute.com.

Gorge Park | 778-265-5119 | gorge.ca

V Capital Region Female Minor Hockey Assoc.

Mad Science

V

Gorge Waterway Nature House

250-391-1814 | madscience.org/vancouverisland

Morell Nature Sanctuary

N

787 Nanaimo Lakes | 250-753-5811 morrellnaturesanctuary.ca

Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary

Gorge Soccer Association

V Highland Pacific Golf

V

V 3–625 Hillside Ave | 250-532-8282

V

islandcircusspace.com

W

Pacific Cheer Empire

V

PacificFC.ca

PISE (Pacific Institute for Sport Excellence)

V

250-220-2510 | piseworld.com

Pacific Coast Swimming

P V

1-800-427-0536 | royalsoccer.com

V Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Lions Baseball P

3100 Foul Bay Rd | 250-721-2233 | trackshoes.ca

P Royal Soccer Club

250-479-3909 | islandswimming.com

SPORTS

V

Operation Trackshoes

250-727-9243 | pacificcoastswimming.com

W Island Swimming

juandefucaskatingclub.ca

2505 Smith Rd, Courtenay 1-800-663-7925 | navigatepace.com

Pacific FC W

Island Circus Space

C

210–314 Wale Rd | 250-516-0507 V pacificcheerempire.com

450 Creed Rd | 250-478-4653 highlandpacificgolf.com

oakbayfsc.ca

Boardworks Diving

P

cslittleleague.com

250-727-2543 | gvpha.org

SKATING

Juan de Fuca Skating Club

Central Saanich Little League

V Greater Victoria Horseshoe Pitching Association

778-554-4741 | thrivingroots.org

Oak Bay Figure Skating Club

VictoriaGirlsHockey.ca

gorgesoccer.ca

250-479-0211 | swanlake.bc.ca

Thriving Roots Wilderness School

V Navigate Performance Athlete Custom Education (P.A.C.E.)

lionsbaseball.ca

V

250-592-6113 | rvyc.bc.ca

4636 Elk Lake Dr | 250-479-0330 | boardworks.ca

St. John Paul II School

Island Catholic Schools

4006 – 8th Ave Port Alberni, BC V9Y 4A4 250-723-0637 jp2nd.ca

Queen of Angels School 2085 Maple Bay Road Duncan BC V9L 5L9 250-746-5919 queenofangels.ca

Christ centered communities of learning… educating the “whole” child.

St. Joseph’s School

757 West Burnside Road Victoria BC V8Z 1M9 250-479-1232 stjosephschool.ca

St. Patrick’s School

Tel:

For more information on all of the Island Catholic Schools, visit

250-727-6893 cisdv.bc.ca 32 Island Parent Magazine

2368 Trent Street Victoria BC V8R 4Z3 250-592-6713 stpatrickselem.ca

St. Andrew’s Regional High School 880 McKenzie Avenue Victoria BC V8X 3G5 250-479-1414 standrewshigh.ca

IslandParent.ca

Sooke Horseshoe Pitching Association

W

778-352-1222 | sookehorseshoes.weebly.com

Getting Hooked on Horseshoes…

It’s a Family Affair!

V

South Island Youth Cricket League siycl.ca

V

The Rising Centre for Circus Arts 250-857-1785 | therisingcircus.com

Triangle Baseball

W

trianglebaseball.ca

V

Tyee Aquatic Club tyeeaquaticclub.com

V

Victoria City Rowing Club vcrc.bc.ca

V

Victoria Judo Club 250-886-0056 | victoriajudoclub.com

V

Victoria Junior Field Hockey VictoriaJuniorFieldHockey.ca

V

Victoria Sea Cadets 250-363-0864 | vicseacadets.ca

V

Victoria Synchro victoriasynchro.com Synchronized swimming combines swimming with music, dance, gymnastics and drama—and it’s a team sport! Beginner Synchro School classes offered.

Check our website for details!

Victoria Youth Paddling Club

V V W

westshorebasketball.com

Westshore Motocross Assoc.

Sooke Horseshoe Club 2250 Sooke River Rd (Fred Milne Park) sookehorseshoes@shaw.ca Gail Bishop: 250-642-7377

What are YOU waiting for? Come Visit our Courts ~ Call Today!

Performing Arts School since 1980

westernadventures.ca

Westshore Basketball

Victoria Horseshoe Club 620 Kenneth St (Glanford Park) info@gvhpa.org Sante Michielin: 250-889-0166

STAGES

vypc.ca

Western Educational Adventures

The ‘Sport of Horseshoe Pitching’ is for EVERYONE (a true Family Sport) regardless of your experience or degree in skill; an inexpensive sport involving a moderate amount of healthy outdoor exercise, not to mention an excellent pastime.

s e s s a l C o l Da n c e up

o d h c S onths an e m r 2 1 P s e for ag

C la s s e s, t o T & t n e Pa r p, e t, H ip H o J a z z, Ba ll la s s e s & C o m b o aClle t, Ta p &

W

250-590-8088 | westshoremx.com

World Cup Soccer Camp

V

worldcupsoccercamp.com

z, B (w ith J a z e) a l Th e a t r ic s u M

OTHER CISV Victoria

V

For more information

cisvvictoria.ca

Under the GUI 778-967-2150 | underthegui.com

IslandParent.ca

V

Even the littlest angel can dance

Call 250-384-3267 Email us at stagesdance@shaw.ca Or visit our website: www.stagesdance.com

Family Resource Guide 2020 33

FAMILYFUN&ENTERTAINMENT Langford Lanes

ANIMALS Beacon Hill Children’s Farm

V

250-381-2532 | beaconhillchildrensfarm.ca

Tiger Lily Farms Barnyard & Trail Rides

Mattick’s Farm Mini Golf

V

250-384-BUGS | victoriabugzoo.ca

Miniature World

P Victoria Film Festival

All Fun Karts, Cages, Clubs & Camping at Western Speedway 250-474-1961 | allfun.bc.ca

The Boulders Climbing Gym

W The Tube Shack, Cowichan River

N V

1627 Stelly’s Cross Rd | 250-544-0310 climbtheboulders.com

WildPlay Element Parks

W N

Fringe Festival 250-383-2663 | intrepidtheatre.com

Gabriola Theatre Festival artsgabriola.ca

City Centre Park, Playzone

Greater Victoria Performing Arts W Festival

Langford | 250-391-1738 | citycentrepark.ca

Galey Farms Corn Maze, Market & Railway

V

250-477-5713 | galeyfarms.net

Highland Pacific Golf

C

450 Creed Rd | 250-478-4653 highlandpacificgolf.com

Rifflandia Festival

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

34 Island Parent Magazine

Saanich Fair 250-652-3314 | saanichfair.ca

Shakespeare Festival

12 Gatacre St, Ladysmith | 250-245-4846

Craigflower Schoolhouse & Manor

V C

250-339-8162 | comoxairforcemuseum.ca

C

Courtenay Museum 250-334-0686

Hatley Park National Historic Site D V V

rifflandia.com

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

N

Black Nugget Museum

603 Fort Rodd Hill Rd | 250-478-5849 parkscanada.gc.ca/fortroddhill G Come run, climb and go underground at Fort Rodd Hill. Then steer a ship, sound the fog horn and master the games inside Fisgard Lighthouse.

V Free admission for youth 17 and under.

Duncan | 250-248-8975 | islandsfolkfestival.ca

Pacific Rim Whale Festival W pacificrimwhalefestival.com

D

2892 Drinkwater Rd, Duncan | 250-715-1113 bcforestdiscoverycentre.com

Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse W V National Historic Sites of Canada

250-386-9223 | gvpaf.org

V Islands Folk Festival

P

BC Aviation Museum

Comox Air Force Museum

250-388-7350 | francocentre.com

Comox Valley | 1-866-898-8499 filbergfestival.com

4255 Wallace St | 250-723-2181 | portalberni.ca

2790 Shoreline Dr | 250-383-4627

FESTIVALS & FAIRS

Filberg Festival

N

Alberni Valley Museum

D BC Forest Discovery Centre

35 Nanaimo River Rd | 1-888-716-7374 wildplay.com

Festival de la francophonie

MUSEUMS

Sidney | 250-655-3300 | bcam.net

250-510-RIDE (7433) | cowichanriver.com

WildPlay Element Parks P 250-595-2251 | wildplay.com

V

250-389-0444 | victoriafilmfestival.com

649 Humboldt St | 250-385-9731 miniatureworld.com

FAMILY FUN

V

250-704-2500 | victoriadragonboat.com

5325 Cordova Bay Rd | 250-658-4053 N matticksfarm.com

1692 Errington Rd | 250-248-2408 | tigerlilyfarm.ca McNab’s Corn Maze mcnabscornmaze.com

Victoria Bug Zoo

W Victoria Dragon Boat Festival

250-391-1738 | citycentrepark.ca

P

W

2005 Sooke Rd | 250-391-2666 | hatleycastle.com

V

Maritime Museum 250-385-4222 | mmbc.bc.ca

McLean Mill Historic Park

N

5633 Smith Rd | 250-723-1376 | mcleanmill.ca

N

Nanaimo Museum 250-753-1821 | nanaimomuseum.ca

V

Royal BC Museum

675 Belleville St | 250-356-7226 V royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

vicshakespeare.com IslandParent.ca

Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, Heritage Acres

Tiger Lily Farm N P 1692 Errington Rd | 250-248-2408 | tigerlilyfarm.ca

7321 Lochside Dr | 250-652-5522 | shas.ca

Ucluelet Aquarium

NATURE Butterfly World

N Victoria Butterfly Gardens

1080 Winchester Rd, Coombs | 250-248-7026 butterflyworldcoombs.com

Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park 61 Filberg Rd | 250-339-2715 | filberg.com

Galey Farms Corn Maze & Market 250-477-4450 | galeyfarms.net

Goldstream Nature House 250-478-9414 | naturehouse.ca

Gorge Waterway Nature House

THEATRE & ART Art Gallery of Greater Victoria C 250-384-4101 | aggv.ca

V

Belfry Theatre V 250-385-6815 | belfry.bc.ca

V

Chemainus Theatre D W 1-800-565-7738 | chemainustheatrefestival.ca Cinecenta V Student Union Building @ UVic

Gorge Park | 778-265-5119 | gorge.ca

Gulf Islands National Park Reserve

250-721-8365 | cinecenta.com

G Civic Orchestra of Victoria

250-654-4000 | pc.gc.ca

Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park

250-426-9048 | civicorchestraofvictoria.org

N Cowichan Theatre

Qualicum Beach | 250-248-7829 | hornelake.com

Horticultural Centre of the Pacific

P

505 Quayle Rd | 250-479-6162 | hcp.ca

Morrell Nature Sanctuary

N

787 Nanaimo Lk Rd | 250-753-5811 morrellnaturesanctuary.ca

North Island Wildlife Recovery

P

1461 Benvenuto Ave | 250-652-3822 butterflygardens.com

CRD Parks 250-478-3344 | crd.bc.ca/parks

N

180 Main St | 250-726-2782 | uclueletaquarium.org

N

2687 James St | 250-748-7529 cowichantheatre.ca

Four Seasons Musical Theatre 250-478-0329 | fsmtheatre.ca

Intrepid Theatre

Theatre One V 250-754-7587 | theatreone.org

N

University Centre Farquhar D Auditorium

V

250-721-8480 | uvic.ca/farquhar

Victoria Operatic Society V V 10–744 Fairview Rd | 250-381-1021 | vostheatre.ca Victoria Symphony V 610–620 View St | 250-385-6515

2–1609 Blanshard St | 250-383-2663 intrepidtheatre.com

1240 Leffler, Errington | 250-248-8534 | niwra.org

Kaleidoscope Theatre

Pacific Rainforest Adventure Tours

3130 Jutland Rd | 250-383-8124 kaleidoscope.bc.ca

250-248-3667 | rainforestnaturehikes.com

V

victoriasymphony.ca

W

V

Parks Canada

IMAX® Victoria in the Royal BC Museum

parkscanada.gc.ca

675 Belleville St | 250-480-4887 | imaxvictoria.com

The Raptors

D Nanaimo Theatre Group

Duncan | 250-746-0372 | pnwraptors.com

Seaview Game Farm

C

1392 Seaview Rd, Black Creek | 250-337-5182 seaviewgamefarm.com

Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea

250-479-0211 | swanlake.bc.ca IslandParent.ca

Pacific Opera Society 250-382-4944 | pov.bc.ca

P Port Theatre

Sidney | 250-665-7511 | salishseacentre.org

Swan Lake & Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary

2373 Rosstown Rd | 250-758-7224 nanaimotheatregroup.ca

V

125 Front St, Nanaimo | 250-754-8550 porttheatre.com

Sooke Fine Arts Show sookefinearts.com

V

SPORTS Flying Squirrel Indoor Trampoline Park

V

778-404-1778 | flyingsquirrelsports.ca

Harbourcats Victoria

V

harbourcats.com

N Pacific FC

V

pacificfc.canpl.ca

Victoria Horseshoe Club V 620 Kenneth St | 250-889-0166 | gvhpa.org

V

Victoria Royals N victoriaroyals.com

V

OTHER W Navy Run, CFB Esquimalt

V

250-363-1008 | navyrunesquimalt.com Family Resource Guide 2020 35

HEALTH& WELLNESS

ALTERNATIVE HEALTH Cowichan Craniosacral 250-748-5551 | cowichancraniosacral.com

CHIROPRACTORS Rise Health Centre 250-381-7473 | risehealth.ca

DENTISTS Cadboro Bay Dental 3849 Cadboro Bay Rd | 778-433-1888 cadborobaydentist.com

Eagle Creek Village Dental 130–31 Helmcken Rd | 778-265-6033 ecvillagedental.com

Oaklands Dental

V Tillicum Medical Clinic

202–1581 Hillside Ave | 250-592-7874 D oaklandsdental.ca

ORCCA Dental Society

P Valleyview Treatment Centre

778-351-3393 | orccadental.org

V Otter Point Dental 6689 Sooke Rd | 778-425-4140 otterpointdental.com

Saanich Dental Group

V 119–1591 McKenzie Ave | 250-477-7321 saanichdentalgroup.com

Westshore Dental Centre

V 152–2945 Jacklin Rd | 250-474-2296

W

Dr. Elizabeth Stimson ND V 205–661 Burnside Rd E | 250-884-2583

Margaret Moss Health Centre

Juniper Family Health W 314–1175 Cook St | 778-265-8341

V

Sage Clinic 250-590-7809 | sageclinic.com

D

OPTOMETRISTS

BC Association of Optometrists D absee.ca Dr. Joslin, Dr. Morin & Associates

Duncan | 250-597-0085 | matcentre.ca

105–814 Goldstream Ave | 250-747-4567 D 5–6726 West Coast Rd | 250-642-4331 langfordoptometrists.com

Millstream Medical Clinic

W Family Eyecare Centre

107–2349 Millstream Ave | 250-391-7554 wheelhouseintegrativemedicalclinic.com

St. Anthony’s Medical Centre

V

juniperfamilyhealth.com

675 Canada Ave, Duncan | 250-709-3050 islandhealth.ca

Matraea Centre

V

interactiveflexmassage.ca

HEALTH CLINICS 186 Kenneth St, Duncan | 250-746-4102

D

27–1400 Cowichan Bay Rd, Cobble Hill 250-743-9395

NATUROPATHIC DOCTORS

westshoredental.com

Coleman Clinic

V

14–3170 Tillicum Rd | 250-381-8112 tillicummedicalclinic.ca

W

V

749 Yates St | 250-383-2411 familyeyecarecentre.com

W

582 Goldstream Ave | 250-478-6242 36 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

ORTHODONTICS Ocean’s Edge Orthodontics

N

Nanaimo | 250-390-1331 Parksville | 250-248-1130 oeosmiles.com

PHARMACIES V

Cadboro Bay Peoples Compounding Parmacy 3825 Cadboro Bay Rd | 250-477-2131 victoriapharmacy.com

V

Fairfield Peoples Compounding Drug Mart 15–1594 Fairfield Rd | 250-598-9232 victoriapharmacy.com

V

Fairfield Peoples Compounding Pharmacy 1282 Fairfield Rd | 250-595-5997 victoriapharmacy.com

V

Shelbourne Plaza Peoples Compounding Pharmacy 3643 Shelbourne St | 250-577-1881 victoriapharmacy.com

Looking for child care?

Need help with the Affordable Child Care Benefit?

Taking care of children?

Need child care training?

Call your local Child Care Resource & Referral for free referrals and resources.

V

UVic Campus Pharmacy UVic SUB, 3800 Finnerty Rd | 250-721-3400 victoriapharmacy.com

Valleyview Peoples Drug Mart

D

26–1400 Cowichan Bay Rd | 250-743-1448

Child Care

Resource & Referral

YOGA

Funded by the Province of BC

Mothering Touch Centre & Birth Services

V

Your community’s best source of child care information and resources.

Victoria & Gulf Islands: 250-382-7000 or 1-800-750-1868 Sooke: 250-642-5152 West Shore: 250-391-4324 Cowichan Valley: 250-746-4135 local 231 PacificCare (Ladysmith north): 250-756-2022 or 1-888-480-2273

vancouverislandccrr.ca ccrr.bc.ca

975 Fort St | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca

OTHER Anaphylaxis Canada pactvictoria.com

Thaiss Psychological Services

V

209–2186 Oak Bay Ave | 250-516-6692 | thaiss.ca

Victoria Pilates Inc.

P

Mattick’s Farm | 250-727-0075 | victoriapilates.ca

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands IslandParent.ca

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

Family Resource Guide 2020 37

Healthy Families, Happy Families

Child, Youth & Family Public Health South Island Health Units Esquimalt Gulf Islands

250-519-5311 250-539-3099

(toll-free number for office in Saanichton)

Peninsula 250-544-2400 Saanich 250-519-5100 Saltspring Island 250-538-4880 Sooke 250-519-3487 Victoria 250-388-2200 West Shore 250-519-3490

How to Help a Reluctant Reader T here is something delicious about a good book. Books can provide a welcome escape, feed the mind, and even nourish the soul. Nurturing a love of reading early in life is a gift that will benefit your child throughout their lifetime.

As a pediatric speech-language pathologist, I encourage parents and caregivers to share books with children for several reasons. Reading is an excellent way to help your child build language skills.

Your child can learn new words and grammatical forms. Books can also be doorways to new knowledge of the wider world. And did you know that reading and writing are language-based activities?

When we read and write, we draw on our knowledge of spoken language. The stronger your child’s spoken language is,

Keeping it fun is priority #1

the easier it is for him or her to learn to read and write. Sharing books together is especially important for children who experience communication delays in their preschool years. Lots of experience with books early in life helps prevents continuing speech, language and learning difficulties later on.

Many parents know that reading with their child is beneficial. But what do you do if your little one is not interested in books? Here are some ideas to make book-sharing with your preschooler less of a struggle.

just a few minutes flipping through the pages. If this sounds like the little person in your life, don’t despair. I have seen many reluctant readers learn to love books when we respect their current way of enjoying books. If your preschooler prefers to flip back and forth through a book, happily follow their lead. Let your child point out what is most interesting to him or her in the book, and talk about those things. Keep the experience fun, even if it only lasts a few minutes. Your child will be encouraged to spend more and more time with books when you keep the mood fun and positive.

Reading together has many benefits, but it is not supposed to be a chore for you or your child. Time with a book is something to savour, not fight over.

Many children are more willing to look at a book when they are already in a quiet, relaxed mood. Many families like to share books during the mid-afternoon lull, or at bedtime. Snuggle, cuddle and giggle together. Let your child experience how sharing books together can be a truly pleasant activity they can enjoy with you. Make book-reading an activity they will look forward to every day.

Follow your child’s lead

Some young children do not enjoy hearing someone read all the words in a book. Some little ones prefer to spend

Central Island Health Units Duncan Ladysmith Lake Cowichan Nanaimo Nanaimo Princess Royal Parksville/ Qualicum

250-709-3050 250-755-3342 250-749-6878 250-755-3342 250-739-5845

Port Alberni Tofino

250-731-1315 250-725-4020

250-947-8242

North Island Health Units Campbell River 250-850-2110 Courtenay 250-331-8520 Kyuquot Health Ctr 250-332-5289 ‘Namgis Health Ctr 250-974-5522 Port Hardy 250-902-6071

islandhealth.ca/our-locations/ health-unit-locations 38 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

Let your child choose the book

Some children choose one favourite book again and again.

Others love variety. Draw your child in by giving them a choice in the book you share together. Many reluctant readers are willing to look at a book if it is about a favourite topic. Does your child love construction equipment? Are they into creepy crawly creatures? Are they fascinated by fairies? There is a book out there for every interest! Need help to find the perfect book? Visit or call the Children’s Librarian at your local library. These specialized librarians are experts in finding the just the perfect book to draw in your reluctant reader. Another option is to search on a website such as Book Share Time (booksharetime.com).

Take a ‘picture walk’ together

If your child doesn’t like it when you read all the words in a book, try taking a ‘picture walk’ together. This simply means telling the story by following what is happening in the pictures rather than the words. Most children’s books have attractive pictures that tell the story in a visual way. Not only is ‘picture walking’ is a great way to draw in a reluctant reader, it also is a proven early reading strategy. ‘Picture walking’ teaches children to use pictures to help understand the story. The pictures can also help children recognize the written form of key words. For example, if the picture on the page features a dump truck, it is likely that the words “dump truck” will be somewhere on the page.

Learn to Make Changes for A Healthier Family STARTING JANUARY 2020 Programs running in Victoria and other island communities

Join other families with children ages 8-12 who want to be on a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle path.

Build skills to: • Support your family’s health and quality of life • Eat healthy and be more active • Promote positive mental and social health To find out more about this FREE 10 week program and how to attend a 2 hour introductory workshop: Ph: 1-888-650-3141 info@generationhealth.ca | www.generationhealth.ca

Let books inspire conversation

Books are fantastic conversation starters. If you are sharing a book about a caterpillar munching on fruits, you could start a conversation about your child’s favourite fruits. If you are reading a book about a kitten, you could start a conversation about a cat that your child is familiar with. If you are looking at a book about construction sites, you could talk about the time he or she watched a dump truck at a construction site. By linking what happens in a book with your child’s real life experience, you are helping your child understand the story better, and also building their knowledge of the world.

@generationhlth

facebook.com/generationhlth

Let them see you enjoy books

Children learn so much by watching other people. When your child sees you enjoying a book or a magazine, you are modelling a love of reading for your child. This helps your child form the idea that spending time reading is something to be enjoyed. When they see you read a recipe or follow written instructions, they are learning that reading is a valuable activity that brings tangible benefits.

Keep books within easy reach

Children are more likely to explore a book if it is in easy reach for them. Try placing your child’s books on a low shelf, or in an open box or basket on the floor.

If your child is under 5-years of age, and you have concerns about his or her communication development, call your local Health Unit to refer your child to Speech and Language Services. Speech-language pathologists are here to help!

Anita Ebenezer works as a Community Health speech-language pathologist at Island Health. Anita was named Speech and Hearing BC’s “Speech-Language Pathologist of the Year” in 2018.

IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020 39

FAMILYBUSINESS 580 Johnson St | 250-388-7022 V bagginsshoes.com

Bellies in Bloom Maternity 104–4489 Viewmont Ave | 250-479-0803 bellies.ca

Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store V

Momease Baby Boutique

778-265-5651 | momease.ca Specializing in innovative and functional baby gear and parenting accessories. Centrally located in Victoria at 1581 Hillside Ave, we offer a wide selection of items including strollers, car seats, carriers, cribs, clothing, shoes, toys, books and more. NEW! The Meet Up at Momease is a custom-created play space, party room, and multipurpose/classroom area located within Momease Baby Boutique! Visit us online to learn more about The Meet Up, book a party, class or play, or shop a ton of products.

V

Mothering Touch Centre & Birth Services 975 Fort St | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca

Sutubra Naturals & Organics

Resthouse Sleep Solutions 126 Station St, Duncan | 250-597-REST (7378) resthouse.ca

V

Mothering Touch Centre & Birth Services 975 Fort St | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca

Pumpkin Pie Kids Wear

N

411A Fitzwilliam St | 250-754-3933 pumpkinpiekids.com

Sailor Jack Family Consignment Store V 424 Craigflower Rd | 250-382-5225 | sailorjack.ca

Sugar Sandwich Design Studio sugarsandwich.com

This Kid Clothing Co.

V Thistle & Wren

V TJ’s The Kiddies Store

W

Tom Lee Music

Tom Lee Music V 10–6894 Island Hwy N | 250-390-2626

N

tomleemusic.ca

V

PHOTOGRAPHERS Ashley Marston Photography

V

3045 Douglas St | 250-386-2229 | tjskids.com

WIN Resale Shops

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

105–2401D Millstream Rd | 250-838-5222 V tomleemusic.ca

1292 Gladstone Ave | 778-265-9736 thistleandwren.com

3045 Douglas St | 250-386-2229 | tjskids.com

BEDS AND BEDDING

D

5380 Hwy 1, Duncan | 250-597-4763

thiskidclothing.com

112–1644 Hillside | 250-999-8038 sutubrabeauty.com

TJ’s The Kiddies Store

V

Baggins

BABY SUPPLIES

V

1803 Cook St | 250-389-2203 D 785 Pandora Ave | 250-361-9303 174–160 Wilson St | 250-412-0369 womeninneed.ca

D

ashleymarstonbirthportography.com

Chris Higginbottom Photography

V

chrishigginbottom.ca

Cloe Thomson Photography

V

instagram.com/cloe.thomson

Erin Wallis Photography

C

Campbell River | erinwallis.com

BOOKS Bolen Books

HAIR SALONS V Lizzy Lee & Me

111–1644 Hillside Ave | 250-595-4232 bolen.bc.ca

Orca Book Publishers 1-800-210-5277 | orcabook.com

School House Teaching Supplies 2014 Douglas St | 250-385-9030 schoolhouseteaching.com

CLOTHING Abra Kid Abra 2005 Oak Bay Ave | 778-265-5430 abrakidabravictoriabc.com

Hillside Shopping Centre | 250-590-5568 lizzyleeandme.com

V

Sophie Lecavalier Photography

V

sophiephoto.com

HOME DECOR/FURNITURE TJ’s The Kiddies Store

V 3045 Douglas St | 250-386-2229 | tjskids.com

V

Bellies in Bloom Maternity

Furever Clean Dog Wash

V

V

104–4489 Viewmont Ave | 250-479-0803 V bellies.ca

Mothering Touch Centre & Birth Services

PETS 602b Esquimalt Rd | 250-217-9433 fureverclean.ca

MATERNITY

975 Fort St | 250-595-4905 | motheringtouch.ca 40 Island Parent Magazine

Nicole Israel Photography V V 250-889-5639 | nicholeisraelphotography.com

V

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

IslandParent.ca

Island Pet Source

W

106–751 Goldstream Ave | 250-590-4460 islandpetsource.com

SHOPPING CENTRES Broadmead Village Shopping Centre V 777 Royal Oak Dr | broadmeadvillage.ca

Hillside Shopping Centre

V

1644 Hillside Ave | 250-595-7154 hillsidecentre.com

Mattick’s Farm

P

5325 Cordova Bay Rd | matticksfarm.com

Mayfair Shopping Centre

V

3147 Douglas St | 250-383-0541 mayfairshoppingcentre.com

Tillicum Centre

V

3170 Tillicum Rd | 250-381-7123 | tillicumcentre.ca

Uptown

NIKE JUNIOR GOLF CAMP HIGHLAND PACIFIC GOLF COURSE SPRING AND SUMMER CAMPS VICTORIA, BC COED | AGES 6 – 16

V

shopuptown.ca

Westside Village Shopping Centre

V

174 Wilson St

Westshore Town Centre

REGISTER SPORTSCAMPSCANADA.COM

W

2945 Jacklin Rd | 250-474-3269 westshoretowncentre.com

Woodgrove Centre, Nanaimo

N

6631 Island Hwy North | woodgrovecentre.com

SPECIALTY STORES Soccerworld

V

831 Vernon Ave | 250-475-3777 soccerworldvictoria.com

ENERGIZED TASTES GREAT!

TOYS/EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES Freya-Sophia Waldorf Store

D

5380 Hwy 1, Duncan | 250-597-4763

Kool & Child

‘

Matcha Latte

N

Nanaimo | 250-585-1778 | koolandchild.com

Red Balloon Toyshop

D

158 Craig St, Duncan | 250-748-5545 theredballoon.ca

Toying Around 115–5325 Cordova Bay Rd | 250-658-2721 toyingaround.ca

IslandParent.ca

Ancient Grains Cookie P

Pick up your copy of Island Parent at any Serious Coffee café 5P öOE POF OFBS ZPV HP UP TFSJPVTDPòFF DPN Family Resource Guide 2020  41

2000

2019

2000

2019

Swan Lake christmas hill n a t u r e

42  Island Parent Magazine

s a n c t u a r y

IslandParent.ca

PARTYDIRECTORY

PARTY PLANNING

birthday parties for all ages!

ACTIVE PARTY PLACES Falcon Gymnastics

V

ctoria

208–721 Vanalman Ave | 250-479-6424 falcongymnastics.com

Recreation Oak Bay

Gymnastics

V

250-595-7946 | recreation.oakbay.ca

Victoria Gymnastics

V

2051 Store St | 250-380-2442 520 Mt View Ave | 778-265-6414 victoriagymnastics.com

2 Great Locations!

bounce , create, Swim, and more!

Henderson Recreation Centre Call 250-370-7200 Oak Bay Recreation Centre Call 250-595-SWIM (7946) recreation.oakbay.ca

Birthday Parties

Come Fly With Us!

ENTERTAINERS & CLOWNS The Puppet Booth 250-472-3546 | puppetbooth.homestead.com

MUSEUM/MOVIE IMAX® Victoria in the Royal BC Museum

V

675 Belleville St | 250-480-4887 | imaxvictoria.com

SilverCity SCIENCE/NATURE

M

250-391-1814 | vancouverisland.madscience.org

Victoria Bug Zoo

V

631 Courtney St | 250-384-BUGS victoriabugzoo.ca

V

The Goodie Bags Inc. 1-800-815-8910 | thegoodiebags.ca IslandParent.ca

V

Two certified instructors and a host Optional character

Gymnastics games and music

FALCON

GYMNASTICS Birthday Parties

Optional character

G Y

Free t-shirt Optional character

Optional character

M

Foam landing pit and 40' long trampoline

Optional character

Party participants can win a FREE month

N

Our great instructors will treat you to an action packed two hours of fun and fitness in our great facility!

A

Available Saturday & Sunday Afternoons

• 2 large decorated birthday rooms

S

TWO GREAT LOCATIONS

T

• Free T-shirt for birthday child, invitations for up to 10 children

T

I

• The ONLY Inflatable Climbing Mountain with trampoline in town

I

S

Hillside Shopping Centre | 250-590-5568 lizzyleeandme.com

Optional character

N Celebrate your birthday with us!

A

PARTY SUPPLIES/PLANNING Lizzy Lee & Me

G Y

Mad Science Vancouver Island

We supply table top cover, napkins, hats, streamers and balloons

Call 250-388-6905 or email sales@islandparent.ca

V

3130 Tillicum Rd | 1-888-3FAMOUS | cineplex.com

Party sizes up to 18 kids

Advertise Your Party Services Here

V

C S

45thsary

r Annive 2018 1973–

Book Early: 250-479-6424

#208 – 721 Vanalman Ave

(Broadmead & Royal Oak Area)

www.falcongymnastics.com

Optional character

2051 Store St, Victoria

250-380-2442

520 Mt View Ave, Colwood

C

778-265-6414

S

victoriagymnastics.com Family Resource Guide 2020 43

A vibrant inquiry- FAMILY based middle school GROCERIES Chemainus Health Food Store

D

9738B Willow St | 250-246-9838

D

Find the courage to explore what interests you.

Visit our Open Houses Jan 25 • Feb 9 • Feb 20

ARC ACADEMY

Community Farm Store

Find out more:

www.arcacademy.ca

2–5380 Hwy 1, Duncan | 250-748-6227 communityfarmstore.ca

V

Country Grocer countrygrocer.com

V

Lifestyles Market 180–2950 Douglas St | 250-384-3388 343 Cook St | 250-381-5450 lifestylemarkets.com

P

Lifestyles Market 9769 5th St, Sidney | 250-656-2326 lifestylemarkets.com

V

The Market on Yates 903 Yates St | 250-381-6000 themarketstores.com

The Market on Millstream

W

2401 Millstream Rd | 250-391-1110 themarketstores.com

V

The Old Farm Market 2585 Cadboro Bay Rd | 250-590-9260 theoldfarmmarket.ca

D

The Old Farm Market 5164 Francis St, Duncan | 250-748-7141 theoldfarmmarket.ca

Quality Foods qualityfoods.com

Red Barn Markets redbarnmarket.ca

Save On Foods saveonfoods.com

V

Mt. Tolmie Market 3517 Richmond Rd | 250-590-8460

Thrifty Foods 250-544-1234 | thriftyfoods.com

Text us: 250-213-8779

44 Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

LEGAL&FINANCIALSERVICES Legal Services Society

CREDIT COUNSELLING Credit Counselling Society

V

1-888-527-8999 | nomoredebts.org

Sitka Law Group

250-598-3992 | patricialane.bc.ca

Brown Henderson Melbye Lawyers

V

217–2187 Oak Bay Ave | 250-595-2220 bhmlawyers.ca

250-590-4114 | tsconsultingvictoria.ca

NOTARIES

MEDIATION BC Parenting Coordinators Roster Society

V

V TS Consulting

sitkalaw.ca

LAWYERS

V

V Patricia Lane

250-382-4620 | lss.bc.ca

V

V Lauren Nicole Stone 109–1633 Hillside Ave | 250-415-3157

bcpcroster.com

Cox Taylor Barristers Solicitors Browne Associates Law

V

250-598-1888 | browneassociates.ca Local, family operated law firm; specialise in Estate Planning (Wills, Powers of Attorney, etc.), Real Estate, Matrimonial matters and Corporate law.

Kid- and pet-friendly office. Home visits available.

Let us help clarify and solve your legal issues.

V

3rd Flr, Burnes House, 26 Bastion Sq 250-388-4457 | coxtaylor.ca

Dialogue & Resoultion Services

REAL ESTATE SERVICES Re/Max Duncan, Melissa Collins

D

250-510-2729 | cowichanvalleyrealtor.ca

V Royal LePage, Rosemarie Colterman V & Tom Oak

250-383-4412 | dialogueandresolutionservices.ca Conflict is a normal part of life. Navigate it successfully with conflict coaching, mediation, arbitration and communication training—effective strategies for separation and divorce, parent-teen conflicts, conflicts about elder care and more.

Collaborative Family Law Group V Email office@dialogueandresolutionservices.ca.

250-704-2600 | collaborativefamilylawgroup.com

250-592-4422 | homewardbound.team

V Victoria & Area P Peninsula W Westshore G Gulf Islands

D Duncan & Area N Nanaimo & Area C Courtenay/Comox

Dr. Paul Chung General Dentist

Your new dentist in Cadboro Bay Village.

Comprehensive and compassionate dental care that’s close to home.

Visit us in Cadboro Bay Village

CadboroBayDentist.com

Call: 778-433-1888 3849 B Cadboro Bay Road IslandParent.ca

Family Resource Guide 2020 45

Statistics Canada | statcan.gc.ca

46  Island Parent Magazine

IslandParent.ca

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