Community Events (Yoyomama.ca)

vancouver: what to do, what to do?

Welcome to yoyomama’s weekend guide! Your go-to list of family friendly fun things to do with kids in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.

There are plenty of opportunities to learn this weekend in the Lower Mainland: Kids can join in for nature-themed story times at the Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, see an impressive fossil collection at TELUS World of Science, or go on a Nature walk with the Stanley Park ecology Society. Further afield, families can enjoy World Wetlands Day Celebration and the Healthy Kids Preschool Fair. There are still some Lunar New Year celebrations happening as well. Overall it’s a quiet weekend, but don’t worry, there are loads of Valentine’s Day events on the horizon for next week!

CIBC LunarFest 2012 (pictured)
Wednesday, February 1st – Sunday, February 5th, Noon – 8 pm, Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza, 801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver.
This year, CIBC’s LunarFest theme is ‘Treasures of the Sea’, and its centerpiece will be a giant lantern aquarium. You’ll also find games, tasty food, crafts, skating, and much more. This event is free: www.lunarfest.org

Treetop Tales
Friday, February 3rd, 11 am, Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, 3663 Park Road, North Vancouver.
It’s nature story time again at the ecology centre! Kids ages 2+ will enjoy songs and stories with a nature theme. This is a drop-in, by-donation program and adult supervision is required: www.dnv.org
Lunar New Year Celebration
Saturday, February 4th, 9 am – 2:30 pm, Cedar Cottage Neighbourhood House, 4065 Victoria Drive, Vancouver.
You’ll find Chinese painting lessons, games and crafts, storytelling and other live performances at this free community celebration. There will also be a lion dance! This is a family friendly event, with activities for all ages. Call 604.874.4231 for more details.

Fossils Are Fun
Saturday, February 4th, 11 am – 3 pm, TELUS World of Science, 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver.
Does your little one have a love of fossils? Bring them to see Science World’s resident Paleontologist’s personal fossil collection. Be prepared to be impressed: www.scienceworld.ca

Art Agents
Saturday, February 4th, Noon – 4 pm, Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver.
The Vancouver Art Gallery has a team or Art Agents who use their wit, humour and knowledge to engage kids in activities related to the art works on display. This month explore the exhibition An Autobiography of Our Collection. This program is free with gallery admission: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

The Music With Marnie Band
Sunday, February 5th, 11 am – Noon, Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver.
The Music With Marnie band plays energetic, engaging, Rock ‘N Roll that the whole family will love. You’ll dance, sing and laugh along with Marnie, her band, and her character friends like Mumbu the Monkey. This performance requires pre-registration, by phone only – 604.713.1800: www.musicwithmarnie.com

Recipe For A Forest
Sunday, February 5th, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, Nature House on Lost Lagoon, Chilco Street and Alberni Street, Stanley Park, Vancouver.
There are many ingredients that make a forest; from deciduous trees to conifers, shrubs to herbs, and animals and birds. Interpretive chef Murray Lashmar will show you what ingredients are in Stanley Park’s forest, and how the recipe has changed over the years. Pre-registration is recommended for this limited space event: www.stanleyparkecology.ca

Squids Squirt
Monday, February 6th, 10:30 am – 11:30 am or 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, 3663 Park Road, North Vancouver.
Snails, squids and octopi are the subject of this story time targeted at kids aged 3-5 with adult accompaniment. Please pre-register: www.dnv.org

Farther Afield:
Skate, Movie, Pizza
Friday, February 3rd, 7 pm – 10 pm, Port Coquitlam Recreation Complex, 2150 Wilson Avenue, Port Coquitlam.
Older kids, aged 7-10, can come and hang out with friends and neighbours the same age while enjoying a movie, a skate, and pizza. Pre-registration is required, and this program costs $15: www.portcoquitlam.ca

Chinese New Year Tea At London Heritage Farm
Saturday, February 4th – Sunday, February 5th, Noon – 5 pm, London Heritage Farm, 6511 Dyke Road, Richmond.
The Heritage Farm has two things to celebrate this weekend: their opening for the year, and Chinese New Year. You can get homemade goodies with tea or hot chocolate in the tearoom, and then explore the farm. Cost is $8.50 per person: www.londonfarm.ca

World Wetlands Day Celebration
Sunday, February 5th, 10 am – 4 pm, Little Campbell Fish Hatchery, 1284 184 Street, Surrey.
It’s a day full of family fun at the fish hatchery. You can tour the hatchery and forest trail, build a birdhouse, and learn about the wetlands at the many display booths. There will be vendor tables to explore, and a portion of all vendor sales will be donated to the hatchery: www.leps.bc.ca

Healthy Kids Preschool Fair
Tuesday, February 7th, 9:30 am – Noon, Cameron Recreation Complex, 9523 Cameron Street, Burnaby.
Bring your little ones for a play on an indoor playground, some crafts and other activities. Bring your questions because there will be a health nurse on hand and many community agencies will be present to give you the answers you seek: www.burnaby.ca

Beyond The Bump Workshop
Wednesday, February 8th, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, Kinder Café, #112-2020 Oxford Connector, Port Coquitlam.
Expectant parents can expect to learn things about life beyond the bump, for when baby comes home. This 10-session workshop series aims to teach parents things they may not learn in prenatal classes. The sessions cost $10 each or $15 for a couple, and pre-registration is required: www.busybump.com

Photo courtesy of CIBC LunarFest 2012.
Do you have an event you would like to see in our weekend guide? Then send us your details and we’ll help you get the word out. Looking for a feature listing? Contact Erin, our Director of Sales and Marketing, for more information.

And we wanted to remind you to always call or visit the website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!

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