Family Fun at the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry in Stellarton, Nova Scotia
Family Fun at the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry in Stellarton, Nova Scotia
Going to the Museum of Industry in Stellarton, Nova Scotia has been on my bucket list for a very long time.
When writing the scripts for the Kentville Valley Ghost Walks I wrote about the McKay car. This car was built in 1912 by the Nova Scotia Carriage and Car Company in Kentville, right about where the municipal building is today.
In fact, my sister’s husband’s great-grandfather, Archie Pelton (and later mayor of Kentville) helped Dan and Jack McKay to build this remarkable car!
I knew I had to see it in the flesh, and I finally got my chance!
Game over. I could now go home happy!
But, wait! there is so much more!
When we approached the Museum of Industry, Thomas (10) joked and pointed to the sign on the outside wall saying there would be fun inside, but they weren’t wrong!
From the moment you walk into the door, there are hands on activities for kids (and kids at heart) every step of the way.
Five minutes into our museum visit, Daniel (12) says,
“Mom! I’m having so much fun already!”
Out of all the museums in the Nova Scotia Museum system, this ranks up there at being one of the most fun.
Here’s why…
It’s Hands On
The kids loved the museum because every few steps there was something for the kids to pull, press, push, touch or do. For busy kids, this is a MUST!
The Layout
I am so structured, I love a place that tells me which way to go (just like Ikea!) This way, I don’t stress about maybe missing something. I can concentrate on the exhibits and go with the flow. It’s so well organized!
It’s Like Walking Through Time
The exhibit focuses on Nova Scotia industries, and especially the jobs that people do. This is shown across time starting with manual labour, to water power, coal and steam power, finally to electricity and computers.
You really get a sense of how industry changed over time, and how it influenced society, all by learning about the jobs people did!
It Makes you Nova Scotia Proud
Because the Museum of Industry focuses on Nova Scotian industry, you can see all the things that were made in Nova Scotia. Cars, pressed glass, chocolates… you name it!
The History!
My husband, being a history professor at Acadia, loves museums, and this one was no different. One of his courses is the history of science, so he spent a lot of time gathering information and photos for his classes.
He said his favourite part was how they placed the Industrial Revolution of the 1700s into a Nova Scotian context.
The Discussions
Following our visit to the Museum of Industry, we had a lot of lively conversations and discussions as a family.
Was there anything that surprised you that was made in Nova Scotia?
Historically, Nova Scotia was the hub of industry with both the railway and the shipping lines. When did this stop? Why did this stop?
We watched Nova Scotia’s industry evolve and adapt over time through the exhibits. Are we still evolving and adapting? How or why not?
How do we get Nova Scotia back on the map again for industry?
The Mining Info
Can you tell we loved our visit to the Nova Scotia Museum of Industry?
Hours and Location
The museum is open year round. Hours and admission prices are subject to change.
Visit the Museum of Industry site to learn more.
Breakout 902 Escape Rooms are Perfect for Kids’ Birthday Parties
Breakout 902 Escape Rooms are Perfect for Kids’ Birthday Parties
Thomas was turning 11 and wanted a fun idea for his birthday party. He also loves puzzles and mysteries, so we knew the Breakout 902 Escape Room in Coldbrook would be the perfect place for him to celebrate with friends!
The Decision
Our family had done the Bank Heist room when it first opened. Although we weren’t successful that time, we still had a lot of fun.
Read about our experience here.
Then, with friends, I completed the Revolutionary Room and we got out with 30 seconds to spare!
Read about our experience here.
This Revolutionary Room can sometimes be too scary for kids as a lot of it is in the dark, and it’s a high level of difficulty.
However, Aunt Edna’s Condo, was graded a 7/10 for difficulty, and I had seen on Facebook that other kids had gone to this room for their birthday parties with great success!
So, this solidified the idea in our minds to go to the Breakout 902 Escape Rooms in Coldbrook for Thomas’ party!
How it Works
Besides Thomas, only one other child had completed one of the Escape Rooms. A few of them (including Thomas) had done several Breakout EDU games in their classroom, so they knew the routine.
The other kids were a bit nervous, as they didn’t know what to expect – just like adults are! Some of them watched videos of other breakout rooms on YouTube, and tried to get some hints and strategies before coming.
However, nothing beats just jumping in and doing it for the first time!
Before you go into the room, one of the attendants fully explains how it works, and teaches players how to open the locks.
Then, you head to the room and the one-hour timer starts!
Three clues are allowed, and you can indicate if you want gentle nudges from time to time.
Kids’ Birthday Party
When you go to the Breakout 902 Escape Rooms for a kids’ birthday party, the birthday person goes in for free! And, because it was for children, one adult could go in free as well to act as a guide.
I got to watch from the control room in the back, and let me tell you, the kids were often right before the adult!
Numbers and Ages
We had 7 children and 1 adult in the room. This was a great number and allowed enough tasks for everyone to do, and people weren’t getting in the way.
This group of kids ranged in age from 9 to 11 years old, grades 4 and 5.
The Party Room
Along with any party, you can also book use of their party room. So, after finishing the game, we went into another room for cake and presents, making this one of the easiest birthday parties EVER!
In the room, there are enough chairs for many guests, and a fridge.
And, you don’t need to break in or out to use it!
Success!
The kids managed to escape with just 3 minutes left on the clock! They found Aunt Edna’s items she needed, and her insurance policy!
Because it is a secret, I cannot take pictures of the room itself.
Overall
Breakout 902 Escape Rooms makes such a fun outing whether you go for a birthday party or not!
However, this was probably the easiest birthday party we have ever put together, and it was great to hear the kids say how much they loved it and can’t wait to go back and try another room!
Aunt Edna’s Condo will be available until approximately May 2019 when it will be switched out for a new game! Follow their Facebook Page or website to find out about upcoming rooms.
It’s great for teamwork, problem-solving, coping with stress, and having fun!
Check it out!
Root Beer Tasting Party
How to Host a Root Beer Tasting Party
After hearing all about my various wine tasting parties, the boys wanted to have one of their own kid-friendly tasting parties, so we settled on root beer!
With my friends, we have hosted red wines from around the world
And, we went in search of our favourite Tidal Bay white wine!
So, using these same guidelines, we hosted a family-friendly tasting party of our own. This time, we focused on root beer.
We started by gathering as many brands of root beer we could find and ended up with A&W, Big 8 (no name), Mug and a home-made version with our Soda Stream.
Every participant was given a testing sheet.
DOWNLOAD your FREE root beer testing sheet here
I had cups prepared ahead of time, each with a different sticker on them.
I poured one type of root bear into each of the cups, and took them in for our participants to try one at a time.
On they chart, they wrote the sticker type and then gave each root beer a rating out of 5.
At the end, I revealed which brand was which sticker, and we discovered which root beers were our favourites!
I’ll let you do the experiment yourself so you can make your own judgements!
Next time, we’ll do it again but with cola products!
Eating out with Friends and Family at Maritime Express Cider in Kentville
Eating out with Friends and Family at Maritime Express Cider in Kentville
Our aim is to eat our way around the Annapolis Valley, sharing great places to eat out with your friends and family including the Maritime Express Cider Company in Kentville!
In the fall of 2018, the former Cornwallis Inn in Kentville was magically transformed into the Maritime Express Cider Co.
Here’s what the Maritime Express Cider website says:
The taproom offers a place to purchase a large selection of our growlers and bottles, while also providing a place to sit down and grab a pint. Take time to appreciate that the building was once known as one of Canada’s most architecturally beautiful hotels. In a rush? grab a bottle or growler of our cider to go. For the craft beer lovers, we also have a rotating selection of our favorite craft beer from around the province and beyond.
I’ve had quite a lot of their cider, and have liked everything I have tried, and plan on going back right away to refill our growler.
There’s lots to choose from.
However, this visit wasn’t about checking out the cider, it was actually about trying out their new sandwich menu!
Menu items change monthly to keep things interesting, but their famous Mixed Board is our constant.
I tried the Chicken mole sandwich with the most incredible raspberry mayo!
And my friend had the Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich.
Both were absolutely delicious, and the prices are great! My goal is to make my way through the list.
Children are allowed in the cidery, and lots of families have come down to relax in the stone room, and have been known to grab one of the board games off the shelf.
For those not drinking alcohol, there is kombucha on tap as well as pop, juice and coffee.
There are lots of events happening at the cidery from live music to trivia nights, so make sure you follow their Facebook page to stay on top of what is going on.
Hours and Location
Maritime Express is open most days from 11am-10pm.
Maritime Express is located in the former Cornwallis Inn, now Main Street Station, on Main Street, Kentville. You can enter the cidery through the grand staircase at the front of the building, or through the side entrance.
If you are looking for a great cozy place to eat out with your family or friends with a glass of cider, or a quick bite during work, definitely stop to check out the Maritime Express Cider Co’s new sandwich menu! Go back often to see the new features!
Celebrating Japanese Setsubun in Canada
Celebrating Japanese Setsubun in Canada
Demons out! Good Fortune In! This is what the Japanese festival Setsubun is all about!
Setsubun is an annual Japanese festival on February 3rd. This is the eve before Spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar. The Japanese traditionally believe that the spirit world is closest to our world on this day. As a result, it’s believed that strange things can happen such as demons appearing. source
When I lived in Japan, I celebrated Setstubun with my Japanese neighbours.
When cleaning up, I found some supplies I had kept, and decided we should have our very own Setsubun party at home in Canada.
This Japan Talk blog post does such a great job of explaining how Setsubun works.
One of the fun parts of this festival is a tradition called mamemaki, literally “bean throwing.” In households across Japan, one parent puts on a oni mask to scare the kids. Kids throw beans at them to scare them away.
One of the traditions of Setstubun is to eat a sushi roll with seven different ingredients, which is said to bring good luck.
You are also to eat facing that year’s lucky direction. This year, 2019, was East-Northeast. This direction goes on a 5-year cycle and you can find them all here.
We cheated a bit and made homemade sushi (but didn’t have 7 ingredients).
However, we did make sure we ate our first roll facing East-Northeast! Special thanks to our friend Emily who went along with the whole event!
After dinner was when the real fun began!
My husband, David, took the role of the Oni (demon) and put on our mask.
He then tried to scare and chase the kids around the house, while they shouted:
“Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” (Demon out! Happiness in!)
As they do this, they throw dried beans at the demon to chase him out, and invite good luck. I happened to have some of the Setsubun beans leftover from my days in Japan, but you can also use shelled peanuts, too!
David wants it recorded that being hailed with peanuts and beans actually DOES hurt! But, he was a great sport.
In the end, there was a mess that the dogs enjoyed!
If you don’t want all the mess in the house, or don’t have an Oni, then you can use the same incantation and chuck the beans outside. It works just as well!
But, it was all worth it to welcome good fortune into our house, knowing we had shooed away the demons!
We capped the night off with a few rousing rounds of our new favourite game, Sushi Go!
What a great night to celebrate the Japanese festival of Setsubun, in our Canadian way! We can’t wait until next year!
10 Things to Remember to Prepare Your Child for University Life
10 Things to Remember to Prepare Your Child for University Life
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post to give you some great tips about preparing your child for university life.
At some point, every child grows old enough to be an adult. Sending children to study at the university is a big event in any parent’s life.
This is the time when your child has to venture out into the world and find their place in it.
Undeniably, this experience is somewhat emotional for both, the child and the parents. Many challenges await any individual who is going through this period in their life.
Here are some tips and things to keep in mind when preparing your child for the university life.
#1: Prepare Emotionally
When it is time for your child to head out, it can, understandably, involve a lot of emotions. Sometimes, emotions can be overwhelming and it is okay to cry. Surprisingly, many parents are mostly more nervous than children! Always keep in mind that things are going to be good for your child as you have done a great job as a parent to prepare them for adult life.
#2: Help Your Child with the Application Process
The application process can be complicated. It involves several things such as submitting an application, applying for accommodation and buying travel cards. Applying to several universities at once makes the process a lot more stressful and hard to keep the track of. Feel free to step in and help your child with preparing the needed application papers on time.
Professional writers can make essay writing easy. No need to be nervous, online platforms have already helped hundreds of applicants with editing, rewriting and even writing admission essays from scratch.
#3: See What the University Is Like
It’s a good idea to do some scouting before sending your child to study somewhere they have never been before. Although websites provide a lot of information these days, it is best to see yourself how things truly are in the place where you plan to send your child. In addition to visiting the campus and the student dormitory, check out the nearby neighbourhoods to get an idea of the environment your child is going to be living in.
#4: Provide Safety Guidelines
At some point before your child leaves, have a chat about things like personal safety, alcohol, drugs, safe sex, and other potential encounters in adult life. Teens like to think they know everything and can take care of everything themselves. Nonetheless, a few student safety tips from their parents will never hurt. Besides, such sincere talks serve a great means of establishing closer relationship between parents and children.
#5: Teach Your Child to Cook
Most adults are able to make a meal for themselves. If you have not done so already, now is the time to share some cooking tips with your child. Not everybody is a master chef, however, anybody can get the hang of the basics of cooking. Cooking is an essential life skill, especially when living in a dormitory. Students often order prepared meals or buy fast food, and whether you want it or not, your child might not be an exception.
Just try to explain the value of healthy food and share some easy to cook recipes.
#6: Stock up in Advance
Your child will need a lot of things to live away from home. Start preparing in advance. Buy them the basic cooking utensils that they will need when they arrive. Also, think of all the essential things they will need such as towels, toothbrushes, and some stationery. This will save them a lot of money and make their life away from home much easier. Try to go shopping together so that the chosen pillow or blanket appeals to your child too.
#7: Pack Some Pictures
Get your child some posters to decorate their room. Also, do not hesitate to give them some pictures to remind them of home. Some kids may be shy to keep a family picture in their dorm. A picture of a pet will suffice in this case, if you have any. They can be a beacon of light during tough moments.
#8: Teach to Manage Finances
At some point, a person has to take control of every aspect of their finances. Most people start to learn it when they move out of their parents’ house. Although the tuition fee will include the majority of the expenses, your child will need to manage their day-to-day budget, food expenses, and more than likely will spend some money to have fun.
As your child is preparing for university life, it is a great time to show them the basics of money management at university. This way, they will be prepared once their first semester in university begins.
#9: Treat Them Like Adults
They will always be your kids, however, children grow up and start to live their own lives. Be supportive of your child but give them freedom to make their own choices. Let them try and let them fail. Any loving and caring parent will try to save their child from harm but sometimes allowing your child to make their own mistakes will do them more good in the future.
#10: Continue the Communication
People are social creatures, your child is no different. Although they are growing up to become independent adults, this doesn’t mean you should stop talking to each other. In fact, get in touch with your kid once in a while. Get to know how they feel about their university life. A parent can and should be a friend to their child.
