Inspiring neighbourhoods - Day 3 - My Celebrations

Trivia Question: What color are the robin bird’s eggs?

Mindfulness Activity:

• Find your pulse on your neck or your wrist.
• Count how many times your heart beats for 15 seconds. (Have a parent help you watch the time or use a stopwatch)
• Multiply that number by 4. That’s how many times your heart beats in a minute. That’s your heart rate.

Supplies:

• Poster paper
• Markers and crayons

Have your child create a few posters to put around your neighbourhood to advertise a lawn dance party.

Invite your neighbours to go out onto their lawn or balcony at a specific time and join in on a dance.

Choose a few songs to dance to. Make sure you have a speaker that is loud enough for everyone to hear. Start your dance party by playing music and getting everyone to join in.

Supplies:

• Paper
• Markers or crayons
• Costumes

Have your child create invitations to a costume parade for your community. Make sure the invitations include: date, start time and parade route.

Drop off the invitations or send out e-invites to your neighbours.

You can select a neighbour to be a judge or just have the parade for fun! Don’t forget about your pets – they can dress up too!

Ask your child:

• How did it make you feel to dance with your neighbourhood friends? (Feel)
• Do you think having fun with your neighbourhood friends is important? (Think)
• What other active activities can you plan to do with your neighbourhood friends? (Act)

Answer: Blue

Trivia Question: True or False: The Calgary Stampede has been happening for over 100 years.

Mindfulness Activity:

• Walk around the room.
• Now walk slowly.
• Now walk normally.
• Now, walk VERY slowly.
• Walk normally again.
• Now, walk very very slowly.
• How does it feel? Which energy level is your favorite?

Supplies:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Watch our Celebrations video

The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition and festival held every July in Calgary and has been celebrated since 1912. This year, you can find creative ways to celebrate your own Calgary Stampede at home.

Have your child pick a day in July to dress like a cowboy/cowgirl, pick your favourite toys/games and play your favourite country songs.

Help your child make mini pancakes.

• Start by adding all the dry ingredients and whisk together.
• Then add the wet ingredients and combine fully.
• Heat a pan or griddle on a medium-low heat and spread some butter or cooking spray.
• Cook the pancakes on both sides until lightly brown (about 45 seconds on each side).
• For toppings you can use maple syrup, peanut butter, whipped cream, fruits or jelly.

Supplies:

• White paper plate
• Red tissue paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Red crayon
• Glitter

Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of the Constitution Act being signed on July 1, 1867. This was the day that the three British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada united to form a single country.

Have your child draw a maple leaf in the middle of the paper plate and colour it red.

Outline the maple leaf with glue, pour glitter on the glue and shake off the extra glitter.

Cut the red tissue paper into small squares, fold them and glue them to the edges of the plate.

Make a hole at the top of the plate and insert ribbon.

Lastly, tight the ribbon and hang your craft.

Supplies:

• Paper
• Pencil

June 27 is Canadian Multiculturalism Day! On this day, we celebrate the different cultures that bring Canadian Society to life. Have your child write/draw:

• Languages you and your family speak
• Their favourite food
• Their favourite family tradition
• The type of clothes your family wears
• The holidays your family celebrates

After thinking and reflecting on your own culture, have your child learn about a different culture. Pick 1 to 3 activities from the list below:

• Watch a movie from another country/different language.
• Learn a folk dance.
• Listen to music from around the world.
• Support a local ethnic restaurant.
• Learn 3 words in a different language.
• Learn a recipe from another country.
• Talk to a friend or neighbour about their traditions.
• Share your multicultural knowledge with friends and family.

Ask your child:

• How do you feel about being part of celebrations? (Feel)
• Why do you think celebrations are important? (Think)
• What can you do in the future to help your family with celebrations? (Act)

Answer: True

Trivia Question: Checkers was invented in which country?
A. Canada
B. Egypt
C. USA

Mindfulness Activity:

• Imagine that your pointer finger is a candle.
• Hold up your candle, take a deep breath in, and then blow out the candle on your finger for as long as you can.
• Notice how your breath fills up your belly when you breathe in.

Supplies:

• Bicycle
• Paper
• Pencil
• Homemade decorations
• Wrapping paper
• Cardboard boxes
• Leftover birthday streamers
• Balloons
• Holiday decorations

Celebrate a family member or friend’s birthday by decorating your bike and making signs to celebrate the occasion. If you don’t have a bike, you can decorate your family’s car, a skateboard, scooters or use your imagination.

Pick a date and time to ride your bike to show your decorations to your family and friends.

Supplies:

• Paper or notebook
• Pencil
• Markers
• Shoebox

Have everyone in your family (especially family members you can’t see right now) write a message they would share if they were all together. Seal each message in an envelope or find an item that represents how you feel.

The next time you can be together, read all of the letters together. Make sure you keep them somewhere safe to remember this time in history.

Supplies:

• Music
• Speakers
• Paper
• Markers

Organize a dance party for the people on your block.

Create a poster to promote your dance party or send out invitation cards. Make sure you include a date, time and place for the party. Each family can dance on their own lawns or balconies, or you can find a park or green space big enough to be 2 metres or 6 feet apart. Ask your neighbours to dress up and put on their dancing shoes.

Bring out your speakers and put on some lively music to get everyone in the dancing spirit. You can have fun and connect with your neighbours and friends while still keeping your distance.

• How does it feel to celebrate? (Feel)
• What do you think you will remember when you look back a year from now? (Think)
• How can you help others in your community celebrate other specials events? (Act)

Answer: B. Egypt