– by Doreen Marion Gee –
December 6 – Sea-Shirt Sunday. Create your own fishy-fashion T-Shirt, pillow or bag using the ancient Japanese art form, Gyotaku. Can buy Tee at the centre and $2 for fabric paint. All ages. Sunday, 1 – 3 p.m. Price of admission. Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. www.oceandiscovery.ca. 250.665.7511.
December 10 – ARTrageous Class Paint Night. Watercolour Painting using Plastic Wrap & Sea Salt. Really messy fun with crazy colours. Children take home little masterpieces. All supplies provided. 6 – 12 years. 6 – 7:30 p.m. $12. Greenglade Community Centre Room #7. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
December 11 – Extreme Gingerbread Houses. Pre-teens and Teens will have “extreme fun” building sweet creations for the holidays. Grades 6 – 10. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Free.
Free drop-in credit for Panorama activities issued. Bayside Middle School Teen Lounge, 1101 Newton Place. www.panoramarecreation.ca. School: 250.652.1135.
December 12 – PJ Party. Moms and Dads can enjoy a night out. Experienced leaders will entertain the kids with toys, games, crafts, snacks, movies. 6 – 10 years. 6 – 10 p.m. $20.
G. R. Pearkes Recreation Centre. Register: www.saanich.ca/parkrec/recreation. 250.475.5400.
December 19 – Open Gym and Swim. Gym’s open! Basketball, indoor soccer, floor hockey, a chance for free fun and play in a supervised environment. Then to the pool for a swim. 8 – 12 years. 1 – 3:30 p.m. $10. Saanich Commonwealth Place. Register in advance from Active Living Guide: www.saanich.ca/parkrec/recreation. 250.475.7600.
December 21 – 31 “Polar Express” Winter Break Camp. (8 days for each session: Dec 21 – 24 and Dec 28 – 31). Skating, swimming & crafts aboard the Panorama Express. Schedules available two weeks prior to start. 6 – 11 years. Must have completed kindergarten. M-Th(x2) Full Day: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. ($35); Half-day: 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 – 4 p.m. ($19). Greenglade Community Centre Room #7. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca.
December 27 – Christmas Hill Holiday Hike. Enjoy the view from Christmas Hill after Swan Lake Naturalists take you on a two-hour walk. Refreshments served at the Nature House afterward. Meet at Swan Lake Nature House. Age child to adult. Sunday, 1 – 3 p.m. By donation. www.swanlake.bc.ca. 250.479.0211.
January 6 – March 9. Aqua Tot. Parent & Tot Aquafit. Adults enjoy Aquafit, then a swimming lesson with their little one. Bring car seat or stroller for your child for Aquafit section and swimming diaper for the lesson. Birth – 5 years. Wednesdays, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. 10/$75. Panorama Recreation Pool, Leisure Lane 1. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
January 8 & 22, February 5 & 19 – LEGO Stories. Build cool LEGO structures while listening to stories. Each session has new theme. Ages 5+. 4 Fridays, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Free. Sidney/North Saanich Library. Register by email: Sidney@virl.bc.ca or by phone 250.656.0944. www.virl.bc.ca/branches/sidney-north-saanich.
January 12 – April 12. Drama Explorers. Introduces children to theatre and drama. Drama games, story theatre, role-playing boost self-confidence, creativity, imagination. Final performance at the end. 6 – 8 years. Tuesdays, 4 – 5 p.m. 12/$200. Greenglade Community Centre Room #5. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
January 14 – February 25. Good Morning Storytime. Bring along your little tots for fun at the library with neat stories, lively songs, rhymes and movement. Ages 0 – 5. Thursdays, 10:15 – 11 a.m. Free. Drop-in. Sidney/North Saanich Library. www.virl.bc.ca/branches/sidney-north-saanich. 250.656.0944.
January 19 – February 23. Fun Art in Nature 1. Children make art projects with diverse objects and media on walks outside. Kids collect organic materials to make 3D Art in class. 8 – 12 years. Tuesdays, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. 6/$150. Greenglade Community Centre Room #6. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
January 27 – Family Literacy Day. Celebrate Family Literacy Day and the wonder of reading books. Learn as a family with interesting activity stations. All ages. Wednesday, all day. Free. Drop in. Sidney/North Saanich Library. www.virl.bc.ca/branches/sidney-north-saanich. 250.656.0944.
January 31 – Duck Day. Explore the incredible adaptations ducks have developed for life on a lake and find out the “who’s who” in the duck world. All ages. 12 – 3 p.m. By donation. Swan Lake Nature House. www.swanlake.bc.ca. 250.479.0211.
February 6 – 8. Sidney Days LEGO Brick Festival. This year’s theme: Aviation. A large model of a Viking Air Aircraft will be built. “Rockfish Divers” will build LEGO underwater at Diver’s Point. Sun & Mon: LEGO building and LEGO movie at Mary Winspear Centre. Info: www.sidneymuseum.ca. 250.655.6355.
February 3 – 26. Biology Buddies Designed for pre-schoolers, this educational series of four 2-hour programs provides a gentle introduction to the wonders of nature for 4 to 6 years. Wednesdays, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. or 1 – 3 p.m. or Fridays, Feb. 5, 12, 19, 26, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. 4 classes/$55 (members); $75 (non-members). Swan Lake Nature House.
Pre-registration required: 250.4790211 or visit www.swanlake.bc.ca.
February 4 – 25. Home School Science. Created specifically for home-schoolers, this series of four 2-hour programs provides an enrichment program with “guided discovery” for 7- to 10-year-olds. February themes: Geology & Archaeology; Ethnobotany; Animal Behavior; Geography & Mapping. Thursdays, Feb. 4, 11, 18, 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m. or 1 – 3 p.m. 4 classes/$55 (members); $75 (non-members). Swan Lake Nature House. Pre-registration required: 250.479.0211.
February 6 – March 12. School Age Pottery. Enjoy making neat things with gooey clay. Everything will be decorated and glazed with the help of instructor. 6 – 9 years. Saturdays, 1 – 2:30 p.m. 6/$80. Greenglade Community Centre Room #3. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
February 17 – 26. Weight Training for Teens. Teens learn how to use the equipment in the eight room and receive their own customized strength program. 13 – 19 years. Wednesdays & Fridays, 3:30 – 5 p.m. 4/$45. Panorama Recreation Weight Room. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
February 28 – Paint Your Joy – Whimsy Style. Hey kids – what’s makes you happy? Maybe it’s having fun with your friends, petting your dog. Spread all that joy on your canvas, have fun, no rules. 9 – 12 years. 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. $32. Greenglade Community Centre Room #6. Register: www.panoramarecreation.ca. 250.656.7271.
February 28 – Raccoons are Wild. Who are those masked bandits? Maybe they are not rascals but just smart at adapting to an urban environment. Plus the “Way Cool
Raccoon School” puppet show and crafts. All ages. Sunday,12 – 3 p.m. By donation. Swan Lake Nature House. www.swanlake.bc.ca.
