Specifically geared towards children and families, the Nanaimo Science & Sustainability Society is an incredible resource for learning and having fun! They offer camps, weekend programs, events for families, homeschool programs and so much more in parks and other areas around Nanaimo.

nanaimoscience.org

In this day and age, where technology often dominates our lives and educational systems tend to prioritize standardized learning, the importance of fostering creativity in children cannot be overstated. It is crucial to provide opportunities for children to explore their imaginations, express themselves and develop essential life skills.

Theatre, dance and other creative camps offer dynamic and enriching environments where children can unleash their creativity, build confidence and forge lifelong friendships. Let’s talk about why creative camps are the perfect choice for nurturing your artistic child.

1. Unleashes Their Imaginations. Theatre and dance are powerful ways to ignite the imagination. Through role-playing, storytelling and movement exploration, children are encouraged to think creatively and explore new worlds. In these types of camps, all children have the freedom to embody different characters, experiment with various styles of dance and express themselves authentically.

2. Builds Confidence. Standing on stage or performing a dance routine in front of an audience can truly be intimidating, but it is also incredibly empowering. Theatre and dance camps provide a supportive environment where children can take risks, overcome challenges and build confidence in their abilities. Through rehearsals, performances and constructive feedback from instructors and peers, children learn to trust themselves, embrace their strengths and push beyond their comfort zones. These experiences lay the foundation for self-confidence and resilience in all aspects of life.

3. Fosters Collaboration. Theatre and dance are inherently collaborative art forms that require teamwork, cooperation and mutual respect. In camp settings, children work together to create performances, choreograph routines and support one another in rehearsals. They learn to listen actively, compromise and celebrate each other’s successes, which fosters a sense of camaraderie and belonging. These collaborative experiences teach children the importance of working together towards a shared vision—a skill that is essential in any professional or social context.

4. Develops Communication Skills. Effective communication is essential in both theatre and dance. Camp activities such as script reading, improvisation games and group choreography help children develop strong communication skills. They learn to articulate their thoughts, express emotions through movement and collaborate with others to achieve common goals. These communication skills are invaluable not only on stage but also in everyday interactions and academic pursuits.

5. Cultivates Creativity. Theatre and dance camps provide a nurturing environment where children can explore their creativity and express themselves artistically. Whether they are designing costumes, experimenting with makeup and props or choreographing original dance routines, children are encouraged to think outside the box and unleash their imagination. These creative experiences foster innovation, problem-solving skills and a lifelong appreciation for the arts.

6. Celebrates Diversity. Theatre and dance are universal languages that celebrate diversity, inclusivity and cultural exchange. Camps bring together children from different backgrounds, cultures, abilities and experiences, creating a rich tapestry of perspectives and traditions. Through shared performances, collaborative projects and cultural exchange activities, children learn to appreciate and respect the diversity of the world around them. These experiences promote empathy, tolerance and global citizenship.

7. Leads to Lifelong Passions. For many children, attending a theatre or dance camp is not just a summer activity—it is the beginning of a lifelong passion. These camps ignite a love for the arts that can inspire children to pursue careers in performing arts, or other arts-related fields. Even if they do not choose a professional path, the skills, memories and friendships they gain from camp will stay with them for years to come.

8. Encourages Physical Activity. Dance camps offer a fun and engaging way for children to stay active and healthy—often without them even realizing it! Whether they are practicing ballet, jazz, hip-hop or contemporary dance, children develop strength, flexibility and endurance. Dance also promotes cardiovascular health, improves coordination and enhances overall well-being. By incorporating physical activity into their daily routine, children develop healthy habits that can last a lifetime.

This Earth Day (April 22) join the Regional District of Nanaimo Parks and Recreation at Moorecroft Regional Park in Nanoose from 11–2 for a family day filled with fun. Families will learn about the biodiversity of the park and how they can help to protect the earth with science games, art projects and nature exploration hikes. rdn.bc.ca/recreation

Snails and slugs have an extremely porous body. They absorb moisture from their environment but can also rapidly be left in trouble on a hot sunny day with no shelter to be found for meters. In an attempt to avoid desiccation, or drying up, slugs and snails produce something that is better than liquid gold. For a slug that is. Mucus! While mucus may be something we as humans shy away from, for snails, it is the reason they are able to move around so, um, let’s say “effectively.” It is also how they are able to seemingly defy gravity with their climbing feats, and how they leave love letters for potential mates.

Snail mucus is produced by glands in the foot, the body of the animal, and has properties making it similar to both a lubricant and a glue. As they move, the secreted mucus creates a gliding surface for the creature, they use the muscles in their foot to push themselves along. Once they are moving, it doesn’t take too much effort to continue their glide! On top of this, the mucus they secreted has the additional benefit of leaving a trail brimming with pheromones. These pheromones can be smelled by others of their species, and used to find mates.

This miracle mucus happens to be strong enough to anchor them onto surfaces, allowing them to climb up trees, glass, patio furniture, you name it. If they are in fear of dessication, snails can create a plug of mucus to block their shell from evaporation. This can keep them safe for months at a time until they are reintroduced to hydration.

While leaf litter filled forests are a perfect place to find these slimy wonders, even for those surrounded by buildings, slugs and snails can be found if you know when to look. Rainy days of course provide the necessary incentive for these mucusy friends, but a bonus to being a morning person is that you may be more prone to encountering a snail or slug making their way somewhere damp in the mornings! As the rising sun brings an air of warmth, the last straggling creatures of the night begin their progression into their daytime abodes. Night holds a dampness, and a safety from the drying sun that gives respite to creatures whose moisture is of high importance.

Gastropods, the “stomach-foot” animals, include a few well-known creatures: the slugs and snails, along with their marine counterparts; limpets; whelks and nudibranchs. In many cases, snails and slugs will spend time in gardens, whether snacking on freshly grown vegetation, or aiding in the decomposition of dead plant material. Even if you miss seeing their tentacle laced face, you may be fortunate enough to see evidence of their visits through slime trails and tiny bites out of your plants. Gastropods are one of the most diverse groups of animals, second only to insects. Vancouver Island is home to many charismatic slugs and snails, including the second largest in the world, the banana slug. Despite its name, you do not want to eat these creatures. They can contain parasites that can cause severe damage. In any case, their texture is much less appealing than that of an actual banana!

Banana slugs have graced the presence of many Vancouver Islanders on their travels, although few are lucky enough to spot one of Vancouver Islands aptly named jumping slugs. Dromedary and Warty jumping slugs are extremely rare creatures that have little known about them. The dromedary jumping slugs for example, are only found on Vancouver Island, and only seven spots on the Island have been confirmed as known locations for them! While they may physically not be able to launch themselves off the ground in the same way that humans, kangaroos or rabbits are able to jump, they can thrash their body rapidly and sporadically to try to deter predators. I don’t speak for the predators of the forest, but I have to say that a thrashing slug does seem less consumable than a slug who has simply shrunk their body into itself as a defense.

While they may seem to be creatures of little importance, terrestrial, or land based, gastropods fill an important place on the food chain. They provide nutrients for many birds in particular, robins and thrushes. Snails especially, are excellent at taking calcium from their environment and utilizing it in the growth of their shell. This is important as all of their predators will be gaining calcium as well, which is especially important during breeding season! When observing snails and slugs in your garden, or signs of slugs taking a nibble from your leafy greens, I urge you to resist the urge to use pesticides. All chemicals that we add to the environment have unintended consequences for our natural neighbors. Even if slugs are not your favorite critters, consider the potential ill effects pesticides can have further up the food chain, or on invertebrates that you gladly welcome into your garden. If you want the birds and butterflies, you have to accept the snails and the slugs as well.

Rather than dwell on their slimy, perhaps uninvited presence, take the time to observe them! Leave your blinds open tonight and aim to awaken with the sun. Sit outside in your garden as the sunny tendrils urge snails to hasten away to the damp undergrowth, or carefully walk around your neighborhood until you find one of these friends. Simply watch them. May the March of the Slugs encourage you to use your senses in exploration, follow trails laid by those before you and take…it…slow.

Explore the geometry of nature

Fractals here, fractals there, fractals everywhere…but what are they?

In mathematics, a fractal is a never-ending pattern at different scales. Fractals are complex patterns but they are actually made by repeating a simple process.

What do ferns have to do with fractals?

A fractal is an infinite pattern in mathematics, but we can also find limited fractal patterns in nature!

Head to the kitchen for a fractal-spotting warm up! Broccoli, especially the fancy Romanesco broccoflower, is a great example of a fractal pattern. Do you see repeating patterns and small parts of the broccoli that look like the whole broccoli? You’ve spotted a fractal! Don’t like broccoli? Take a peek at a pineapple—they have fractal patterns too.

Exploring Geometry in Nature

Activity: Go for a “fractal hunt” in the woods!

Tips:

• Look for similar patterns in natural objects that repeat at different scales.

• Kids’magnifying glasses add extra fun for young nature sleuths.

• Phones/cameras are a great way to capture interesting subjects for reseach later.

• Sketching in nature using a small notebook is another wonderful way to observe mindfully.

1. Trees are great examples of fractals in nature.

• Examine the branches from the trunk to the outer tips. Look for the “Y” repetition at different scales.

• If you come across the exposed roots of a fallen tree look for repeating patterns in the root system.

• Now put on your x-ray glasses and look underground. Look at all the tiny fungi threads growing around the tree roots. Forgot your x-ray goggles? You can check out images of fungi threads (mycelium) online for fun.

2. Plants, leaves and pinecones

Look closely at a fern frond. You’ll see that it’s made up of a series of repeating patterns.

Did you notice that the whole fern has the same shape as one or more of the parts? Fern fractals!

Extra challenge: Use a plant guide to see how many different kinds of ferns you can spot: Sword, Bracken, Maidenhair, Licorice, and Lady Ferns!

Find a leaf. Look at the centre vein, now look at all the separate veins that branch off of it. Look EVEN closer. What’s inside? Even smaller repeating branching veins!

Pick up a pinecone. Follow the repeating spiral pattern from the bottom all the way to the top. You guessed it…the pinecone spirals are similar at different scales.

When we visit a local park it’s the perfect opportunity to remind everyone to tread gently and leave nature the way they found it. Encouraging kids to slow down and observe nature is a super healthy activity. It’s also a great way to nurture their understanding and appreciation of their surroundings.

Frac-tivities and Fun Facts

Draw leaf fractals—trace a leaf outline onto a sheet of paper. Draw the main leaf vein on your paper. Using a different colour draw some of the leaf veins that branch away. Choose another colour and draw some of the even smaller vein patterns inside.

You can look for fractals at the beach too! Seashell spirals, sea urchins and starfish.

Can you think of any other fractal patterns in nature? Hint: river and animal circulatory systems, lightning, clouds, snowflake crystals, lichen and flowers like Queen Anne’s Lace

“Fractal” comes from the Latin word, fractus meaning fragmented or broken.

Benoit Mandelbrot, a famous mathematician came up with the word fractal.

Want to see some amazing patterns—do a deeper dive into the mathematical world of fractals? Check out: The Mandelbrot Set, Koch Snowflake and Sierpinski Triangle.

Eggs aren’t just for breakfast…they can be fun and fascinating too! Try your hand at a few “eggs-periments” that highlight the unique properties of the amazing egg.

The Spin Test

Materials

A raw egg. A hard-boiled or hard-cooked egg. A flat surface on which to spin.

Method. Spin the raw egg and the hard-boiled egg at the same time on a large flat surface.

Whichever egg spins better (smoothly without wobbling) is the hard-boiled egg.

For a neat variation, spin them both again then stop them. Quickly release them and watch the raw egg. It should continue moving even though the hard-boiled egg has completely stopped.

Explanation. The yolk and white in a raw egg slosh around unevenly as it spins, making it impossible to spin it smoothly while the solid yolk and white in the hard-boiled egg enable the egg to spin smoothly.

The raw egg will continue to move even after you have stopped it and then let go of it because the liquid inside is still moving around.

Fun with Naked Eggs

Materials

At least 2 naked eggs. 2 clear cups large enough to hold an egg plus some liquid. Corn syrup. Water. Food colouring. A spoon or ladle.

Method. Put a naked egg into one of the cups and add enough corn syrup to cover the egg.

Put another naked egg into another cup and add enough water to cover it and a few drops of food colouring.

Put both cups into the refrigerator for 24 hours.

After the 24 hours you should have one nice and plump egg in the water and one shriveled and flabby egg in the corn syrup.

Explanation. The membrane of the naked egg is selectively permeable–it lets some molecules through and blocks others. Water (mixed with food colouring) moves through the membrane easily but bigger molecules (like sugar molecules in the corn syrup) don’t.

In the corn syrup cup, the water molecules from the egg white (which is 90 per cent water) have moved through the membrane to the corn syrup (25 per cent water) causing the naked egg to shrivel and go limp.

Naked Eggs

Materials

A raw egg. White vinegar. A container big enough to submerge the egg. A spoon or ladle.

Method. Place the egg in the container so that it does not touch the sides and add enough vinegar to cover the egg. You will already see bubbles forming on the egg.

Cover the container and put it in the fridge for 24 hours.

After the 24 hours have elapsed, scoop the egg out of the vinegar being careful not to break it. Dump out the vinegar and cover the egg with fresh vinegar. Leave the egg in the fridge for another 24 hours.

Scoop out the egg and rinse carefully. Throw away any broken eggs.

You should now have a translucent egg without a shell. It is being held together by its membrane which while flex if you squeeze it.

Explanation. The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks apart the calcium carbonate crystals that make up the egg shell into separate calcium and carbonate parts. The calcium parts float while the carbonate makes the bubbles that you see.

Looking for ways to keep your kids busy over the extended break? Why not get them in the kitchen? Cooking is a great way to spend time with your kids and inspire their interest in healthy food. It’s also a great way to teach science!

Playing with Pretzels

Pretzels are really fun to make. And forming them is easy enough for even the littlest of cooks. Shape them into butterflies, turtles, hearts or letters. They are also a great way to teach about the microbiology of yeast.

The Science:

• Yeasts are tiny single cell organisms. A single yeast is very tiny, and each grain in your package of instant yeast is actually a bunch of yeast.

• Yeast eats sugar and turns it into carbon dioxide and ethanol. This is called anaerobic respiration, which means it’s done without oxygen.

• When we make bread the yeast eats the sugars in the flour and releases carbon dioxide, which makes the air bubbles in the bread.

• To see yeast in action, pour about 4 cm of water in the bottom of a clear plastic water bottle. Add in 1 tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of yeast. Cover the top of the bottle with a balloon to trap the carbon dioxide. After about 15 minutes you will be able to see the yeast eating, multiplying and releasing carbon dioxide!

Pretzel Recipe:

1 cup warm water

1 package of instant yeast (21⁄4 tsp)

3 cups of flour

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp sugar

1⁄2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp oil

1 egg

Toppings: coarse salt, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, etc.

1. Mix the water with the yeast.

2. Allow the yeast to dissolve, then mix in the flour, butter, sugar and salt. It will be very sticky. I recommend coating your hands with a little bit of oil then kneading and working the dough until it’s smooth and elastic.

3. When you have a nice smooth ball, coat it with a drizzle of oil.

4. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour.

5. After 1 hour, punch down the dough and divide it into 12 small balls. Have fun shaping each ball into your own unique pretzel shape.

6. Place them on a greased baking sheet and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

7. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425˚F.

8. Beat the egg, then brush to tops of the pretzels with the egg and sprinkle on the toppings.

9. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through and nicely browned.

Egg-citing Eggs: Souffled Omelette

Making souffled omelette is actually really easy and fun! It may become your new favourite way of cooking eggs. This recipe is better for older kids (9 years and older) because it involves using the stove. However, separating the eggs is probably the toughest part.

The Science:

• Egg yolks are a mixture of fat and protein, but egg whites are just protein.

• The protein in the egg whites can be whipped so that it traps air bubbles, turning them into soft, white and fluffy foam. Adding just the littlest bit of yolk before whipping will prevent the air pockets from forming properly, so make sure you don’t break the yolks when separating the egg whites.

• When the whipped eggs are baked, the air in those bubbles expands with the heat, making the souffle puff up even more. Then the protein stiffens, providing the structure of the souffle.

For 1 Omelette:

3 eggs

Pinch of salt and ground black pepper

1 Tbsp butter

2 tbsp grated cheese

1. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites.

2. Mix the salt into the egg whites, and beat with a whisk until it forms soft peaks. This takes about 5 minutes by hand or is quicker with an electric mixer.

3. Gently fold the egg yolks into the egg whites. Mix carefully so you don’t burst the air bubbles.

4. You need a 9″ non-stick pan with a lid. Heat the pan on medium heat.

5. Melt the butter in the bottom of the pan.

6. Scrape in the egg mixture, smoothing it out on top. Shake the pan a few times to prevent sticking.

7. Put the lid on the pan and cook until the bottom of the souffle has browned and the top is just set. It takes about 5–8 minutes.

8. Sprinkle on the cheese and cook for 1 more minute to melt the cheese, then serve!

More Fun Food Activities

Since the break is quite bit longer than expected, with a LOT of time spent indoors, I wanted to give everyone a bunch of fun ideas for cooking with your kids. These are all foods that kids can make and form themselves. They may not come out perfectly, but they’ll still taste great! Check out the links for detailed instructions:

Roll your own sushi party: planningwithkids.com/2012/05/25/make-your-own-sushi/

Grandma’s handmade perogies: fermentingforfoodies.com/ homemade-pierogi/

Make your own pizzas: momtastic.com/food/cooking-with-kids/522153-diy-mini-pizzas/

Traditional pasties: berriesandbarnacles.com/a-british-inspired-lentil-pasty/

Decorate a spring-inspired gingerbread house: thekitchn.com/gingerbread-house-22971175