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Happy August!

We're halfway through summer vacation! We have lots more summer fun and travel ideas, contests, and events, plus some great tips to help your kids transition out of the summer routine and start thinking about the Fall again! 

Enjoy!
Ellen
CALGARY'S CHILD MAGAZINE
Coming Soon - Calgary's Child Magazine's 2017 September/October Issue!
Back to School!


This issue's pages are full of Fall fun, back-to-school ideas and tips, class and program suggestions, and our home central feature!

Watch for it on stands and online at calgaryschild.com in the first week of September!
SUMMER FUN
Written by Diane Turner Maller; Photo: Fotolia.com

I knew I was doing something right when my eight-year-old daughter exclaimed, "I love camping!" Grinning wide through a mouthful of pancakes, she was the most contented camper who ever dined at the tiny table of our weathered tent-trailer. 


Written by Julie Van Rosendaal; Photo: Courtesy of Julie Van Rosendaal (Thi-Thi Submarine)

Calgary's Chinatown, the fourth largest in Canada, is a great destination if you're looking to go exploring with the kids. It's lively on weekends, dense with colorful shops and vendors, and there are plenty of good things to eat!


Written by Tanya Koob; Photo: Courtesy of Tanya Koob

As Calgary locals living on the doorstep of Banff National Park, it can be easy to take our closest national park for granted. Some of us may adopt the attitude that Banff is 'too touristy,' 'too busy,' or even 'too expensive,' and we tell ourselves to stay far away during the popular summer months. Sound familiar? 

While I won't disagree with you that Banff will certainly be a popular place to visit this summer, I still encourage families to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday by visiting our country's first national park. Pick up a free Discovery Pass as you drive into the park (valid for free admission into all of Canada's national parks, national marine conservation areas, and national historic sites) and get busy exploring!

TRANSITIONING BACK TO SCHOOL
Written by Sarah Lyons; Photo: Fotolia.com

As kids pack up their new backpacks, sharpen their pencils, and try on their new Fall clothes, most start to get excited about the first day of school. While the beginning of the school year is an exciting time and represents a new start, some kids may feel anxious about the unknown; a new teacher, new classmates, or a new school can cause a lot of stress and anxiety for them. 

But by using some of these simple strategies, you can help better prepare your kids for their first day of school and ease their concerns. 


Written by Sarah Lyons; Photo: Fotolia.com

Before you know it, summer will be coming to an end and it will be time to prepare the kids to go back to school. The start of a new school year is exciting, but it can also be overwhelming for parents. Here are four steps to ensure a smoother transition from summer days to school days.


Written by Ashley Talmadge; Photo: Fotolia.com

Colin was starting sixth grade in a new school. At an orientation event, he became visibly unnerved as he struggled with the combination on a sticky locker. "He was concerned that he wouldn't be able to open his locker with only four minutes between classes," says his mother Lynn. 

Colin's particular fear is surprisingly common, and so is his apprehension about the beginning of a new school year. Most kids - even excited ones - experience a few 'butterflies' for the first weeks of school, and the source of such uneasiness is not always obvious to parents.


CONTESTS
Top-Notch Trike for Your Tyke Contest!

The Original smarTrike® High End 5-in-1 Infinity: The luxurious Infinity is a versatile, high-end, 5-in-1 trike designed for a stylish and adventurous outdoor ride!  For your chance to win The Original smarTrike® High End 5-in-1 Infinity, enter here (contest code code: Infinity). Entry deadline is Wednesday, August 2, 2017.

Camping with Coleman® Contest!

Get outside and celebrate what it means to be Canadian with the Coleman® Youth Firefly Sleeping Bag and Tenaya Lake™ 8-Person Fast Pitch Tent to camp or create a spectacular back yard fort! For your chance to win the 2 Youth Firefly Sleeping Bags (one pink and one blue), and the Tenaya Lake™ 8-Person Fast Pitch Tent, enter here (contest code: Coleman). Entry deadline is Wednesday, August 2, 2017.
 
Hoodoo You Want to Take to the Badlands Contest!

Escape the hustle and bustle of the city and explore the Badlands of Alberta! This prize pack includes 4 passes each to:
  • Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site: The Atlas Coal Mine is 16 tons of fun! Drumheller is Coal Valley, where over 100 mines penetrated the black seams of the Badlands. Go up the underground, ride the mine train, and climb the wooden tipple. Tours are fun, fascinating, and the guides rock! For more information, visit atlascoalmine.ab.ca
  • East Coulee School Museum: Life in a coal town unearthed. This former four-room schoolhouse is home to a remarkable array of archives and exhibits, and has become an important resource for educating students and history buffs on the coal mining era in Alberta. For more information, visit ecsmuseum.ca
  • Royal Tyrrell Museum: Canada's only museum dedicated exclusively to the science of paleontology. In addition to housing one of the world's largest displays of dinosaurs, the Museum offers a wide variety of creative, fun, and educational programs that bring the prehistoric past to life! For more information, visit tyrrellmuseum.com
For more attraction and accomodation information, visit   canadianbadlands.com!

Twitter: @CanadianBadlands
Facebook: @CanBadlands
Instagram: @canadianbadlands

For your chance to escape to the Alberta Badlands this summer, enter here (contest code: Hoodoo). Entry deadline is Tuesday, August 8, 2017.

Daycation to Drumheller Contest!

Drumheller is proud to be the dinosaur capital of the world, and provides plenty of spectacle where these extinct creatures are concerned! This prize pack includes 4 passes each to:

The World's Largest Dinosaur: Stand 86 feet high in the mouth of the World's Largest Dinosaur and see the view from behind her pearly whites (don't forget your camera). For more information, visit worldslargestdinosaur.com

The Trekcetera Museum: The Trekcetera Museum is the first of its kind in Canada, featuring authentic screen-used costumes, props, and set pieces from Star Trek TV series and movies, as well as other iconic TV shows and movies like Harry Potter, Superman, Titanic, Brokeback Mountain, Thunderbirds, Terra Nova, Pirates of the Caribbean, Men in Black, Captain America, Magnificent Seven, and more. A 38-piece collection of costumes and props from Hell on Wheels - filmed right here in Alberta - has just been added! Trekcetera is proud to preserve and display local history. For more information, visit facebook.com/pg/TrekceteraMuseum.

For more attraction and accomodation information, visit canadianbadlands.com!

Twitter: @CanadianBadlands
Facebook: @CanBadlands
Instagram: @canadianbadlands

For your chance to win a Daycation to Drumheller this summer, enter here (contest code: Drumheller). Entry deadline is Tuesday, August 8, 2017.
 
Gear Up for Back to School With Bixbee® Contest!
 
Bixbee® Funtastical Backpack: Bixbee's lightweight, ergonomic, and fashionable backpacks are perfect for kids of all ages! With the patented horizontal design with the guidelines set by the American Occupational Therapy Association, not only does this design allow easy access to books and supplies, it also ensures optimal distribution of weight. Contoured and padded adjustable shoulder straps allow for the perfect fit while the generously padded mesh back panels alleviate press points and provide extra comfort. For more information on the Funtastical Backpack and to view the full line-up of too-cool-for-school backpacks, lunch boxes, and more, visit bixbee.com.

For your chance to win the Bixbee® Funtastical Backpack, enter here (contest code: Bixbee). Entry deadline is Thursday, August 31, 2017.
Free Live Webinar - "Communication Strategies for Parents and Teens"

August 17, 8 to 9pm MDT; Communication Strategies for Parents and Teens.   Brought to you by Professional Parenting Canada and Calgary's Child MagazineRegister today!

WHAT'S COMING UP IN CALGARY?
GLOBALFEST
Aug 15 to Aug 26; GlobalFest is an explosively multicultural festival. The Trico Homes International Fireworks Festival illuminates the night sky every August with a symphony of pyrotechnics and music, coming together as an artistic display of light and sound. Sunbelt Rentals OneWorld Festival will play host to various activities including live performances, cultural pavilions, ethnic food booths, and a night market. Check  the website  for more details!
2017 SEPT/OCT ISSUE
Coming soon! Our Fall issue is all about autumn fun and focuses on getting the kids back to school and into Fall classes and programs. 

Watch for it on stands and online in the first week of September!
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EVENTS CALENDAR
Want to know what's up in Calgary?
 
No matter the age, stage, or size of your family, we can find you something to do! 
 
Check out Calgary's best events calendar for families at     
#723 - 710 - 20 Crowfoot Cr. NW  Calgary, AB T3G 2P6
(403) 241-6066 | calgaryschild@shaw.ca
 


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