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These activities can be done alone, but work best with one or more friends on a video chat like Skype, Zoom, Facetime, etc.

​Grades K-3

Mindfulness activity

Trivia question: Before handling any food, what is the first thing you should do?

A) Sharpen a knife
B) Wash your hands
C) Listen to music

Mindfulness activity:

  • Put your palms together at chest height.
  • Push your palms against each other as hard as you can.
  • Which muscle gets tired first?

Ice cream in a bag

Supplies:

  • ¼ cup of salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup of half and half
  • 1 large zip lock bag
  • 1 small zip lock bag
  • Ice

Directions:

  1. Add all the ingredients, except for the ice, into a small zip lock bag and seal
  2. Add ice to the large zip lock bag and add the small sealed bag inside and seal
  3. Using gloves, shake the bag for 10 minutes until ingredients have hardened into a soft serve ice cream. Enjoy!

English muffin breakfast pizza

Supplies:

  • 2 English muffins
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 thin slices of bacon or any veggie bacon
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Cut the English muffins in half
  2. Cut the tomatoes into small cubes (remove seeds when possible)
  3. Cut up bacon or bacon substitute into small cubes
  4. Shred the cheese
  5. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
  6. Line a small baking sheet with foil
  7. Glaze the English muffin halves with olive oil
  8. Add the ingredients with the cheese on top
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown

Garnish with black pepper and basil

M&M energy bites

Supplies:

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup M&Ms
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

  • In a medium bowl, stir all the ingredients together and mix. Add the M&Ms last so that the shells do not crack
  • Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes
  • Once chilled, roll into tablespoon-sized balls
  • Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks

Review questions

Ask your child:

  • Were you surprised to find out how easy it is to make ice-cream at home? (Feel)
  • What are some safety tips that you need to think about when you’re cooking at home? (Think)
  • What else would you like to cook or bake at home with your family? (Act)

Mindfulness trivia answer

Answer: B) Wash your hands ​​​​​​

Grades 4-6

Mindfulness activity

Trivia question: Where is the largest desert on earth?

Mindfulness activity:

  • Notice how your belly feels.
  • Breathe fast for 10 seconds.
  • How do you feel? Better? Worse? The same?
  • Breathe slow and deep for 10 seconds.
  • How do you feel? Better? Worse? The same

Sugar detective

Supplies:

  • Different kind of food with food labels

Eating nutritious food helps us think better, have more energy and feel strong. The less processed your food is, the healthier it is. For example, vegetables and fruits have one ingredient. If you go and check out the nutrition label of your cereal or cookies, you will see that it has many ingredients. Reading food labels can help you get the nutrients you need.

Eating too much added sugar can be bad for your health. For this activity, go to your kitchen and get the food labels for your favourite snacks and drinks. Check the food label to see how much sugar is in your snack. 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon.

  • How many teaspoons of sugar are in each of your items?
  • Is that more or less sugar in your snacks than than you thought?
  • Which snacks and drinks have the most sugar? Which have the least?

Rice cake animals

Supplies:

  • Rice cakes
  • Peanut butter (or Nutella, jam, cream cheese)
  • Banana
  • Strawberries
  • Blueberries
  • Raisins

Use your imagination to make a fun snack!

  • Spread the peanut butter, Nutella, jam, or cream cheese on the rice cakes.
  • Decorate them using fruits. For example, you can use strawberry for ears and berries or bananas for eyes and nose.
  • Make different fun animals for you or to share with your family.

Milk science experiment

Supplies:

  • Food colouring
  • 1 cups of milk
  • Bowl
  • Cotton swabs
  • Dish soap

Directions:

  1. Fill a dish with a small amount of milk.
  2. Drop 2-3 different colours of food colouring into the dish.
  3. Dip a cotton swab into dish soap, then press it on the milk and watch the colours react.
  4. You can take fun slow-motion videos or pictures.

The dish soap does not mix with the milk. It floats on top and spreads over the surface. As it spreads, it grabs the food colouring. Soap is a “degreaser” so the molecules in it are attacking the fat in the milk, causing motion which creates the swirling of the colours.

Review questions

  • Feel: How do you feel about eating healthy?
  • Think: Why is it important to get the nutrients your body needs?
  • Act: What can you do to eat better snacks?

Mindfulness trivia answer

Answer: Africa (the Sahara Desert)

​​

Grades 7+

Mindfulness activity

Trivia question: What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?

Mindfulness activity:

Pretend to be mad. Really, really mad. Put your hands on your jaw. Notice how it feels on the inside and outside. Now, slowly smile. Notice your muscles moving. Relax.

Cooking show

Supplies:

  • 1 Cup of Peanut Butter, may substitute with nut free peanut butter.
  • 1 ½ cups of cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup of chocolate

Create a youth friendly cooking show where you can show your friends how to make simple recipes such as these Peanut Butter Cracker Balls. Come up with a name for your cooking show. Ensure you read the instructions before you start, and have all the items ready.

Let's start!

  1. Take your crackers and blend to crumbs in a food processor until you get 1 ½ cups. If you don't have a food processor, you can crush them up inside a Ziploc bag. Add crackers crumbs to the 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix it up good in a bowl. You want the mixture to be dry enough to be able to form balls.
  2. Form 24 even sized balls with your hands and place on a wax paper covered plate, cutting board or baking sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes.
  3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave until just melted (do not overcook!) or use a double boiler and stir the chocolate until it melts. Place the mini chocolate chips (or another topping if you prefer) in a small bowl.
  4. Using a toothpick or fork dip the peanut butter balls in the melted chocolate, one at a time, and then toss in the topping until covered. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
  5. That's it. Enjoy! Don't forget to thank your viewers and ask them to share and review the recipe.

Family breakfast – French toast

Supplies:

  • Makes 8 servings
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • ½ cup of milk
  • 8 slices of bread

French toast existed as early as the age of the Roman Empire. The Romans would soak bread in a milk (and sometimes also egg) mixture, then fry it in oil or butter. According to legend, modern French toast started with a New York innkeeper named Joseph French. He created the dish in 1724, and advertised it as "French Toast."

Get up early and surprise your family with this simple French toast recipe and can share your new knowledge of where French toast originated. Sharing breakfast time with you family is a great way to start your day, and gives you time to bond.

Here's how to make French toast:

  1. Beat egg, vanilla and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Stir in milk
  2. Dip bread in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly.
  3. Cook bread slices on lightly greased non-stick griddle or skillet on medium heat until toast is browned on both sides, remove and lay on plate to cool off.
  4. Serve with pancake syrup, fruit, or whipped cream. Enjoy!

Cookbook

Supplies:

  • Paper
  • Markers
  • Binder/Notebook

Watch the cookbook video

Having a cookbook to help you save your favourite recipes so you can make them again, and share them with family and friends. Even if you don't have a lot of recipes, you can start by adding the two recipes previously used. Be creative and add some pictures and colors to brighten your cookbook.

Directions:

  1. Add blank paper to a binder, or use a notebook.
  2. Create a cover for your notebook.
  3. Design and color your cover, and include your name.
  4. On the first page, start a table of contents. This is where you can add the name of the recipe and organize what page each recipe is located.
  5. Start writing in the recipes. For each recipe, include the name, ingredients, and instructions.
  6. Add or draw in some pictures to illustrate what you are cooking.
  7. Search and look up other recipes you want to try and add it to your cook book.
  8. Share your cook book ideas with our family and friends to see if they have any other suggestions.

Review questions

  • Feel: How does it feel to make your own food?
  • Think: What do you think cooking and eating as a family is important?
  • Act: What other recipes do you want to learn?

Mindfulness trivia answer

Answer: A) river.​​​​

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