Kids can learn outdoor skills, spend time in nature, and uncover the mysteries of the natural world with summer EcoCamps offered by the Stanley Park Ecology Society (“SPES”).
SPES campers birdwatch at Beaver Lake. Photo by Anthony Ho.
Week 1: July 3 – 7, 2023 Trees and Bees Get to know the quiet giants of the forest (spruces, firs, and maples) through hikes and scavenger hunts in Stanley Park, and discover the wonderful world of pollinators while learning how to dance like a bee and fly like a bat.
Week 2: July 10 – 14, 2023 Wild about Water Visit the different types of wetlands and beaches Stanley Park has to offer. From critter dipping at Beaver Lake to hunting for hidden beach treasures, we will learn about the many species in and out of the water that call these unique environments home.
Week 3: July 17 – 21, 2023 Sunlight Solstice During the week of summer solstice, get to know the natural cycles of our planet. Come explore how the changing seasons impacts people, plants and animals in Stanley Park through hands-on activities. Campers will observe and learn from these cycles and emerge as “seasoned” experts of nature!
Week 4: July 24 – 28, 2023 Crafty Critters Get ready to explore the wild world of animals through a creative lens. This week is all about combining our love for animals with crafting and using our imaginations. Campers will learn all about the different types of animals in Stanley Park and their habitats, and take home their animal-themed creations.
Week 5: July 31 – August 4, 2023 Earth Ambassadors Are you ready to become an Earth Ambassador and make a positive impact on the planet? Explore the different ecosystems of the park and ways we can keep them healthy. Through hands-on experiments and games, campers will learn how to protect the natural world from Stanley Park and beyond.
Week 6: August 8 – 11, 2023 (four days) Beach Explorers Splash into summer fun as campers explore what lies underneath the tides of the beaches here in Stanley Park. This week is all about immersing ourselves in the beauty and excitement of coastal ecosystems. Come find shoreline treasures, create beach sand art, and look for crabs and starfish.
A day camper studies bird nests in Stanley Park. Photo by Lanie Goebel/SPES
Week 7: August 14 – 18, 2023 Rainforest Wonders Join a week-long journey through the lush and complex rainforests of Stanley Park. Through guided hikes and interactive ecology activities, we will learn about how rainforests became unique ecosystems and why they are so important to the Earth.
Week 8: August 21 – 25, 2023 Crafty Critters Get ready to explore the wild world of animals through a creative lens! Crafty Critters camp week is all about combining our love for animals with crafting and using our imaginations. Campers will learn about the different types of animals in Stanley Park and their habitats, and take home their animal-themed creations.
Week 9: August 28 – September 1, 2023 Feathered Friends Discover the world of birds through a variety of exciting activities, such as bird watching expeditions, bird-themed crafts and games, and interactive lessons about the behaviours and habitats of our feathered friends. By the end of the week, campers will be able to identify many bird species in Stanley Park.
These camps often sell out and can be a favourite part of many children’s springs or summers. With one week already sold out there spots are bound to fill up fast so register today. For more information about Stanley Park EcoCamps and other SPES programs, follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
Stanley Park Ecology Society promotes awareness of and respect for the natural world through collaborative leadership in environmental education, research, and conservation in Stanley Park. Miss604’s Rebecca Bollwitt is a Board Executive of SPES.
In honour of Earth Day, Science World is hosting a device recycling event with TELUS. In exchange for donating an electronic device to be recycled, guests will receive free admission on April 22nd.
Science World – Image Supplied
Free Day at Science World 2022
When: Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 10:00am to 5:00pm
Where: Science World (1455 Quebec St, Vancouver)
One device = one free general admission (regardless of device value). You can bring your cellphone, tablet, smart watch or airpods!
Simply bring a device to Science World that needs recycling – like cellphones, tablets, smart watches or airpods – and they will be recycled by TELUS. Guests can drop off devices all day to receive a free general admission ticket, valid on the day of only. This promotion is only available on April 22nd, 2023 during Science World’s opening hours, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
On Now at Science World
Skin: Living Armour, Evolving Identity, presented by Acuitas Therapeutics, is on display at Science World until May 29, 2023. When you visit, you will discover how skin plays a crucial role in shaping physical and social interactions with the outside world, across different organisms.
Through a range of collections and interactive experiences, you’ll witness the incredible shape-altering, colour-changing, and adaptable nature of skin, and how it has inspired technological innovations. You’ll see a life-size rhinoceros model that shows the largeness of its skin, examine keratin-based feathers, furs, and quills, and even touch different specimens, like snake skin and otter fur.
Find this special exhibition and all your favourites when you visit on Earth Day.
Science World is a BC-based charitable organization that engages the people of British Columbia in STEAM literacy. Their mission is to ignite wonder and empower dreams through science and nature. Their vision is that within a generation, Canada will be a country of thriving, sustainable communities rooted in science, innovation and a deep connection to nature.
A burst of spring colours return this month as the 17th annual Chilliwack Tulip Festival blooms, opening its fields on April 19, 2023. Founded in 2006, the event was the first of its kind locally and a pioneer in promoting agritourism. Admire and photograph a vibrant flower-scape curated over 20 acres with more than seven million bulbs with 30 tulip varieties, 16 types of daffodils and five types of hyacinths
Behind the festival’s dazzle is the integrity of a year-round working farm. Onos Greenhouses leases land from a local farm, growing the tulips on the Chilliwack field that becomes the annual festival grounds. After the festival, Onos Greenhouses collects the bulbs and then uses them in their greenhouse operation, which currently supplies 85% of the cut tulips that are sold throughout Western Canada—a joyous annual sign to Canadians that spring has arrived.
This year, the flower fields are located within 75 meters of the entrance, making the experience easier than ever to access. With between seven and 15 acres of flowers in full bloom at any given time, selfie spots and photo opportunities abound. Seven sets of swings, outdoor lawn games, a 1950s Morris convertible and a 1965 Airstream trailer are among the charming props and settings to inspire memory-making moments.
The Farm Shop will be open daily, offering treats and refreshments to supplement the offerings from popular local food trucks. For home gardeners, fresh-cut and potted tulips, sunflower seeds and tulip-themed souvenirs are among The Farm Shop offerings. Follow the Chilliwack Tulip Festival on Facebook for the latest info and updates.
The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver (“CHV”). Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV. This month’s post has been written by Jason Bosher.
Covenant House Rights of Passage – Photo Submitted
The Rights of Passage Program Is Serving Up Life Skills
Covenant House Vancouver’s Rights of Passage program is about building the life skills, specific to each youth, that are necessary for them to make a successful transition to living independently. Some of these learned skills include renting, budgeting, resume writing, and cooking. Cooking is a multifaceted life skill because it involves planning a meal, knowing what ingredients to buy, budgeting to be able to afford the ingredients, shopping for the ingredients, and then preparing the food.
Proper nutrition is instrumental in performing many other life skills, so let’s take a moment to talk about the importance of nutrition.
Being nutritionally vulnerable has significant ramifications, including: poor health, which is a barrier from obtaining and maintaining employment; lack of proper food storage or cooking facilities which can lead to poor food choices such as fast food; possible impairment of cognitive and physiological functions; increase risk of infections; and exacerbating depression and substance use.
Youth enrolled in Covenant House Vancouver’s Rights of Passage program have regular access to healthy meals, a safe environment, and have support to work through any addictions, if applicable.
Covenant House Rights of Passage – Photo Submitted
Life Skills Change Lives
The life skills that one youth may need to be successful, can be quite different than another’s. That’s why Covenant House Vancouver takes a one-size-fits-one approach and tailors a plan for each youth that will help them to succeed.
If you were asked to go to the grocery store and pick up some hamburger meat, would you be able to complete that task? If you answered yes, that is because at some point, an adult has taught you that in the grocery store, hamburger meat is called ground beef. Now, imagine the same task, without an adult to teach you that life skill.
Cooking is such an essential life skill to learn. As stated earlier, proper nutrition is important in order to maintain employment, which is a key component in breaking the cycle of homelessness. The Pender Street location of Covenant House is currently being renovated to include a training kitchen that will better support youth in learning the many facets of cooking.
Learning to cook can also open up a youth’s social life. They will be able to invite friends over and cook for them, cooking together can help strengthen relationships, and youth will be able to participate in potluck events.
The life skills that youth learn in the Rights of Passage program are key to their successful transition to independent living. Despite the rising cost of food and housing, youth are still making successful transitions. If you would like to learn more about youth programs and services, or if you would like to support youth in the Rights of Passage program, please visit Covenant House Vancouver’s website.
