Fisherman's Wharf Park- Victoria

Fisherman's Wharf Park is the big piece of plain grass behind the Fisherman's Wharf carpark. Or I should say WAS. Because there are plans underway to extensively improve this area and change it from something completely nondescript to something rather beautiful. And they have started with the playground.

On first approach, you can't quite tell if the playground is finished or not, but after our play there I'm under the impression that it's done, but the landscaping is yet to be done. At any rate, the playground was covered with children and adults playing together so we charged right in. 'Charged' is definitely the correct word because 'A's love of ramps meant that he could run all the way down from the road right up to the top of the slide. I don't know why there are not more slides like this one, built onto the side of the hill. They are clever because it completely removes any fear of heights that anyone might have, and also in this case they have covered the area underneath the slide- and to the sides- with grippy rubber surfacing which enable the kids to run up the hill next to the slide easily. We all know how much kids like running up slides and this little feature means that they can do this without doing it- if you see what I mean?

So the playground is spread over a nice large area and has a pyramid climbing feature right in the middle. There are two bouncy things- in fact they are the bounciest bouncy things I have met yet and I had a moment when I thought that 'A' might pling off into the stratosphere.

The other two features of this playground are a fake rock climbing arch and a big wooden ship hull. There is a woodchip base and nice paths around with mosaic features. There are lots of seating areas and picnic tables and there will be shade once the trees grow a little. Oh, and there's a good view. If you don't know this area it's such a treat for kids because there is so much to see and do. We played for a while and then walked across the carpark to the wharf where we saw the resident seals, watched seaplanes take off then we caught a water taxi to downtown. I look forward to seeing how this playground and the whole park develops over time because it's a good start.

'A' liked it so much that he begged to go back soon, something he wasn't old enough to do last year but it's cool that he can now express his opinion. Just as we were leaving the playground he took one last run at the slide, and unlike all the other kids he decided to run up the metal rather than the grippy rubber- showing me that old kid habits die hard.

Willows School Playground #1- Victoria

Willows School in Oak Bay is not only in a lovely part of Victoria, near the beautiful Willows Beach, near Esteban Village (with every parent's favourite Crumsby's), but it also seems to have three playgrounds! The equipment was pretty popular when we stopped by so we decided to pick them off one at a time and will use our return visit as a chance to eat cupcakes at Crumsby's.

So Willows School playground #1 is a typical school playground with lots to climb, hang from and burn off excess energy, and with not a lot of frills. Unlike many typical school playgrounds this one seems to be well thought out and built on the continuous play type model- meaning that kids old enough to use all the climbing equipment can climb, hang, balance and step their way round the whole structure in a circle.

There are too many climbing options here to list, many of them that are realistically only for the bigger kids. However, there are steps up to the main climbing tower, which has a bridge and a high metal wavy straight slide. On a woodchip base, this playground would probably not wow anyone and is limited for the little ones but it would definitely provide a good challenge for those that like climbing structures. There are no facilities but there is lots of grass and you can park in one of the many streets or back roads that surround the school.

And at risk of sounding like I am on their payroll- when I am not- don't go visiting without stopping by Crumsby's in Esteban Village!

Hyacinth Park Playground- Saanich

We got a hot tip this week to go to Hyacinth Park Playground which is in Hyacinth Park on Marigold in Saanich. We drove around a bit before discovering that the best way to get access to the playground is to take Hyacinth Ave, which is a 'no-through-road' that runs off of Interurban. It has a nice little parking area and is right next to the playground.

Well, the hot tip paid off as this is a great playground. Hyacinth Park is pretty big with sports fields and there is a building there which may or may not have washrooms- we didn't make it over to that side. There are walking trails behind the playground that run onto Panama Flats and they definitely looked tempting had we more time to explore.

On a bed of gravelly sand, the playground has something for everyone. There is a climbing frame car, a double 'duck' seesaw, a double toddler/double big kid swing set, a bouncy thing and two climbing structures.

The smaller structure has steps up to a low climbing tower and a nice double width metal straight slide down. There are a couple of different climbing options to get up. The bigger climbing structure has a good range of things to climb up including hanging mushrooms and an elevated ladder to hang from. There are steps, parallel bars and a nice arched bridge in the middle- always a hit with little ones. There is a low double width straight metal slide and a high climbing tower with a curly metal slide.

This is a great playground in a great location. Lots of grass, trees for shade and multiple picnic tables.

Nicklaus Drive Playground- Bear Mountain, Langford

Okay, so the playground on Nicklaus Drive up on the Bear Mountain resort wins the prize for highest playground in the area- feel free to challenge me on that one!

The playground is a nice one tucked onto one of the highest roads on the resort and according to a resident that we talked to, the only playground on Bear Mountain. This is surprising on two fronts, 1- because it's a massive development with many young families who would appreaciate a good playground and 2- because Nicklaus Drive is so high. With weather the way that it is around here it would make sense to me to have the one and only playground as accessible to as many as possible and this one is high up and if you drive from the entrance of the resort to the centre, you will not pass it.

There....finished that rant. The playground itself okay but not great, though I am sure that any parent would be happy with their child playing there. It features two small climbing structures, a small tower with a low plastic slide and a higher metal climbing tower that has a few good climbing options for the bigger kids.

The playground is set on gravel and there are two twiddly stem things a bouncy thing and a pudding basin. There is a swing set with one toddler swing and one big kid swing and there are benches, a good path around and you can park easily on the road. There are no other facilities, but this is a residential playground so that's normal.

The equipment, the location and the surroundings to this playground are all good, my only issue is that if this is the only playground in this new, profitable development, then it could be so much bigger and better.

Cecelia Park Playground- Victoria

On Cecelia Road between Jutland and Manchester there is a square of grass with a rather good playground on it. We've never noticed it before which got me thinking that I only ever go down Jutland, not up it- yes folks, that's about how exciting my brain is today! Anyway, after I'd noticed it there in all it's unmissable primary colour glory, we had to return for a play and test out the equipment.

On a bed of woodchips, this new playground is in great condition and offers a thorough play experience for the kids. There are two separate structures, a lower, more accessible one for smaller children and a bigger more challenging one for the big kids. The smaller one has stairs up to the platform as well as a couple of climbing options such as a chain ladder wall and one of those things that looks like a giant pogo-stick on steroids! Although this structure is more accessible, it's not super-low, so smaller kids would definitely need some help though they would really enjoy the short straight metal slide on the way down.

The bigger structure is a spindly-looking affair with a ton of different climbing options to challenge bigger children. This one has a high straight metal slide- one of the higher ones around town which went really fast when I tried it out. What? I know adults are not meant to test the equipment but it was too high for my little 'A' so someone had to try it!

Finishing off this nice playground is the usual double big-kid, double toddler swing sets and a picnic table. There are benches and grassy areas to run around or picnic on. There are not other facilities and street parking is limited but possible. If you're passing, check this playground out- seems like a good once especially for older kids.

How Wee Travel Saved my weekend

I am about to digress slightly away from my normal beaten track here, but I feel the need to babble on about my weekend.

A while ago I agreed to house sit for my folks, who live near to us here in Victoria, but it was Thursday before something of critical importance dawned on me. Our 1.3 year old daughter ‘S’ isn’t famed for her sleeping skills at the best of times but recently she has taken a serious dislike to her pack and play, which is what she has to sleep in when we go anywhere. So here were my choices for the weekend:

• Put her in the pack and play and have her moan, screech and flap about unhappily all night
• Have her sleep with us, which would mean no sleep plus a good kicking, scratching and screeching for my husband and I
• Unscrew her crib- which is no easy feat- and reassemble it up at my parents’ house

I was starting to panic when a friend suggested Wee Travel. A bit of handy googling and I ended up at http://weetravel.ca/ where, to my delight, I saw that I could rent a crib. A beautiful, pristine folding FULL size crib. I got in touch immediately.
Less then 48 hours later I stood amazed at my parents house as I watched ‘S’ snoring away peacefully. No complaints, no fuss, no painful assembly. She slept all night. Anyone who has had two children within three years knows the precious sanctity of a decent nights sleep, so for that, Wee Travel, I owe you my weekend!

Launched in Vancouver by sisters in 2005, Wee Travel Baby Equipment Rentals has now added two more locations, Toronto and Victoria. They provide a full range of hard-to-pack baby accessories for hire, including car seats, strollers, cribs, playthings, highchairs and useful accessories that will make any visitor comfortable. Now I’ve done my fair share of traveling with our kids and have never used a service like this before now, so it seems ironic that I ended up testing them out for use at my parent’s place, only 7.5 minutes drive up the road. But Wee Travel’s Victoria owner Jennifer, made the whole thing so easy for me that I would use them again in a heartbeat.

Wee Travel also has formed partnerships with a whole bunch of useful and relevant organizations such as car rental agencies and hotels. They also have an exclusive partnership with a beautiful Vancouver vacation rental suite. Making it as easy as possible for their clients, Wee Travel items can be reserved on the phone or online, and you can choose to pick your rental items up or have them delivered. On top of all of that, they rent or sell the CARES child airplane harnesses and sell the super-cute Trunki kids Luggage.

I was so excited about the whole crib/sleep thing this weekend whilst house-sitting that I got sidetracked and forgot to paint. Yes, I forgot to paint. However, Wee Travel gave me the luxury to get distracted because if ‘S’ had been in that pack and play, I’d have been a whole different person this weekend!

Leeds Park Playground- Saanich

Leeds Park is one of those tiny little parks that's completely surrounded by houses and unless you had a reason to go there, you probably never will. However, if I lived there, I'd be thanking those exact circumstances and the fact that someone decided to build a teeny little playground right there. You can get to it right at the end of Leeds Place and there is limited parking but I doubt it ever gets very busy.

My photos aren't great because they were taken on the phone, but we discovered this great little playground after taking a wrong turn one night just before dusk. My son, who was fed up of accompanying us on grown-up errands all day took one look out of the window and yelled "PLAYGROUND!" So we were pretty much committed.

On a gravelly sand base, this playground is a little gem with two climbing towers connected by a tunnel. There are two straight metal slides, a low one for the little ones and a high one that is actually one of the steepest slides that I have seen. There a various options to climb up and down and a great activity wall feature. There are no amenities but I have the feeling that the clientele can probably all run home if they need a drink or quick trip to the loo.

I don't know what else to say about this playground other than if there was one of these within throwing distance of every child's home we'd have healthier, happier kids.