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(Disclaimer: this pic is not from Calgary, but from California. But you could totally go to Sikome Lake or visit a friend that lives in a lake community.) 

For the past couple of summers, we decided to opt out of traditional half-day and full-day summer camps. We did this for a few reasons: 

1) To save money.

2) It was hard to find camps that both my girls (ages 5 and 8) could attend together.

3) I wanted to actually spend some time with my kids. ;) 

I know this isn’t a viable option for many families, but since I work from home part-time, we could be more flexible about how we spent our days. 

I also realize that this post is written too late to be useful. If nothing else, it’ll remind me of what to do next summer when we’re looking for things to do in Calgary on the cheap. 

1) Go to the park. Too obvious? Don’t just stick to the ones in your neighbourhood. Venture a little farther, or try “park hopping” with another family. You’ll be surprised at all the gems you might find in our city. The pic below is from Confederation Park. It’s a nice little park with lots of pathways, a small picnic area and bathrooms that are close by. 

2) Library. My girls LOVE the Calgary Public Library. Not just for the books, but the programs too (more on that later). You can borrow books, DVDs and CDs. This year, they had a summer program where you could keep track of books read and the number of times you visited the library to earn stickers and prizes. You can even play on one of their iPads if you don’t mind your kids getting more screen time. 

The library at Children’s Reading Place is awesome too! Remember to make an appointment, though.

3) Library programs. The library has a ton of free programs, some registered, but a lot were just drop in this summer. They are usually only an hour or less, but they’re an easy way to break up the day and get the kids out of the house. Here are some puppets my girls made from wooden forks. 

One day there was a drop-in Mini Yoga class for kids 0 to 5. It was great! 

My girls learned how to draw an elephant in one free library program by Young Rembrandts. 

They made pizza out of felt shapes. 

And planted some cute cat grass. 

4) Calgary Stampede. I know, not that cheap, especially when you factor in parking and food. But there is free admission on Kids’ Day and Family Day, and it’s only once a year, so we don’t mind splurging a bit. 

Plus there are lots of fun free things to do inside, like see the animals, plant sunflower seeds to take home, get your picture taken on a bottle of ketchup and more. 

5) Make something, bake something, draw something, create anything. My daughter actually made this shopping game at school with paper clips and magnets. My daughters also love to make cardboard houses, paint, make slime, design Barbie dresses, and generally be way more creative and amazing than I could ever be. 

These were made from a baking kit we got from the dollar store for 50 cents. Not my type of cookie, but the girls loved making them and eating them. 

6) Michaels camps. Each summer, Michaels does some affordable camps that you can pre-register for ahead of time (there are some drop-in slime camps too). They’re only an hour or so, but at $2 or $5, it’s worth it a visit. The girls painted picture frames and did lots of other fun crafts. (Although sometimes shopping at Michaels can get expensive when you’re wandering around for an hour!)

This is a cute painting they did another day. 

7) Get free stuff. One day in the summer they had an Ice Cream Sandwich Day at Marble Slab for AMA members. These were HUGE! 

At KidsBowlFree.com, you can sign up with participating bowling alleys in the city to let your kids bowl up to two games a day free for the entire summer. The catch? You still need to rent shoes. And parents cost extra, unless you also spend a bit more (around $30) to add a family pass on top of the free kids pass.

So not technically free, but affordable and fun especially on days where the weather isn’t great and you need to stay indoors.  

8) Get a swimming pass. I realized last year that for the price of ONE kid’s half-day camp for ONE week, I could get us a family pass for the entire summer to go swimming. Yes, it does get busy at Vivo at times, especially with their regular summer camps going on, but it’s totally worth it to be able to swim any day of the week during the summer (and weekends too!). 

There are also other passes that you can get that could be used throughout the year, like Calaway Park (good for May through October), Calgary Zoo, Telus Spark and others. 

9) Go to a farmers market. Lots to see and do at Calgary Farmers’ Market, including an indoor playground for younger kids. 

And they even offer a weekly Kids Garden Club through Poppy Innovations that’s not too pricey at $25 a kid (registration required). The kids learn about planting and harvesting, play a game and even get to make a yummy treat like these veggie nori rolls. 

10) Be a mall rat. You don’t have to shop; hitting the mall is sometimes just about stretching your legs and being somewhere cool on a hot day. 

Miniso is a new store in Calgary that has lots of cute and useful items from Japan. These plush are around $7 and would be awesome for birthday gifts. 

There’s always your local grocery store and hitting Costco up for some yummy samples. And discovering seasonal fruit like these donut peaches from T&T. 

And pet stores are fun to visit, even if you don’t plan on getting a new pet friend. Here the girls are checking out the gorgeous fish at Pisces Pets. 

And of course there are playdates, the beach, camping, and a zillion other things you could do that we didn’t get to this summer. What are your favourite cheap activities to do with kids in Calgary? 

Note: This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own.

Since September, I have been going to fitness classes at Vivo. They have a great drop-in schedule that lets me balance everyday life with exercise. The best part is that I can pick and choose the classes that I want. 

After being physically inactive for the better part of a decade, this was a big step for me. I had a different life now -- kids, a schedule that revolved around them, and small windows of time that I could fit in a needed workout. This was a moment for change for me. And I was scared and excited at the same time.

I found classes that I liked, some that I loved, and one that kicked my butt so hard I wanted to puke. Here are my thoughts on beginner fitness classes -- and some advice for workout novices like me: 

CLASSES I LIKED

Active Ease - “Whether you are new to fitness or challenged with recovering from an injury, this class will inspire, challenge and encourage you along your fitness journey.”

This was the very first class I attended. It was in the Active Lab, and the instructor was motivating and gave constructive advice. We used workout bands for resistance, and I liked that the moves could be modified for different fitness levels. A perfect first class to try! 

Shallow Aquafit - “Cardio fitness, fat burning, muscle conditioning and toning.”

This was another great beginner class. The instructor was lighthearted and encouraged participants to have fun (“Where are those smiles?!”). It hardly felt like a class at all, splashing in the pool and having a good time. Bonus: it felt amazing to relax in the hot tub afterward. 

CLASSES I LOVED

Zumba - “Fuse hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a high energy, calorie blasting, total body, dance based workout that feels more like a dance party.” 

I have always been partial to dance-based workout classes with a rockin’ soundtrack. The participants in this class are so diverse -- different ages, different nationalities, and varying levels of fitness. We always have a good time, and this is the class I try to make each week.   

Barre - “Incorporate elements of yoga, pilates and ballet in this low-impact, high-energy workout that is suitable for everyone! Focus on building longer, leaner muscles while simultaneously improving posture, grace and flexibility.” 

This class blew my mind. The instructor is calm, encouraging and inspiring. She supported us every step of the way, explained why we were doing each exercise and offered tips to do them safely/effectively. The timing doesn’t work with my schedule anymore, but I will definitely return when it does. 

CLASSES THAT WEREN’T FOR ME

Total Body Workout - “A one-stop total body workout with resistance, cardio intervals, endurance and core strength!”

In theory, this one sounded like a really great workout. In practice, it was overwhelming to a beginner like me who struggled with the combination of multiple sets of weights, a step bench and a morning that I didn’t eat breakfast. But there were tons of people that seemed to enjoy the class, so I think it was just out of MY comfort zone. 

CLASSES I WANT TO TRY

Yoga: Release - “Release the negative energy in your body with this restorative style yoga. Gently stretch and rehabilitate connective tissues to realign over time, with practice.” 

I’ve never been a yoga fan, but Barre class has opened my mind to this type of class. 

Tai Chi - “Focus on improving the strength & condition of your joints and muscles by through the traditional practice of Tai Chi.  This low impact class is designed to ease pain over time and rehabilitate the body.”

I think this would be an interesting class to try!

DANCEPL3Y - “A high-energy, mixed style workout where you play with dance in an interACTIVE way. You'll #sweathappy as you bust a move to today's best music and everyone's favourite hits! There are only 3 rules of PL3Y: Be Positive. Be Fun. Be Yourself.“ 

The timing doesn’t work with my current schedule, but if it’s anything like Zumba, I’m in! 

ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS

Work at your own level and build your strength. 

Eat a good breakfast or snack beforehand. 

Buy some new workout clothes/shoes that you feel good in. 

Note: This post is sponsored, but all opinions are my own. 

Everyone loves to use the new year as a canvas for their resolutions. It’s too easy to announce, “I’m going to eat better/work out more/spend more time with my kids” without being mindful about how to actually do those things.  

Since getting our monthly pass to Vivo in the summer, I’ve been trying to make changes in my family’s life. Gradual, yes, but changes all the same. Now that I have the opportunity to put thought to paper for the sake of new year’s resolutions, here we are.

My new year’s resolution is to: Be In The Picture. Here’s what I mean by that: 

Get more involved. 

Be more present. 

Work out more. 

Be proud of me. 

Get More Involved

My kids are in tons of activities: swimming, piano, dance, gymnastics. They like to try new things. They enjoy challenging themselves. Rather than take a passive role, I want to be more involved. I want to work out with them, play with them more, help them with their homework, ask them how their day was. 

Be More Present

This one ties strongly with the first. Little Sis often complains that I am too busy on my phone. I might be taking photos, reading, or playing a random video game. But if I am at her gymnastics class, I should be watching her and not my screen. 

Sometimes when my kids are talking, I try to multitask and miss out on the details. I’m a terrible multitasker. I need to stop and listen. 

Work Out More

This year I went to my first fitness class in 10 years. Ten years! I am not a workout buff by any means, but I’m trying to go to a class at least once a week. I have tried a few drop-in classes at Vivo, and learned my likes and dislikes, my strengths and weaknesses. I love Zumba. I hate step.

I recently discovered barre class, and I really enjoy it! It’s low intensity, relaxing, and works muscles that haven’t worked out in years. After my first class, I felt dramatically different. I may have looked the same, but I felt toned and strong and actually had to eat a smaller dinner because my stomach felt smaller. Wow!

Be Proud of Me

Working out (and trying to eat better) have obvious advantages: becoming healthier, losing weight, living better. But I also want to feel better about myself. Be proud of who I am, and whatever size I’m wearing at the moment. 

I want to feel confident enough to stand in front of the camera, and not just hide behind it. I love documenting my family’s memories, but this year, I want to make sure I am in the picture too.