Any of you who have a toddler at home know how difficult it is to keep them busy.   My  2 yr. old Liam and I were feeling a little lonely and uninspired at home.   I knew he needed more structure and exposure to new activities and children and I was looking to add more programs to his schedule.

As if she read my mind, Sharyn, of Toddler Adventure Group (TAG), sent me an email and invited us to experience one of her playgroups .    Sharyn is a toddler expert who runs structured playgroups for 18-36 month olds in the Thornhill Woods area.   A playgroup is 90 minutes long and includes skill development through play, songs, crafts, and much more.

As soon as Liam and I sat on a carpet covered in colourful little pompoms, I knew that this wasn’t just another playgroup.  Every minute at TAG is planned to help toddlers grow and hone skills that most of us take for granted.   Sharyn brings warmth, energy and new materials every week to engage and stimulate the little ones and she reminds us to do things at toddler speed, toddler height, toddler fun.  While Liam was enjoying every minute of his participation, I too was learning.  Being in the company of other adults while focusing on my child felt great.  Learning to teach my toddler important skills through play was inspiring and being reminded that toddlerhood is a magical time was simple here.

To learn more about Toddler Adventure Group visit the website or follow their Facebook Page.  If you are looking for a backyard camp, TAG’s Summer Sparks may be the perfect camp for your toddler.

Great Wolf Lodge (Niagara Falls) makes for an incredible weekend getaway in the Winter months.  The ginormous indoor waterpark is so fun and there is also an arcade, spa, playroom, crafting station and everything kids and parents need to have a good time.  Mamapicks has a special rate for the upcoming weekend (Sat. Feb. 4th -Sun.Feb. 5th)!  $199 for the Family Suite instead of $379 (including waterpark passes which are good for both Saturday and Sunday).   The offer is good until Tuesday, Jan. 31st and only takes effect if 7 rooms are registered.   In order to book your room, go online at www.greatwolf.com

1)    Select the Niagara Falls Location

2)    At the top of the home page please enter in the arrival and departure date and click “check availability”.

3)    Under “Offer Code” enter in the group code 1202SOLO and click “check”

4)    Book your room

Mamapicks used to have a ” what to do this weekend” column and she sort of gave up because there is not enough high-quality stuff to do in the Winter with kids.  But now and then , she will let you know about great activities that she finds.  She will also let you know about places that are not great in the new “It sucks” column.

Home Depot has monthly workshops for kids which are FREE and amazing.  We went to our first one this past Saturday morning with my 5 yr.-old son and he was the happiest kid on earth.  The two-hour workshop involves a different building project every time which is suitable for ages 4-12.  It is held at most Home Dept locations one Saturday morning a month, 10am-12pm.  This past weekend, my son used a hammer and nails to carefully construct a savings shed.  He received a kit to complete with an accompanying adult and a really cute  Home Depot kid-sized apron.  He also received a tattoo sticker which was a really big deal for some reason.  You must pre-register as many locations fill up fast.  The next workshop takes place on Feb.11th. Register online.

PeachyBuy has a great deal on today for those of you who want to take your kids to see Disney On Ice!  Enjoy 40% in savings on tickets for four!  Sign up to view more great deals for families daily.

Enjoy the annual Pioneer Festival at the Black Creek Pioneer Village (Jane & Steeles) on Saturday, 10-4:30.

The Queen West Art Crawl takes place at Trinity Bellwoods Park., Saturday & Sunday 11-6.  I love outdoor art festivals, and this one has a kidzone where kids get to do some art work, and the park has a playground.

Thornhill Village Festival is taking place on Saturday 9:30-4:30.

Pumpkinland is already open at Whittamore’s Farm.  We love their pumpkin canon show and the wagon ride through the haunted forest!

For those of you who are ready for apple picking,  here is a directory of Ontario apple orchards to help you out this weekend!  This website also offers great info about apple types, nutrition value, etc.

Outdoor movies are just plain fun.  Lawn chairs, blankets, summer.  Below are some options for free flicks around the city.

Yonge – Dundas Square (Tuesdays)

Riverdale Park East (select Sundays)

Harbourfront (Tuesdays)

David Pecaut Square (Wednesdays)

Downsview Park (Fridays) … You’ll find more of the family friendly sort here.

In York Region, Cardinal Golf Club (in Kettleby) is hosting an outdoor movie on July 18th.

Polson Pier offers drive-in movies @ $25 per carload.

…and not so much for kids, parents can have lives too.  Check out the Open Roof Festival’s summer movie series.

Sugar Beach…as you see in the above photo, it looks fantastic.   Canada’s Sugar Beach (Jarvis & Queen’s Quay E) is a park on the water built adjacent to the Redpath Sugar Factory.  The beach allows visitors to relax, play in the sand or watch boats on the lake.  A water feature beside the beach makes cooling off fun for adults and kids.  The only problem with this beach is that you can’t swim in the lake!

Don’t forget about Harbourfront – kids love all the sights and sounds, the bridge, sailboats…and H2O Park boasts a huge sandbox to play in.  This weekend, there is a Mathemagic show your kids might enjoy!

Go strawberry picking – my favourite farm (Whittamore’s Farm) is open with an awesome play yard and other fun activities.  Bring this coupon for $2 off pick-your-own.

Toronto Jazz Festival is on this weekend until July 3rd!

Enjoy the Riverdale Art Walk…if you are into art, this is so fun!

Unionville Festival takes place this weekend.  Such a quaint little place…you can pretend you are in Europe.  On a very short street in Europe.

If your birthday falls on any day during Ontario Place’s 2011 summer operating season, you will receive a complimentary Toronto Star Play All Day Pass^®*. You can enjoy Ontario Place’s rides and attractions, including Froster^™ Soak City^®, Toronto’s only downtown waterpark, and the newly renovated state-of-the-art IMAX^® 3D Cinesphere.

If your kids are into drums and music, your family might enjoy the Muhtadi Drumming Festival @ Queen’s Park.

Why not visit the baby animals at High Park?  Great family walking tours available on Sundays.