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Everyone knows games are fun—but what can they offer young learners besides a study break? In many ways, board games, card games, and dice games are all secret teachers: they can engage and sharpen children’s logic, reasoning, and creativity without them even realizing it. From pattern recognition and math problems to language and socialization, board games that teach a variety of valuable skills are a great way to supplement and diversify children’s learning—and to help them make some new friends along the way

Here are some of the best spots in and around the city to see, smell, and snap the flowers of the season: Floral fans have been flocking to Chilliwack to walk amongst the 6.5 million rainbow-coloured tulips since 2006. Plus, many more activities and attractions can be found on site, including: a rotary train (perfect for visitors with mobility issues), on-site food trucks, and several fairy/elf houses hidden in the fields for kids to find. The Bloom Tulip Festival was created to allow locals and tourists to stroll through their stunning tulip fields and enjoy the breathtaking display of colour, and their farm has become a must-see sight each Spring. Featuring a concert series, an evening Night of Lights event, and the family-friendly Sakura Days Japan Fair (to name a few), there’s lots to see and do while you’re strolling the streets of the city.

For so long, we have been fed lies; that milk is necessary for its high calcium content, and that our children should depend on cow’s milk for optimum growth and bone strength – but this is not the case at all. High calcium foods include: chia, sesame, hemp, and poppy seeds, plus almonds, tahini, leafy greens such as spinach, kale, broccoli, bok choy, collard greens, and edamame, tofu, broccoli, kidney beans, and lentils. There are so many nutrient dense, plant-based proteins, including hemp and chia seeds, beans and lentils, vegetables, nuts and seeds, soy products like edamame, tofu and tempeh, and many meat-like alternatives on the shelves right now. Instead of making meat the star of your dish, try making a bean, legume or tofu-based dish, or making the side salad the main course by adding high plant-based protein foods, or go retro and “extend” your meat.

TOP BC GETAWAY: VICTORIA WHERE TO GO INSTEAD: PARKSVILLE Featuring harbour views, quaint shops, and a diverse range of dining options, BC’s capital city is a popular place for Lower Mainland locals looking for a close-to-home getaway. Gaze at the “goats on a roof” at the Coombs Old Country Market, take a hike through Cathedral Grove (located in MacMillan Provincial Park), which boasts an accessible collection of the biggest and oldest Douglas firs in Canada, creep through the caves at Horne Lake Caves, or simply stroll along the endless sand beaches during low tide and enjoy the wonderful West Coast views. VENTURA, CA Drawn by Disney, many families opt for LA when visiting the US, but there are so many beautiful beachfront getaways along the coast of California that provide fun for the whole family – and for a fraction of the price. WHERE TO GO INSTEAD: BARBADOS The Dominican Republic is best known for its beautiful beaches and affordable all-inclusive resorts, but if you’re looking to venture beyond the beach and truly immerse yourself in the culture and cuisine of the Caribbean, head to Barbados instead.