I have two kids, my son is 4 and my daughter is 1. It can be challenging to find activities that they can both do especially as my daughter cannot yet walk. We have found a small list of things that keep us occupied during the week that both kids enjoy. Today we visited the mall and explored the museum.
The Mall - Lansdowne Place
Let me start off by saying, I love the mall. My son (4) has decided that he also loves the mall and enjoys his same routine when we go there. We begin by Old Navy with my son choosing either the fuzz-e riders or the mall rides. The fuzz-e riders are just under $10 for 10 minutes and all 3 of us fit on the same one. The mall rides range between $1 and $2 with some of them fitting both children at the same time. Conveniently there is a change machine located with the rides too easily turn your toonies and bills into loonies. Both activities end up being under $10 each.
After we finish the rides, we head to the dollar store. My son looks for anything Pokémon and usually purchases some new Pokémon cards using money from his wallet. He really enjoys his wallet, counting the money and looking at his "credit cards". After that we venture downstairs, he rides the escalator with my Mom, while my daughter and I take the elevator with the stroller. Next we head to bath and body works to look at their sales and test the soaps. This is one of my son's favourite things to do. They have a sink in the store with samples, he tries them all followed by some hand cream to keep his hands soft. Today my daughter joined in as well! Finally we visit the food court to get a "sant" (croissant) and a "sprinkle" donut which they split. I bring their drinks and a snack so that we do not need to purchase drinks there.
The Museum - Peterborough Museum and Archives
This is a wonderful spot to go with children ages 4 and 1. Entry is free however a donation is appreciated and worth it. Typically we put $10 in the donation bin. Before you begin, you may be greeted by Brooke the dog in the entryway! There are clipboards you can choose from if you want to complete a scavenger hunt, my son chose to complete the spring scavenger hunt today. Once it is complete you visit the reception desk and pick a prize.
While walking through, you learn about how people from Ireland came to Canada and the conditions that some people had to live in. There are effective displays and artifacts that young kids can understand and find interesting. Along the way there are toys for the kids to play with that are perfect for my one-year-old and my four-year-old. At the end of the exhibits there are a couple of dramatic play centres and even a small lego wall. We easily spend an hour in the museum each time we go.
On the way out, there is a beautiful playground with nice views. The playground has a scavenger hunt which my four-year-old enjoys completing each time. You should most definitely check out the museum.
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