A tasty way to enjoy Halloween Treats!

You are going to feel like the ghostess with the mostest when you try this Halloween Snack Board.

This Halloween snack board is just the thing you need to try. Snack boards are so multi-purpose. I do them for lunches and I do them for birthdays. This board was created last year when Covid hit and we were all in lock down. It was such a somber season for for the entire Nicola Valley and the world.  As a result I decided we would have our own little party.

Halloween Snack Board and Treats in Merritt BC

Halloween Puns Are So Corny. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Snack Boards are Spooktacular Treats!

 I had never made one for Halloween and wanted to boost the kids spirits. We assembled this easy enough and I am sure you could definitely simplify it by only picking a few elements to recreate. Furthermore, I wanted the kids to be quite hands on with this and have a great experience. Based on the snack board we created as a family for Valentine’s Day, I had some ideas on what I wanted to do. 

Hot Dog Dinner for Halloween

Lets Give Them Pumpkin To Talk About! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Spooky Season is upon us 

Getting spooky like this is easy with a quick trip to Walmart. They always have such a great assortment of cookies and cupcakes seasonally. So putting something like this Halloween snack board can be as easy as 1,2,3! You can make your board a mixture of sweet or savory, like I chose to.  Or you can choose to keep it completely on the sweet side with gummy candy, cookies, and candy bars.  This Halloween snack board has some homemade items and some bought items. Don’t burn yourself out. Let your creative juices flow. Lastly and most importantly have fun and take a lot of photos of your creative eating masterpiece like we did. !

Treats for Halloween Snacking Board

We’re Here For A Gourd Time! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Mummy Dog How To! 

Interested in making your own mummy hot dogs? They come together easily enough. And can make your own Halloween snack board totally stand out. All you need are your favorite hot dogs. Then some canned crescent roll pastry.  You then simply place the crescent roll pastry on to your cutting board. Cut into strips and then wrap them around your hot dog. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 mins or so at 350 degrees. You can then use mustard to make eyes. Lastly theses were so fun for all of my kids to make. So easy and very tasty! 

Baking and making Halloween treats

Let the Halloween Treats begin. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Mummy Hotdogs

You Will Win The Award Of “Mummy Of The Year” With These Guys! Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Halloween Looks So Beautiful and Yummy

Healthy Snacks for Halloween

Cavities Beware. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell

Hocus pocus its no joke, candy helps me to focus. Lets zero in on some of these spooky treats. For this Halloween snack board we first have an easy addition with red pepper hummus.  Add in some pumpkin type lines and the top of a cucumber and you have an adorable pumpkin. Can you find the black olive spiders? They came together quick and easy. Just slice open 1 black olive lay it flat and with the opposite side make the legs. The peeled oranges and if you take a closer look you will also spy pumpkin deviled eggs. We used some turmeric and mustard to get a more orange hue. Crackers, gummy worms, tiny spooky cupcakes all round this tray out. Lastly make this your own and let your creativity flow. 

 

Healthy Halloween Treats

Life Is Gourd Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

Have an eek-tastic Halloween

“Fa-boo-lous!

You are going to feel like the ghostess with the mostest when you try this Halloween Snack Board. I promise you it comes together easy enough. There is so much inspiration online. As a busy mom of 8, I can say that we all had so much fun. I had little ones making spiders, snacking and laughing. All gathered around my table.. This was honestly one of our biggest highlights from lockdown, and I’m so thankful I get to be in a space that lets me share our families experiences Being able to share our stories with. Experience Nicola Valley fills my heart with gratitude. In conclusion from my family to you, we wish you a happy and safe fall season. 

Family halloween treats and sweets

#Squadghouls. Photo credit: Jennifer Schell.

And finally, just a teaser, for the next big holiday after Thanksgiving here is a sneak peek into our  Christmas themed snack board. 

Halloween Snack Board in the Nicola Valley

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Camping  Treats for All Seasons

Smores is delicious snack for any time of the year in British Columbia 

Easy Smores Dip –  Summer treats when in Canada brings on so many amazing experiences. A huge part of summer in British Columbia is R&R, and a big part of that relaxing could be sitting around a campfire enjoying smores. Our beautiful  province is blanketed in lush mountains and heavily forested areas, and not many things comes close to the joys of sitting around a campfire, enjoying family and friends under the stars, snacking on smores.  It just might be the unofficial food of camping for kids. 

Easy Smore Dip - Campfire treat

Snacking Board Pretty – Betty Crocker Easy

Easy Smores Dip Helps With Fire Safety

However, smores is not just a campfire treat, no…  you can have smores anywhere and anytime. And if you live anywhere where campfire bans are usually in effect, and for good reason, there are alternatives. This summer was one to remember for so many people who were displaced during evacuations. For this reason we even had the children’s Great Grampa stay with us during the Logan Lake fires. 

Graham Wafer, Marshmallow, Chocolate

Smores Deconstructed

Crackling Fires And Warm Summer Nights 

So how do you enjoy this tasty seasonal delight? Pop it in the over of course! As a result you can now enjoy it for all 12 months of the year. Easy Smore dip satisfies that deep craving crackling fires and warm summer nights. Smores are decidedly  a flavor of a Canadian summer that can make a place for so many happy memories. It’s so easy and a great dip to have kids help in the kitchen with. With a little supervision kids can easily make this easy smores dip quickly and safety of home. This dip goes from prep to table in 20 mins or less.

Still Sticky, But With The Comforts Of Home

Smores Can Be Quite Sticky If You Aren’t Prepared

Easy smores dip is almost a cheater meal. First off if  you are new to the world of smores let me give you an idea of what these are to you. Smores are a gooey fire roasted marshmallow and chocolate square smooshed together between a cookie or graham wafer cracker. The method is usually quite simple. But can be a very exciting food item to make, especially if you have any child under the age of 4 around the campfire awaiting a delightfully sticky snack. To make this treat in theory so simple yet super tricky.

 

Easy smores dip ingredients and tips and tricks.

Directions

Lightly grease whatever sized pan of your choice. I used my tiny cast iron for a more camp like theme.

Coarse chop roughly 3 cups of chocolate. We ended used a giant frozen Toblerone we had saved since Christmas. 
Then you can lay the marshmallows on top. Enough to cover the pan.

Ingredients for Smores

Easy Smores Dip Baking Instructions

Oven temp – 400
Place in oven for 5-7 mins. Watching the marshmallows closely
While that’s baking assembly is a breeze for this easy smores dip. Simply place graham crackers on a board or tray. In addition you can dip and dunk cookies, pretzels, or fresh fruit. Be cautious if you are dipping straight from the pan. It holds the heat and can burn. Parental supervision is a great idea.

 

In Conclusion 

I would personally like to thank everyone involved in our summer and the fire efforts made here in our beloved province. Thank you to everyone doing your part and helping us all grow in being fire smart. Our hearts go out to those that have lost so much and to those brave men and women working tirelessly to help keep us all safe. Additionally making small tweaks as we practice fire safety  doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy experiences. Easy smores dip certainly makes #nocampfirenoproblem! Exploring the great outdoors and making plans is easy when you follow the Experience Nicola Valley Crew! As always if you recreate this recipe give us a tag. The family and I would love to see your creations and connect.

Willing Taste Testers

Easy Smores Dip – Camping Treats in BC Canada

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Desert Hills Ranch

What better way to get your summer bucket list started off right than spending a day with an awesome summer adventure. 

Spending a day at Desert Hills Ranch with family.

A day at Desert Hills Ranch. Seriously hands down this is a hidden gem located in heart of  Ashcroft B.C.  A beautiful slow paced community that has so much charm to offer with old school western desert vibes. Ashcroft has a museum, well stocked grocery store, lovely tourist worthy location for community information. Lastly…  you could also bring your swim suits and check out our community pool to cool off.

desert hills ranch ashcroft bc canada

Goats at Desert Hills Ranch. Photo Credit: Jennifer Schell

mexican store ashcroft bc canada

Delish! Mexican Delights! Photo Credit: Jennifer Schell

History in Ashcroft BC

Of course my oldest son Logan, age 13, says his favorite thing to see is all of the tractors. He loves to see the historical and ancient farming machines. Secondly if you fancy yourself an avid gardener or aspire to be. The options for making that dream a reality is beyond belief. Think Garden of Eden meets tacos and you have a pretty good idea of what its like on the ranch.

Going Mexican Food in Ashcroft

Speaking of tacos… if you crave Mexican food and fare. This is the place to be for all sorts of chips, beans, hot sauces and salsas. I love stocking up on all the essentials for the best taco Tuesday meal items. In conclusion you do not want to forget to mark on your calendar for salsa weekend if you are keen to make your own.

plants gardening ashcroft bc

Plants!  Photo Credit: Jennifer Schell

ashcroft bc family fun

Family fun in Ashcroft BC. Photo Credit: Jennifer Schell

Fun Times at Desert Hills Ranch

A day at Desert Hills Ranch is fun for everybody! They have lots to see and do. Children,  I think,  have an especially great time here. As a Mom I appreciate the measures that the ranch takes to allow people to view the animals but also how clean they keep it. Along with the areas  to clean and sanitize hands often, and easy access to use the rest rooms. The barn is such a fun treat to explore every time and it is fun to see all the animal friends inside! Of course feeding the goats is so much fun! 

Fruits and more 

My daughter Amelia age 11 says her favorite thing to enjoy is the food. She loves to buy different fruits each week to try with the family and she loves the ice-cream. I feel zero regret buying ice-cream here for my family of 10! The price is right when it comes time for a cool treat. What a fun and affordable way to make the day that much more memorable! 

 

cows farming ranch ashcroft bc

Calf in Ashcroft

An Educational Opportunity 

Machines, where our food comes from, biology and botany are just a few subjects you will encounter on the ranch. As a homeschooling mama this place has educational field trip written all over it. And that is another perfect reason to come check out the ranch. This hasn’t been my first time blogging about my favorite ranch. You can read that post HERE . There is so much to see and do here, it really is a very enriching experience. My son Zach who is 6 absolutely loves that he got to see his favorite animal when he visited the barn. A baby cow was such a adorable treat for him to see so close.

kyle schell ashcroft canada plants

Lots Of Selection To Keep Any Green Thumb Happy

Flowers in Ashcroft BC Canada

This has to be one of my favorite parts of coming to the ranch. I love the huge selection of flowers, shrubs and trees they always have here. It makes adding curb appeal easy with the huge selection that they always have! I love that I can even dabble at pretending I am a homesteader with there great assortment of garden items. Cue the Little House On The Prairie theme song. I am so excited to try making a few different jams this season and give some canning  a try. We love getting our tomatoes and strawberries here. And filling up our garden rows with lots of other goodies as well. Corn, peppers, cauliflower to name a few! 

ashcroft flowers plants

Impeccable Selection Of Many Garden Items

Covid Pregnancy

Delicious Produce Awaits At The Ranch

In Conclusion 

A day at Desert Hills Ranch is never a day wasted. This place is really such a hidden gem. Surrounded by desert mountains. It has beautiful weeping willows to offer shade as you stroll around. They are always so kind and courteous. It truly offers an exceptional summer experience in the heart of British Columbia.

Therefore, if you are looking for more great all year around ideas for what to do in BCs interior. Please follow the Experience Nicola Valley Bloggers. And keep your eyes on the Blog for some more great Summer Bucket List ideas! Thanks for reading! Have a great summer and stay safe. 

CONTACT INFO

Desert Hills Ranch

250 Elm Street, Ashcroft, BC

250.453.9876

deserthillsfarmmarket@gmail.com

www.deserthillsranch.com

 

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Fall Photos In Logan Lake BC

Autumn Photos are best in Logan Lake BC

Family time in the outdoors during the “Changing of the Colours” 

Photos in Logan Lake during the autumn season is a must for any local and visiting family. If you are looking for a rugged and woodsy backdrop for your fall family photos then come and visit my small town in the back country of British Columbia, Canada. Logan Lake BC is a lovely location for creating family memories with its vast greenery and scenery.  

Family Fall Photos

Family – A Little World Created By Love

Logan Lake BC The Place To Be For Beautiful Scenery

Logan Lake Abounds With Beautiful Scenery

Taking Photos in Logan Lake BC 

Fall Photos in Logan Lake BC are amazing! Whether your planning on booking a professional family photographer or feeling spontaneous. Fall photos in Logan Lake BC will be special memories that you will treasure for years to come. We have no guarantee on tomorrow’s health, wealth and/or happiness.

Family is Priority

Choosing to show up as is has always been crucial for me. This is us, this is us now. Living and loving in the moment. Lastly taking the time to celebrate life and how far you have come is always in my forethoughts in why I am motivated to make family photos a priority. 

Maggs Park Logan Lake B.C.

Collect Beautiful Moments

Professional or A Spontaneous DIY

Logan Lake British Columbia

Every Picture Tells A Story

If you are feeling a little unsure with your camera or have a ton of little people for creating photo moments, I am sure you will never regret hiring a professional photographer. Be sure to do your research and build a repour. Logan Lake has a nice selection of photographers if you are looking to book one in our location. However, sometimes your feeling creative or your out on a walk and the sun and the leaves are cooperating. This is when I like to take advantage of that beautiful spontaneous moment and capture it. Self timers and a tripod can be so handy and can produce happy memories that bring smiles to your faces for years to come. 

Photography in British Columbia

The Best Things In Life Aren’t Things

 

Canadian Family

Today’s Little Moments, Become Tomorrow’s Precious Memory’s

 

Logan Lake Photography

This Is My Happy Place

How Do You Get Them All To Look?

However, it is important to remember to do your best and have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. I feel like I always have to remind myself of that fact also. Just remember that you are capturing moments of happiness. Its ok if someone’s maybe looking off into the distance, or having a giant belly laugh. You’ll want those pictures maybe more so as you age.

My Secrets to Fall Photos in Logan Lake

One trick I have learned, at least, when taking photos of my kids, is sometimes I will just hit record with my iPhone and film them posing. Assuredly just talking to them, ask them to smile or say a joke will most likely get me the results I’m looking for. Usually in that split second of me saying smile they all do. Then I go to the video and drag my finger along over the pause button. If I find a good “pause” with all of the kids looking and smiling. I will then tap the photo to take off the boarders, and just screen shot it. Ta-Da! Easy photo!

Photo Editing & Memory Keeping

Family Photos In Logan Lake British Columbia

And Together They Built A Life That They Loved

With out a doubt I always use Costco for all my photo developing needs. Weather its getting a birth announcement together, making photo books, or just developing photos. Don’t be surprised if you see some of these photos on our Christmas card this year. Assuredly  making photobooks to gift to the family at Christmas has been a lovely tradition to hold onto. In addition I always tweak my photos with an photo editing app. I love using the Lightroom App on my Android. Just because I enjoy the stock presets that they have and the fact that I can create and save all my own presents for free. Photo editing is a great way to add more light, play with shadows, make colors more vivid. 

Canadas Cutest Baby

The Days Are Long, But The Years Are Short

 

Family Photos In Canada

You’ll Outgrown My Lap, But Never My Heart

In Closing 

Logan Lake is a lovely town. It is my home town filled with some breathtaking locations for some amazing photos. Many of our parks have lake and some include Maggs Park and Tunkwa Lake Provincial Park.

I hope you’ll consider stopping by and making some fun memories and taking some pictures. I’m so thankful you took the time to stop and read my blog, My name is Jennifer, a mother of 7 little ones, homeschooling and living in Logan Lake B.C. with my husband Kyle. Together we blog with the Experience Nicola Valley Bloggers

 

Autumn Colours in Merritt BC

Nicola Valley Bloggers

 

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School Snack Ideas and Recipes

My Best 5 School Snack Ideas!  

Being a mama of 7,  our house runs on snacks. I  hope you enjoy my 5 back to school snack ideas! Nutritious and delicious. 

 So this week I decided to share with you our school snack ideas! Consequently it is back to school season. Therefore it is a great time to share school snack ideas that my family comes back to again and again. I think these snacking suggestions would be great for anyone, home schooled or public schooled. Assuredly these are some great options if you are hungry and need something to tie you over until your next meal.

Plant Based School Snack Ideas

I love using plant based treats for snack time. These snacks come loaded with healthy grains,  nuts and seeds. Add  in healthy fats like coconut oil or delicious nut butters and you have a sticky and satisfying snack time. In conclusion I feel these plant based snacks have all  the makings for the perfect school snack. 

school snack ideas in Merritt

School Snack Idea #1 Chocolate Hummus

Hummus is a great one to lead with for school snack ideas. A different spin on a good classic staple. Hummus is great any time of the year. I love keeping a batch fresh and ready to spread on tortillas or rice cakes. That is where chocolate hummus comes into play. Decadent and dark, enjoyed with fresh fruit or pretzels this is a crowd pleaser. In addition to dates being a sneaky health building sidekick, binder and tasty thickener – they are high in fiber and may promote brain health. Which makes them a easy go-to for an after school snack.

Hummus

Unexpectedly Yummy

Chocolate Hummus Recipe

1 Can Chick Peas ( microwave for 3 mins to cook) 

6 Dates (more or less – depending on how much sweetness you are looking for)

1/2  Cup Cocoa Powder 

1/4 Cup Honey or Maple Syrup

Pinch of Sea Salt 

1/4 Cup Tahini Paste ( If you do not have any of this on hand, you could always use peanut butter or maybe almond butter)

Blend in your food processor  taste and enjoy! I recommend trying this a few times before you say you love it or hate it. It does have a “beany” taste some may pick up on. But I would say, don’t give up on it if they first batch is a bust. In conclusion I know my kids love this now. But did take some effort to warm up to the idea. I am ecstatic I can add it to my school snack idea rotations.

School Snack Idea #2 Fruit, Veggies & Protein

School snack ideas is not complete with out these three. For example, I keep fruit and veggies stocked up in this house. I was recently listening to the audio book “Atomic Habits” and in the book the author was talking about replacing cookies to fruit in your cookie jar. This was something I did years ago when my kids were little. I counted this as a win. 

Easy Kid Meals snacking

Un-Bear-Ably Cute

Previously, the sight of the cookie jar made me want a cookie.  Or my toddler would want a cookie. Since replacing the “cookie” with fruit. Our eating habits have improved as well as our waistlines. For us a easy protein is always nut butters or hummus. In addition a small handful of almonds or walnuts is also a great way to get some healthy fats and protein. This un-bear-ably cute snack was created with sliced “banana pennies”, peanut butter and tasty blue berries. 

School Snacks ideas for kids

Fun Food Kids Will Ask For Again & Again

Snack Idea #3 Treat balls

School snack ideas cant be complete with out these super simple and easy to do treats. I love making a huge batch of these and enjoying some right away. But then also tucking the rest away in the freezer. Perfect for when a sugar craving hits, or you need some easy protein after a work out or intense trip or as a reward for not buying the cookies you were eyeing at the supermarket. I personally love to use them as a way to get our daily flax seed intake in. Flax is delicate and can loose effectiveness if heated to high temperatures . So I feel the best way to enjoy it is either in a fresh smoothie or eating in a raw tasty treat ball. I like to store my flax in the freezer for freshness, it can go rancid if left in the cupboard for too long. 

Snack Idea #4 My Home Made Granola Bars

These are a great school snack idea! Granola bars always are a hit! They are perfect for adding into lunches or ready to go when you want to hit the trails and go on an adventure. So easy to have it ready for when you need some quick and easy inexpensive energy. I have made these bars for years. And have played around with different flours. You can always add an extra egg or add more apples sauce or even a banana if you use a flour that is more dense like whole wheat or spelt. 

Healthy Kid Snacks for school

Healthy Kid Snacks

Jens Granola Bars Recipe

2 1/2 Cups of rolled oats                                        

1 cup of flour

1/3 cup of brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup of apple sauce 

1 cup of ground flax seed

pinch of sea salt 

1/2 cup of honey

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of  either trail mix, chocolate chips, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, raisins and white chocolate chips, dried fruit. 

Oven; 350 degrees F ( 175 degrees C)

Kid Approved School Snacks Ideas

Granola Bars Are Always A Treat!

Stir oats, flour and ground flax seeds, brown sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add your egg, honey, apple sauce, vanilla. Stir until evenly combined. Pour mixture into a 9X13-inch baking dish, pat down and smooth evenly . Bake in pre-heated oven until golden and set. About 25 mins. 

Snack Idea #5 Roasted Chick Peas 

Simple Snacking for Toddlers

Easy for little fingers to handle also.

These are a great after school snack. Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber, and offer a good dose of iron while stabilizing your blood sugars. So all in all a great snack to reach for in the afternoon. I love to make a big batch of these and add to snack time or as a side to our lunches. These are super yummy sprinkled over salads here are a few recipe ideas to get you as excited for these as I am. I always bake mine in the oven, But I could see owning something like an air fryer might be pretty great for this healthy treat! 

Roasted Chick Peas school snack ideas

A tasty snack.

Doritos – This looks like a tasty option if you have a craving for chippies but gotta cut back. 

Basic  – This is an easy basic recipe to get you started. 

Cinnamon Sugar  – If you are looking for a healthier option for a sweet treat. This is also a tasty way to enjoy! 

Ketchup – We call our chickpeas “nibbles” due to using this cookbook. The ketchup version is so delicious. We have a bunch of ketchup lovers in this house so this satisfies the craving asap! 

In conclusion

 I hope you enjoyed my mash up of some of our favorite school snack idea’s! Its exciting to be blogging with the Experience Nicola Valley Bloggers! We are always so thankful when you stop by.  If your curious about getting to know me and my family a little more you can read this post. To learn how we do life with a large family. And you are always welcome to follow along with us on Instagram.

Login Lake BC Canada

Recipes for School Snacks

Recipes, ingredients and directions for 5 snacking ideas for school. 

 

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Glad To Be Back For Part 2. Home schooling in BC Canada!

Home school family

What grade am I in again?

Home Schooling In BC Canada

Home Schooling in BC Canada – I am so glad to be back for part 2 of Home schooling! As a result, today I am going to go over our favorite field trips or day trips! One thing I  love about homeschooling in BC Canada, is all the amazing places we have to explore right here in our backyard. I wanted to make this into a quick resource post, and just share some of the places we love to take our family too.

Adventures of Home Schooling

In the first blog post about home schooling in BC Canada I wanted to give you a feel for our schedule in PART 1. In today’s post, I wanted to go over our home school favorites! These are a few places I like to use to “fill in the gaps” or gain some inspiration. In addition, go and explore with the kids and experience nature and wonder. Its exciting to see the magic of childhood through my children’s eyes.  Grab yourself a warm cup of whatever makes you happy! And lets dive right in!

Coffee shops in Kamloops B.C.

Warm and cozy vibes.

Logan Lake In Beautiful British Columbia

Things to do in Canada with kids

Simple, slow and lovely days are offered to you in Logan Lake

Home schooling in BC Canada is made easy, when living in Logan Lake BC.  Unquestioningly,  in my view, Logan Lake is the best for fitness! Consequently, it is extremely family friendly and I feel safe walking around it with my 12, 10, 8, 6, 5, 3 and 21 month old. All in all we have a great time getting our steps in taking the family for a walk around the lake. The lake has just all the right ingredients for a good nature walk. More importantly, I use it for nature study and having the kids journal about what they seen and observed. Admittedly it has tons of wildlife to observe. We love watching the eagle carry fish across the lake to its nest. All the ducks, and geese we get to watch. We have encountered deer on the trails around the lake. Its rugged and rustic with a paved walkway, just the way this glamper likes to experience the great outdoors.

Mountain Biking in British Columbia

Braving the Logan Lake mountain bike course.

Getting Fit While Home Schooling In BC Canada

If you are feeling adventurous and exceptionally fit and strong, we have successfully taken our double stroller all the way around the lake. There is a more scenic and woodland nature trail along the mountainside. On the highway side they have a very wide and beautiful paved pathway.

More Than Walking In Logan Lake

In addition, if you follow the nature path you can find the Logan Lake Bike Park. Its natural and very impressive and so nicely done! Our kids have a total blast at it. Its great to burn off extra steam and help the kids gain new experiences and reaction skills every time we go. I find the trails very clean and nicely groomed while still being very natural. No need for hiking boots, runners will do just fine. And in addition our 3 year old was able to comfortably walk at her pace with a few seated breaks and a granola bar to keep her going.  Logan Lake has many fun recreational ideas any time of the year. Our family has grown to love our small town that we call home. Its so vibrant, friendly and serene. 

Life in Logan Lake B.C. Canada

Lovely views along the amazing walking path in Logan Lake BC

The BC Wild Life Park 

Spirit Animal

The B.C. Wild Life Park and its adorable Spirit Bear

This is hands down the best local place to get up close and personal with animals. Above all we love to study and draw at home these critters and beasts. It is just so fun at the BC Wildlife Park. We absolutely love to take the kids there. A favorite blast for both Kyle and myself. We have enjoyed going to BC Wildlife Park ever since we were kids. However, its more exciting now as parents to be able to share that with our children.

The B.C. Wild Life Park Always Evolving

Kamloops Wild Life Park

Kamloops Wild Life Park Home Schooling

It is exciting while home schooling in BC Canada to see how the park is always growing and always changing. Also, I love how they educate us and give us a personal natural experience every time. Its always so beautiful there.  In addition to nicely laid out paths and walkways its easy for me to push a stroller and keep up with my active kids. As a Mom I enjoy that they have interesting facts about the animals all over the park. And informing us as to which ones are rescues and their unique back stories.

The Main Attraction of the B.C Wildlife Park

The animals of course are an exciting main attraction. My favorites include the bears, wolves and buffalo. Hubby and I also really enjoy the coffee. There is nothing more romantic to me than enjoying a stroll and a coffee with him. In addition, I think my favorite time to go is in the fall season. It just feels super good to get in one last train ride and enjoy the crunchy leaves. The wild lights tour in the winter months is also fun. Its so beautiful to go, get all bundled up, and then see all the twinkling lights at night time. Lastly, it definitely tops one of my favorite experiences  in the colder months. 

Things to do in Kamloops B.C.

#wildtimesawaityou at Kamloops Wild Life Park

Desert Hills Ranch 

Influencer for Instagram Photo Idea

Cutest little pumpkins at Desert Hills Ranch in Ashcroft B.C. Canada

If you are looking for a fun and family friendly farm, assuredly, Desert Hills has all your social media influencer needs covered. This is definitely the  location to take some amazing fall photos. Never mind all of your garden, canning and pumpkin needs.  When Kyle and I lived in Ashcroft BC we were constantly at our favorite local farm. And that was Desert Hills Ranch . Homeschooling in B.C. Canada got a lot easier with this great location.

Curb Appeal, Animals, Pumpkins & So Much More

Dessert Hills helped with my home’s curb appeal with an amazing selection of lush blooms, trees, plants and pots. In retrospect, I think my favorite time to go was when they had fun sale weekends, such as peaches or salsa making. I always loved going on Mothers Day too when they honestly know how to spoil a gal.

The kids would always enjoy going through the barn to see the  baby animals and the gorgeous horses. The selection of farm tractors and old machines is bar none. Even being able to burn off steam at the park area always brings back happy memories for my kids. The staff are all so friendly, helpful and kind. You wont be disappointed with this trip.

Castle Fun Park 

Things to do in Abbotsford B.C.

This is “framer” for sure!

If you are feeling up for a road trip all the way to Abbotsford BC. For a day full of laughs and entertainment check out Castle Fun Park.  Get some car toys, pack some snacks and wear sensible footwear and you have yourself a mini road trip.

Kids activities in the lower mainland

Smiles for miles at the Castle Fun Park Go-Karts!!!!

Castle Fun Park is a place we have enjoyed coming to off and on over the last 10 years. From mini golf to arcade games this place is fun. However we came here the other day with the go carts in mind. It was such a great family activity. While Kyle zoomed around the laps with our littles. Our older children got to enjoy some driving time. My oldest as well as all the rest were overjoyed!!! Chasing Dad was a huge hit! At $8 for a race I think it is totally family and budget friendly. 

Family activities in British Columbia

The race is on!

Family day in British Columbia Canada

Family day is always the best day.

In conclusion

Home Schooling in B.C. Canada has so many vast opportunities for rich exploration and adventure. What a way to enrich your children’s educations. I hope you enjoyed a brief look into our families favorite field trips and road trips here in beautiful British Columbia. We honestly think we live in a breathtaking area. And we are so happy we are able to share our experiences here with Experience Nicola Valley and all the bloggers. As always with travel with Covid 19 I would advise giving each location a call if you are interested in going and see how they are limiting the spread of Covid 19. Plan for whatever sanitary and safety measures you feel comfortable with, and get excited to have a good and adventurous time.

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Adventures and activities in British Columbia Canada

 

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Home Schooling in BC Canada

Part 1 in the series of what it looks like for me! A day in the life of a Mom home schooling in BC.

“I have taught 4 of my children to read. It’s been thrilling, rewarding, its almost a feeling I can’t describe. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the fruit of all your efforts pay off and them reading.” Jennifer Schell

A day in the life of a home schooling in BC – I’m so excited to be writing this post about my typical day in the life of a home schooling Mom. My name is Jennifer, I am a large family Mama of 7 amazing kids, Ages 12 down to 20 months. I’m a homebody living in Logan Lake BC and I always describe myself as a unlikely home schooling Mom. We can get into that another time,  For now lets go over my day. In the future I can write more posts further about how I keep babies and toddlers busy. Snacks and easy meal ideas for busy families and how I stay on top of the laundry, dishes and keep the house mostly presentable. All that said, I hope you enjoy your peek into our day!

Laundry day home schooling in BC

Meaningful Mornings When Home Schooling in BC

Ordinarily we wake up pretty much the same way every day. For the most part a couple kids have crawled into my Home schooling in BC with a morning coffeebed in the night. I haven’t started setting my alarm clock yet. Due to having recently just had a baby (almost 2 years ago) I usually just let myself sleep as long as possible, Getting those precious and few and far between winks of sleep before our mornings get rolling is important for me right now. I do want to do just a simple post on my daily routine. So for now we will keep this pretty home school focused. As I was saying, after we wake up, eat our breakfast, brush teeth and dress. We start in on our morning!  Please keep in mind I have 2 pretty independent learners. I am able for the most part to have been able to create a simple daily schedule for them to follow. With that in mind, coffee in hand, it’s time to get a jump on my day in the life as a mom home schooling in BC.

A Quick Note For Home Schooling With Toddlers & Babies

Homeschooling with a toddler or a baby. They are delightful little people who love being right in the thick of it. I have home schooled now while having a new born or toddler for the last 6 years. It can be a juggle and even some days a struggle. In reality, I find the best way to set yourself up for success is filling their cups up first. So, first thing in the morning I like to play or read with my little ones. Really make them feel special and “full” of you. Then usually they can get into their independent play a lot easier, or down for a morning nap. We love to use busy bags, Lego, Pre-School TV programs, and we load up on snacks to keep them happy and satisfied. I can go over more of how I do this if it interests you. Let me know? Stay tuned!!

Home schooling Mom in Canada

First Things First

8:30 – In the morning we always start out with  our morning basket or what others call “Circle Time“.  If we are all learning about a subject together we will read on that, then usually break. The older children will go write out an encouraging verse and 3 things they are grateful for, for the day to focus on then draw a picture. This is usually when I’ll start reading to my littles. We read more books about how to handle the issues of life in a right way. We read about our behaviors, our feelings and we might even sing. This is a time to find encouragement and a positive, happy start to our day.

Play and learn when home schooling in BC

A Day In The Life Of A Home School Mom & Math

9:00 – Then we jump right into math for the big kids. I find that helps just because focus is fresh and I like to give ample time to teach and understand new concepts, go over corrections and build mastery. We do use “manipulatives” in our math. I do love the hands on aspect for sure. We do take our time, mastery is my focus, not rushing ahead to each new concept. I want to be able to make sure that they are able to teach the concept back to me. Here’s the link to the math program we have been using from the start.

Math homeschooling in BC Canada

Day In The Life Of A Home School Mom Reading & Writing

I definitely have a more vintage vibe in our literature, reading and writing. We enjoy living books and reading out a Reading and writing home schoolingloud. I tend to get pretty dramatic when I read out loud, with voice deflections and even action moves. The kids also get a huge kick out of it. I think definitely “one room school house” is our learning style. My kids practice reading and writing from there McGuffy readers. I do have the kids practice there cursive every day also. What can I say, call me old fashioned but I do still think its important to be able to read, and write in cursive. With our McGuffys, we read the short story, take a piece to copy in printing then copy a piece in cursive. I then have the kids write out the spelling words. More on spelling in the next paragraph. 

Day in the life Of A Home School Mom & Spelling

In addition to the copy work, this past year we really slowed down our spelling. And really focused on memorization, It was a lot of fun, I used a different take on the old spelling test and would just quiz the kids on what they knew basically, without the context of pass or fail. Keeping it fun. Spelling out loud. Carving out that time for connection and seeing where they are actually at. Spelling “tests” take on a much more like and airy approach. What I am mostly going for here is repetition of writing down the memory words. Subsequently  there’s nothing quite like the feeling of satisfaction of teaching a child to read. During their copy work from Monday to Thursday, they would also just copy out the spelling list one in print and the other in cursive. In addition, the big kids would then buddy up with my emerging readers and they would play flash card games. 

Learning How To Read In 100 Simple Lessons – Pre-K & Kindergarten

I have taught 4 of my children to read. It’s been thrilling, rewarding, its almost a feeling I can’t describe. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing the fruit of all your efforts pay off. We have used a few different curriculum in this area. My favorite way to teach a child to read is basically as follows… step 1 – get child, step 2 – snuggle up on the couch step 3- read with child. But if I had to choose one curriculum that is my all time favorite way to teach someone to read, I love using the book How to teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons. We do the short lesson, read the paragraph and write out the letters. This usually takes 15 minutes, which I find is just the perfect timing for little ones with shorter attention spans and usually suffer from cases of the wiggles.

Fridays We Take A Different Approach

Let me just say I love Friday! Its the day where we take different approach to school and educate in a different way. Instead of working on our McGuffy readers. We Nature Journal  . If it’s cool out. We usually use Home schooling art at homeencyclopedias and spend a good hour or more writing out facts, drawing our study subject and maybe even water color painting. If its warm outside we take our books outside and hunt for our subjects. After that, we spend maybe a good hour in Science. Either finishing up loose ends from our book work or doing a science experiment. This sometimes gives us enough time to get baking. We like to bake something quick as a group. And gear up for poetry tea time or carve out a larger chunk of our read a loud. I can’t make everyday look like Friday. But between watercolor and baking banana bread and cuddles and snuggles while learning is my absolute favorite! I love the pure, simple down to earth flow of our Fridays.
Stories for kids

Afternoon Activities

After we break for lunch, the kids and I will do a quick tidy up of our chores. In the afternoon homeschooling takes a more quiet and independent learning approach. The children all get a break and get to do quiet time. It’s honestly so lovely because they can decompress and play with their special toys. Catch up on independent reading. Work on writing stories. For my older kids, this is when they usually work on there Science note books. Or maybe they get creative and work on some fun crafts, or projects such as making the best slime, or setting up sensory play spaces for the little kids. I like to rest and then make time for outside play. Small nature walks and especially make time for reading out loud. It can be on the couch or in the van while you wait for appointments.

In Closing

If this was something that you want to see or learn more about, Follow me on Instagam @Jen.Schell.7 and you can see in my Instagram stories more of my day in the life as a home schooling mom. I post our activities in real time, how I feed the family an all the rest of the stuff that Kyle Schell and I get into with our mega crew! If you or someone you know is planning on homeschooling don’t hesitate to reach out and connect! And if you think this post would be helpful to someone please share! 

Jen Schell Instagram Page

A day in the life of a home schooling Mom

 

Home Schooling in Logan Lake BC

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