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Help! The grandchildren are coming to visit!
Tuesday July 29 2008 It is often said that being a grandparent is one of the great pleasures of life, offering the opportunity to enjoy the fun of being with children, without the heavy responsibility of raising them. Their visits are eagerly anticipated. But we begin to look around the community with new eyes — instead of fine restaurants and arty boutiques, we are looking for playgrounds and free or affordable activities.
Dufferin Parent Support Network provides information and resources to grandparents, as well as to parents. Here are some questions from grandparents who are unfamiliar with the ample resources in and around Dufferin and the answers we can provide:

Later this summer, I’m taking care of my two grandchildren, ages two and four. What are some local activities that will keep them from missing their parents?
Very young children can enjoy supervised play at one of the municipal playgrounds, many of which have new equipment and are well maintained. In Orangeville, EveryKids Park (Townline and Dawson), Rotary Park (2nd Ave and 4th Street) and the park next to Island Lake School (Highway 9, across from the hospital) are great examples. Other playgrounds are tucked into residential areas, so go looking for them. Children especially love playing in water, such as the splash pad at EveryKids Park or the shallow wading area at Island Lake Conservation Area. The leisure pool at the Alder Street recreation centre is a wonderful way to get children comfortable with being in the water and ready to learn to swim (call 519-940-9092 for times the leisure pool is open).  

Everdale Organic Farm (519-855-4859) offers a chance to get up close to farm animals, see how food is grown and take a look at sustainable living. Located north of Hillsburgh (6th Line Erin Twp), it is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. till the end of September.

Indoor play is available for babies and pre-schoolers (with grandparent or other adult present) at the Early Years Centres in Orangeville (519-941-6991, ext. 2205), Shelburne (519-925-5504) and Grand Valley (519-928-3383); call ahead for hours of operation. The public libraries are also great resources for books for kids of all ages. Their DVD and video collections are carefully selected for good quality, plus the rental fees are lower than commercial outlets.

Now that my grandsons are older, I’m not sure how to keep them from saying the dreaded words, “I’m bored!” Any ideas?
Playgrounds and libraries are great for older children too, but they can explore some of the other resources of our area, such as the Cataract at Forks of the Credit, Belfountain Conservation Area, with its caves and suspension bridge, or hiking at Mono Cliffs Park. The Dufferin County Museum (Airport Road at Highway 89) provides an interesting look into the past.  

A little farther afield, swim at the quarry at Bellwood Lake (Wellington Road 18) or watch small planes taking off and landing at Brampton Flight Centre (Mclaughlin Rd, south of King Road, Caledon).

For many more ideas, visit The Hills of Headwaters Visitors Centre at Highway 9 and Broadway, or log on to www.thehillsofheadwaters.com for brochures, maps and updates on special events.
The DPSN website (www.dpsn.ca) has a summer calendar, Passing the Time, with daily suggestions of simple activities.
Entertaining grandchildren opens the door to places you may have been curious about but never had a reason to try out. Dufferin has a wealth of resources — enjoy them!

“Ask a Parent” is a monthly column provided by Dufferin Parent Support Network. Send questions or comments to info@dpsn.ca or leave a message at 519-940-8678.

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