Celebrate B.C.'s newest holiday by spending quality time with the people who matter most. And with all the fun things happening in Burnaby, there's no excuse to stay indoors this Family Day long weekend.
Family Games Day
Head over to Nikkei Centre for the annual Jan Ken Pon event, also known as Family Games Day, on Sunday, Feb. 9. The centre will have more than 20 traditional Japanese heritage games, and kids can make their own kites, sumo wrestlers and beanbags.
The hands-on activities are perfect for kids who need a little less screen time.
There will also be a rock, paper, scissors tournament with prizes, which is the highlight of the day. Jan Ken Pon is best suited for kids aged four to 12, and children must be accompanied by an adult.
The event runs on Sunday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. The Nikkei Centre is at 6688 Southoaks Cres. Tickets are $5 for children, and adults and children under two get in for free. Call 604-777-7000 or visit www.nikkeiplace.org for more info.
Black History Month
Burnaby's Black History Month celebration falls on Family Day this year, so get out to the African Caribbean Children Festival on Monday, Feb. 10.
The event, organized by the National Congress of Black Women Foundation, is on from noon to 5 p.m. at the Bonsor Recreation Complex, at 6550 Bonsor Ave., close to Metropolis at Metrotown. Admission is free, and there will be tons of fun things for the children, including live performances, storytelling, face painting, a fashion show and a DJ.
There will also be Caribbean food, a bake sale and vendor tables. The City of Burnaby, Canadian Heritage and Citizenship and Immigration Canada have all provided funding for the event. For more info, call 604-527-0477.
Carousel fun
The Burnaby Village Museum is hosting some Family Day fun from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day includes crafts, entertainment and rides on the vintage carousel. Tickets are $6.50 and include unlimited carousel rides. The day is designed for families with young children, and while drop-ins are welcome, you may want to register early to ensure space is available. Call 604-297-4565 to sign up.
Family day skate
The City of Burnaby has a ton of activities to keep active with your loved ones on Monday.
For the early risers, there will be a Family Day loonie skate and pancake breakfast at the Bill Copeland ice rink. The breakfast starts at 9:30 a.m., and the skate starts at 10 a.m. The Burnaby Lougheed Lions Club is providing the breakfast, available for a minimum donation of $2. The $1 admission includes skate rental and helmets. The rink has a three-to-one child-to-adult ratio, so don't bring too many kids. The Bill Copeland ice rink is at 3676 Kensington Ave. Info: 604-291-1261
Fun stuff at Bonsor
Bonsor Recreation Complex has an entire lineup of fun, low-cost activities on Sunday, Feb. 10.
There is a family sports drop-in from 9 to 11:30 a.m., for children three to 12 years old, accompanied by an adult. The costs is $1.
If dance and exercise are more your thing, try family Zumba from 11 a.m. to noon. Zumba is a mix of Latin dancing and exercise, and this session is open to children four to 18 years, when accompanied by an adult. (Regular rates apply.)
Families can try their hand at badminton, from noon to 2 p.m.
There is a cupcake-making workshop at 2:30 p.m. or 4:30 p.m., where participants learn the basics of cupcake decorating. Admission is $6 for children, or $12 for adults. This event is open to kids aged six to 12.
There are also two family swims on; the first is from 1 to 4 p.m., and the second is from 6 to 8:30 p.m., but if yoga is more your family's style, check out the class at 2:30 p.m. The one-hour session of stretching and poses is open to kids six to 18 years old, and regular rates apply.
Bonsor Recreational Complex is at 6550 Bonsor Ave. Call 604-297-4597 to register for any of the events.
Cameron Recreational Complex
Cameron is kicking the day off with a family dance jam from 10 to 10:45 a.m. There will be some structured movements and some free dancing happening. This session is for children aged one to 12, with an accompanying adult, and admission is free.
From 10 a.m. to noon, there are family games and fun on for free. Children should be at least five years old for this session. There's also a chance to join in some fun with the Cameron seniors' dominoes group, which is hosting an afternoon of Mexican train dominoes. There will also be light refreshments served. Children, 12 and older are welcome to join in, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. Admission is free.
Remember playing foursquare? How about Battleship and Jenga? Cameron is holding a games session from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for children five to nine years old, and admission is free. All of the programs require pre-registration, so phone the centre at 604-297-4456. Cameron Recreational Complex is at 9523 Cameron St. in North Burnaby, close to Lougheed mall.
Eileen Dailly Pool
Want to work on flexibility, strength and respect with the kids? Try the Family Day intro karate session from 10 to 11 a.m. The cost is $5.80 per person and is best suited to kids aged 10 to 18.
Eileen Dailly is also hosting a family Zumba session, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and regular rates apply. There's a family swim on from noon to 7 p.m.
Eileen Dailly pool is at 240 Willingdon Ave.
Edmonds Family Day events
Burnaby's new Edmonds Community Centre is also hosting activities for Family Day, starting with yoga at 10 and 11 a.m. (The earlier session is for kids aged three to six, while the later session is for seven- to 10-year-olds.) Adults get in for free, but admission for children is $3.75.
There's a family badminton session at 11:30 a.m. and a family swim from noon to 4 p.m.; regular rates apply for both activities.
Table tennis is on from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., and family pickleball is running from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. (Pickleball is a new sport that combines badminton, table tennis and regular tennis.) Children get in for free, while adult admission is $2.50. Volleyball for families is on from 3 to 6 p.m., and there are activities in the gym at 4:15 and 6:45 p.m.
Edmonds Community Centre is at 7433 Edmonds St.
