The upcoming Healthy Kids Preschoolers Fair at Cameron Recreation Complex is a chance to get answers on questions regarding children's health on Tuesday, Feb. 5.
The annual fair, now in its 10th year, features public health nurses, non-profit groups and preschool representatives and is geared towards parents of children five and younger.
"We basically turn the whole of Cameron centre into a preschool fair. It's quite big," said Sue McIntyre, program coordinator at Cameron Recreation Complex. "We want an opportunity for parents to make connections for the healthy development of their children."
Parents can get information on dental health, child development, nutrition, vision, hearing and immunizations. There will be a breastfeeding consultant on site and nurses to answer health questions.
The fair is a joint effort, organized by local community schools, the Ministry of Children and Family Development, Fraser Health, the Burnaby Optimist Club and the city's parks, recreation and cultural services department, while Cameron Recreation Complex is hosting.
The fair is on Tuesday, Feb. 5, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and the centre is at 9523 Cameron Street. Admission is free, and there are fun things for the children to do while parents gather information. There will be gymnastics, face-painting, a station with musical instruments, and a preschool demonstration room, so people can talk to a preschool teacher and get a sense of what preschool looks like. There will also be free snacks and coffee.
McIntyre said the fair usually draws about 300 people, but because the venue is large, it's not that crowded. Parents can drop by anytime between 9:30 a.m. and noon, but they should plan to spend an hour at the fair because there's so much to do, McIntyre advised.
"It's a fun thing, but there's really serious benefits that can be gained from attending," she said.
If you can't make the Feb. 5 event, there are two more similar fairs in Burnaby. The Bonsor Healthy Kids Preschool Fair is on Thursday, April 18, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, at 6550 Bonsor Ave. There will be another fair at the new Edmonds Community Centre in October, but no date has been scheduled yet.
