Mr. Potato is watching you

Today, my kids dug up a potato from our garden. It was one I'd obviously left in the ground from last year's harvest.

My 6-year-old daughter, Lauren, was so excited and exclaimed, "Isn't it the best potato you've ever seen? Can you make it for dinner tonight? I broke off all the white branches too!"

"Oh, you mean the eyes?" I responded.

"The WHAT?" she squeaked.

"The eyes...of the potato," I said again.

"Is it watching me right now?! I'm not eating that potato because it's going to be looking at me when I eat him!" she screamed, dropping the potato and running out of the room.

Spring Break ideas!

The dreaded 2-week Spring Break is almost upon us. If you haven't pre-registered for any Spring Break programs or just want to play it by ear, here are some fantastic drop-in kids' programs that will keep your children busy and entertained. Let the fun begin! (Listings below are organized by location.)

VARIOUS LOCATIONS

Toonie Matinees
March 21 - April 1
Bring your kids in to watch a show for just $2. Not valid in conjunction with any other offer.
Location: Select children's movies and dates at participating Empire Theatres
Info: Find dates and show details at www.empiretheatres.com/toonie-matinees

BURNABY

Games & Crafts Galore
March 21-25, 12 noon-4 pm
Daily activities, crafts and more.
Location: Brentwood Town Centre, Centre Court, 4567 Lougheed Highway, Burnaby, BC
Info: www.brentwoodtowncentre.com

The Villager Scavenger Hunt
March 21-27, 12-4 pm
Decipher clues and win a treat. For 2+ yrs. Includes carousel rides. Cost: $6.50 per person (members free)
Location: Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby, BC
Info: www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca

NEW WESTMINSTER

The Mystery of the Chipper Stream
March 26, 1-3 pm
Someone has polluted Chipper Stream! Can you help solve the mystery? At the Discovery Centre this Spring Break, kids aged 5-9 and their families are invited to become pollution detectives and help find the guilty party while learning about solutions to reduce pollution.
Location: Fraser River Discovery Centre, 788 Quayside Drive, New Westminster, BC
Info: 604-521-8401 or www.fraserriverdiscovery.org

RICHMOND

Spring Break at Richmond Nature Park
March 22-25 and March 29-31, 9:30 am-12 noon
Be a nature detective and immerse yourself in sticky science! Cost: $18 per person.
Location: Richmond Nature Park, 11851 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC
Info: www.richmondnatureparksociety.ca

SURREY

Free Ice Skating at Morgan Crossing
March 19-23, 10 am-7 pm daily
The shops at Morgan Crossing's skating rink features a unique synthetic material that feels just like real ice -- rain or shine, warm or cold, people will be able to skate! Bring your family and join your friends for a fun Spring Break activity. Skate rental and sharpening available by donation.
Location: Morgan Crossing, corner of 24th & Croydon Drive, South Surrey, BC
Info: www.theshopsatmorgancrossing.com

Spring Break Family PlayCamp: Setting the Stage: Steamer Trunk Theatre
March 22-25 and March 29-April 1, 10:30 am-2:30 pm
This drop-in program lets you rummage through a steamer trunk full of costumes, props and artefacts that bring the early history of stage theatre to life. Dress up and act up as you explore the history of performance by creating masks, puppets and plays. For all ages. By donation.
Location: Surrey Museum, 17710-56A Avenue, Surrey, BC
Info: 604-592-6956 or www.surrey.ca

Kids' Spring Fling at the Surrey Nature Centre
March 25, 10 am-2 pm
Drop in for a day filled with outdoor games, eco-crafts, nature activities and discoveries -- just for kids! Hunt for bugs, search for birds, play in the forest, and explore the special places at the Surrey Nature Centre. Rain or shine. Parent participation required. Free. For all ages.
Location: Surrey Nature Centre, 14255 - 96 Avenue, Surrey, BC
Info: 604-502-6065

VANCOUVER

Forensics for Kids
March 21-April 1, 12 noon-4 pm
Drop in to try to solve a crime. Suitable for children (and adults) of all ages. Get a real hands-on forensic science experience. Discover how police investigators collect and analyze evidence from crime scenes by doing it yourself. Two different scenarios are offered with different types of evidence. Depending on the scenario, you might take fingerprints, examine bullets recovered from the crime scene, measure blood spatter or examine a questioned document. There is a $1/person charge for this program in addition to the regular museum admission.
Location: Vancouver Police Museum, 240 E. Cordova St, Vancouver, BC
Info: 604-665-3346 or www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca

Weekly Family Art Programs at Vancouver Art Gallery
March 19-April 2, 12-4 pm
Free for kids! This Spring Break, join our Weekly Family Programs every day. Be curious and ask questions with Vancouver Art Gallery's team of Art Agents, follow an Art Tracks tour led by artists, educators, musicians and others, and create and experiment with hands-on workshops and activities in The Making Place.
Location: Vancouver Art Gallery, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver, BC
Info: www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Explore the Amazon at the Vancouver Aquarium
March 19-April 3, 9:30 am-6 pm
From March 19 until April 3, the Graham Amazon Gallery at the Vancouver Aquarium will be transformed to include surprising new creatures and experiences from the most species-rich area of the world. Find surprising new creatures like Goeldi's Monkey. Get an up-close look at the remarkable metamorphosis stage between a caterpillar and a butterfly. Every day butterflies will emerge and be released into the larger gallery.As you explore, you'll experience rolling thunder, lightning crackle and torrential rainfall--raingear not required. For those explorers young at heart, the Aquarium's 4D/FX theatre will showcase Dora & Diego's 4D Adventure using 3D imagery, sensory seats and loads of in-theatre 4D special effects.
Location: Vancouver Aquarium, Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC
Info: www.vanaqua.org

Fun at Kids Market
March 19-April 3
Potato arts & crafts, March 21-April 3, 11 am-3 pm, on the main floor. Free. Ceramics and sand art, March 21-25 and March 28-April 1, 11 am-4 pm, 2nd floor party room. Cost: $2 small or $3 large. Face painting with Beebop and Captain Bubbles, March 19-April 3, daily 12 noon-3 pm, 2nd floor landing. By donation.
Location: Kids Market, Granville Island, Vancouver, BC
Info: www.kidsmarket.ca

Wacky Weather and Natural Disasters
March 21-27
Drop in during Spring Break for interesting facts and fun.
Location: Science World, 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver, BC
Info: www.scienceworld.ca

5th Annual Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
March 26-April 22
Celebrate the cherry blossom trees in Vancouver. Find events including Cherry Jam Downtown, a free outdoor noon-hour concert on March 31, and Sakura Days Japan Fair, a family-friendly contemporary Japanese Street festival at Van Dusen Botanical Garden on April 2 & 3, from 10 am-5 pm.
Info: www.vcbf.ca

Health Canada issues recalls on 4 baby-related products

Health Canada has just announced these product recalls:

1. Parents Busy Time Activity Center
This recall involves a wooden activity center that has a multi-coloured bead run on the top. Activities on each side include a 4-tone xylophone and rasp, butterfly and caterpillar spinners, zig-zag drum, castanets, and pockets with "alligator", "bear", and "cat" pillow characters. The recalled toy has date code 400090GC, model number 400090 and UPC 011964447640. The date code can be found on the bottom of the product packaging near the UPC code and on the sewn-in label attached to the bear character.

Activity centers with orange plastic pegs are not included in this recall. Only activity centers with wooden pegs with date code 400090GC are involved in this recall.

Wooden pegs on xylophone activity can come loose, posing a choking hazard to children.

The US CPSC and Manhattan Toy have received one reported incident of a child putting a peg in his mouth. In Canada, Manhattan Toy has received one reported incident in which a mother noticed the pegs came off. No injuries were reported. Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of these toys.

What to do: Consumers should immediately take the toy away from young children and return it to the store where purchased for a refund or exchange for another toy. Consumers may also contact Manhattan Toy for instructions on receiving a replacement item or a full refund.

For more information, consumers may contact Manhattan Toy toll-free at 1-800-541-1345 between 8AM and 5PM CST Monday through Friday or visit the Manhattan Toy website.

2. Oball Links & Mini Rattle
This recall involves the Oball Links & Mini Rattle. The soft plastic Oball toy is approximately 6.3cm (2.5inches) in diameter and has beads in a plastic cube attached to it.

The Oball is attached to a plastic chain by a C-shaped plastic link. There is another C-link attached to the other end of the plastic chain. The word 'Oball' is stamped into the top of the plastic chain.

Recalled products have model number 1048 and UPC 8-34282-01048-4 printed on the back of the product packaging.

The C-link can break, releasing small parts; these small parts pose a choking hazard to young children. In the United States, Rhino Toys, Inc. and the US CPSC has received one report of the C-link breaking, with no reported injuries. Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of this product in Canada.

What to do: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled product and contact Rhino Toys, Inc. to arrange for a full refund (including shipping costs).

For more information, consumers may contact Rhino Toys, Inc. at 1-888-250-9969 between 9AM and 3PM Monday to Friday, or by e-mail at recall@rhinotoys.com. Consumers can also visit the Rhino Toys website.

3. Jump Seat on certain Baby Jogger Strollers
This recall involves the Baby Jogger Jump Seat. This is a fabric seat accessory that can be attached to the mounting bracket on the frame of a Baby Jogger City Elite, Baby Jogger City Classic, or Baby Jogger Summit stroller, allowing a toddler and baby to ride together in the same stroller at the same time.

The recalled accessory has the name "Baby Jogger" on the front and item number J7J50. The item number can be found on the product packaging.

If the Jump Seat is not attached to the stroller frame properly and locked into place, it can detach from the frame, posing a risk of injury to the child sitting in it. In Canada, Baby Jogger has received one report of the Jump Seat detaching from the stroller frame, leading to a child suffering scrapes and bruises. There have been 3 reports in the United States of the seat detaching as well. Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of this product.

What to do: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Jump Seat and contact Baby Jogger for further instructions.

For more information, consumers may contact Brands in Motion, Inc. (Baby Jogger's official Canadian distributor) at 1-866-774-7177 between 8AM and 5:30PM EST Monday to Friday, or by visiting the Baby Jogger website.

4. Burlington Basket Bassinets

This recall involves all Burlington Basket bassinets manufactured before June 2010. Affected models have folding legs attached to the basket with white plastic pins.

Bassinets with non-folding legs attached with metal pins are not included in this recall.If the cross-bracing rails are not fully locked into position, the bassinets can collapse causing the infant to fall to the floor or fall within the bassinet and suffer injuries.

If the cross-bracing rails are not fully locked into position, the bassinets can collapse causing the infant to fall to the floor or fall within the bassinet and suffer injuries. In the United States, Burlington Basket Company has received 10 reports of incidents in which the recalled bassinets collapsed when the folding legs were not locked into place. Two infants received minor injuries as a result of these collapses, including a bruise to the head and a bruised shoulder. Health Canada has not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of these bassinets.

What to do: Consumers should immediately stop using the bassinets and check the cross-bracing support rails to make sure they are in the locked position. To properly lock the support rails into place, the end tabs must be fully inserted into the holes on the leg assembly and twisted one quarter turn into the locked position.

Consumers should contact Burlington Basket Company for a free kit including labels and detailed instructions on proper assembly of the cross-bracing support rails and decals with assembly instructions to place on the bassinet. A video showing proper assembly of the bassinets is available on the Burlington Basket Company's website.

Please note that this recall does not involve returning the bassinet.

For more information, consumers may contact Burlington Basket Company at 1-800-553-2300 between 8AM and 4PM CT Monday through Friday, or visit the Burlington Basket Company's website.

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For more info on Health Canada's product safety recalls, visit: http://cpsr-rspc.hc-sc.gc.ca/PR-RP/home-accueil-eng.jsp