September is quickly approaching. Browse exciting shopping, restaurant and program ideas and savings, to ensure that your family is prepared for back-to-school time.
Lovable Labels
Sponsored Listing Durable, Canadian-made labels, perfect for children’s belongings going to camp, school, and daycare. Use our colorful and fun labels to ensure their items come home. Labels for clothes, shoes, bags, and everything else! Medical wristbands available for allergies/medical conditions. Shop online 24/7.
Sponsored Listing We carry a wide assortment of themed party supplies for birthdays and other occassions, as well as treat bag items, pre-packaged treat bags and pinatas! Order online anytime from the convenience of home - save time and money. Use coupon code 9192 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
Go Back to School Waste-Free with Litterless Lunch Gear from Lavish & Lime
Sponsored Listing Choose from a great selection of Goodbyn all-in-one lunch boxes (available in 8 colours), insulated lunch bags, portable cutlery sets, reusable sandwich wraps, snack pouches, fruit guards plus all kinds of stainless steel food containers, straws and water bottles. Take 10% OFF any purchase, any size with code KIDSCANADA through August 31st.
Sponsored Listing Bugalug offers simplistic trendy accessories for both girls and boys, from our first product the ‘Silicone non slip clips’ to our newest ‘Embellished barrettes and Cinch Belts’ we know we can provide you a great accessory for your little one. Join our Clip of the Month club to receive exclusive membership pricing and a new clip for 12 consecutive months, use the code KIDS to save 15% off.
Sponsored Listing Raspberry Kids is an online lifestyle store that features fresh, healthy & fun products for the little ones in your life. We have a wide selection of Back to School brands and products including litterless lunch options from Goodbyn, Lunchbots, Lunchskins, backpacks and lunchboxes from Beatrix NY and Skip Hop and many more items to choose from. Save 15% by using the code: KAC15 until September 30, 2010.
Sponsored Listing Thumbprint Adventures is an award winning learning through play and imagination program for children ages 18 months to 9 years. Each week our staff journey on a new themed adventure, embracing fine motor, gross motor and oral language skills into our playful program. Visit our Thornhill studio to register a class, book a Birthday Party, or shop our one-of-a-kind product. Click here for your $10 coupon.
Sponsored Listing Enjoy the great tastes of a wide array of delicious vegetarian dishes at Commensal Restaurant with your family, friends or colleagues. Fast, fresh and delicious buffet options feature natural foods, organic ingredients and gourmet cooking. 655 Bay Street, Toronto, entrance on Elm. Free parking after 6pm. Click here for your 30% off coupon.
Sponsored Listing Visit Canada’s largest Reptile Zoo and/or celebrate your next birthday party with Reptilia. Get up close and personal with our reptiles and pet some of them. Ask your teachers to have Reptilia visit your class with their animals to teach curriculum based science lessons.
Sponsored Listing Kids Cultural Travel! That’s what we’re all about. Broadening the horizons of our youth. We take kids to various cities and countries around the world to in efforts to strengthen the global community. Our packages are all-inclusive. Kids ages 8-18. Join the herd!
Sponsored Listing Get 10% Off… Right Now, for a limited time on fall 2010 bookings of our exciting musical plays on Bullying Awareness and Character Ed. Call/Email us now and mention ad to get discount. We have the BEST customers. We’d LOVE to count you among them!
Sponsored Listing Steeles West Gymnastics offers skill-based recreational gymnastics and trampoline classes for children 6 and up. We have been in business for over 23 years! Our facility is newly renovated and geared toward fitness and skill enhancement. We have highly experienced, certified and friendly coaches. Located in North York. Major intersection: Dufferin and Steeles.
That new backpack full of requisite supplies (read: expensive) might be good for the 3Rs of school (reading, writing, and arithmetic) but they certainly are not good for the 3Rs we hear more about these days (reduce, reuse, and recycle).
Now that you’ve shopped (for only what your child needs rather than wants), short of safety pinning or duct-taping everything to them, how do you get them to bring home what matters and leave the unwanted at school? You’ll need a little luck on your side and these suggestions to ensure a happy 2009-2010 school year for our families and our planet.
Bring Home - BACKPACKS
The most environmentally hazardous plastic, PVC (polyvinyl chloride a.k.a. vinyl), can be found in shoes, boots, supplies and every so often in backpacks. If you are in need of new backpacks, ensure they are PVC-free and manufactured responsibly – there are many options, but Ecogear Bags are great looking and you’ll avoid the dangers out there.
Bring Home - ART + WORKSHEETS
What do you do with all of that (fabulous?) art and hard work? Well, ummmm, throw it out? That’s awful (not because you don’t want it, because it doesn’t belong in landfills). Reuse it all by making notepaper or even cutting it up into cards and gift tags. And, of course, frame the really worthy pieces. For an added bonus, take pictures of the art you are going to reuse - an album of their creations will be theirs forever.
Bring Home – FRIENDS
Playdates! Well, these can be a little overwhelming…I find these days that my calendar is so busy because my kids after school social calendar is crammed! A successful playdate always involves a great snack, so please ensure that it’s a “safe” snack that’s peanut and nut free and also “healthy”. Here’s our guide to safe snacks that you should always have on hand. And, friends are important…don’t play video games, play outside and be active!
Bring Home – REUSABLES
Excellent, you are packing litterless lunches and drinks! As a result, you are keeping the weight of an average grade 2 kid out of landfills. Just make sure they are lead-free and all toxin-free and are labelled well! If you need ideas for containers and ways for creative lunch packing, download the lunch guide for free here. A great time for making sure everything gets returned home, aka making your kids responsible, is to pay them off! Give your kids a set amount of money each day they remember to bring their containers home. At the end of the school year, your children can use the money they’ve earned for something they want for themselves, or they can choose to donate the funds raised to a favourite charity.
Leave at School – SWINE FLU AND OTHER VIRUSES
You may be inclined to pack a jug full of anti-bacterial liquids and wipes with your kids but, the anti-bacterials which contain triclosanwon’t do anyone much good. In fact, medical experts worry that the overuse of anti-bacterials are actually creating more problems rather than solving them. Hot water with soap and proper handwashing is more effective – and if you need something on the go, try chem-free choices from your local health store – my favourite is Cleanwell - not available in Canada yet (but send them a quick email telling them that you want it here, power in numbers!)
Leave at School – LICE
It’s a big head-scratcher that we would use pesticides on our bodies to treat something when there is an alternative that is so much safer. If you are unfortunate enough to have to endure a lice outbreak, check out the Lice Bomb by Eco-Kid – and the rest of their preventative line - available across Canada now.
Leave at School – NECESSARY SUPPLIES
Buying hundreds of pencils over your child’s school career is expensive and you’re not the only one paying the price – all of those pencils had to come from a tree somewhere. Although some supplies are advertised as “wipe-clean”, they are unfortunately leaving an indelible mark on our planet. Shop wisely (perhaps you don’t need to buy everything new this year) but what you do put in your cart is important so choose stapleless staplers, tree-free or post-consumer-waste-made paper and pencils and ensure that all is PVC, pthalate and lead-free at the minimum. Check this list for back to school shopping in Toronto.
Bring Home AND Leave at School – YOUR INSPIRATION
Share your thoughts and pay it forward and you will make a difference – ideas from home should be taken to school and ideas from school should be brought home. Maybe it’s banning disposable bottles of water, implementing a strict litterless lunch policy, or cleaning without chemicals or maybe it’s about ensuring that all students learn about giving back to their communities. If only all of our kids could be part of Project Giveback, now in select schools– imagine what the next generation would be empowered to do.
As you and your family get ready to pack up and come and go each day, I wish you a good start to the school year, a great 2009-2010, and the highest marks on every report card for your children and our planet! That would be enough to earn us all A++!
Lisa Borden is an eco-advocate and mother of three, whose business is a direct reflection of her commitment to better, more responsible living. She is a dedicated workaholic, admitting that it takes a lot of time and effort to change the world, especially in her non-preachy, fun, engaging and inspiring ways. Lisa consults, writes, engages the media, runs private workshops, and enjoys speaking to large and small groups. Her full-service marketing firm, Borden Communications + Design Inc. is based in Toronto and takes great pride in being an ethical business providing exceptional ideas. You can meet Lisa here http://videobio.com/lborden sign up for Lisa’s rants and raves at www.bordencom.com or reach her directly at lisa@bordencom.com.
Making your lunch at home and taking it each day to school or work is not about carving love notes into a banana peel or cutting sandwiches into cute little shapes, it’s about being better to our bodies and better to our planet.
Give litterless lunches a try as we go back to school, and back to work this fall. Keep in mind it takes a while to get used to any new routine, but once established, it’s your routine. And, if you are going to ignore most of my suggestions and still opt for take-out, consider keeping a cloth napkin and reusable cutlery in your desk at least!
School and office lunches contribute significantly to our huge stream of waste. Think about how detrimental the actual packaging is to our environment, about the paper depleting our forests, about plastics and pollution and where our garbage goes after we toss it. Now, focus on your family’s health and consider doing the following:
Buy in Bulk… or avoid all individually packaged items. Try a full size container of organic yogurt over conventional single servings. It’s only a myth that it’s easier and quicker to pack an individual granola bar over a handful of pretzels. It’s not only healthier, but you will be surprised when you add up the savings.
Buy Fresh…and organic and local if you can. It improves the nutritional quality of your food and tastes better also. Let your spouse and kids shop with you. (I know many of you are now rolling your eyes and are ready to dismiss everything I write at this point, but stick with me!). The real trick is to shop the outside perimeter of the grocery store…think about what you buy from the middle aisles (packaged foods, food wrap, chemicals).
Read your Labels… because a long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of questionable chemicals – MSG (yuck!) has so many ways of disguising its name, you would not believe the products it is found in. Take extra time to think about each thing before you put it in your shopping cart even if you are in a rush to get to carpool or home to your couch. If you can’t pronounce the ingredient, you shouldn’t be using it, and certainly shouldn’t be ingesting it. If you spend the time, you will find a healthier option, with fewer ingredients for all of your favourites (if not, find a new store!).
Resist the Marketing…Virtually all foods marketed to children and adults alike are low in nutrients and high in calories, salt, saturated fat, and refined sugars. As parents, we don’t have Dora, Scooby-Doo, pop and sports stars, contests, prizes, surprises and the latest market research tools to help us persuade our kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. As shoppers, we are also programmed to look at what is not in our packaged food, over caring about what is in it. Trans fat free? Why was there trans fat in there to begin with? And, just because something has a green health seal on it, does not mean it’s certified healthy by anyone but the company making it.
Stop Making Garbage…This is even more important than recycling…why use in the first place? A waste-free lunch means you have no packaging to throw away when you’re done — nothing other than apple cores, banana and orange peels or cherry pits. Use the following to perfect your lunches:
• REUSABLE LEAD-FREE carrier (insulated bag, lunchbox)
• REUSABLE containers - #5 plastic, stainless steel or glass
• REUSABLE MUGS – ask for your discount at your local café or make your own
• STAINLESS STEEL BOTTLE for drinks
• CLOTH NAPKIN (you have to do laundry anyways!)
• STAINLESS CUTLERY
Find a champion…or be one. Inspire your workplace to institute rules about take out. Ban the disposable coffee cups and bottles of water to start. Take action at your school to reform the food served, and the way food is brought with the students. A passionate, informed, persuasive and committed champion can be an effective cheerleader and major force in creating healthier and happier schools and workplaces.
Believe that you are making a difference…regardless of your actions, you are currently making an impact whether it’s negative or positive…choose positive and watch how others follow…set the trend!
Lisa Borden is an eco-advocate and mother of three, whose business is a direct reflection of her commitment to better, more responsible living. She is a dedicated workaholic, admitting that it takes a lot of time and effort to change the world, especially in her non-preachy, fun, engaging and inspiring ways. Lisa consults, writes, engages the media, runs private workshops, and enjoys speaking to large and small groups. Her full-service marketing firm, Borden Communications + Design Inc. is based in Toronto and takes great pride in being an ethical business providing exceptional ideas. You can meet Lisa here http://videobio.com/lborden sign up for Lisa’s rants and raves at www.bordencom.com or reach her directly at lisa@bordencom.com.
Durable, Canadian-made labels, perfect for children’s belongings going to camp, school, and daycare. Use our colorful and fun labels to ensure their items come home. Labels for clothes, shoes, bags, and everything else! Medical wristbands available for allergies/medical conditions. Shop online 24/7.
We carry a wide assortment of themed party supplies for birthdays and other occassions, as well as treat bag items, pre-packaged treat bags and pinatas! Order online anytime from the convenience of home - save time and money. Use coupon code 9192 at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
Choose from a great selection of Goodbyn all-in-one lunch boxes (available in 8 colours), insulated lunch bags, portable cutlery sets, reusable sandwich wraps, snack pouches, fruit guards plus all kinds of stainless steel food containers, straws and water bottles. Take 10% OFF any purchase, any size with code KIDSCANADA through August 31st.
Bugalug offers simplistic trendy accessories for both girls and boys, from our first product the ‘Silicone non slip clips’ to our newest ‘Embellished barrettes and Cinch Belts’ we know we can provide you a great accessory for your little one. Join our Clip of the Month club to receive exclusive membership pricing and a new clip for 12 consecutive months, use the code KIDS to save 15% off.
Raspberry Kids is an online lifestyle store that features fresh, healthy & fun products for the little ones in your life. We have a wide selection of Back to School brands and products including litterless lunch options from Goodbyn, Lunchbots, Lunchskins, backpacks and lunchboxes from Beatrix NY and Skip Hop and many more items to choose from. Save 15% by using the code: KAC15 until September 30, 2010. 
Thumbprint Adventures is an award winning learning through play and imagination program for children ages 18 months to 9 years. Each week our staff journey on a new themed adventure, embracing fine motor, gross motor and oral language skills into our playful program. Visit our Thornhill studio to register a class, book a Birthday Party, or shop our one-of-a-kind product. Click here for your $10 coupon.
Enjoy the great tastes of a wide array of delicious vegetarian dishes at Commensal Restaurant with your family, friends or colleagues. Fast, fresh and delicious buffet options feature natural foods, organic ingredients and gourmet cooking. 655 Bay Street, Toronto, entrance on Elm. Free parking after 6pm. Click here for your 30% off coupon.
Visit Canada’s largest Reptile Zoo and/or celebrate your next birthday party with Reptilia. Get up close and personal with our reptiles and pet some of them. Ask your teachers to have Reptilia visit your class with their animals to teach curriculum based science lessons.
Kids Cultural Travel! That’s what we’re all about. Broadening the horizons of our youth. We take kids to various cities and countries around the world to in efforts to strengthen the global community. Our packages are all-inclusive. Kids ages 8-18. Join the herd!
Get 10% Off… Right Now, for a limited time on fall 2010 bookings of our exciting musical plays on Bullying Awareness and Character Ed. Call/Email us now and mention ad to get discount. We have the BEST customers. We’d LOVE to count you among them!
Steeles West Gymnastics offers skill-based recreational gymnastics and trampoline classes for children 6 and up. We have been in business for over 23 years! Our facility is newly renovated and geared toward fitness and skill enhancement. We have highly experienced, certified and friendly coaches. Located in North York. Major intersection: Dufferin and Steeles.