Introducing Spirit Squad!
Each day, Parks Recreation & Heritage will be bringing you recreation that you can do at home with your family! Crafts, games, recipes and more! We’ve got something the whole family will enjoy.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to keep up with the fun!
Choose from the following categories.. or do them all!
Kids in the Kitchen
Safety First! |
Kids in the Kitchen #6 - Rice Krispie Squares! https://www.ricekrispies.ca/en_CA/yummy-recipes/tasty-treats.html |
Kids in the Kitchen #5 - Rainbow Mac & Cheese! https://www.brit.co/homemade-rainbow-mac-and-cheese-recipe/ |
Kids in the Kitchen #4 - Homemade Ice Cream! https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/homemade-ice-cream-recipe/ |
Kids in the Kitchen #3 - Cute, kid-friendly Easter dinner ideas and snacks! https://www.parenting.com/food-recipes/easy-easter-dinner-recipes/ |
Kids in the Kitchen #2 - Chocolate Chip Cookies! https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/10813/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/ |
Kids in the Kitchen #1 - Rainbow Grilled Cheese! Instructions |
Feeding the Family
Feeding the Family #7 - Easy Butter Chicken www.allrecipes.com/recipe/141169/easy-indian-butter-chicken/ |
Feeding the Family #6 - Hot Spinach Dip www.dinneratthezoo.com/spinach-dip/ |
Feeding the Family #5 - Baked Mac and Cheese www.momontimeout.com/best-homemade-baked-mac-and-cheese-recipe/ |
Feeding the Family #4 - Fried Chicken tasty.co/recipe/american-buttermilk-fried-chicken |
Feeding the Family #3 - Mini Pizzas www.thecomfortofcooking.com/2012/08/make-your-own-mini-pizzas.html |
Feeding the Family #2 - Green Bean Casserole www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/green-bean-casserole-recipe-1953741/ |
Feeding the Family #1 - One Pot Garlic Parmesan Pasta damndelicious.net/2014/10/11/one-pot-garlic-parmesan-pasta/ |
Family Fun
Family Fun #2 - Paper Airplanes! Paper Airplanes! |
Family Fun #1 - Awesomely Fun Sidewalk Chalk Activities! Awesomely Fun Sidewalk Chalk Activities! |
Backyard Games
Backyard Games #5 - DIY Backyard Games! https://www.prudentpennypincher.com/diy-backyard-games/ |
Backyard Games #4 - Get Ready to Zoom on your Bicycle Sunday May 24! All participants will be entered in a draw to win $50 gift certificate to the Jumping Slug Community Cyclery! |
Backyard Games #3 - Rock Painting! Click here! |
Backyard Games #2 - Make Your Own Bubble Wands! Click here! |
Backyard Games #1 - Binoculars and Scavenger Hunt! Instructions! |
Science Kids
Science Kids #4 - Super Easy Bottle Rocket! https://researchparent.com/super-easy-bottle-rocket/ |
Science Kids #3 - Super Cool Lava Lamp Experiment! https://funlearningforkids.com/super-cool-lava-lamp-experiment/ |
Science Kids #2 - Make Your Own Slime! Recipes & Instructions! |
Science Kids #1 - Playdough Recipe Recipe and Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Crafts
Cabin Fever Craft #31 - Rainbow Fish! Instructions! Click here to view a yogi story time video presented by Livi De Rooy at Twisted Willow Studio! |
Cabin Fever Craft #30 - Butterfly Headbands! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #29 - Whale Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #28 - Frog Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #27 - Bunny Ears Headbands! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #26 - Moose Antler Headbands! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #26 - Peacock Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #25 - Snake Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #23 - Magic Wands! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #22 - Chicken Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #21 - Crab Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #20 - Sheep Puppet! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #19 - Cactus Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #18 - Horse Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #17 - Triceratops Mask Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #16 - Jellyfish Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #15 - Paper Bag Crafts! https://buggyandbuddy.com/paper-bag-crafts/ |
Cabin Fever Craft #14 - Pig Mask Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #13 - Turtle Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #12 - Masquerade Mask Craft! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #11 - Firefighter Helmets! Instructions! Template! |
Cabin Fever Craft #9 & 10 - Stethoscope Craft and Police Badge Craft!  Stethoscope Instructions! Police Badge Instructions! Police Badge Template! |
Cabin Fever Craft #8 - Love Bug Headbands! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #7 - Butterfly Craft! Instructions! Butterfly Template! |
Cabin Fever Craft #6 - Sunny Sunflower Craft! Instructions! Sunny Sunflower Template! |
Cabin Fever Craft #5 - Hungry Caterpillars! Instructions! |
Cabin Fever Craft #4 - Cowboy Hat Craft! Instructions Cowboy Hat Template |
Cabin Fever Craft #3 - Super Hero Capes & Cuffs! Instructions |
Cabin Fever Craft #2 - Roaring Rockets! Instructions Rocket Ship Template |
Cabin Fever Craft #1 - Cow on a Stick! Instructions Cow template Finished project |
Holistic Health
Holistic Health #16 - Cardio Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #15 - Single Minute Core Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #14 - Balance & Coordination Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #13 - Upper Body Workout with Nomi! https://youtu.be/LC-P325VzJY |
Holistic Health #12 - 3-Set Full Bodyweight Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #11 - Tabata 20 Minute Full Body Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #10 - Move for Health Day Photo Contest! Click here to learn how you can be automatically be entered to win a set of FREE Parks and Recreation passes for each member in your photo! |
Holistic Health #9 - Lunges! Click here! |
Holistic Health #8 - Full Body Weight Workout by Myles! Instructions! |
Holistic Health #7 - Jumping Jacks! Click here! |
Holistic Health #6 - Full Body Workout with Nomi! https://youtu.be/811shHKnEnI |
Holistic Health #5 - Chair Fit with Nomi - part 2! https://youtu.be/P8vghkBKiCg |
Holistic Health #4 - Chair Fit with Nomi! https://youtu.be/YvXxyRlHqZQ |
Holistic Health #3 - Plank Challenge! Click here! |
Holistic Health #2 - Squat Challenge! Click here! |
Holistic Health #1 - Stretch with Nomi! https://youtu.be/ZB9kSaNmvuE |
Museum at Home!
| Museum at Home #25 - Port Alberni's Historic Train Station and Train Craft! Historic photos show the history of the train station - from the first train through reconstruction and additions, to the restored building we know today. Click the photo or link below to view the video.  https://youtu.be/G7Qxg6zIpYA Make your own train! This is beautiful all done up. Younger ones may need help.  Train template |
Museum at Home #24 - Watercolours! Watercolor painting is extremely old, dating perhaps to the cave paintings of paleolithic Europe, and has been used for manuscript illustration since at least Egyptian times but especially in the European Middle Ages. Click here to read more about the history of watercolours! Here are templates to create your own beautiful watercolour paintings! watercolour bee watercolour cardinal watercolour dinosaur watercolour scenic watercolour waterlily |
Museum at Home #23 - Father's Day Card and Gift! Instructions for the Card!  Instructions for the Gift! |
| Museum at Home #22 - Paper Dolls and Wedding Dresses! The first manufactured paper doll was “Little Fanny”, produced by S&J Fuller in London in 1810.  Early paper dolls, published in magazines or newspapers, had to be glued onto card, (like a cereal box). This allowed the doll to be played with and last longer. The clothes were cut out from the original paper and used on the doll. Below is the history of paper dolls and some templates you can print at home! History Paper Dolls - Wedding Dresses 1910 Paper Dolls - Wedding Dresses 1924 Paper Dolls 1960s (glue to cereal box!) and the Wedding Dresses 1960s June is a traditionally associated with weddings, though the pandemic has made it a little different this year. This week, #MuseumAtHome looks at the wedding dresses in the Museum’s collection, along with some historic wedding photos. Please click the photo below to view the video.  |
Museum at Home #21 - All About Pasta! It was in 1875 when Francesco Bottene applied for a royal patent for what he called a “new machine for making pasta at home”. This machine, called a Bigolaro, has the dies for making spaghetti and one other die. Pasta dough was put into the cylinder and the handle turned to extrude the dough through the die forming the shaped pasta. Easy Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe!  Instructions! |
| Museum at Home #20 - Klitsa Lodge and Flower Craft! Klitsa Lodge was a rustic vacation spot on the shores of Sproat Lake. In its heyday it attracted an elite American clientele including business magnates and Hollywood stars. Click the photo below to view a video on the history of the lodge.  Make a Flower!  Instructions! Template! Coloring Page! |
Museum at Home #19 - Nature in Art and Paper Mache Bowls! Nature is a beautiful thing. It has inspired artists through all the ages. In this painting bright yellow chrysanthemums caught the artist’s eye. The bird in the painting is also drawn to these cheerful flowers. This piece was painted sometime before 1971 and is not signed and the artist is unknown. You can find this photograph and more at portalberni.pastperfectonline.com Click here to learn more! Make a Paper Mache Bowl!  Instructions! |
Museum at Home #18 - Bells and Apple Pencil Topper Craft! The first bells are believed to be from 3rd century BC and were made of pottery. Around the 2nd century, metal bells were invented using the same process invented for use as finger cymbals. The process of making a metal bell is called founding. Schools started using the bell to alert students to the start and end of the school day because many churches shared the same space as the school. Therefore, the bell was an easy way of getting the students attention. Around 1700, William and Robert Cor in England invented the handheld bell. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates. Bells are usually cast from bell metal (a type of bronze) for its resonant properties, but can also be made of other metals depending on its use. The study of bells is called campanology. You can see this bell in the community case in the Alberni Valley Museum. Click here to learn more! Make an Apple Pencil Topper!  Instructions! |
Museum at Home #17 - Frogs! Frogs have long been a source of enjoyment and inspiration for many. This image, drawn by Ron Hamilton, noted Hupacasath Elder and Artist, is featured on a greeting card and is preserved in the Alberni Valley Museum Art Collection. Create your own frog on a lily pad!  Instructions! Template! |
| Museum at Home #16 - Butter and Bannock! Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein of milk or cream. The earliest butter would have been made from sheep or goat milk. Today most frequently made from cow’s milk, butter can also be made from other mammals including buffalo and yaks. It is made by churning the cream to separate the fat globules from the buttermilk.  Click here to learn more about the history of butter. Make Homemade Butter and Bannock!  Recipes! |
| Museum at Home #15 - Cameron Lake Chalet and Cammy the Sea Monster Craft! Opened in 1912 with the coming of the E&N railway, the Cameron Lake Chalet was both a station and a resort, following in the tradition of Canada’s railway hotels. Click the click the photo below to view a video on the history of the Chalet.  https://youtu.be/DvPp3ebeqhg For many years people have talked about the Loch Ness Monster and Ogopogo in Lake Okanagan. Did you know that Cameron Lake also has a monster. Several people have said they have seen something very large swimming in the lake. It has been named Cammy. A cryptozoology club has scanned the lake and noticed a large object in the middle of a group of fish. The team made several more passes and the object hadn’t moved. Sadly, they were unable to get any more detailed information because they had lost their underwater camera. Is there a monster living in the lake? That’s up to you to decide. Make your own Cammy the Cameron Lake Monster!  Instructions! |
Museum at Home #14 - Pelton Wheel and Paper Lantern Craft! The Pelton wheel was invented in the 1870’s by Lester Alan Pelton to extract energy from moving water. The first Pelton wheel was installed at the Mayflower Mine in Nevada City. It was very effective in smaller streams where large waterwheels didn’t work and the Pelton wheel’s proven efficiency put it in high demand. In 1888, Pelton sold the rights to his name and patents to his invention to the Pelton Water Wheel Company in San Francisco. This company shipped Pelton wheels around the world. In 1956, the company was acquired by the Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Company, which ended the production of the Pelton wheel.  The Port Alberni Power House was built on 4th Avenue prior to 1913. It originally housed a diesel-powered generator which supplied the first electric power to Port Alberni and Alberni. In 1921 the Pelton Wheel was added to supplement that diesel generator. Over time with increased population and industry in both communities, they out grew the Pelton wheel and a larger power source was installed. The power house building was eventually dismantled. The Pelton wheel sat unused for many years and was eventually restored to running order and is now preserved and on display in the main gallery in the Alberni Valley Museum.  The Power House got a new life too! The building pictured above has been built using materials salvaged from the Port Alberni Power House. This building now houses the Qualicum Beach Museum. The entire project was done by volunteers.  Click here for instructions on how to make your own paper lantern! (CAUTION: Do not use real tea lights. Battery operated tea lights are available at most dollar stores.) |
Museum at Home #13 - Origami Fish! Click here for instructions on how to make your own super simple origami fish. Create a mobile with all your fish or use them to decorate an under-the-sea picture! |
Museum at Home #12 - Transportation in the Alberni Valley! Click here to learn more about the history of transportation in the Alberni Valley. |
| Museum at Home #11 - Light From the Museum! Candles were made mainly from tallow or bees wax in the early days. Recently they are made from spermaceti (from an organ in a sperm whale’s head), stearin (purified animal fat) and paraffin wax (from petroleum, coal or shale oil). When oil lamps became available candles were not used as much. Oil lamps provided a better light and lasted longer than candles. You could also control the amount of light you wanted by increasing or decreasing the wick length. People have used electric lights since the early days of electricity. They provide a continuous and steady light source. Lights were turned on for the first time in Port Alberni on July 22, 1913. In August 1913 Alberni also had lights. The artefacts below are only a few of the ones on display in the Power and Light case in the Alberni Valley Museum.  Click here to learn more about these artefacts.  Click here for instructions on how to make your own beeswax candles! |
| Museum at Home #10 - Photo Tinting Craft and Art of Still Video! Hand-colouring refers to any method of adding colour to black and white photographs. Typically ink or watercolours were used. Hand-coloured photos were popular before the invention of colour photography. Colour was used to make the image more realistic looking. Black and white photographs remained the main type of photographs until the mid-20th century when Kodak introduced Kodachrome colour film. By the 1950’s, the use of colour film all but stopped hand-colouring. There are nearly 24,000 photographs in the Alberni Valley Museum’s collection. You can access this collection from home by visiting https://portalberni.pastperfectonline.com/  Click here to learn more about photo tinting and get instructions on how to create a beautiful Mother's Day card! Click the photo below to check out this video where we look at beautiful landscapes and still lifes from 1917-1929, by a mystery photographer, which were previously exhibited at the Museum in our temporary exhibit: "Art of Still: the beauty & technology of glass plate photography."  |
Museum at Home #9 - Make Your Own Paper! Instructions! Click the photo below to check out this video where we learn how Paper Mill Dam got its name.  |
Museum at Home #8 - Clothes Peg Dolls! Instructions! Click the photo below to check out this video where we look at the quirky folk art creations of local artisan John Halfyard.  |
| Museum at Home #7 - Clocks! Enjoy making a clock of your own!  Instructions! Click here to learn about the history of clocks in Port Alberni and to view photos from the Alberni Valley Museum photograph collection |
| Museum at Home #6 - Pinwheels! Make a pretty spinning flower pinwheel in a few easy steps!  Flower Pinwheel Instructions! Template! Click here to learn about the history of the pinwheel and to view one of the photos from the Alberni Valley Museum photograph collection |
| Museum at Home #5 - The Canoes and a Dug-out Canoe Craft! This week on #MuseumAtHome, we look at the stories behind 3 canoes in the Alberni Valley Museum collection. Click the photo below to view the video!  Make your own dug-out canoe! Click here for instructions and template! |
| Museum at Home #4 - The Communication Exhibit and Morse Code Scavenger Hunt! This video looks at the Museum’s Communication exhibit which includes the re-creation of a linesman’s cabin, the 1906 wreck of the steamship Valencia, and the 1902 completion of the All Red Route – a telegraph cable that went around the world landing only on British territories. Click the photo below to view the video!  Challenge yourself with a fun Morse Code scavenger hunt! Click here for instructions! |
| Museum at Home #3 - Alberni Valley Museum Virtual Tour! We’re closed to the public at this time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit with us from home! Take a virtual tour of our Museum and check out all the artefacts!  Click here! |
| Museum at Home #2 - Easter Eggs! The art of decorating egg shells is quite old, with decorated or engraved ostrich eggs found in Africa which are 60,000 years old. Representations of ostrich egg in gold or silver were found in graves of the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians as early as 5,000 years ago.  The custom of the Easter egg, according to many sources, can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and from there it spread into Eastern Europe and Siberia through the Orthodox Churches, and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches. Still others believe the custom arose in western Europe during the Middle Ages as a result of the fact that Western Christians weren’t allowed to eat eggs during Lent, but could eat when Easter came. Although older Christian traditions is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, a modern custom is to use chocolate eggs or plastic eggs filled with candy.  These Pysanky eggs, Ukranian decorated eggs, were donated to the Alberni Valley Museum in 2008. They were made by Hanna Theus and are on display in the museum. Make your own Easter Eggs including recipes using all natural egg dyes!  Instructions! |
| Museum at Home #1 - I Spy! Have some fun spying museum artefacts!  For a bigger picture, please click here. |
| Virtual Museum of Canada The largest digital source of stories and experiences shared by Canada’s museums and heritage organizations. Note: "Great Tsunami of 64" produced by the Alberni Valley Museum can be found under Community Stories section. http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/home/  |