Family Place - What's New

New In The Playroom

Magnetic Sand Table, Eye Spy Bags and Connecting People. This fun equipment will help your children develop their physical, cognitive and social skills.

Many thanks to the City of New Westminster's Community Grant funding which allowed the purchase of these items.

Summer Time!

Join us for our Sun Fun Program. On Thursdays in July and August we venture out to various City parks for fresh air and hopefully sunshine. Join us for water-play, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and plenty of fresh air. The first Thursday is our annual Family Potluck Party at Queen's Park. Bring a favourite food to share.

The Main Site Drop-in continues in July and August but some other programs do not run in the summer. Please check our monthly calendar for changes to programming.

Another New Drop In Program!

Join us at our new 12th Street location at 1170 - 8th Avenue (at the corner of 12th Street and 8th Avenue)
On Friday mornings 9:30 - 11:30 we'll be there for playtime, art, songs and stories and snacks for the children.

New Family Drop-In Program

Join us at our new satellite drop-in location at Howay Elementary School, 91 Courtney Crescent (near 10th Avenue and Cumberland Street).

On Thursday mornings, 9:15 – 11:45 in the Kindercare room we will set up our family drop in with art, toys, play dough, songs and stories. There will also be some time in the gym for activities to burn off some energy.

Royal City Centre Mall

Royal City Centre Mall has recently been sold and we no longer have access to the Community Room.

Effective immediately, the Friday morning Family Drop In at the Mall has been cancelled and the Immigrant Grandparent Program on Friday afternoon has been temporarily moved to our main site at 101 - 93 Sixth Street. We are looking for a new location for these programs, hopefully in the Uptown area. If you know of any possible sites please contact us.

Blowing Bubbles

This is one of the favourite activities at our Sun Fun at the parks. You can enjoy some outdoor time with your children too.

Science World Bubble Recipe

10 parts water
1 part dish detergent (Dawn seems to work the best)
glycerine (Josie adds 3 teaspoons in a 4 litre batch of bubbles)

Glycerine gives strength to the bubbles and helps them last longer. It can be purchased at a drug store.

Mix all ingredients and take it outside with some bubble wands.

Sun Fun

Join us for outdoor fun in July and August! Every Thursday we will take our program to one of the wonderful parks in the City. Meet us there for bubble play, sidewalk chalk, water colour painting and more. See the monthly calendar for the location for the week.

If it is raining we will not be at the park but will have a morning drop-in session at Family Place.

FAMILY PICNIC

Kick off the summer with our Annual Family Picnic at Queen's Park. This is a potluck party with Family Place providing hotdogs and each family bringing a prepared food item to share.

This event will happen rain or shine!

New Tables

Red! Blue! Yellow! These are the colours of the bright and beautiful new tables in our playroom.
Playdough! Paint! Puzzles! These are the fun things on the tables.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! These are the words of appreciation we send to the New Westminster Firefighters' Charitable Society for the donation of funds to purchase the new tables. We know the children will enjoy playtime and snack time at these tables for many years.

Teddy Bear Pirate Party

Join in this free event for families with children 0 - 6 years old. Due to limited space pre-registration is required.
When: Saturday, March 20 from 1:00 - 3:00
Where: Fraser River Discovery Centre at New Westminster Quay
What: Fun activites, entertainment and snacks with a pirate theme

For more information and to register visit the Kids in New West website at www.kidsnewwest.ca

Helping Families for Two Decades New West Family Place marks 20 years of support in the city. Theresa McManus, The Record New Westminster Family Place has helped fill the needs of countless families during its 20 years. Marjorie Staal, the program's executive director, said the program was established after representatives of Family Services and the public health unit recognized the need for a program for parents and children. "Some of the people coming in the beginning were very isolated," said Staal, who served on Family Place's board for its first two years. "They didn't have anywhere to go. They were calling the health unit or Family Services. There was nobody else who was not threatening." Click here to read the full article in the Record, November 4. 2009

Celebrate: Marjorie Staal and Fay Duxbury, of New Westminster Family Place, with little 15-month-old Kale Arbo. Family Place is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Larry Wright/THE RECORD

Comments from a Mother

"There are always different crafts to do for my creative daughter. They are like my second family, very welcoming"
Terri M."