Virtual fun for everyone!

Jan. 30, 2021 10:00 a.m.
​New programs and activities continue to be introduced and enhanced throughout the pandemic

While the provincial stay-at-home order remains in effect, the City of Vaughan is reminding citizens that everyone has a role to play in protecting the community from further transmission of COVID-19. Plus, staying at home can be fun! Vaughan’s Recreation Services department and Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) continue to introduce and enhance online resources, programs and activities for all ages and skill levels to participate in from the comfort of home.
 
P.A. DAY ON MONDAY, FEB. 1
Another P.A. Day is coming up and you may be wondering how your kids are going to spend their day off. Register them for the City of Vaughan’s Virtual P.A. Day Programs to enjoy a variety of online activities. Livestreamed via Zoom, City instructors will lead participants in making simple crafts, dancing like a ballerina, solving mysterious riddles and more.
 
Join in the fun with a lineup of online activities and adventures on Monday, Feb. 1. Programs include:
 
  • Brain Game Challenge, for ages seven to 12. Keep your kids’ minds sharp by solving riddles, brain teasers and quizzes in this brain game challenge.
  • Hunt the Hunt, for ages 10 and up. As Valentine's Day approaches, celebrate the day with someone special. Have fun with friends creating heart-to-heart crafts, singing telegrams, playing heart Bingo and more love-themed activities.
  • Karate for Beginners, for ages seven to 12. Get up and moving by learning traditional karate-do, kobudo and self-defence. Receive an overview of the Vaughan Sports Karate program and basic self-defence techniques.
  • LEGO Challenge, for ages six to eight. This is speed LEGO! Design and build LEGO models in timed challenges inspired by imagination and creativity. Your kids can share their LEGO models with the class and vote for their favourite creations. The winning LEGO model will be posted for all to admire on the @recvaughan Instagram.
  • Natural Wonders: Backyard Builders, for ages five to 10. Birdwatchers: build and decorate a birdhouse using “beautiful junk” (household items) and create an edible bird feeder that will have birds flocking to your backyard. Bird watching is a calming way to connect with nature and it can be done anywhere, including from the comfort of home.
  • Recreational Ballet, for ages four to seven. It’s the first step to becoming a ballerina. Learn basic ballet poses and steps supporting flexibility, strength and balance while developing an appreciation for music and dance.
  • Sports Conditioning, for ages eight to 12. Get ready to work up a sweat! Your kids will follow the fitness instructor in a combination of sport and body-weight exercises to increase speed, agility, power and strength. No sports equipment needed – everyday household items will be used. 
Virtual P.A. Day Programs are one hour in length and cost $15. Pre-registration is required at vaughan.ca/RecOnline. To obtain a registration barcode and PIN, contact Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or email accessvaughan@vaughan.ca.
 
RECREATION SERVICES
New virtual recreation resources are shared on the Recreation Services webpage on an ongoing basis, including arts and crafts, Vaughan Playschool educational worksheets, and Vaughan Playhouse Academy drama activities. To keep the community engaged and entertained, the department also runs fun, family-friendly social media contests. For regular updates on recreation programs, visit vaughan.ca/recreation.
 
Fitness classes are available via Zoom, free to Vaughan Fitness Members. Classes include yoga, total body conditioning, barre, HIIT circuit training and Zumba. Pre-registration is required at vaughan.ca/RecOnline. Free, full-length fitness classes (40- to 60-minutes long) are also streamed Monday through Saturday at 10 a.m. on the recvaughan YouTube channel. And the Vaughan Fitness team has filmed family-friendly, easy-to-follow five-minute exercises in a new Vaughan FITbreak series. Tune in to the sessions, streamed live weekdays at noon, on @recvaughan IGTV. For more information on virtual fitness offerings, visit vaughan.ca/fitness.
 
VAUGHAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES
While all branches remain closed, Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) is offering a fully digital public library service to engage and educate residents of all ages. The web hub – vaughanpl.info/vpl_at_home –  features a variety of free online resources, including: 
  • eBooks and audiobooks – such as novels, animated picture books, non-fiction and graphic novels – available through platforms like Hoopla, Overdrive and Tumblebooks.
  • films and television programs available for instant streaming or temporary download through Hoopla and Kanopy.
  • music-streaming services for more than 150,000 albums of classical, opera, jazz and world music with Naxos Music Library.
  • online learning courses like Lynda.com – teaching technology, software development, business skills, project management and video editing – and the Transparent Language app to learn a new language.
  • digital databases, such as Creativebug, to support business research, academic projects or independent learning.
These online services can be accessed with a VPL library card. Obtain a temporary digital card for free by visiting vaughanpl.info/online_registration and clicking on ‘Apply Now.’
 
For additional virtual fun at home, explore the online programming guide for daily activities and follow VPL’s  Instagram and Facebook pages for content such as:
  • a livestream of Storytime every day at 10:30 a.m.
  • STEAM activity videos on VPL’s Instagram TV every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
  • French-language programs on VPL’s Instagram TV every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
  • online book clubs.
  • other special content and videos, including DIY projects, scavenger hunts, colouring pages, science experiments, songwriting contests and coding classes.
In addition to virtual offerings, VPL has extended public Wi-Fi to reach the parking lot of Bathurst Clark Resource Library, Civic Centre Resource Library and Pierre Berton Resource Library. This allows those who need it to connect to Wi-Fi from the comfort of their car for free. To learn more, visit vaughanpl.info. 
 
The entire library collection is also still available through the Curbside Pickup Program, which has been extended to every library in Vaughan to provide customers with quick and convenient access. Reserve books and arrange a pickup date at vaughanpl.info/curbside.
 
OTHER PROGRAMS
Many services continue to be offered online or via telephone, including:
  • kid-friendly pollinator activities, such as butterfly origami, crossword puzzles and a Whose Home? interactive game available at vaughan.ca/environment.
  • the City’s digital art gallery – the Art Integration Collection – on Flickr, which features the 77 art acquisitions by local and GTA-based artists housed permanently in the collection.
  • the “explore online now, visit later” visitvaughan.ca website – developed in partnership with the Tourism Vaughan Corporation and Central Counties Tourism – which features museum tours, cooking lessons, educational webinars, roller-coaster rides and more about all there is to do and see in Vaughan.
LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION?
For more information, contact Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. Residents can also visit:
-30-
All News