Happy Birthday Canada

By Stephanie Phillips

Canada Day is a time of celebration for all Canadians. From barbecues and picnics to parades and festivals, there is no shortage of family-fun activities. To help you make Canada's 141st anniversary of Confederation fun for your whole family we have come up with some tasty kid friendly recipes that will fit into your day of celebrations.

Celebrate Canada

Start your day off by getting the family into the spirit by dressing in red and white. Head to the breakfast table in style for a tasty "Canadian" theme breakfast.

If you’ve ever skated on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa (our nation’s capital) in the winter months, you’ve probably stopped and had a beaver tail. Why not start the day with your own "Beaver Tails". Ths kid friendly recipe is easy to prepare and fun for the whole family. Click here for the recipe!

Bake a birthday cake or cupcakes

Bake your favorite vanilla cake (to be more festive add red sprinkles inside) in a rectangular pan. Ice with white frosting and decorate the top like a Canadian flag—a red band on each side and a maple leaf in the middle. It is a good idea to make a cardboard pattern of the leaf and trace it onto the icing with a toothpick. Use decorating tips to fill in the pattern or do it with a knife. You can make cupcakes. Another idea is to use Red fruit roll ups. They work well cut into the shape of mini maple leaves. We’ve attached a template for the maple leaf.

Host A Picnic

Attend Canada Day events in your community or create you own, by hosting a picnic for family and friends. A great picnic activity to keep the kids occupied is to have them make their own ice cream dessert. After combining all the ingredients, each child can simply shake up his or her own pouch of soft serve--and it's done in just 5 minutes. Click here for the recipe!

Decorate

If you host your own celebration picnic or BBQ be sure to decorate! Use red and white as your table colours, red gingham is always nice, red and white balloons and streamers, and little flags (all can be purchased inexpensively at your local dollar store). Have the children colour a paper tablecloth with images of Canada to cover the table and don’t forget sparklers for the cake.

Eat, Drink & Be Merry.... in Red & White

Combine red and white fruit for a fun kid friendly Canada Day Fruit Salad. Use apple, strawberries, watermelon, feta or white cheddar or anything else you can think of that is red or white. Mix them in a bowl or layer them on a skewer alternating red and white. You can place the skewers in a watermelon.

Mix up a batch of Kid friendly Strawberry Daiquiris. While you enjoy a real daiquiri, offer your kids this kid friendly version. Let the kids help by adding all the ingredients. Click here for the recipe.

Watch the Fireworks

Finish off the day by watching your local firework display with a cup of Canada Day hot chocolate. Fill a thermos with your favourite hot chocolate and take along some plastic mugs. Don't forget some whipped cream and some red and white sprinkles to top off each cup. Enjoy!