New have a name! We’re now Little Local! It feels more in line with what we’re all about—helping families make the most out of Victoria. If you’ve been forwarded this email, sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

I’m working on a list of the best places to eat with kids in Victoria. What’s your favourite spot? Hit reply and tell me the name + why your family loves it—I’d love to include it!

And as always, thanks for spreading the word—sharing this newsletter with a couple of friends or family members really helps 🙏

An egg-citing weekend!

There are some great Easter events around town (listed at the bottom of this email), but if you’re looking for things to do at home, you can try some of these simple, festive activities:

🐰 Colouring and Games: Download and print these fun Easter-themed freebies from Earlybird, a child development company I co-founded with another local mom. You can find more Earlybird printables in the online shop or in the Earlybird app.

🎨 Coloured Egg Hunt: To keep it less stressful (and fair!), each kid gets assigned their own egg colour and can only collect eggs in that colour. Use colour-foiled chocolate eggs or fill plastic ones with age-appropriate treats and toys.

🥕 Picnic: The weather looks pretty good, so we might spread out a picnic blanket and enjoy snacks outside. I’m thinking hot cross buns (from Fol Epi, Dutch Bakery, or COBS), sandwiches, and carrot sticks.

🥞 Bunny Pancakes: Test your pancake artistry with bunny ears and maybe a whipped cream tail.

🎬 Movie Time: Peter Rabbit feels just right.

💛 Kindness Eggs: Fill plastic eggs with simple kind actions like “Give a hug,” “Draw a picture of a family member,” or “Give a chocolate egg to a grown-up.” ;)

Victoria in bloom

We took a stroll through Finnerty Gardens at UVic last weekend—it's full of blooming magnolias and camellias, and the first rhododendrons are starting to open. The easy winding paths, duck ponds, and grassy picnic spots make it a perfect spring outing.

But I get it—not all walks are easy with kids.

Spring is the perfect time to turn a walk into a mini adventure when you use flowers as your guide. Instead of just going for a walk, challenge them to spot as many different blooms as they can—by colour, shape, or size. You can turn it into a scavenger hunt (“Find something yellow!”), count how many bees you see on flowers, or even bring along a small nature journal to sketch what they find. It’s a simple way to make these flower adventures a little more fun.

Here are some local spots in bloom 🌷:

Downtown & Central Victoria

Butchart Gardens – A local garden paradise with blooms all year, but especially stunning in spring and summer.

Beacon Hill Park – A downtown gem full of well maintained flower beds, cherry blossoms, and peacocks. Check out the playground and the Children’s Farm after.

Government House Gardens – Free and peaceful gardens with roses, native plants, and lots of room to explore.

Finnerty Gardens (UVic) – A beautiful woodland garden featuring thousands of rhododendrons and shaded pathways.

Playfair Park – A quiet park with a hidden rhododendron grove and blooming Garry oak meadows in spring. There’s also a playground!

Westshore & Greater Victoria

Mill Hill Regional Park – A great hike with spring wildflowers and panoramic views from the summit.

HCP Gardens (Saanich/Elk Lake) – A peaceful, educational garden with themed plantings, including a fun children's garden.

Royal Roads University Gardens – Historic formal gardens around a castle, perfect for those who love fairy gardens and floral strolls.

Esquimalt Lagoon – A beachside spot with native wildflowers, driftwood forts, and incredible birdwatching.

Francis/King Regional Park – A forested park with accessible trails and native wildflowers like trilliums and fawn lilies.

It’s going to be a great day for a low-tide beach adventure! Pack your boots or water shoes and bring a bucket! Beaches like Willows, Cadboro Bay, and Cattle Point are especially great during low tide, offering plenty of space and tidal pools to explore.

Earth Day is next Tuesday, April 22nd. Remind your kids that it's a special day to celebrate our planet and learn how we can protect it. Here are a few easy Earth Day activities you can do with your kids:

• Trash Pickup: Head to a park or go for a walk. Give them gloves and a bag, and pick up any garbage you come across.

• Ride bikes or walk to school!

• Watch a documentary about our planet: Planet Earth, Growing Up Wild, or Octonauts: Above & Beyond.

• Create art using recycling.

• Plant something!

📅 Looking Ahead

🏒 Game 4: Spokane Chiefs vs. Victoria Royals: Friday, April 18 | 7:05 PM
Congrats, Royals, on winning last night’s game! There are only a few tickets left for tonight’s game! [Tickets]

🏒 Game 5: Spokane Chiefs vs. Victoria Royals: Saturday, April 19 | 6:05 PM
WHL Western Conference Semifinals at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Let’s Go Royals! [Tickets]

🌎 Saanich Earth Day Festival: Saturday, April 19 | 11-3pm Celebrate the planet at the Saanich Earth Day Festival with hands-on eco fun, live music, local eats, and family-friendly activities behind Municipal Hall! [Info]

📚 Times Colonist Book Drive: Sat April 19 & Sun April 20 9am - 3:30pm Drop off your books at the Victoria Curling Club for the Annual Book Sale happening the first weekend in May. Proceeds support literacy programs across Vancouver Island. [Info]

 📷 Wildlife Photographer of the Year at Royal BC Museum (now until April 27)
If you haven't checked out this exhibit, do so before it ends at the end of the month. Featuring stunning wildlife photography from around the world. [Info]

⚽ Saturday Street Soccer: Select Saturdays | April - June 2025 Bays United Football Club is offering a free, drop-in soccer program at Vic High Turf for U7-U13 players to enjoy supervised scrimmages—perfect for kids looking to play for fun or get introduced to the game! Registration required. [Info]

🏃🏽‍♀️ TC 10K: April 27 Grab your running shoes and join the 36th annual run through downtown Victoria. There's a 1.5km family run and is open to all ages and abilities. [Info]

🦁 Midway at Mayfair Mall: April 27th – April 30th Head down to Mayfair Mall for a family-friendly carnival with rides, games, and classic fair food. [Info]

🏰 FREE Family Sport and Recreation Festival at PISE: Saturday, May 3 | 11am–3pm Enjoy a free, family-friendly festival packed with exciting activities like sports, para-sports, obstacle courses, bouncy castles, and more for all ages to explore and enjoy together! [Info]

📚Times Colonist Book Sale: Sat, May 3 | 9am-7pm & Sun, May 4 | 9am-5pm Browse thousands of gently used books at great prices, stock up on reads for all ages, and support local literacy programs while you shop.  [Info]

❄️ Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL: May 8 to 18, 2025 A magical mix of stunning acrobatics and high-energy ice skating, bringing a dreamy, frozen world to life at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre—perfect for a fun family night out! [Tickets]