While the mountain parks get crowded and busy through the summer, solitude is almost guaranteed if you head south of Calgary following Highway 22 (the Cowboy Trail) past the small towns and villages of Bragg Creek, Diamond Valley, and Longview.
Some of the best learning moments don’t look like learning at all. This easy DIY STEM activity turns everyday materials into a backyard bird feeder and your kids into curious observers. It’s part craft, part science, and all about slowing down to notice what’s happening just outside your window.
The kids are getting the wiggles, so you start preparing to head outside to burn off some of their energy. By the time all the little ones have their boots and coats on, you reach the doors and find rain pattering across the playground. Many people would be tempted to head back inside and shift to indoor activities.
School, activities, birthdays, playdates, housework, yardwork, work… If your family life is anything like ours, it can be challenging to find a moment to just enjoy being a family. Gretchen Rubin wrote: “The days are long, but the years are short.” In 2026, this single sentence is perhaps especially relevant to our go-go-go North American society. How do we combat this? By giving one another the gift of time.
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