MAR Kids Global: Be A Kid - Outdoor Games!

Our Be A Kid event for August will be full of fun games and outdoor activity for the whole family! Come and experience the joy of playing! Joining us from Human Nature Counselling, we have Nate Demetrius and Kelly Nakatsuka facilitating a morning of games, fun and togetherness. We will play games like Octopus Tag, Camoflouge, Whale vs Squid, Bear, Salmon, Mosquito- and more. This is a great opportunity to meet new friends, engage with nature and learn some new outdoor games to see you through the Summer.

All of this will be taking place at the beautiful Power To Be facilities located right on Prospect Lake.

Event details:

• Saturday, August 17th at 9:30am
• 4633 Prospect Lake Rd.
• We will meet by the totem poles at 9:30. Group games start at 10am.
• Children must be supervised by their adults at all times.
• Caregiver participation welcomed and encouraged.
• Free parking available on-site.

Please inform us of any accessibility/mobility requirements upon registration, we will accomodate to the best of our ability.

NOTE: This is not a group therapy session. While the facilitators are trained counsellors, this session is focused on fun and community. The faciliators (Nate and Kelly- bios below) will be guiding us to explore the outdoors through games, mindfulness and connection to nature.

Pricing:

• Parents + 1 child - Free
• Extra child(ren) - Pay what you can

*If you can afford to, please consider contributing $5-$10 per child. This helps us host more events in a year. If you can't right now, that is okay! We got you. Please email us at [email protected] if you have questions or concerns.

You MUST register all participants. People who have not registered may be refused access to the event.

Indemnity Information:

Accidents arising from recreation activities occasionally happen. By attending the event, you agree to indemnify and save harmless Moms Against Racism, including their officials, officers, employees and agents from any claim, lawsuit, liability, debt, demand, loss or judgement (including costs, defence expense and interest) whatsoever and howsoever arising either directly or indirectly as a result of participating in this event. You also agree to waive all rights of subrogation or recourse against both Human Nature Counselling and Power To Be and their affiliates as a result of participating in this event.

Plain language: Participate at your own risk.

Every child deserves to play freely, to laugh loudly, and to explore the wonders of the world in a joyfully inquisitive way. Every child deserves the opportunity to try something new, to connect with nature, and to do so without the judgmental and scrutinizing gaze of the people around them.

Unfortunately, for Black, Indigenous and Children of Colour, they often don't get these opportunities.

These children often face barriers when it comes to… being a kid. Barriers to participating in activities like finances, travel, time, lack of knowledge, stigma, fear for safety, and even just feeling like they’re going to stick out or be the only racialized kid there.

Be a Kid events are

• Fun and welcoming
• Open to children who identity as BIPOC and their immediate families/caregivers (White presenting kids with racial hertitage, white family members/caregivers - warmly welcomed. )
• Intended to build community. Come ready to meet and talk with new people.

We are so grateful to be running another year of the Be a Kid program funded by the Government of Canada (Financé par le gouvernement du Canada). This program supports our members, the public, and their racialized kids in creating community. This program will help to create opportunities for Black, Indigenous and Children of Colour to connect with each other, in a psychologically and culturally safer environment, while participating in an activity they may otherwise not.

And a BIG thank you to Human Nature Counselling for partnering with us to bring such a fun opportunity to our Be A Kid families. They can be reached above via the link to their website.

Meet Nate:

Nate is a second generation Jamaican-Canadian who has lived on Esquimalt and Songhees territory for nearly 25 years. Because the Jamaican side of his family tree lives outside of Canada, he aims to build new relationships with his Jamaican identity in the coming years. Nate is excited to facilitate a group where visible minority and racialized children can share their similar (and different) experiences while connecting with nature and mental health.

Meet Kelly:

Kelly is a third generation Japanese-Canadian who grew up largely separated from a part of his cultural heritage. His family were among those interned by the Canadian Government during the second world war, despite being born as Canadians. That trauma has rippled through the generations in his family and it has only been in more recent years, Kelly has begun the healing process and reconnecting to the Japanese part of his heritage. His personal experience and gentle manner with clients help to provide a safe and compassionate space to explore our inner and outer worlds.

Host or Publisher Moms Against Racism (Canada)