My love affair with Kitsilano began five years ago, when my husband and I were looking to move on from our grimy post-university apartment in Mount Pleasant (where we'd put in a good six years).
We didn't know exactly where we wanted to live, but we knew we wanted to eat, shop, drink, play and sleep in a dynamic and diverse neighbourhood — and it wasnt long before we found everything we were looking for in Kitsilano.
Two years passed. Enter our progeny: a big-eyed, wilful baby girl. For a brief moment, as I gazed down at my newborn daughter, I wondered if we'd have to pull up stakes.
Sure, Kits had been a great place to be a young professional — and with the Dairy Queen and abundance of bakeries, a great place to be pregnant — but was it any place to raise a child?
I needn't have worried. There are many layers to Kitsilan,o including an entire kid-centric layer I didnt even notice until I was pushing a stroller up and down the streets.
Here's a sampling of some of our favourite child-friendly businesses.
Even before I was a parent, I'd pause outside the store and admire their colourful window displays, often featuring characters I'd never heard of from cleverly titled books. But as pretty as the exterior is, it hardly compares to the magic contained within. There's a section for everyone: infants, preschoolers, newbie chapter readers — even adults. Bonus: they regularly host author signings (like the can't-miss November 18 event featuring Canada's space cowboy, Commander Chris Hadfield).
Kidsbooks.ca | 3083 West Broadway
I scoffed when I first heard about this place. Yoga for babies? Yoga for toddlers? As if any preschooler is going to sit still for more than four seconds, let alone meditate and find inner peace. But I've become a believer. The classes are engaging and age-appropriate (stories and songs are a big part of each class; face paint and stickers make occasional appearances), and lay the foundation for future good health, positive body image, and flexibility. If only adult yoga classes had songs, face paint and stickers, too!
YogaButtons.com | 2525 West Broadway
Even though Sunshine Diner celebrates the 1950s — an era whose icons are strangers to the under-10 set — the busy diner is a favourite with modern kids regardless. There's a lot to love: the menu is packed with affordable kid-friendly eats (pancakes, pie, and a dazzling array of milkshakes); the decor — bright red booths, a jukebox, and shots of Elvis, Marilyn, Buddy Holly, and the Fab Four — screams joy; and the television screens a steady stream of Bugs Bunny cartoons and I Love Lucy.
TheSunshineDiner.com | 2649 West Broadway
Introduce your child to one of the oldest forms of recorded storytelling (cave paintings, with their sequential narrative panels, were basically comic books) within the hallowed walls of The Comic Shop. You'll find all of your old Marvel and DC favourites (they don't discriminate), as well as graphic novels, indie comic books, Japanese manga, and pop culture collectibles.
TheComicShop.ca | 3518 West 4th
I've long been a fan of the Museum of Vancouver's temporary exhibitions, but I never explored their permanent History of Vancouver exhibition until my daughter and I were looking to kill a couple of hours — and now we're diehard fans. For a child, the visual stimulation (which includes neon lights, assorted ephemera, photographs, and videos) is engrossing. It's a good way to educate your child (and yourself) about Vancouver while instilling an appreciation for history. Pair it with a walk through the Space Centre's permanent display or a visit to the nearby Maritime Museum, where you can explore the St. Roch, and you'll cover past, present and future in a single trip.
MuseumofVancouver.ca| 1100 Chestnut
If there's one thing I've learned about hair since becoming a parent, it's that its the source of many tantrums — so kudos to the fine folks at Melonhead for figuring out how to transform something as agonizing as a haircut into a fun and festive experience. They do it with cool chairs (my daughter loves sitting in the plane and the car), cartoons, certificates for first haircuts, and expert staff who wield their scissors quickly and efficiently.
Melonhead.ca | 2962 West Broadway
There's a reason the old saying like 'a kid in a candy store' is so evocative: candy stores mean instant happiness (just like extracting a child from a candy store can mean instant despair). The Candy Aisle clearly takes its position as a premium sugar pusher very seriously: it's affordable, well-appointed, and hawks an impressive selection of candy (900 varieties!) from Canada, the United States, and United Kingdom.
CandyAisle.com | 2083 West 4th
