Smart Cookies
Minds don’t switch off when school is out. These choice cultural activities allow kids to experience comedy, opera and, yes, deejaying By Chloe Ellingson
Spinning records is just one cultural lesson for children
this March break
Image credit: Masahiro Hayata
March Break DJ Camp
For the budding DJ, WestsideWax offers group instruction on how to master the turntables. Focusing on dance music, students aged 12 to 18 can mix house, techno and electro records provided by the school or bring their favourites from home.
• March 16 to 20, 10–3.
• $90 per day, $380 for the week (includes lunch).
• WestsideWax DJ School, 1564A Bloor St. W. (at Dundas St. W.), 416-516-1563.
The Academy of Artisans March Break Camp
This 12-day stint of hands-on creativity features a seemingly boundless array of workshops. Craft lovers create stained glass, book covers and kites; young foodies learn culinary tricks; and aspiring photographers are introduced to darkroom techniques.
• March 16 to 27, 9:15–3:45.
• Half day $45, full day $85.
• Academy of Artisans, 490 Eglinton Ave. W. (at Tarlton Rd.), 416-322-9997, www.academyofartisans.com.
Second City March Break Camp
Improvisation is the name of the game at this week-long acting extravaganza, suitable for beginners and seasoned young actors alike. Students aged 10 to 17 learn to think on their feet and act as an ensemble under the guidance of Second City alumni and other comedy experts.
• March 16 to 20, 9–3.
• $360.
• The Second City Training Centre, 70 Peter St. (at Adelaide St. W.), 416-340-7270, www.secondcity.com.
Canadian Opera Company March Break Workshop
Participants prepare a performance of Dvořák’s Rusalka and in the process learn about the wide range of jobs involved in producing an opera. Costume and set design are perfected, and character development and vocal technique are strengthened before a performance for family and friends at the end of the day.
• March 20, 9–3:30.
• $25.
• Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front St. E. (at Berkeley St.), 416-306-2392, www.coc.ca.
Pedals, Pipes and Pizza
The Glenview Church’s organ takes centre stage at this lunchtime workshop, where audience members learn about the king of all instruments, listen to its range of sounds, and walk among its 4,000 pipes before sitting down to a pizza lunch.
• March 18, 10–1.
• Free.
• Glenview Presbyterian Church, 1 Glenview Ave. (at Glengrove Ave. W.), 416-923-8714, ext. 208.
• Big Players: Winning March break programs at the ROM, Toronto Zoo, and other major learning centres
• Child's Play: Kid-friendly theatre options, including takes on Mother Goose, Peanuts and Robert Munsch
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