March break comes in from the cold
There’s no shortage of options for family fun, indoors and out
Let’s face it: Living in this part of the world, we are at the mercy of the elements. So when school break kicks in for the majority of Montreal students the first week of March, parents are looking for ideas for both indoor and outdoor activities. Indoor options
The Montreal Science Centre in the Quays of the Old Port hosts a new event this year called Spring Break Rocks, March 2 to 10. The 30 music-themed activities reference the centre’s exhibition Musik: From Sound to Emotion, which continues until March 10.
“I think people are aware of the power of music, but they don’t know how it works — the science of music,” said Michel Groulx, director of research at the centre. “Music triggers something in the brain. It is an interesting biological process.”
Visitors can watch a sci-fi film from the silent movie era, with live piano accompaniment. They can shout out thematic suggestions to musicians who specialize in improvisation and will compose on the spot. They can learn percussive basics from the tam-tam ensemble Baratanga and then perform live, or learn a rock song in 20 minutes and play it with a resident rock group. Or they can try out the latest music apps on tablets and smartphones.
Experts in music therapy will be on hand to discuss how music helps the physical and emotional recovery process, and researchers will talk about the powerful link between music and brain function.
“Montreal is home to some of the best music researchers in the world,” Groulx said. “They study the mechanics of music.”
Spring Break Rocks targets 8- to 14-year-olds. Visitors age 4 to 7 are encouraged to see Clic!, an interactive exhibit at the centre.
There are three movies to choose from at the IMAX theatre, housed in the same building: To the Arctic 3-D captures amazing footage of a mother polar bear and her two cubs; Rocky Mountain Express takes viewers on a breathtaking ride through the Canadian Rockies; and Flight of the Butterflies follows the amazing migration of the monarch butterfly.
The Montreal Science Centre is at the bottom of St. Laurent Blvd. in Old Mont- real. Call 514-496-4724 or visit montrealsciencecentre.com.
Circus theatre Tohu has booked a March-break show for the whole family, March 5 to 10. The company Doble Mandoble presents Mi Otro Yo, a mix of magic, clowning and object manipulation performed by award-winning twin brothers Luis Javier and Miguel Angel Cordoba Pelegrin from Belgium. Ticket prices range from $20 to $36, depending on age and seat location. To reserve, call 514-376-8648 or visit tohu.ca. Tohu is at 2345 Jarry St. E.
Check out the Mariners’ House, the newest exhibition hall at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, and try the Archaeo-Adventure Workshop, where children partici- pate in a simulated dig. The museum also has a workshop about the life lived by the St. Lawrence Iroquois.
Montreal-based Japanese composer Kota Nakamura is in charge of this year’s Pointe-à-Callière Port Symphonies, March 3 and March 10 at 1:30 p.m. Nakamura combines boat and train horns with voice and instruments, including Japanese drum, for his composition Cymbidium.
For information about these and other March break activities at the museum, call 514-872-9150 or visit pacmusee.qc.ca. The museum is at 350 Place Royale in Old Montreal.
The Biodôme, the Botanical Garden, the Insectarium and the new Planetarium (scheduled to open April 6) are now tucked under the umbrella title Espace pour la vie. March break is a busy place at the Espace. Watch the penguins at feeding time at the Biodôme every day at 2:45 p.m., or check out the leaf-eating Atta ants in action at the Busy Bodies exhibition at the Insectarium.
The Butterflies Are Free event is back at the main greenhouse of the Botanical Garden. Thousands of butterflies flit throughout the greenhouse. If you wear red, you might attract a visitor up close — but don’t touch: butterfly wings can be easily damaged.
For prices, addresses and operating hours, visit espacepourlavie.ca.
Leading up to March break, the PDA Junior program of family activities offers Bestiaire animé, a collection of short animated films made by Quebecers and suitable for children 5 and older, Sunday at 3 p.m. at Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts. For reservations and more information, call 514-842-2112 or visit pda.qc.ca. Outdoor options
The Ecomuseum in SteAnne-de-Bellevue has organized five workshops, with each day focusing on a different set of animals, March 4 to 8. Children age 7 to 12 can study the animals at close range, help prepare their food and feed them. Reservations are required. Call 514-457-9449 or visit ecomuseum.ca.
You can take the whole family snowshoeing on Mount Royal. Ninetyminute guided snowshoe tours of the mountain trails leave from Smith House every day at 1:30 p.m., March 2 to 9. Tickets cost $10 for children 8 and older, and $15 for adults.
And while you’re in the neighbourhood, visit Beaver Lake to skate or to go sliding or cross-country skiing. Bring your own equipment or rent on site.
Reservations are required for the guided snowshoe outings. Call 514-843-8240, Local 0, or visit lemontroyal.qc.ca.