Attractions & things to do for the kids in your life

"Wow! Hooking on to the web takes on a new meaning!" comments a guy in the group as he literally hooks himself to the lifeline some 20 metres above the ground. As I carefully walk on the 12-inch wide boardwalk suspended in the air by an elaborate series of ropes knotted into a handrail, I realize I would be very nervous doing the same with my son, had he met the required minimum age of 10 at the time of my visit. Our guide assured me that he never had to turn back because of a scared child, adding he remembered some kids who got bored by the experience! Bored? If a child got bored by such an experience, it would be time to lock up the cell phone and throw away the key! Haliburton Forest & Reserve was the first one to offer a canopy trail attraction in Ontario (they have rebuilt it in another section of the forest since my last visit due to storm damage). The four-hour round trip starts with a 15-minute van ride through the reserve, then a 10-minute walk along a scenic creek before canoeing for 15 more minutes to a large stand of old growth White Pine. It would not have surprised me to see a moose in such a landscape. Note that the place is also renowned for its mountain bike trails (they rent bikes).