Join Hatch Canada this Sunday, March 5th at the Yonge Lawrence Village Camp Expo! This free family event showcases local community kids programs and camps (March Break and Summer) to help kids and parents explore what’s happening in the neighbourhood. It will be a fun day of discovery, and attendees will even get the chance to win some great prizes. The event will also feature free giveaways and grab bags so you won’t go home empty handed.

Who else is coming?
In part 1 of this blog series, we introduced Panda Mandarin and The Spanish Schoolhouse who will be exhibitors at the upcoming event. We will also be joined by Freehand Art, Tandem Studios Toronto, and Focus Learning to round out our list of local businesses. The Yonge and Lawrence neighbourhood has developed a sense of community shared by the many businesses in the area. Why does Freehand Art love being a part of the community?

We love being a part of the Uptown Yonge Community because of the supportive, caring and engaged families that surround us. We thrive on the great relationships that we've built with artistic community members both young and old. It is such a privilege to welcome each and every one of them into our space and to provide what we feel is a valuable and meaningful experience.

About Freehand Art

Freehand Art is committed to nurturing creativity in young children and re-igniting it in everyone else. Their mission is to engage their students with the world around them using eye, mind and hand, and to reconnect their students with the material world. For Freehand, the Uptown Yonge community has been nothing but welcoming & supportive. They offer full day art camps in March Break for kids in JK/SK to grade 8. This year’s theme is Technicolour. Kids will learn to draw, paint, print, sculpt and more with practicing artists. Freehand Art also offers summer camp programs. Classes include Clay and Sculpture, Comics and Cartoons, Famous Artists, Wild Kingdom, World of Fantasy and Canadian Wilderness. At Freehand Art, your budding artist is in good hands -- all instructors hold degrees in fine arts and/or education and are working artists.

About Tandem Studios Toronto

Tandem Studios is an all ages dance studio for everyone -- from tiny dancers to recreational dancers, to fitness enthusiasts, and competitive dancers, and everyone in between. Tandem offers both March Break and Summer Camp programs. Tandem’s Dance Camp is a great way to introduce children to a variety of styles of dance in a fun and stress-free environment. Participants will explore jazz, hip hop, musical theatre, ballet, contemporary, acro and more! Kids will also have the chance to express themselves artistically through arts and crafts and lots of dance games.

Having been part of the Uptown Yonge community since 2007, Tandem Studios wants continue that sense of community it was welcomed into when it first opened.

The Uptown Yonge Community is incredibly close knit and you really feel that you are part of a neighbourhood that cares. We love to bring more arts and a family friendly business to the area that helps support all the local children and gives them  place to be free and expressive.

About Focus Learning

Focus Learning offers kids camp programs in March Break and Summer including Creative Scholars, ESL, Technology Discovery (STEM), Chess Kids and Easy Learning Chinese. “Our Variety of camp programs meet every child's needs.” Focus Learning delivers amazing programming thanks to excellent and highly qualified instructors. “Our OCT certified teachers make our camps enjoyable and organized.” Focus Learning is also an enthusiastic member of the Uptown Yonge Community.

We enjoy the community especially its multicultural aspects. We also love being close to so many amazing businesses,  the surrounding schools and beautiful community centres. The accessibility in our community is also great!

If you plan to teach your child a new language like Chinese, you should start as soon as possible since it’s an incredibly difficult language to learn. Focus Learning offers a great introduction for your child.

We hope you’ll join Hatch Canada (and our fellow exhibitors) at the Yonge Lawrence Village Camp Expo on March 5th from 11am to 3pm at 3202 Yonge Street in Toronto. We can’t wait to celebrate this amazing neighbourhood and show you what we’re all about!

‍