Get back in the swing of things with the kids this summer

It's the height of summer and the kids arefeeling restless. As restrictions are further relaxed in Ottawa, here are a few ideas for keeping the little onesentertained.

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Outdoor adventures

As of Friday, playgrounds in City of Ottawa parks are no longer out of bounds.

The city has more information here, including a message about how to stay safe while using park equipment.

"Play structures are not cleaned frequently and care should be taken to practice good hygiene including washing or disinfecting your hands before and after coming into contact with high touch-point areas," the city reminds park users.

If you're looking forsomething a little more adventurous, how about paddlingthrough a water maze atco-Odysse near Wakefield. (By reservation only.)

Want a different kind of maze?The fun at Saunders Farm resumes Saturday.

Berry picking is alway popular with the weeones. It's blueberry season, so get out and pick some of those sweet, juicy gems at such local spots asProulx Farmand Vergers Villeneue & Blueberry Farm.

Museums

Many museums remain closed with no specific reopening dates, but a few arecoming back.

The Diefenbunker Museum and Ottawa Art Gallery are open, and on Saturday, the National Gallery of Canadawill once again welcomevisitors through its doors. Admission is freethisweekend, and the gallery will be open Thursdays to Sundays thereafter.

Be sure to stop by South African artist William Kentridge's piece More Sweetly Play the Dance. It's a cathartic, sound-rich, immersive exhibit reflecting on social inequities, saidSasha Suda, director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada.

Instead of the traditional hands-on drop-in Artissimo program for children, families can pick up a self-guided activity kit including sketch paper and pencils to explore the gallery.

"It's fun, it's low-contact, but it touches on all those important parts of Artissimo that's been popular over the years," Suda said.

Other museums openingover the next few weeks: The Canada Agriculture and Food Museumon Aug.1,the Canada Aviation and Space MuseumonAug. 8, andthe Canada Science and Technology Museum is backAug.14.

The big screen

Go catch a movie with up to 49othersas cinemas get back tobusiness, albeit with restrictions.

Cin Starz Cinemas in Orlans (250 Centrum Blvd.) and atthe St. Laurent Shopping Centre (1200 St Laurent Blvd.) reopenedFriday afternoon.

TheMayfair Theatrehas also raised the curtain, and theByTowne Cinema isplanning to welcome film buffs backJuly 24.

There are also pop-up drive-in theatres where you cantake in a movie fromthe comfort and safetyof your car.

The Drive-In Experience at Wesley Clover Parks screens older films and offers concessions delivered right to your vehicle.

Cin ParcUrbain atPlace des Festivals-Zibiis offering double-bill movie nights for three more weekends this summer. Movies atCin ParcUrbain are in English and French.

Cool off at the pool

City splash pads,swimming and wading pools have reopened.

• Public pools and wading pools open

The city is limiting the number of bathers at one time based on the size of the pool. All swimmers are expected to staytwo metresapart, both inand out of the water.

Visitors will have to book swim times in advance. At public pools, people can go online to schedule one-hour sessions for public and lane swimming. At wading pools, they'll have to secure a spot in person.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) said in a statement there's little scientific evidence that COVID-19can spread through properly treated water, but does caution users to be careful nonetheless.

"Individuals should consider that the areas around pools and lakes, such as change rooms, beaches and docks can be transmission points for the virus because of crowding and lack of use of masks," OPH advises.