Just for Fun!
Planning doesn’t have to be all work and no play!
There are tons of fun things to do that can help you learn about cities or get out and experience them! Some of these activities are from the city and our partners, while some are resources from other communities. They will let you start to make changes to your parts of the City and to learn about people’s experiences of Vancouver.
Do you have an activity to share? Email us at stina.hanson@vancouver.ca.
Now let the fun begin!
Neighbourhood Scavenger Hunt
How well do you know your neighbourhood? Make your next walk a bit more exciting by taking a closer look at the things in your neighbourhood. Use these or make your own!:
Vancouver Public Library
VPL launched a number of kid-friendly activities, like digital storytime (mark your calendars for Saturday morning livestreams) and digital reading lists. Young Planners, check out some of these city-themed stories:
- “Iggy Peck, Architect” by Andrea Beaty
- “Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighbourhood” by Isabel Campoy
- “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Pena
- “Islandborn” by Junot Diaz and Leo Espinosa
- “My Heart Fills with Happiness” by Monique Gray Smith
Draw with Adobe Create
Drawing is a key part of your personal toolbox as a Young Planner and Adobe Create has a ton of resources available to help you out:
Have a Watch Party
There are lots of city-themed movies out there, from blockbusters to independent short films; think about how these films present existing cities or even create new ones:
- National Film Board educational films on topics like diversity and inclusion, reconciliation and the environment
- Netflix favourites – Black Panther, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Urbanized, Wall-E
Sidewalk Takeover
Our public spaces (like streets and sidewalks) belong to everyone, especially our Young Planners!
Do you have a sidewalk near your home? Could you safely turn it into a game, like hop-scotch with chalk? Or a curvy path for people to follow? Or maybe you could proclaim your sidewalk as part of the Ministry of Silly Walks (Look it up if you don’t know that Ministry!).
Some Vancouver sidewalks are already Silly Walk Zones – see if you can find them! Or what about some Instagram prompts to make people strike a pose? See if you can make your sidewalk more fun for those walking by!
Build it!
Collaboration is also a key part of planning: for these activities, find a builder buddy to lend a hand. Want to build but need some help? Let us know! Email stina.hanson@vancouver.ca and we’ll help you find a buddy.
Check out these cool things you can build (and think about how these things could be added to Vancouver to make the city better):
- Projects from Tiny WPA:
- Projects from Girls Garage:
VanZines
Zines (short, hand drawn comics) can be made about anything. Your VanZine can be about anything: An illustrated history of Vancouver Mayors with Mustaches or a guide to Vancouver birds or even the city’s budget!
Zines can also be personal, like your favourite Vancouver burger (One Chuckwagon Burger from Wally’s please!), the trees on your street or the city’s best bubble tea!
There are a lot of resources that can help with your zine: Check out this guide from Outlet in Portland on how to make a one-page zine and let the drawing, writing and research begin!
StoryMaps with ARCGIS
Maps are just one of the things that Planners use to share information about cities. Maps can show where different things are in the City and you can also use them to tell stories about your neighbourhood.
ArcGIS has a free program for making story maps! Learn how to use their software and tell a story about where you live. Make a story map of your block, neighbourhood trees or your favourite parks. Sign up for a free account and start making!
If you want a break from the computer, draw your maps by hand! Check out the Hand Drawn Map Association for examples and even prompts to help you make your own! Send us your maps or share them at #YoungPlannersVancouver.
