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Things to do with your aupair in Victoria, British Columbia

Your Victoria nanny won't need to recite nursery rhymes to spark your young children's imagination. They can step outdoors for their very own magical adventure. Best of all, the outings are free.

These simple activities are well-known to many Victoria parents for pleasing young children.

• Skippers aboard the Victoria Harbor Ferries stage their version of a water ballet, every Sunday morning starting Victoria Day weekend. The ferries flit and float in formation to the Blue Danube. Their water dance can be seen from most any location along the harbor. The event is weekly through Labor Day weekend.

• Bunny-spotting with the kids is another favorite repast. Head to some choice places around the city to watch the city's wild rabbits graze and scamper. The best sites are institutions with large, grassy campuses, including the University of Victoria and the Victoria General Hospital grounds.

• Bring some bread to feed the city's ducks at area ponds. There are duck ponds across from the Children’s Petting Zoo, and along Dallas Road, west of Douglas Street.

The Victoria Butterfly Gardens are a must-see attraction for visitors and residents alike. They also are the perfect spot for your Victoria nanny and children to spend the afternoon or day. Educational and awe-inspiring, the gardens are where hundreds of butterflies breed and fly in their own tropical rain forest.

Walking into the gardens is like walking into Eden, with flowering plants, waterfalls and the fluttering presence of 35 butterfly species.

Victoria residents take pride in the beauty of this nature center. Your British Columbia nanny will be sure to want to experience the gardens with your children.

Here are some highlights:

• Learn about the butterfly'€™s lifecycle from an on-site naturalist.
• View the new orchid exhibit and check out the carnivorous plant section, which is sure to wow the kids.
• See tropical birds that include leggy pink flamingos and South African turocos.
• Marvel at the 250 species of exotic and colorful plants.
• Discover the behind-the-scenes mechanics that create and control the light, precipitation and temperature in this computer-controlled environment.

Encourage your Victoria nanny to get out and enjoy the city in her free time. There is no better time than summer, when the city offers plenty of outdoor events and festivals.

As she makes friends and becomes familiar with Victoria, she is less likely to get homesick and will appreciate her new community.

• A popular summer festival for young adults is the Victoria Latin Caribbean Music Festival, which takes place every July. The festival offers Latin and Caribbean food, music, dancing, including salsa lessons, and street theater. While there are many activities to please adults, your nanny may also want to take the kids. They can listen to the sounds of such bands as Los Gringos Locos and the Flora Scott Quintet, which played at the 2006 festival.
• JazzFest International offers jazz, blues and world music in a 10-day event at the end of June, with more than 70 performances downtown.
• Vancouver Island Blues Bash is hot with R&B over the Labor Day weekend in Victoria's scenic Inner Harbor.

When your Victoria nanny arrives, treat her to a tour of the "City of Gardens." Victoria is a well-known tourist destination for good reason, and your nanny will delight in learning about its parks and recreational activities, such as sailing, boating and scuba diving.

Your British Columbia nanny may have been drawn to work in your coastal city because of its natural beauty and amenities. A family car ride that shows her the sights will introduce your nanny to Victoria and to your children.

Encourage the children to pick places they want to show their new care giver. Let them help "narrate" the ride. Your family tour will make her feel welcome and also give her a sense of her new community.

Here are some places to visit on your driving tour:

• Victoria Parliament buildings;
• Maritime Marine Museum;
• Victoria's downtown;
• Royal BC Museum;
• Hatley Park and Gardens;
• Witty's Lagoon;
• Fisgard Lighthouse.

Many busy families simply don't have the time to enjoy the features and attractions that make their communities special.

Now that you have a Victoria nanny, slip away with your spouse for a special date or night out. Rediscover favorite restaurants, take a walk along the waterfront, or spend a night at the symphony or opera.

Here’s an idea for a quick getaway that even your nanny and kids will want to try: Board the Victoria Harbor Ferry, which makes stops at waterfront hotels, the fishermen’s wharf and the West Bay Floating Village. See historic homes and shipyards of Victoria from the water. Take in the wild beauty around you. You may even catch a glimpse of a seal or otters. You’ll leave your hectic life behind, if only for a short time.