War Museum introduces games

By Rachel Dale

Standing in the shadows of war tanks may seem like a dark place to be, but for many families this March Break it was their favourite part of the day.

Interactive games at the Canadian War Museum served as a pleasant surprise for visiting families, which parents say was beneficial to the overall experience at the museum.

For Torontonian Bahram Zahir, the games were a chance to take a break in the middle of his museum tour.

“It was a very nice break — especially when you have small kids,” he said. After touring the first two galleries, Zahir said the games were appreciated. His son agreed.

“My favourite part is mostly playing Xs and Os,” said Zanyar Zahir, 5.

The LeBreton Gallery provided table games such as Battleship, Jenga, and Snakes and Ladders for kids to play. Life-sized versions of tic-tac-toe, Connect Four, and chess had pieces almost as tall as some of the kids moving them around the boards.

Jessica Shaw, a learning specialist at the museum said the museum received  positive feedback from families when the activities are available.

“I think it offers a good place for families to take a break when they’re visiting the museum,” Shaw said. “It gives them a chance to sit, re-energize and then they can take on a different space in the museum.”