27 Things To Do With Kids In Ontario!

   

Having little ones, we love day trips, especially ones that are off the beaten track. Things that are unique and fun, but are also less busy than a lot of the more publicized venues. Instead of keeping this list of attractions across Ontario to myself, I'm sharing it so you can have a great time, too!

Remember to check online before you go for any promos, coupons or other discounts to maximize your savings. Attractions Ontario is a great site for discounts & coupons on various activities throughout Ontario! Off we go!

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO

Windsor Wood Carving Museum in Windsor – Check out this museum's Kids' Club for kids 4yrs – 12yrs of age! Kids can do all sorts of wood crafts, soap carving, and learn about working with wood. They also tailor a number of activities to reflect the current season. Visits are organized by appointment and admission is via donation.

Windsor Sculpture Park in Windsor – Touring this year round attraction will leave you in awe as you explore the sculptured animals, dinosaurs and contemporary works of art in this outdoor environment. And the best part? Admission is free to all!

Stones 'N Bones in Sarnia – You and the kids can explore this exhibition of everything from dinosaurs to gemstones to butterflies and mounted wildlife. You will find artifacts, RCMP memorabilia and a host of other things. Enjoy the museum scavenger hunt that can printed off ahead of time from home and then put into action upon arrival! 

SOUTHERN ONTARIO

Bingeman's Funworx Indoor Playground in Kitchener – This indoor playground is huge and has 3 levels! It's awesome not only for toddlers, but for school aged kids up to 12yrs of age.

Snyder's Farm in Kitchener – This family farm is sure to be a hit with anyone of any age! The best time to visit this venue is in the fall. They have a gigantic corn maze, pumpkin picking, a petting zoo, a train ride around the farm, haunted houses, a straw castle, bouncy castles, a barnyard theatre, mini golf and a whole heck of a lot more! 

Storybook Gardens in London – This attraction has been around since 1958 and has something for everyone. Its beautiful gardens are surrounded by a number of activities for kids 2yrs and up. Admission covers all the playground structures, trampoline, the mini village, Old McDonald's Farm, the splash pad and a myriad of other interactive play areas. There are carnival type rides there as well, which are not included in the entrance fee. During winter months, their little creek is used as a skating trail!

WEST GREATER TORONTO AREA

Wildhagen Greenhouses in Milton – This place is great for younger ones! It features a number of life sized mossed animals, a play area that includes a Mr. Potato Head section, a stuff animal dog grooming centre, a grocery store/market play area, a scavenger hunt, a miniature train and a whole lot more! 

Halton County Radial Railway in Milton – Admission to this seasonal historic railway includes unlimited rides on their streetcar trains that chug along 2kms of track. There is a huge trainyard with a variety of old train relics and subway cars. You will find barns which house old fashioned displays like train stations, and an ice cream shop. Kids who adore Thomas the Tank Engine will love this place! If you're lucky, the conductor will even let your child ding the train bell! 

Chinguacousy Park in Brampton – This free park has beautiful grounds, a large petting zoo, a number of picnic areas, playgrounds and a splash pad! You will also find a tropical greenhouse, paddleboat rentals, mini golf and a slew of other things to do. There are winter activities like tubing here too! (Some fees apply for things like tubing, paddleboat rentals, mini golf, etc)

TORONTO AREA

iFly Toronto in Oakville – This experience is not for the faint of heart, or for those who are afraid of heights. But if you want a skydiving experience without having to jump out of a plane, this is the place for you! This is not a cheap place to visit but it's definitely unique! 

Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto – This one is not exactly off the beaten path, but it is a very unique attraction that you won't find anywhere else in Ontario. Amaze yourself and your kids as you check out various aquatic wildlife from Canada and around the world. Large play and exploratory areas abound, along with numerous interactive activities designed to teach and educate everyone on aquatic life! 

Riverdale Farm in Toronto – In the heart of downtown Toronto, you will discover this 7 1/2 acre park. There are farm animals, walking trails, barns, historic buildings and even some ruins! They also have a number of seasonal events. And the best part? Admission is free!

CENTRAL ONTARIO 

Santa's Village in Bracebridge – This 60-acre Santa crazed place is an amazing place to take kids! It's like Christmas all year round! Walking through the forest, you hear Christmas music playing throughout! There are rides galore designed for the younger ones and many interactive areas, such as the train ride around the park, the boat ride on the Muskoka River, and actually meeting Santa and Mrs. Claus! Each child receives their own Santa's Village elf hat directly from Santa, and they can wear it while riding in a swan paddle boat. There is a host of things to do here and you should plan to spend the entire day! 

Elmvale Jungle Zoo in Elmvale (Near Barrie) – This zoo is a great one to take little ones to because it is just the right size to spend a few hours there. There are plenty of animals, reptiles, marsupials and birds to see, along with giraffes and camels. You don't have to deal with hundreds if not thousands of other tourists like you would at a large urban zoo and you don't have to walk what seems like 50kms in one day! Admission to this zoo is also a lot cheaper that big city zoos! 

Santa Train in Orangeville – This heated coach chugs along the rails for approximately 1 hour while serving gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate! It features a visit from the big man himself, and live music for carolling. Santa will also give each kid a little present and take his picture with you. One word of caution – tickets sell quickly, so be sure to book early! 

NORTHERN ONTARIO

Science North in Sudbury – This educational attraction isn't exactly off the beaten path either, but is a great place to visit if you are in the Sudbury area! It's great for both young and old. Here you will find all sorts of science themed activities and you can check out their flying squirrels. You can also let your toddler go wild in their Toddler Treehouse area, catch an IMAX movie, and watch the stars in their planetarium. You can check out the butterflies in their butterfly gallery, try out the flight simulator and observe the screech owls. And about what seems like a million other things! Dynamic earth is all about mining. After all, Sudbury is not called The Big Nickel by chance! You can get "Passports" which allow you combine both experiences for a cheaper rate.

The Heritage Railway and Carousel Company in North Bay - Nothing beats a day at the beach! This carousel and railway are conveniently located right across from North Bay's downtown scenic waterfront pathway, beach and pier. Take a ride on their heritage railway, or let the kids choose to ride the otter, the black bear or other popular Canadiana animals on this restored carousel.

Cedar Meadows Wildlife Tour in Timmins – This guided tour on a tractor driven large open wagon allows people an opportunity to experience and observe the daily feeding of northern Canadiana wildlife such as bison, deer, moose and elk. 

EASTERN GREATER TORONTO AREA

Linton Farm Market in Oshawa – This farm market not only sells home grown produce, but they have a Kid's Play Area featuring a number of activities such as corn bowling, a tunnel swing, rubber ducky races, a tricycle track, a sand pit and more! During the fall season they do a pumpkin cannon and offer wagon rides out to their pumpkin patch! 

Jungle Cat World in Orono (Near Bowmanville) – Jungle Cat World has been around since 1985. They have over 60 species of mammals, birds, reptiles and invertebrates. Their speciality is large cats and they have a number of them. From tigers to bobcats, lions to leopards and everything in between! They even have a bed and breakfast on site! 

York-Durham Heritage Railway in Uxbridge – Take the kids for a ride on a heritage coach train through the Oak Ridges Moraine. To keep kids entertained on the ride, they have a clown on board, live music and a toy train set to play with. They usually have face painting & they also have a Santa Train! 

EASTERN ONTARIO

Tyendinaga Cavern & Caves in Belleville – Explore these caverns and caves with older kids on a guided tour! Check out fossils and cool cave curtains! 

Canada's Penitentiary Museum in Kingston – Check out this museum based on the history of Canada's federal penitentiaries. Young kids would likely be bored but your older ones would surely find a lot of this stuff interesting. Plus you can threaten them with jail time next time they don't clean their room! (Just kidding! LOL)

Indian River Reptile Zoo in Indian River (Near Peterborough) – Search for dinosaur bones and check out their snakes, turtles, crocodiles and more at this non-profit reptile zoo. With over 200 species, including dinosaurs (Ok, they aren't real!), there is lots of to see and do! 

OTTAWA AREA

Saunders Farm in Munster (Near Ottawa) – Explore this 100-acre family run farm with your little ones! During the summer months, there is a splashpad, and in autumn they have their fall festival. All year round they have mazes, puppet shows, playhouses, hayrides, and a whole lot more!

Canadian Aviation & Space Museum in Ottawa – Take the Kids' Tour and learn about everything aircraft and space geared for them! The Hang Glider Studio is a kids' section that provides various forms of play. Veterans are free! So if you have a family member who is a veteran, bring them with you not only out of general interest, but so that they can take advantage of this interesting freebie. I'm sure they would love you expressing interest in this attraction!

Pirate Adventures in Ottawa – Take a ride on their 50′ pirate ship & help solve pirate mysteries while defending against enemies using water cannons! Kids can make a pirate walk the plank and use a treasure map, in addition to a number of other fun activities.

Happy Trails!

***** These views are mine, and mine alone. As with anything, you are responsible for assessing whether this item and/or activity is safe and suitable for your specific needs. InfoMommy does not make any warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, and assumes no responsibility and/or liability for any actions taken as a result of this blog post.*****