The week of March 16-29 is March Break, Ontario’s spring break. Kids are out from school and eager for family friendly adventures. One of the most rewarding experiences for a parent or guardian is to witness the genuine enthusiasm, curiosity and delight of your little one fully engaged in an activity. Here are some last-minute ideas of fun things kids can do this March Break, and great opportunities for parents to capture that money shot.
Image credit: Ripley’s Aquarium
Animal Attractions
Learn all about the unsung animal rescue heros at the Wildlife Rescue exhibit running at the Royal Botanical Gardens. The inspiring and interactive program is filled with family activities and features live animal guests from local rescue and rehabilitation centres.
Experience North America’s longest underwater viewing tunnel with more than 5.7 million litres of water that showcase over 20,000 marine animals at Toronto’s Ripley’s Aquarium.
Be mesmerized by the vibrant colours of thousands of butterflies at Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory in Niagara Falls.
In Lanark Highlands, you can take a llama for a walk at Serendipity Farm Alpacas & Llamas.
Catch a glimpse of wolves and wolf pups in a 5,000 square foot facility that is a classroom, retail space, and indoor observatory rolled into one at the Haliburton Forest Wildlife Reserve’s Wolf Centre.
Indoor Fun
From Tot Loch water slides for the little ones to sliding the Master Blaster premier water roller coaster for the fearless, make waves in 35,000 square feet of exciting water adventure at Adventure Bay Family Water Park in Windsor. There’s even a FlowRider surf simulator to hang ten.
Photo credit: Joyride 150 Indoor Park
Master all the bike tricks that will take you from novice to pro at Joyride 150 Indoor Park in Markham.
Play a game of laser tag in Canada’s Cold War Museum, the Diefenbunker, just outside of Ottawa.
The Factory in London is Canada’s largest indoor adventure park and an all-in-one family entertainment centre.
Enter the Western Hemisphere’s only permafrost research tunnel and become a climate scientist at the new ‘Under the Arctic: Digging into Permafrost’ exhibit at Dynamic Earth in Sudbury. Immersive, hands-on experiences include a guided underground tour that descends seven storeys into a demonstration turn of the century mine.
Take advantage of the hands-on Art Cart at the Aga Khan Museum. Budding artists will enjoy the art classes offered at Art Gallery of Algoma.
Outdoor Excitement
Go snow tubing at THE ROC (Recreational Outdoor Campus) in Keswick, or brush up on your ski and snowboarding skills.
The hills and runs at Mount St. Louis Moonstone in Coldwater, just north of Barrie, are prefect for beginner skiers and snowboarders.
Catch (and release) the big one at the Algoma Fish & Game Club Children’s Perch Derby on Sunday, March 15.
History in Action
Leave electric gadgets at home and step back in time to experience the low-tech techniques that were used back in the day. Learn about pioneer heritage and enjoy various family activities at Fanshawe Pioneer Village’s March Break Family Drop-In Day in London.
Try to solve a Sherlock Holmes mystery at Black Creek Pioneer Village in Toronto; you’ll need to crack secret codes, hunt for clues and interview key people.
Dress up in old period costumes and reenact soldiers’ foot drill, officers’ sword drill and musical workshops during the March Break Family Drop-in Program at Fort York, next to the Exhibition Place in Toronto.
Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site offer loads of activities throughout the week, including paper-making, clay workshops and an Easter egg hunt.
Maple Madness
Visit Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area’s Maple Madness, just north of Kingston and experience how maple syrup was made long ago. Eating yummy pancakes dolloped with the perfect amount of maple syrup is a timeless tradition.
Maple syrup treats at a maple festival
Take a nature walk and feed the chickadees at Sugar Camp at Fulton’s Pancake House & Sugar Bush, 40 minutes southwest of Ottawa.
The fifth annual Sugar Shack TO presented by Redpath Sugar returns to Sugar Beach on March 14-15 with live entertainment, ice activities, food and luxurious, sweet maple syrup.
Ontario Parks Events
Check out Rondeau Provincial Provincial Park on Lake Erie for events during March Break, such as the migration of thousands of ducks, geese and swans or drop by between 10am to 4pm on March 21 to build your own birdhouse.
Presqu’ile Provincial Park in Brighton also offers birding weekends where families will learn how to identify different species.
Look for last minute family package getaways on ontariotravel.net or with Resorts of Ontario. Or sign up for kid-friendly March Break camp programs.