Looking for things to do with kids in Toronto? We’ve got you covered

Whether you want to plan a family outing for the day, or just have a couple hours to spare one afternoon, there are so many fun things to do with kids in Toronto. They’ll will run, climb, learn and play while exploring these exciting activities and adventures, and you can join in on the fun too! One thing’s for sure, they’re gonna sleep real well afterwards.

For more adventures in the city check out these fun Toronto Attractions and other Things to Do, where you’ll find kid-friendly fun mixed in with more adult entertainment. Learn more about taking the perfect day trip to the gorgeous Scarborough Bluffs, and more!

1. Get hands-on at the Ontario Science Centre

Bringing space to earth, the forest to the city, history to the present and your insides to the outside, the Ontario Science Centre lets your kids participate in the wonder of discovery. With experiential learning at the forefront, they’ll see the world from a whole new perspective, whether that’s from a inside a spaceship, a cave, the mind of a free diver, or from a critical point of view. At the Innovation Centre, your kids’ creativity will be put to the test as they solve problems, strategize and are asked to think outside of the box. Learning looks a lot like play in a museum designed to engage kids from tot to teen. Your mind not blown yet? Maybe seeing a wrap around movie in the OMNIMAX Theatre will do the trick. Kids might love looking at iPads, but they’ve never seen a screen like this! website

2. Take the Beyond Kensington Market Toronto Food Tour

The Beyond Kensington Market Toronto Food Tour is the perfect opportunity to explore as a family. You’ll have the chance to see the area’s hidden corners and unique architecture, which has been painted, sculpted and otherwise decorated by the area’s creative minds, ready to inspire your little ones. They’ll also have so much fun trying foods from 7+ different food spots that they’ll hardly notice that the experience is an educational one, too. The passionate local guide will discuss the waves of immigration to the area through food, weaving a narrative of cultural diversity you can taste. They also have cheaper tickets at 35$ for under 12 years old. There’s no better way to connect with the city’s multicultural roots than through this journey of discovery that lets your kids get hands on with the real world. learn more about this Toronto food tour 

3. Have dinner (and some fun) at Piccolo Piano

In a restaurant specifically designed for the whole family, kids can feel like adults, and adults like kids. Instead of trying to quiet the little ones down when you’re out for dinner, you can Eat & Play all at once at Piccolo Piano. The room is furnished with a couch, books and large chalkboards, so you’ll feel right at home. But here, someone else will do the cooking. The kids menu is versatile and flexible, pleasing picky eaters while making sure they get their nutrients. They also have an old school Pac Man machine, which is a real hit. Make sure your kids get a turn too! website

4. Discover the great outdoors at High Park

High Park is a beloved destination for many families looking for things to do with kids in Toronto. Fairies hide in the park’s tall grass and wooded areas while sea monsters lurk in the waters of Grenadier Pond. With lots of picnic areas, a huge off-leash area for dogs, a labyrinth laid into the ground, a Children’s Garden, woodland trails (perfect for discovering hidden lands), and a small zoo (at no cost!) – there are hours of fun waiting for your kids in High Park. Chances are, though, they’ll want to go straight to the Jamie Bell Adventure Playground, a wooden fortress tucked into the forest. Your kids know: they’re Kings and Queens of the castle. They must protect their kingdom at all costs from invaders climbing up the bouldering wall, or else head into battle down the twisty slide. website

5. Go back in time at Black Creek Pioneer Village

Experience life the way it was back in the mid 1800s. As you stroll around the village, each of the restored buildings offers a different slice of life. Follow in the footsteps of the Stong family as they build their modest first home, set up a piggery, smokehouse and butchery, build a grain barn, and eventually move into a bigger second home, showing signs of prosperity after years of homesteading. Actors bring these characters of the past back to life through reenactments and discovery stations where your kids can get some hands-on experiences. Learn about the trades, craftsmanship and home life back in the day as you talk to the many ‘villagers,’ who still live and dress like its 1860. Parents can also visit the historic brewery at the Half Way House Hotel and try some pioneer-style beer tastings! website

6. Get your thrills at Canada’s Wonderland

On the flip side, this is some modern day entertainment. Twist, drop, loop, spin and zoom through all the rides at this amusement park, perhaps the most exhilarating adventure in the city. With KidZville and Planet Snoopy delivering fun for the younger ones, older kids will love testing their fear factor on all the biggest coasters, while Splash Works is the ultimate way to cool down during the summer. Lines can get long so come early, wear sunscreen and stay late – your kids won’t want to leave anyway! website

7. Indulge curiosity at the Royal Ontario Museum

The building looks like a ship from the future crash landed in the middle of downtown Toronto, but instead, here, dinosaurs come to life. Using new technologies you can take photos with a T-Rex and walk among the prehistoric beasts in the flesh. With lots to discover, designed just for kids, they can travel deep into a spooky bat cave or climb inside a fox’s den. The hands-on exhibits let them get face-to-face with today’s curious creatures. They’ll become a knight in their shining armour or an archeologist digging for bones in the Discovery Centre, or venture to the Egypt exhibit to discover a real life mummy. At the ROM, curiosity is the stuff of adventure, and if you let you kids follow theirs, you never know what distant lands it’ll take you to. website

8. Take a trip to the Toronto Islands

The adventure begins when you and your little sailors board the ferry, gliding across the harbour to distant lands. Once there, Centreville Amusement Park promises to be a tempting attraction for younger kids. It’s how a town should be: giant bumble bees, spinning teacups, and dragons are always around the corner, cars are made for bumping into each other while swans are the ideal mode of transportation. Meanwhile, Far Enough Farm delivers cuteness to any animal lover… and the fun is just beginning. Further on you’ll find the Franklin Children’s Gardens, with storybook characters animated in bronze. Kids can share a picnic with their favourite turtle, have a space to call their own in the playhouse, and climb a spiralling path to the top of the world! Then, maybe, they’ll be brave enough to try and break out of the island’s hedge maze… quickly before the vines take hold! website

9. Meet the animals at Riverdale Farm

Riverdale Farm is another urban animal adventure, but here’s something for you, caregivers: visiting the farm is totally free, 365 days a year! Tucked in behind Cabbagetown, it’s the perfect place to get a glimpse of life outside the city without venturing far. Watch cows swat flies with their tails, little pigs happily munch away, spot the tiniest baby goats and sheep in the spring, and learn about the animals, too! The farm isn’t too big, and could be visited within an hour, depending on how long your your kids spend looking at all the cute animals. There are trails and ponds around too, perfect for a walk and a breath of fresh air in the city, and plenty of space for them to run around. website

10. Jump high at Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Get your kids’ energy out at Sky Zone as they soar and fly from trampoline to trampoline. The Freestyle Jump area is covered wall-to-wall, so they can jump left and right and back and forth, upside down and all around. For those trying to learn new skills or get some real air, the Foam Zone provides a soft cushion for the most ambitious bounces. Or, test their aim with SkySlam, where basketball nets of various sizes will unleash their inner athlete. Toddler Time makes space for your littler ones to jump, letting them work on their balance without the big kids getting in the way. Getting them active in a way that is purely fun makes this one of the coolest things to do with kids in Toronto. website

11. Get creative at the Art Gallery of Ontario

The Art Gallery of Ontario is the perfect place for your kids to unleash their creative spirits. Art, for many, is an adult version of play, so it makes perfect sense to get children in on the action! The Hands-On Centre leads activities based on the Gallery’s current featured exhibitions, allowing kids to engage with the subject matter from their own approach. Storytelling, crafting, and dress up come together, so they are free to build worlds of their own. The Art Cart, meanwhile, roams around the exhibitions and is full of markers, puzzles and games for some on-the-fly inspiration. Experimenting, exploring, building, and creating what a beautiful way to spend an afternoon! website

12. Dive into Ripley’s Aquarium

There’s nothing cooler than diving into the deep with some of the most fantastic creatures alive on this planet. That’s what makes this one of the most iconic things to do with kids in Toronto. They’re sure to be amazed by shimmering schools of silvery fish, stare in awe at strange creatures that lurk in the ocean’s depths, and indulge their curiosity as they’re welcomed to touch the slick backs of rays and small sharks. You’ll see, they’re pretty friendly. But for fun’s sake… in the Dangerous Lagoon, it’s the most fearsome beasts of the deep lurk overhead the pedestrian tunnel. Get a look at those teeth! Then, in the Discovery Centre, your kids will become deep sea divers surfacing right into the predators’ tank (while keeping dry), and get to play with lots more hands-on features, too. website

13. Become nobility at Medieval Times

Lords and ladies of the kingdom are cordially invited to the castle to cheer on the knights at this incredible jousting tournament. At this grand event, the land’s bravest have it out on horseback as they fight for the Queen’s honour. The kindest serfs in the land will present you with your dinner, so you fine noble people must only enjoy the spectacle and dine on your four course meal featuring the finest medieval fare. Suspense, action, heroism, sword fights, horses and falconry make this a form of “dinner and a show” that’ll have the whole family at the edge of their seats. website

14. Get your glow on at Putting Edge

Sometimes it’s worth travelling a little farther for an experience that’s out of this world! Putting Edge has a few locations for mini golf in the GTA, and the one in Vaughan is now accessible by subway since its most recent expansion! Reserve a tee time online, and be transported to a landscape that’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. A dynamic course awaits, spread over two floors, it’s always got another trick up its sleeve. In a surreal glowing world lit by black lights you’ll have to fight a giant octopus, outsmart the monkeys, escape a forest, travel to space and avoid the lava spewed by an erupting volcano to navigate through the 18 uniquely designed holes. The kids will be head over heels at this supersensory adventure, and we promise even the adults will have the time of your lives. Psst! There’s an arcade too! website

15. Journey around the world at the Toronto Zoo

After a short drive or trip on a TTC bus, you’ll suddenly be transported into the wilderness. For an action packed tour, make a loop through Kesho Park and discover the untamed African Savanna. The Serengeti is full of wild beasts: lions prowl, hyenas snicker… careful, you’re in their territory now. As you climb over rocks and through passageways that look an awful lot like the animals’ homes, your kids might forget they’re not on the hunt themselves. Crouching low through fallen ‘logs’ so as not to startle their prey, monkeying around on the Gorilla Climb Ropes Course or surveying the plains from zebra-striped Jeeps, the Toronto Zoo lets kids’ imaginations run wild. Where in the world will you go next? website

16. Become an artist at the Gardiner Museum

Your first instinct might not be to take kids into a ceramics museum, but think again! Every Sunday is Family Sunday at the Gardiner Museum, with activities designed specifically for kids of all ages. Every other Sunday they’ll be able to get their hands on some clay with the staff’s expert instruction, or try their skills at tile painting. They’ve also got other exciting interactive activities planned, so check their website for the full schedule. Beyond workshops, the museum brings out an exciting discovery box and sets up a scavenger hunt through the exhibitions, casting a whole new adventurous light on the museum experience! website

17. Take advantage of Toronto’s waterfront

Getting outside is one of the easiest things to do with kids in Toronto. Head down to Budapest Park in the west end to spend a beautiful sunny day by the water, that’ll keep the kids happy and entertained. Bring bikes if you can! Race each other as you bike along the waterfront trail or take advantage of all the open grassy areas, ideal for taking off those training wheels. Then, hit the beach, which has breakers, making it the perfect place for older kids to go for a swim while younger ones hit the wading pool. Plus, the park has an awesome playground where they can ride on the backs of dinosaurs, or soar into space with futuristic play equipment! Playground fanatics can also head over to nearby Sir Casmir Gzowski Park with its top-tier playground and really show off their climbing (and spinning and sliding) skills.

18. Pretend you’re royalty at Casa Loma

Or, explore the castle’s darker side… amid grand Edwardian era furnishings and expansive architecture lie mysteries. The castle is full of secret passages and hideaways, which you can learn about on the audio tour, or make up your own stories. Ask at the audio tour desk about quests for kids and unleash a world of guided adventure! Climb up to the creepy tippy top of the tower for a view over the city, or head underground. A long tunnel to the stables tells stories of Toronto’s darker past. Kids will love looking at old cars and darting through the castle’s multitude of rooms. There’s so much room for exploration and imagination in the lavishly decorated halls of this historic monument! website