Flickr/Creative Commons photo by Torrey Wiley.
Laser tag? Snow tubing? Astrolabes? Gemstones? Whatever you and your kids are into, we’ve got tips for making the most of March Break (March 16 to 20),whether you’re staying in town or venturing further afield.
Delve into history at the Billings Estate
The Billings Estate in Alta Vista is open from Monday to Friday of March Break for scavenger hunts, Lego fun and more.
Time travel at the Nepean Museum
Kids aged 5 to 7 can get a taste of pioneer life with different activities every morning of March Break—everything from map reading and snowshoeing to making preserves.
Explore space in the west end
Kids aged 7 to 12 can learn how early explorers navigated and build their own astrolabe in the Exploring With the Stars program, offered at a different Ottawa Public Library branch (Stittsville, Munster, Manotick Fitzroy Harbour and Richmond) each weekday of March Break.
Have fun at Funhaven
Never ventured to Funhaven, that west-end palace of sensory overload that kids love and parents with sensitive ears fear? Check out Peter Johansen’s great article in last weekend’s Citizen for the inside scoop on bumper cars, laser tag and mini-bowling.
And more Ottawa ideas!
If you’ve exhausted all these options, Ottawa Tourism has collected tons more, from ski lessons at Camp Fortune to a spy camp at the Diefenbunker.
Photo of Kingston by Laura Byrne Paquet.
Discover kid-friendly Kingston
Both Momstown Kingston and Kingston Lobby have created idea-packed roundups of things to see and do over March Break. Find out where your kids can make their own gemstone necklaces or challenge you to a game of indoor mini-putt.
Go snow tubing at Le Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien
With eight slides to choose from and tow lifts to take the drudgery out of trudging uphill, Le Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien (34 kilometres northeast of Ottawa in the Outaouais) will keep the kids amused for hours.
Be transported in Smiths Falls
The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario is hosting a week-long transportation-themed March Break Camp for kids aged 4 to 12 (but you can drop in for $30 a day). One day a pilot will stop by; on another, the kids will learn about the Rideau Canal. The fun happens at The Ivy on William, a restored heritage building.
Dress up at Calabogie Peaks
Why wear ski gear when you can wear pyjamas, sports jerseys or Mardi Gras costumes? Every day of March Break has a different costume theme at Calabogie Peaks, which has March Break ski programs for toddlers, kids aged 6 to 12, and teens.
Photo of Toronto by Laura Byrne Paquet.
Go totally Toronto
From the musical version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to sushi-making workshops for teens, this exhaustive roundup of March Break fun in Canada’s biggest city features over 70 ideas.
Hit the road to Montreal
Many of the spring break events in Montreal have already wound down, as most Quebec schools scheduled their breaks earlier than Ontario’s. But this roundup of family fun at montreal.com features all kinds of year-round activities and sites, like the Biodome and the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium. Fairmont Hotels has also collected all sorts of tips on March fun, including Habs games and a 3D movie about butterflies.