March Break is coming up in just under a couple of weeks. If your family has been feeling cooped up, we can relate. That’s why we gathered a list of various activities in the GTA you and your family can take part in this March Break!
Check out some awesome March Break activities for:
Indoor Events
Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages
Explore more than 80,000 years of Earth’s history. Grab your heaviest parka and prepare for a chilly journey through time with Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages!
Learn about the important role ice has played in Earth’s history as you explore lost lands, learn about animal adaptations and uncover geographical features formed by glaciers. This exciting exhibition produced by the Canadian Museum of Nature features more than 100 real specimens, models and artifacts, including animal fossils, ancient human tools and more.
Meet animals adapted for cold—some long extinct, others still alive today—and discover the lands lost long ago under the world’s oceans. Through engaging exhibits, multimedia and more, explore Earth’s icy history as you reflect upon how human activity affects Planet Ice.
Location:
Ontario Science Centre
770 Don Mills Road
Toronto, ON
M3C 1T3
Date:
February 1 - March 20, 2022
Various dates and times - see website for booking schedule.
Price:
- Adult (ages 18–64): $22
- Senior (ages 65+): $16
- Youth (ages 13–17): $16
- Child (ages 3–12): $13
- Infant (under 3): free
Website:
https://www.ontariosciencecentre.ca/what-s-on/exhibitions/planet-ice
SpringFestTO
SpringFest offers Greater Toronto families an indoor fun park with the latest in children’s entertainment, games and activities.
This indoor fun park has entertainment to for the whole family, with mechanical and inflatable rides, the new Dinosaur Exhibit, food vendors, arts and crafts, and daily performances by Bounce Entertainment, Doo Doo the International Clown, and the Birds of Prey.
Location:
Markham Fair Grounds
10801 McCowan Rd
Markham, ON
L3P 3J3
Date:
March 12-20, 2022
Various dates and times - see website for booking schedule.
Price:
Tickets available at door and online.
- Adult (ages 15+) (unlimited rides included): $15
- Child (ages 2-14) (unlimited rides included): $25
- Family pass (2 adults and 2 children with unlimited rides): $75
- 23 months and under - Free
Website:
https://springfestto.ca/
Outdoor
Purple Woods Maple Syrup Festival
This year, Purple Woods is offering a free maple syrup self-guided hike through the sugarbush at Purple Woods Conservation Area. You can discover the history of maple syrup and learn just how many litres of sap it takes to make 1 litre of delicious local Canadian maple syrup. Your family can explore the sugarbush and look for signs of spring.
Location:
Purple Woods Conservation Area
38 Coates Rd E.
Oshawa, ON
L1H 7K4
Date:
March 16 - April 3, 2022
Various dates and hours - see website for booking schedule
Price:
FREE - registration required
Website:
https://www.cloca.com/maple-syrup-festival
Dinosaur Drive-Thru
Something has survived! Lifelike dinosaurs have escaped their enclosures and are back. This year, the Dinosaur Drive-Thru will be bigger and better, including a longer journey through an authentic park setting.
The prehistoric park will feature more than 50 dinosaurs of Jurassic size from Canada’s Dinosaur Park. Re-discover the era lost to time with even more roaring dinos of Jurassic size, some as big as 30 feet high! Bring the whole family on this COVID-safe prehistoric journey from the comfort of your own vehicle.
Location:
Dinosaur Drive-Thru
425 Bingemans Centre Drive
Kitchener, ON
Date:
March 11 - April 3, 2022
See website for booking schedule.
Price:
Tickets start at $25/vehicle and vary based on the selected date and time.
Website:
https://www.dinodrivethru.ca/
March Break At The Zoo
What better place to spend March Break than at the Toronto Zoo where you can discover over 4,000 animals while exploring over 10 km of walking trails and four tropical pavilions.
The Toronto Zoo continues to celebrate the Year of the Tiger with special appearances by their new tiger mascot, walk the Zoo to #SpotTheStripes, browse their new Tiger Shop, and enjoy some special tiger-themed snacks, available for a limited time only.
Location:
2000 Meadowvale Road
Toronto, ON
M1B 5K7
Date:
March 12-20, 2022
Open daily 9:30AM - 6:30PM (March Break hours).
Time slot must be booked in advance.
Price:
- Adults (ages 13 - 64): $22.20
- Senior (ages 65+): $17.35
- Child (ages 3-12): $13.50
- Infant (age 2 and under): Free
Parking - $14
Website:
https://www.torontozoo.com/events/MarchBreakAtTheZoo#evt
Treewalk Village
Climb from tree house to tree house through 8 ft tall hammocks, nets, and wood bridges! Descend to the ground on slides, play on our treewee obstacle courses and other forest games!
This is a 2 hour activity, and although it is open to all ages, it is ideal for ages 3-7.
Spaces are very limited and the parks are booking full on most days so be sure to reserve ahead of time. Please be sure to book in for all children and adults, as there is an admission rate for adults as well.
Location:
Stouffville Location:
3291 Stouffville Rd.
Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON
L4A 7X5
Hamilton Location:
5050 Harrison Rd.
Binbrook, ON
L0R 1C0
Date:
Various dates available to book - see website for booking schedule.
Price:
$32+ depending on number of people and age.
Website:
https://treetoptrekking.com/activities/treewalk-village/
Kortright Centre for Conservation
Located 10 minutes north of Toronto, on 325 hectares of pristine woodlands, the Kortright Centre for Conservation combines a natural oasis with some of the most leading-edge sustainable education programs and events in Canada.
Kortright Centre hosts 100,000 visitors annually. They offer over 50 environmental education programs for schools, as well as a selection of 30 different sustainable technology workshops for the public, trades and professionals.
Kortright is family- and dog-friendly, too! Check out their website to learn more about their events.
Location:
9550 Pine Valley Dr.
Woodbridge, ON
L4L 1A6
Date:
Daily from 9AM to 4PM. Every visitor must register their visit in advance and choose a date and time slot.
Regular daily fees:
- Adults (ages 14-64): $7.75
- Seniors (ages 65+): $6.85
- Child (ages 4-13): $3.70
- Toddler (3 and under): FREE with adult purchase
Website:
https://kortright.org/
Winter Stations
Launched in 2014, Winter Stations invites the international design and art community to reimagine the lifeguard stations along Toronto’s east end beaches for the winter.
The competition has seen entries from over 90 countries, bringing the world of design to the water’s edge. The art installations are truly a sight to see and are suitable for families and children of all ages.
Location:
Toronto Location:
Woodbine Beach
1675 Lake Shore Blvd E.
Toronto, ON
M4L 3W6
Hamilton Location:
Pier 8
47 Discovery Dr.
Hamilton, ON
L8L 8K4
Date:
Woodbine Beach: February 21 - March 31, 2022
Pier 8: February 17 - March 10, 2022
Price:
FREE
Website:
https://winterstations.com/
Virtual Events & Activities
Create Your Own Comics With Clayton "CTON" Hanmer
Write and illustrate your own comic stories with Clayton Hanmer (aka CTON), the creator of Owl Magazine's What a Hoot comic strip. Learn how comics are structured and get silly while building a comic together, hosted by Toronto Public Library.
Clayton is an award-winning illustrator whose energetic comic style appears in books including the 2021 Yellow Cedar award winner, Trending: How and Why Stuff Gets Popular, and Dog vs. Ultra Dog!
This program is suitable for children ages 6 and up. It is recommended that a parent or caregiver is present during the program.
Location:
Online
Date:
Mar 14, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Price:
FREE
Website:
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT450828&R=EVT450828
WonderPhil Magic Show
The Toronto Public Library is hosting this fast-paced magic sho, packed full of astounding moments and hilarity as magic happens all around the amazing WonderPhil. Be astonished and join in the magic lesson at the end of the show to discover how you can do your own tricks at home.
Supplies needed for magic lesson:
- Coin, LEGO piece, or other small object
- A few crayons
- Piece of paper cut to the approximate size and shape of paper money
This program is suitable for children ages 4 and up. It is recommended that a parent or caregiver is present during the program.
Location:
Online
Date:
Mar 15, 2022
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Price:
FREE
Website:
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT450830&R=EVT450830
Up, Up & Away with Mad Science
Hosted by Toronto Public Library, this spellbinding show introduces the principles of air pressure and illustrates how it affects the world around us. The strength of air will be demonstrated with floating ping pong balls, a hot air balloon, and a finale that is sure to be a blast!
This program is suitable for children ages 5 and up. It is recommended that a parent or caregiver is present during the program.
Location:
Online
Date:
Mar 18, 2022
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
Price:
FREE
Website:
https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMEVT450838&R=EVT450838
Storytime With A Celebrity
The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s Daytime Emmy®-nominated and award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online®, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations. Readers include Oprah Winfrey, Chris Pine, Kristen Bell, Rita Moreno, Viola Davis, Jaime Camil, Kevin Costner, Lily Tomlin, Sarah Silverman, Betty White, Wanda Sykes and dozens more.
Storyline Online is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide. Each book includes a supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.
Location:
Online
Price:
FREE
Website:
https://storylineonline.net/
DIY At-Home Activities
Melting Coloured Ice Sensory Activity
This ice-melting sensory activity will feel super cool with the contrast of cold ice and warm water. Watching the colours melt into the warm water is also a satisfying sight to see!
Your child will also feel different textures of the little trinkets frozen inside and exercise patience to melt the trinkets free. See the full tutorial by Jenny & Andy for more.
Grow a Crystal Snowflake
Tap into chemistry to discover how snowflakes are formed, courtesy of the Ontario Science Centre. By making a saturated solution of salt and hot water and watching it precipitate, your child will learn that snowflakes are formed in very much the same way. See the full tutorial to learn more.
Balloon Rocket
Balloons are a classic childhood staple, providing endless hours of entertainment for children of all ages. Craft them into rockets and they become an even greater catalyst for science exploration. Rockets are fascinating, and offer a hands-on opportunity to learn about important science concepts like velocity, force, gravity, and more. Check out the full tutorial from Discover, Explore, Learn.
Tiger Mask Craft
Lunar New Year is over, but that doesn’t make tiger masks any less fun! With this tiger mask craft, kids can have fun while practicing their painting skills as well as their scissor skills, if they're old enough.
Animal masks are also lots of fun and are great for pretend play. Imaginative-driven play is inclusive and invites everyone to join in. It lets your child express their creativity, solve problems, and develop other important skills. See the full tutorial.
