13 awesome March break activities in Toronto for kids

1. Check out the TIFF Picture Palace Take your little drama queens and kings to explore the new interactive TIFF Picture Palace. With special hours during March break, your kids can immerse themselves in the magic of moving pictures, exploring different stations that illuminate exactly how that magic is created behind the scenes. You'll want to make sure you set aside a bit more time for this exhibit—TIFF recommends allotting around 90 minutes to explore the entire exhibit.

Details: Special hours (10am-8pm) from March 11-17 Children 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult $18 for admission 350 King Street West Toronto, Ontario M5V 3X5 tiff.net

2. Take advantage of extended hours at the Toronto Zoo

Over March Break, the Toronto Zoo stays open extra late to accommodate all the eager young attendees. The headlining event is the March Break Big Adventure Brought to you by Thomas & Friends: guests can pick up a passport at the Special Events Centre, taking you on a scavenger hunt journey through six different regions across the zoo while you look for Thomas' new friends. Stick around for the daily keeper talks (covering lions, cheetahs and polar bears, oh my!), and a special Orchid Oasis exhibit only available from March 9 to 17, featuring a selection of orchid species handpicked by the Zoo's horticulturists.

Details: Open from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with the last admission at 5:00 p.m. $23 for general admission and $14 for kids ages three to 12 2000 Meadowvale Road Toronto, Ontario M1B 5K7 torontozoo.com

3. Travel back to the time of the dinosaurs at the ROM There is always tons to do at the Royal Ontario Museum, but there are three special exhibits on this March break that you simply can't miss. Treasures of a Desert Kingdom: The Royal Arts of Jodhpur, India lets you explore the spectacular royal arts of one of India's greatest former kingdoms. It features masterpieces drawn from the collection of the former royal family, including lavish tents and canopies, alluring jewellery and vibrant paintings. For the dinosaur-lover in your life, Zuul: Life of an Armoured Dinosaur is a must-see. This original exhibition offers a never-before-seen look at the plant-eating ankylosaur, covered in body armour from its head down to its menacing tail. And no animal lover will want to miss the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit—the longest-running and most prestigious nature photography competition in the world.

Details: March 10 to 18 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ROM Experience + Treasures: $32 for adults, $21 for children 4-14 ROM Experience + Zuul: $29 for adults, $19 for children 4-14 ROM Experience + Wild Photographer: $28 for adults, $18 for children 4-14 100 Queen’s Park Toronto, Ontario M5S 2C6 rom.on.ca

4. Indulge in maple taffy at the Sugar Shack It’s the sweetest time of year: maple syrup season! Head to Sugar Beach to get a taste of Ontario’s maple taffy and other sweet treats, and check out a maple sugaring demo at the warming station. Once your kids get their sugar high, head over to the ice activities (including tic-tac-toe and building blocks) to burn off some energy. Be sure to check out the Battle of the Chainsaws!

Details: March 9 and 10 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free admission Sherbourne Common, at the corner of Lower Sherbourne  and Queens Quay Toronto, Ontario sugarshackto.ca

5. Solve a mystery at Black Creek Pioneer Village Crime strikes at Black Creek Pioneer Village and they need your kids' help to solve the mystery! Your young detectives need to hunt for clues and question the suspects to help Sherlock Holmes and Watson crack the case. As a reward for helping to restore order to the village, kids can check out the maple syrup show and, of course, sample the sweet treats for themselves.

Details: March 11 to 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends Free for kids ages 14 and younger with the purchase of an adult or senior admission 1000 Murray Ross Parkway Toronto, Ontario M3J 2P3 blackcreek.ca

6. Get colourful at the AGO The Art Gallery of Ontario has nine days of fun planned for the whole family throughout March break. Secret Ingredients is an artist-run program all about bringing people together over a love of food. Foodies will create playful, faux sculptures of food, take family photos and share cherished family recipes or imagine new ones! Visit the special Impressionism in the Age of Industry: Monet, Pissarro and more exhibit, and then take off on a planes, trains and automobile-making adventure. Launch colourful fish spinners and paper airplanes, make a pit stop at the AGO race track or train station, and take a little handmade boat for a float. And don't forget say cheese and take a family photo at the selfie wall!

Details: March 9 to 17 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free with the price of admission, and you can save $10 off a family pass if you purchase online 317 Dundas Street West Toronto, Ontario M5T 1G4 ago.ca

7. Geek out at the Toronto Kids Digital Festival

It's full STEAM ahead at this science, tech, engineering, arts and math festival geared towards eager young minds! The Toronto Kids Digital Festival, held at OCAD University, includes a host of interactive exhibits where your budding geniuses can play with everything from 3D food printers and the Google tilt brush to augmented reality artworks and interactive holograms. There are also STEAM workshops available on a first-come, first-serve basis on topics like sensors, circuits and robotics. The programming is so much fun that your kids won't even realize they're learning!

Details: March 12 from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., March 13 to 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Single-day pass is $12 for kids and $15 for adults, with family passes available (all tickets online) 49 McCaul Street Toronto, Ontario M5T 1V7 kidsdigitalfestival.com

8. Enjoy the rides at SpringFest TO If you’re looking for a day of fun, you’ve come to the right place. SpringFest TO (formerly known as Wizard World Fun Park) has more than 25 mechanical and inflatable rides, daily shows, arts and crafts, a petting zoo and more. There is even a Little Tots area for kids ages five and younger. We recommend that you check out the birds of prey show and awesome dance party. Get ready to boogie!

Details: March 10 to 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. See online for family packages Better Living Centre (Exhibition Place) 195 Princes’ Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M6K 3C3 springfestto.ca

9. See favourite stories brought to life in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

The timeless classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar makes its way off of the page and onto the stage in this special performance suitable for children of all ages. Using 75 beautifully crafted puppets, this show tells the original tale of the caterpillar who eats and eats and eats, as well as three other delightful stories including Brown Bear, Brown Bear. The theatre is accessible and the show has been designed to be autism-friendly and open to children and families with sensory issues.  The performance runs for 50 minutes with no intermission, but there is a quiet area available in the lobby during the show for any nervous attendees.

Details: March 13 to 17 at various times Prices vary Randolph Theatre 736 Bathurst Street Toronto, Ontario M5S 1Z5 hungrycaterpillarshow.com

10. Land a kick-flip at the Science Centre

Among the many experiences and exhibits that the Ontario Science Centre offers over March break, there is a special performance all about the science of skateboarding. Top tier skateboarding athletes from CJ's SKATEPARK will be there to perform amazing tricks that seem to defy physics! Kids will learn about the art and evolution of skateboarding, the science behind incredible stunts and skateboarding's social impact around the world. There are also special features on evolution, matter, electricity, paper-making and more throughout the week.

Details: March 9 to 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays Prices vary 770 Don Mills Road Toronto, Ontario M3X 1T3 ontariosciencecentre.ca

11. Go back in time at Fort York If your kid loves history, you need to take them to Fort York. Learn all about the War of 1812 by practising your sword skills, attending soldier drill class and dressing up in costumes of the time. All that work will make for some hungry soldiers, so head over to the 1826 historic kitchen for some treats. Make sure to pick up a Kids’ Guide to Fort York so that you can find the clues to complete the games and puzzles as you go through the tour.

Details: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends Free for kids ages five and younger, $6 for kids ages six to 12, $8 for teens ages 13 to 18 and $14 for adults 250 Fort York Boulevard Toronto, Ontario M5V 3K9 fortyork.ca

12. Shoot and score at the Hockey Hall of Fame March break coincides with the 125th anniversary tribute to the Stanley Cup, making it the perfect time to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame. Kids can test the speed and accuracy of their slap shot or play goalie against video versions of big-name stars like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. Your kiddos will love seeing the original Stanley Cup from 1893, along with an impressive display of championship rings, including 20 from the first-ever Stanley Cup. It's the perfect photo op!

Details: March 9 to March 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays $14 for children 13 and under, $20 for general admission 30 Yonge Street Toronto, Ontario M5E 1X8 hhof.com

13. Code with Apple Sometimes you just need a break—that’s where Apple’s Kids Hour comes in. While you shop or run errands, the Apple Creatives will lead your child in 60-minute sessions where they can learn about coding, listen to tunes, read stories and more. Did we mention that it’s free? And that you get an hour in the mall by yourself? Talk about winning.

Details: Available at Eaton Centre, Yorkdale Shopping Centre, Sherway Gardens and Fairview Mall Times vary Register at apple.com

Updated February 28, 2019

Read more:
15 ways to keep kids active indoors (even if you don’t have much space)
23 fun March break activities for the family

Starting March 9, kids 12 and under can ride free on all GO trains and GO buses. That means more adventures for you and your family!

Plan your trip at gotransit.com/KidsGOFree