9 Best Family Things to Do in Toronto

Opened in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum is among the oldest and largest museums in Canada. It has a collection of over 6 million artefacts across 40 galleries, covering a diverse range of subjects from natural history to Near Eastern and African art and, of course, Canadian History. It’s located on the campus of the University of Toronto in a building that is both classically historical and dazzlingly modern. Entry costs about $20 for adults and $14 for kids.

Torontonians love their sports, with ice hockey naturally among the most popular. The Hockey Hall of Fame is the home of the Stanley Cup – the sport’s most coveted prize – as well as a huge range of exhibits. These include a to-scale recreation of the Montreal Canadiens dressing room and seemingly endless items of hockey memorabilia and equipment. The Great Hall is the real highlight, though, and features the names and histories of some of the sport’s greatest stars. Entry costs about $20.

Ontario Science Centre has the ‘learn-through-play’ concept right at its core, with many of the exhibits being interactive and engaging. It covers geography, biology, astronomy and a bit of chemistry across 8 exhibit halls. The Planetarium in the Space Hall is particularly popular, but it’s also good to walk through a rainforest or watch a movie in the IMAX theatre. The exhibits change on a regular basis, keeping everything fresh and exciting. 

Centreville Theme Park is a little old-fashioned, by amusement park standards, but still a lot of fun for young children. The classic rides include a Ferris wheel, twirling teacups, a small rollercoaster and a log flume, among others. The carousel is a genuine antique, dating back to 1907 and featuring 52 hand-carved animals. Being located on one of the Toronto Islands, you need to take a ferry to get to the park, which costs around $35 for an all-day pass.

Fort York played quite an important role in the early years of the city of Toronto. It was built in 1793 to protect the fledgling settlement and was then destroyed during the Battle of York, in the War of 1812. However, it was quickly rebuilt to protect the town of York from future raids. The site is now home to Canada’s largest collection of buildings from the period, allowing visitors a glimpse back into history. Visit in summer for the best experience, when you’ll see special events and exhibits, including reenactors in military uniforms of the time. Entry costs about $14 for adults.

Among the many green spaces of Toronto, High Park stands out as the most family-friendly. Found to the west of downtown Toronto, the 161-hectare park has a huge playground, which was partially designed by children. You’ll also find sports facilities, 18 picnic areas, hiking trails and special events throughout the year. Check out the mini-zoo to see llamas, deer, buffalo and peacocks. The waterfront, along Grenadier Pond, is particularly beautiful, but best enjoyed in spring, when the Sakura trees are in bloom.

As the name suggests, Black Creek Pioneer Village is a recreation of the village which eventually grew into the city of Toronto, located near the Black Creek Parkland, by York University. A living history museum, it shows what life was like for the pioneers who arrived in Canada in the early 1800s, with a blacksmith’s shop, weaver’s shop, bake oven, cider mill and more, most of which are actually operational. With costumed guides and period buildings, it’s like stepping back into the past. Entry costs about $15 for adults and $11 for kids.

Canada’s Wonderland is among the largest and most popular theme parks in the world, with about 70 rides in the 130-hectare park. Among the 17 rollercoasters are such thrill rides as the Behemoth, the Time Warp flying coaster, the wooden Mighty Canadian Minebuster and the Flight Deck, which features inverted loops. There’s also a water park, live shows, an animatronic dinosaur park and family-friendly rides, some of which are themed on Snoopy characters. Ticket prices start from around $40.

The LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is found inside the Vaughan Mills shopping mall, on the outskirts of Toronto. It’s effectively a scaled-down theme park, with 10 play areas, a few rides, a 4D theatre and, of course, plenty of a certain famous little plastic brick. Kids can test out their creations on the Earthquake Tables or on the racetrack or look around the replicas of Toronto landmarks in Miniland. It’s a popular place, so booking your tickets online in advance is highly recommended. Entry costs about $20.