A mother and daughter smile, while looking at the snow outside

Things to do on Family Day 2024 in Ontario

A mother and daughter smile, while looking at the snow outside

Families, in all their shapes, forms and sizes, are at the heart of our communities. In Ontario, a day is set aside to reflect on the importance of families and to celebrate with loved ones.

Family Day is a provincial holiday on the third Monday of February, extending the weekend for one extra day. In 2024, Family Day is Monday, February 19.

Whether you’re looking for fun activities to do with your toddlers, tweens or older teens, there are plenty of family bonding activities to enjoy during this long weekend.

Here’s a selection of ideas for things to do this Family Day.

Family getaways

Long weekends were made for getaways and mini-vacations.

  • From snow-based outdoor adventure to kid-approved indoor programs and entertainment, Ontario’s winter resorts and playgrounds offer endless fun for everyone in the family.

    Visit Resorts of Ontario for resort packages, specials and other getaway ideas.
     
  • Embrace the season and expend all that youthful energy outdoors in the snow.

    Winter resorts, snow parks, trails and rinks across Ontario offer boundless outdoor fun from the crack of dawn to well past dusk.

Things to do with toddlers and kids

Enjoy indoor and outdoor fun with your little ones this winter. Bundle up and play in the snow. From building a snowman and creating snow angels to tobogganing down a hill, winter creates a new and fun playground right on your doorstep.

Toddler tip: If you’re heading outside to play, dress your toddler or child in warm layers, and pack extra mitts to avoid cold, wet hands.

Indoor adventures for kids

Indoor entertainment complexes and playgrounds offer all kinds of fun for kids and families regardless of the weather.

  • Housed in an old Kellogg’s facility, The Factory in London is Canada's biggest indoor family entertainment centre and features North America's largest indoor high ropes course.
     
  • Kids Fun City is the best indoor playground in Toronto. This amusement centre is perfect for families with kids of all ages, including toddlers.
     
  • Part of Bingemans in KitchenerFunworX is an interactive, three-level indoor family playground.

Indoor water parks

Kids and adults alike can enjoy loads of fun water-based activities in the middle of winter.

  • For water-loving families, Ontario is home to several indoor water parks that keep the summer vibe going all year round with water slides, raft rides, wave pools and more.

Animal attractions

Treat your future zoologists to a day of discovery at a zoo, aviary or aquarium.

Fun activities for tweens

As your kids get older, they’ll need new activities and adventures to keep them entertained. Here are some fun ideas for your tweens as they transition towards the teenage years.

Tween tip: make sure your pre-teens are fitted with properly sized helmets for snow activities like ice skating, tubing, skiing and snowboarding.

Ice skating

Fun for the whole family, ice skating takes place in every city, town and village, on indoor rinks and frozen ponds.

Snow tubing

A thrilling way to travel down a steep snowy hillside is on an innertube.

Skiing and snowboarding

Skiing in Ontario is a quintessential part of celebrating the winter season in this province.

Museums and attractions

Have fun while learning something new at a museum or educational attraction.

  • Little Canada showcases iconic landmarks and landscapes through detailed, miniature animation in downtown Toronto. You’ll journey across this vast, beautiful and big country through a series of little stories.
  • The Hockey Hall of Fame has fun activities to test your goalie skills, call play-by-play action and take pictures of the Stanley Cup and lots of great moments. On Family Day, kids aged 13 and under (up to a maximum of 4 youth) accompanied by an adult receive free admission.

Winter adventures for teenagers

Encourage your teens to discover seasonal activities that will continue to challenge and captivate them well into adulthood.

Fat biking

Discover pristine winter landscapes and snow-capped forests while fat biking.

  • At Crimson Ridge in Sault Ste. Marie, a golf course is transformed into a popular wintertime destination, with over 15 kilometres of groomed scenic and technical trails to ride.
     
  • If you’re looking for resort accommodations to enjoy along with your fat biking trip, Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville features numerous trails around the resort and on the frozen lake.
     
  • Find more fat biking excursions in Ontario.

Luge

This fast-paced, gripping winter sport is sure to appeal to all the speed demons.

Snowshoeing

If you haven’t tried it before, make this the year you experience snowshoeing in Ontario.

Horseback riding

Explore snowy trails by horseback on a guided winter trail ride.

Escape rooms

Rise to the challenge of an escape room adventure together.

  • This interactive, group activity involves clues, puzzles and tasks. Working together, you’ll need to identify the clues, solve the puzzles and complete the tasks within a set timeframe to “escape.”
     
  • From kid-friendly to super challenging, there are different types and themes of escape rooms for players of all ages and levels.

Indoor adventures

Treat your adventurous teens to the thrill of a lifetime.

  • With locations in Oakville and WhitbyiFLY allows the daredevils in your family to defy the laws of gravity and experience the thrills of skydiving without jumping out of a plane.

Last updated: November 20, 2023

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