The best ways to spend Family Day long weekend in Toronto

If the winter blues are hitting you hard, you might be looking forward to spending a long weekend with your partners, kids, parents, friends and whomever else you count as family. Whether youโ€™re looking for something to do with your toddler or with your teens, there are plenty of family-friendly events and activities to do around Toronto this weekend.

Here are just a few ways to spend Family Day in Toronto.

Enjoy a family classic at Hot Docs

Nothing brings a family together like laughter, which is why Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinemaย will be featuring Howl’s Moving Castle on the big screen Monday afternoon. Get transported into the world of Studio Ghibli with a cult classic that follows a young artist cursed to look like an old woman who stumbles upon the castle of a wizard. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for those under 12.

Celebrate families of all species at the Toronto Zoo

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The Toronto Zoo is sure to be filled with animal lovers this weekend as family fun activities are scheduled from Saturday to Monday. Scavenger hunts, animal enrichment demonstrations and immersive luminescent walks promise a weekend of fun for kids of all ages โ€” plus, this weekend you can get 10 per cent off a zoo membership in honour of Family Day.

Enjoyย Family Day on Theย Bentway

The Bentway is cooking up some exciting activities for all ages this weekend โ€” and of course, some fabulous skating! Visitors can decorate their own skate boot covers in an activity led by the Bata Shoe Museum, learn about the history of figure skating with an interactive scavenger hunt, shop the winter market featuring local vendors and even grab a few treats at the Dairy Chill Aprรจs Skate Village.

Get a sugar rush at Sweet City Fest

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Stackt Market is hosting a festival that’s made to satisfy your sweet tooth this long weekend. Treat the kids (and yourself) to special sโ€™mores, candy and hot chocolate at the Sweet City Fest and explore a stacked lineup of exhibits, specials, performances and bake sales. Yum!

Get in free at the Hockey Hall of Fame


Whether you live for the Leafs or are a player yourself, take the chance to spend Monday at the Hockey Hall of Fame.ย Kids under the age of 13 have free admission all day long, giving them plenty of time to marvel at specialty artifacts, hone their slapshot and take some selfies with the Stanley Cup โ€” and snag a free gift.

Get your art on at the AGO

Courtesy ago.ca

The Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) is fun all year round, but it’s going to be especially fantastic this weekend! The gallery is running free activities for kids all weekend long, including a dance class with Jade’s Hip Hop Academy, artmaking activities, storytelling with Yolanda T. Marshall and more!

Pick up a new hobby for free

Spend your weekend getting hooked on a new outdoor activity. Family Day is one of only three weekends each year that Ontarians can fish for free without a license. Take the family on a drive outside the city to the Kawarthas, rent a hut, get bundled in layers and get on the ice.

Try a family challenge with treetop trekking

@treetoptrekking/Instagram

Donโ€™t let the cold snow scare you off from spending an afternoon outside and between the trees. Explore the forest in a fun and interactive way with Treetop Trekking, which is open all winter long in ย Stouffville. Ideal for ages 3-8, the Treewalk Village offers bouncing nets, suspension bridges and obstacle courses, all offered in a covered natural setting, and there are plenty of challenges for older kids to try (as long as no one is afraid of heights!).

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