- Updated on January 22, 2026
Local guide to FREE events for kids and families
Some of the best things in life really are free. Explore fun, no-cost events for kids and families across Toronto, Mississauga, York Region, Durham, Halton, and surrounding areas — all in one easy, always-updated guide. Check back often to discover new ways to get out with the kids and enjoy quality time together without stretching your budget.
Storytime in the Studio
Nov 17
to Mar 23, 2026
Young People’s Theatre
Step inside a story! Introduce your little ones to live storytelling in a space and at a pace designed just for YPT’s youngest audiences! From folk tales to fairy tales, and stories of adventure and belonging, these sessions will spark curiosity and wonder in early learners, while building ...
2026 ILLUMINITE
Feb 13
to Mar 8, 2026
Downtown Yonge
Get ready to rediscover wonder, joy, and imagination with the return of ILLUMINITE: Downtown Yonge’s annual winter celebration of light, art, and public space. Now in its third year, ILLUMINITE 2026 invites visitors to explore the theme of “PLAY” through immersive light-based installations spread across five unique locations ...
Lumière: The Art of Light
Feb 16
to Mar 27, 2026
Trillium Park, Ontario Place
Experience the enchantment of Lumière: The Art of Light, a free outdoor light exhibition illuminating Trillium Park at Ontario Place from February 16 to March 27, 2026. Showcasing bold and imaginative works by talented Ontario-based artists across diverse disciplines, Lumière brings this year’s theme — “Rhythms of Light: ...
2026 Lunar Lantern
Feb 21
to Mar 20, 2026
Varley Art Gallery of Markham
Lighting up the new year with six new stories, the Lunar Lanterns will be shining bright in the Varley Art Gallery courtyard starting Feb 21. Featuring local artists from diverse backgrounds, discover stories and cultural connections by artists Philip Cote, Yasaman Mehrsa, Stephanie Avery, Jieun Kim aka June, ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Feb 25
to Feb 25, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Free Kids Innovation Workshops
Feb 26
to Feb 26, 2026
Bloor West Village Workshop
Future-Ready Kids: The Winter Workshop Series A Complimentary Academic Enrichment Program for Ages 8–10 Give your child a head start on the skills that school often overlooks. This exclusive 4-week series transforms Thursday afternoons into a dynamic laboratory for leadership and logic. Led by an experienced Business Professor ...
Brampton Celebrates Lunar New Year
Feb 26
to Feb 26, 2026
Brampton City Hall
The City of Brampton invites residents to embrace East Asian culture with a special celebration at City Hall. Enjoy live performances and free traditional cuisine as we welcome the Year of the Horse. Celebrate the rich culture, traditions, and spirit of the East Asian community. In partnership with ...
2026 Skates & Sounds
Feb 27
to Feb 27, 2026
Barbara Ann Scott Trail
SKATES & SOUNDS is back for its seventh season in February 2026, with a stellar lineup of DJs ready to spin the hottest tracks and warm us up! Every Friday night, the Barbara Ann Scott Ice Trail at College Park transforms into an open-air dancefloor, blending music, skating, ...
2026 Skates & Sounds
Feb 27
to Feb 27, 2026
Barbara Ann Scott Trail
SKATES & SOUNDS is back for its seventh season in February 2026, with a stellar lineup of DJs ready to spin the hottest tracks and warm us up! Every Friday night, the Barbara Ann Scott Ice Trail at College Park transforms into an open-air dancefloor, blending music, skating, ...
Storytime, meet & greet with Harpreet Bahia
Feb 28
to Feb 28, 2026
Indigo Sherway Gardens
Meet Harpreet Bahia, author of Daya’s First Airplane Ride, for a special event filled with imagination and adventure! Meet & greet with the author Book signing Live storytime for the little explorers Let us celebrate the joy of storytelling together. We can’t wait to see you there!
ROM Third Tuesday Night Free
Mar 3
to Mar 3, 2026
Royal Ontario Museum
Explore unfamiliar works of art, discover new favourites and learn more about what you already love at ROM on the third Tuesday of every month. Experience the Museum after hours — free for everyone — on the third Tuesday night of every month, from 4:00 PM to 8:30 ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Mar 4
to Mar 4, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
OPG Sunday: Bountiful Botanicals
Mar 8
to Mar 8, 2026
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Inspired by the exhibition Natural curiosities, join us to create botanical artworks. Flora such as flowers, fruits, veggies, and plants will be represented in our artworks. In the studio create your own abstract patterned papers with acrylic paint. We will then cut our papers into the shapes of ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Mar 11
to Mar 11, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Sugar Shack TO, presented by Redpath
Mar 14
to Mar 15, 2026
Harbourfront Centre
The Shack is back! Sugar Shack TO returns March 14-15 for more March Break Maple Madness. Toronto’s urban cabane à sucre experience is coming to Harbourfront Centre for the first time ever with a sweet weekend of winter fun and plenty of fresh maple syrup. Tap into your ...
Family Sunday: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall (bilingual)
Mar 15
to Mar 15, 2026
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Bilingual Family Sunday: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Inspired by Snow White, reimagined by DuffleBag Theatre, this Family Sunday invites families to explore our enduring ideas about beauty—in art and in life. Through interactive storytelling, lively performance, and hands-on artmaking inspired by current exhibitions, participants are encouraged to ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Mar 18
to Mar 18, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Mar 25
to Mar 25, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Teen Art Zone Winter 2026
Mar 26
to Mar 26, 2026
The Robert McLaughlin Gallery
Come hang out at the art gallery! These sessions offer a welcoming space for teens to express their individuality, share new ideas, and try out a variety of art materials in a low-pressure environment. With a new theme each month, they’ll discover new ways to unleash their creativity, ...
Oshawa Museum Craft Circle
Mar 29
to Mar 29, 2026
Oshawa Museum
Calling All Crafters! Join us at the Oshawa Museum for a friendly, all-ages Craft Circle on the fourth Sunday of every month. Bring your latest project—knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, or anything else—and spend a relaxed afternoon with our museum volunteers and fellow makers. Whether you’re just getting started ...
Haliburton Highlands Maple Weekend
Apr 4
to Apr 5, 2026
Multiple Locations
Maple Weekend shows you how maple products are made, from tree to table, and lets you taste and buy quality maple products. During the first weekend in April our producers show how syrup is made. Many producers offer free samples of fresh maple syrup and confections. Enjoy pancake ...
Beaches Easter Parade Weekend
Apr 5
to Apr 5, 2026
The Beaches, Toronto, ON
The Toronto Beaches Lions Easter Parade is BACK on April 5! Join us as we bring the Easter spirit back to the Beach for the Annual Beaches Easter Parade on Queen St E. The Parade begins at 2:00 pm sharp and runs for approximately two hours. We will ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Apr 8
to Apr 8, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
Apr 11
to Apr 11, 2026
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival
Come Taste the Tradition… Since 1965, this annual event attracts thousands of visitors ready to taste the local maple syrup poured onto thousands of pancakes. The entire community comes alive and volunteers, young and old, contribute in any way they can. The proceeds raised by the Festival are ...
Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival
Apr 11
to Apr 12, 2026
Sunderland
This well-loved event attracts visitors from Toronto, Durham Region and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area – and even beyond! The festival offers a great opportunity to discover the many things that make Sunderland special, while celebrating the time-honoured Canadian tradition of making maple syrup. Features: Bath ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Apr 15
to Apr 15, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Apr 22
to Apr 22, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Muskoka Maple Festival
Apr 25
to Apr 25, 2026
Downtown Huntsville
The Muskoka Maple Festival is a family-friendly event on Main Street in downtown Huntsville, Ontario. The Muskoka Maple Festival will be April 25, 2026 in downtown Huntsville which will feature an all-day pancake breakfast, maple syrup producers, arts & crafts vendors, unique maple items and gifts, tasty treats, ...
Oshawa Museum Craft Circle
Apr 26
to Apr 26, 2026
Oshawa Museum
Calling All Crafters! Join us at the Oshawa Museum for a friendly, all-ages Craft Circle on the fourth Sunday of every month. Bring your latest project—knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, or anything else—and spend a relaxed afternoon with our museum volunteers and fellow makers. Whether you’re just getting started ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Apr 29
to Apr 29, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Bowmanville Maplefest
May 2
to May 2, 2026
Clarington Fields
There’s nothing more Canadian than freshly harvested Maple Syrup! Come celebrate the start of spring in Historic Downtown Bowmanville on the first Saturday in May. This highly anticipated festival showcases many of our local syrup producers who offer up the best of the region. Maple products abound at MAPLEFEST ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
May 6
to May 6, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
May 13
to May 13, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
May 20
to May 20, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
May 27
to May 27, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Oshawa Museum Craft Circle
May 31
to May 31, 2026
Oshawa Museum
Calling All Crafters! Join us at the Oshawa Museum for a friendly, all-ages Craft Circle on the fourth Sunday of every month. Bring your latest project—knitting, crocheting, embroidery, quilting, or anything else—and spend a relaxed afternoon with our museum volunteers and fellow makers. Whether you’re just getting started ...
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Jun 3
to Jun 3, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
AGO Khan BMO Free Wednesdays
Jun 10
to Jun 10, 2026
Aga Khan Museum
Enjoy free admission to the Museum’s galleries during extended hours every Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 pm, presented by BMO Financial Group. BMO Free Wednesdays provides barrier-free access to the arts, allowing the Museum to remain a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.
Canada Day in Richmond Hill
Jul 1
to Jul 1, 2026
Richmond Green Park
Come to the Richmond Green Park to celebrate our nations birthday! With a full day of live entertainment on multiple stages, a beer garden, artist exhibits, and midway, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Don’t forget to stick around and experience a fantastic fireworks display starting at ...
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1 thought on “Free Things To Do with Kids in the GTA”
It is really important for the sake of your family that once a week, the whole family should visit some place or take part in a family activity. This will help in increasing the bond between all members.