6 Best Kids’ Activities in Ottawa

A family trip or outing won’t be complete without a fun itinerary dedicated to kids. Luckily, we’re featuring some of the best kids’ activities in Ottawa in this listicle.

We selected some diverse and entertaining recreations for review today. We also made sure to choose venues and activities that are also enjoyable for other family members and will fit most budgets.

The Best Kids’ Activities in Ottawa

Are you ready to let your children experience fun and educational pursuits combined? Here are the best kids’ activities in Ottawa for you to consider.

1. Little Medical School

SERVICES	After-school programs, summer and vacation camps, community group programs, private parties, online shop
ADDRESS	571 Cannes Crescent, Orleans, ON, K4A5J6
CONTACT NUMBER	[email protected] 343-777-7277
WEBSITE	https://www.littlemedicalschool.com/ottawa/
OPERATING HOURS	Monday to Friday 9 AM – 5 PM Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Little Medical School allows kids to experience what it’s like to be a doctor, nutritionist, nurse, pharmacist, pediatrician, dentist, or veterinarian via interactive and enjoyable programs.

The programs are developed by trained healthcare professionals and board-certified physicians. So while the fun aspect is there, parents, guardians, and educators can rest assured that the science behind these medical-inspired activities exists.

The kids can assume the role of their chosen medical-related professional and will get the chance to try out real tools, equipment, and instruments in the activity. Little surgeons can learn how to tie real surgical knots, little veterinarians will be taught how to do nose-to-tail pet examinations, and little dentists can help fill a cavity.

Little Medical School also accommodates private parties for those who want to bring the after-school programs to special occasions. The birthday and private party packages are reasonably bundled with trained instructors, accessories, and other tools to liven up the experience — however, add-ons like lab coats and stethoscopes can get pretty steep ($20 – $25 per kid)!

Customer Reviews

Read the following client reviews for Little Medical School:

“My daughter attended vet class and loved it too much. This is very informative and interesting. Thank you Layal for the efforts to teach in French. I’m sure a lot of people will follow. Good continuity and.. next class.” – Aline Haddad

“Our son (age12) attended virtual Teen Medical School this past week and really enjoyed it. A bag of all necessary materials was dropped off at our house well in advance, and overall it was very well run. One of our best virtual camp experiences this pandemic season. If you are thinking of signing up, I would encourage you to do so.” – Kathryn Kielly

2. Canadian Museum of Nature

SERVICES	Galleries including interactive displays, special exhibits, dinosaur skeletons and replicas, whale skeletons, insects, arctic mammals, minerals and birds
ADDRESS	240 McLeod Street Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (corner of Metcalfe Street)
CONTACT NUMBER	613.566.4700 [email protected]
WEBSITE	https://nature.ca/
OPERATING HOURS	Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays Wednesdays 10 AM – 4 PM Thursdays 11 AM – 7 PM Fridays and Saturdays 10 AM – 4 PM Sundays 11 AM – 4 PM

The historic and castle-like setting of the Canadian Museum of Nature is already exploration-worthy for kids and adults alike. But its exhibitions, collections, and nature-based galleries also offer hours and hours of fun and discovery for anyone in the family.

Kids can learn about different aspects of nature with the dozens of permanent exhibitions on display. There are galleries for owls and birds, the arctic, mammals, fossils, and more.

Group visits of 15 or more people come with great benefits at the museum. Aside from special rates and package deals, there’s a customizable group menu, professional tour guides, and even the opportunity to have an overnight nature sleepover at the gallery.

Another great thing about bringing your kids to this place is that a lot of exhibitions don’t require an admission fee. For instance, there’s the current Museum of the Moon with a lunar sculpture so monumental that it’s actually visible from the streets through the museum’s tower windows!

Customer Reviews

See how past visitors liked the Canadian Museum of Nature:

“Extremely clean building and friendly museum staff. The dinosaur exhibit is small but always a favourite. The other exhibits are well presented, informative and focus on science and culture.” – Devon Ellis

“Planning to get married in 2020 was stressful, to say the least. Our venue, the Museum of Nature, was extremely flexible and supportive of all the changes we had to make. Working with Diane was an absolute delight. We are so lucky to have had vendors like this with us through a stressful time. I have nothing but good things to say about the museum and its customer service – it’s also a beautiful and fun place in general!” – Ana Gajic

3. Rideau Sports Centre

SERVICES	Junior tennis programs, after-school multi-sports programs, PrezDential basketball, children’s dek hockey, children’s camps, swim lessons
ADDRESS	1 Donald Street | Ottawa, Ontario K1K 4E6
CONTACT NUMBER	613-749-6126 [email protected]
WEBSITE	https://www.rideausportscentre.com/
OPERATING HOURS	Monday to Friday 7 AM – 11 PM Saturdays & Sundays 7 AM – 10 PM

The Rideau Sports Centre refers to itself as a community hub for everyone regardless of age, skill, or background. Specifically, it offers Ottawa residents and visitors sports-based facilities and programs for different seasons.

What we like about this centre is that it has dedicated Kids@RSC programs. Children can sign up for junior tennis, after-school multi-sports, PrezDential basketball, dek hockey, camps, and swim lessons.

Striving to stay true to its promise of having something for everyone, there’s also a family restaurant on the centre’s premises. It’s perfect for both big and intimate groups and serves both meat and plant-based fare.

There are also family-friendly programs for swimming, volleyball, fitness and yoga, tennis, basketball, and even a Rideau winter trail for those who like skiing, ice skating, and snow-shoeing. And for special occasions, the Rideau Sports Centre can rent its facilities for weddings, birthday parties, sporting leagues, and corporate meetings.

Customer Reviews

The following clients have honest reviews on the Rideau Sports Centre:

“Great domed facility for winter use. Multigym and recreation areas in addition to a second done with tennis courts. Restaurant and party room. Good food and very accommodating staff. Great community facility!” – Jim D.

“It is a nice place for events and gatherings, especially in the COVID era. The only negative I can think of are the stairs. They are too steep and some people may have difficulty in negotiating them.” – Isabella Abols

4. Color Me Mine

SERVICES	Paint your own pottery studio, walk-ins, private parties, ceramics, gift cards
ADDRESS	1595 Merivale Road Suite 6 Ottawa, ON K2G 3J4
CONTACT NUMBER	(613) 224-8888
WEBSITE	https://colormemine.com
OPERATING HOURS	Monday to Wednesday 11 AM – 9.30 PM Thursdays and Fridays 11 AM – 10 PM Saturdays 10 AM – 9 PM Sundays 10 AM – 6 PM

For families who want to do arts and crafts as a bonding and recreational experience, Color Me Mine might just be their cup of tea.

It’s a paint-your-own pottery studio that offers hundreds of differently shaped and sized ceramics to paint on. The company also offers this unique activity for birthday parties, fundraisers, baby showers, souvenirs, and other special occasions that require keepsakes.

It has themed ceramics and activities in accordance with holidays, special occasions, and seasons. For example, in anticipation of the winter season, Color Me Mine currently offers holiday prints and Paint Me ceramic Christmas trees waiting to be coloured and painted on by little hands.

The studio also offers a “Create” program on its website that any kid can refer to for free. There are step-by-step instructions on the materials and techniques needed for fun ceramic versions of glossy lips coin banks, boombox trays, watermelon bowls, and more.

Customer Reviews

Read the following positive feedback for Color Me Mine:

“Love painting with my kids they did an amazing job by themselves amazing customer service and lovely people.” – La Nena Cruz

“We had a great experience at Color Me Mine! Jackie was so kind and helpful to my daughter and her friend. Highly recommend!” – Amy Macak

5. Saunders Farm

SERVICES	Farm fresh foods, hedge mazes, hayrides, jumping pillows, unique play structures, live shows, pumpkin patch, 6 haunted attractions, and over 30 attractions
ADDRESS	7893 Bleeks Road | Munster, ON K0A 3P0
CONTACT NUMBER	613-838-5440   [email protected]
WEBSITE	https://saundersfarm.com/
OPERATING HOURS	Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays Wednesdays to Sundays 10 AM – 5 PM

Who doesn’t love agri-tourism especially when it throws in so many fun family activities? Saunders Farm is almost like a country Wonderland filled with mazes, play structures, puppet shows, parades, and yes, even a shop filled to the rafters with gifts and treats.

Saunders Farm has something new scheduled for every season apart from its permanent main attractions. For fall, kids and their parents or guardians can enjoy the Pumpkin Season and Frightfest while anticipating wintertime’s A Country Christmas drive-through light show.

There are daytime and nighttime activities with reasonable ticket rates averaging $25 (though the Frightfest is a bit steep at around $45!). Tickets can’t be cancelled, refunded, or transferred because of weather conditions.

There are live shows and street theatres for the entire family to enjoy, as well.

Given the current climate, all visits have to be pre-booked for safety compliance.

Customer Reviews

See how visitors of Saunders Farm liked their stay:

“Great place to keep the little ones busy! They can mine for gemstones or bones, walk through mazes, as well as bounce on an outdoor trampoline. Plus it has gift shops that sell homemade apple cider with or without alcohol, stuffed animals, mugs, t-shirts, hats, candles, hand soap, body lotion, etc.” – Constance Lapierre

“Good place to have fun while finding your way out of the mazes!” – Jacob C.

6. Logiscool

SERVICES	After-school programs, Courses, Online classrooms, In-classrooms, One-on-one, Summer and Vacation camps, Workshops, Demo lessons, Birthday Activities, etc.
ADDRESS	120 Terence Matthews Crescent, Kanata, ON K2M 1P7, Canada
CONTACT NUMBER	[email protected] +1 613-974-6907
WEBSITE	https://www.logiscool.com/
OPERATING HOURS	Monday to Friday 8AM – 8PM Saturday 9AM – 3PM Closed on Sundays

Founded in 2013, Logiscool has over 140,000 students in 29 countries around the globe. They mostly focus on digital literacy, coding, and programming for first up to ninth graders and beyond. 

Using Roblox, Minecraft, and other platforms, they are able to make learning be engaging while teaching their students to have the necessary skills that they require. We like that they adjust their curriculum depending on their students’ ages and capabilities.

Aside from courses with full-blown semeters, they offer camps and workshops for children to enjoy. They can also cater to birthday parties where they provide escape rooms suitable for two age groups.

For parents who are not sure whether their children will find the right place in Logiscool, they can register for a free demo lesson. This trial can help them have an insight on the inner workings of the workshops that their children would immerse themselves in.

So far, their previous students highly recommend them since they learn while having fun. Parents have also commented that their children have improved on their problem solving skills by seeing things in different perspectives.

Customer Reviews

Here are some feedback of students from Logiscool:

“We code cool things and I have made friends. Pity it is only once once in a week” – Samuel, 12 years old

“I like Logiscool a lot, we play and learn at the same time!” – Aron, 8 years old

FAQs About Kids’ Activities in Ottawa

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The best kids’ activities in Ottawa are those that involve the entire family and won’t put a strain on your budget.

If we left out some kids’ activities worth reviewing, please send us a message and we’ll check to see if they make the cut on our list.

And if you want to nurture your kids’ passion for the arts, we have a resource about the best art schools in Ottawa for you to read.

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