Welcome to yoyomama’s weekend guide! Your go-to list of family friendly fun things to do with kids in Toronto and the GTA.
With the perfect outdoor weather we’ve been having in T.O., why not grab the family this weekend and take in some of the great city events? There’s a wide range of fun stuff happening, like Harbourfront’s Monster Makers shows, an in-the-city fall fair in Mount Pleasant Village, Paleontology at the ROM, bird watching at the Humber Arboretum, and a visit from The Backyardigans…plus so much more!
The Backyardigans: Quests For The Extra Ordinary Aliens, Sony Centre
Friday, October 14th (6:30 pm) & Saturday, October 15th (10 am & 1 pm), Sony Centre For The Performing Arts, 1 Front Street East, Toronto
This smash hit by Koba Entertainment is an out-of-this-world theatrical production with the whole Backyardigans gang – Pablo the penguin, Tyrone the moose, Uniqua the purple- spotted creature, Tasha the hippo, and Austin the kangaroo, five high-spirited friends on another epic adventure! Tag along with the gang and their extra ordinary host as they travel to shivering Frozen Toes Mountain, the blistering Hot Footsy Desert, and the volcanic Lost Pirate Island – singing and dancing the whole way: www.sonycentre.ca
Monster Makers, Harbourfront Centre
Thursday, October 13th – Monday, October 16th, see site for times, Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queen’s Quay West, Toronto
The Sad Scientist made a monster, but the monster has no interest in, nor aptitude for, being scary. Enter the kids in the audience, who work with the performers to create a monster and take him out into the world – literally. The show culminates in an out-of-theatre experience in which the audience is charged with taking care of the Monster as the performance moves through the Harbourfront Centre site. For ages 5-10, and 16-100 (apparently early teens will “roll their eyes”): www.harbourfrontcentre.com
Great Kids Stuff Sale, St. Leonard’s Anglican Church
Saturday, October 15th, 9 am – Noon, St. Leonard’s Anglican Church, 25 Wanless Avenue, Toronto
This sale is hosted by the North Toronto MOMS Group, and offers high quality items for newborns up to 6 years old, including clothes, strollers, toys, and more. Help reduce waste by bringing your own, very large, reusable shopping bag – you will need it! Debit and cash only: www.greatkidsstuffsale.com
Toronto And Region Conservation Authority Stewardship Events
Saturday, October 15th & Sunday, October 16th, see site for events, locations and times, Conservation centres/parks around the GTA
Bring your family out to explore the GTA’s parks and conservation areas, to plant trees, learning about our wetlands, and what we can do as residents to become better stewards of our local environment. All free, and some require registration: www.trcastewardshipevents.ca
Mount Pleasant Fall Fair
Saturday, October 16th, 10 am – 6 pm, Mount Pleasant Village, Mount Pleasant Road between Eglinton and Davisville, Toronto
Come out and enjoy a Fall Fair in the city! Get a chance to meet Bret “The Hitman” Hart, plus enjoy the pumpkin patch and kids’ activities. Partial proceeds of the day will go towards the March of Dimes Canada and the United Way: www.mountpleasantvillage.ca
Dinomania: Paleotology gone wild! Royal Ontario Museum
Saturday, October 15th – Sunday, October 16th, 11 am – 4 pm, Royal Ontario Museum, 100 Queen’s Park, Toronto
Follow the ROM’s Dinosaur-Hunter deep into the Alberta Badlands. ROM paleontologist David Evans has been part of a team excavating in the remote Milk River region in southern Alberta for the past six years, and this weekend visitors have the exciting and rare opportunity to see some of the recent discoveries made there. Plus, tons of dinosaur fun for the whole family: www.rom.on.ca
Our Kids Toronto Private School Expo, Roy Thomson Hall
Saturday, October 15th, 11 am – 3 pm, Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street, Toronto
The Toronto Private School Expo is the largest event of its kind. Exhibiting schools include both day and boarding traditional, arts, Montessori, Waldorf and special needs schools from across the GTA, and as far away as Switzerland or Hawaii: www.ourkids.net
Bird Watching Event, Humber Arboretum
Saturday, October 15th, 10 am & 1 pm, Humber Arboretum, 205 Humber College Boulevard, Toronto
Learn bird watching tips, listen to some bird calls, and enjoy a guided walk through the Humber Arboretum to view the resident and returning bird species. Bring your bird field guide, good walking shoes, and binoculars if possible. Pre-registration is required. Call to book your spot at 416.675.5009: www.humberarboretum.on.ca
Apple Harvest Tea, Montgomery’s Inn
Sunday, October 16th, 1 pm – 4 pm, Montgomery’s Inn, 4709 Dundas Street West, Etobicoke
Celebrate the harvest with freshly baked apple crisp, and take a tour of the historic inn. Perfect for a fun family fall day: www.toronto.ca
Farther Afield:
Welcome Wagon Baby Shower, Century Gardens Recreation Centre
Sunday, October 16th, 11 am – 4:30 pm, Century Gardens Recreation Centre, 340 Vodden Street East, Brampton
A fun, free, informative and educational event where expecting parents can learn about products and services to meet the needs of their growing family! Enjoy displays, interactive demos, guest speakers, terrific door prizes, and a free gift bag for all. Come and meet the businesses that know babies best. To register, call 905.791.0145, or visit welcomewagon.ca: www.welcomewagon.ca
Follow The Fish! Morningside Park
Sunday, October 16th, 1 pm – 3 pm, Morningside Park, vehicles can enter the park from Morningside Avenue between Kingston Road and Ellesmere Road, Scarborough
You won’t want to miss the salmon as they swim upstream in the Highland Creek! Join TRCA, the Toronto Field Naturalists and Toronto Water to see the fish’s annual migration and the fall colours of Morningside Park. Discover the city’s efforts to improve the Highland Creek, and ways to get involved through stewardship programs and workshops in your neighbourhood: www.trcastewardshipevents.ca
Pumpkinfest & Halloween Costume Exchange
Sunday, October 16th, 1 pm – 4 pm, Adventure Valley, 7015 Leslie Street, Thornhill
Free pumpkins, costume exchange, face painting, s’mores by the fire, inflatables, and fall crafts! Great fun event for young families: www.adventurevalleydaycamp.com
Boost For Kids Foundation – Caterpillar Crawl, Evergreen Brick Works
Sunday, October 16th, Registration at 9 am, Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto
This inaugural event will center on a kids-for-kids walk aiming to raise awareness among children and families about BOOST and its many services. Following the walk at Evergreen Brick Works, there will be a family focused celebration that includes fun stations, music, and seasonal treats. The goal is for the Caterpillar Crawl Walk-A-Thon to be embraced at a grass roots level and grow into an annual national event in which children from all of Canada’s diverse communities can participate: ebw.evergreen.ca
Do you have an event you would like to see in our weekend guide? Then send us your details and we’ll help you get the word out. Looking for a feature listing? Contact Erin, our Director of Sales and Marketing, for more information.
And we wanted to remind you to always call or visit the website for event info before you head out just in case any changes have been made since we posted it. And of course, have fun!