Though the temperature may drop, the fun doesn’t stop in January! Toronto has plenty of indoor and outdoor activities for kids and families this month.
Here are our top picks for family-friendly events and activities for January 2016 in Toronto and the GTA.
For even more happenings in Toronto and the GTA, see our online events calendar, updated daily.
On this month in Toronto for kids:
Monster Truck Mega-Show
Maple Leaf Monster Jam brings 10,000-pound vehicles to the Rogers Centre for souped-up family entertainment. Watch this giant trucks crush, crash, flip, and fly through the air. January 16–17
Family Sundays at the AGO
Every weekend, the Family Sundays program at the AGO has interactive, innovative activities for kids of all ages, with monthly themes based on AGO exhibitions. The January theme is Enchanted Winter Garden—create a magical winter garden with “gingerbread” houses and a whimsical “candy land”! January 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Children’s Theatre
Winter is prime time for theatre of all sorts, and children’s theatre is no exception. A number of shows are wrapping up the first weekend in January, so get tickets now!
Here’s what’s on stage:
Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang at YPT November 19–January 3
Ross Petty Productions’ Peter Pan November 27–January 3
Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella at the Ed Mirvish Theatre December 1–January 10
Fancy Nancy The Musical at Lower Ossington Theatre Through January 31
Peter Pan by Dufflebag Theatre January 9–10
Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing: A Musical at Solar Stage Theatre weekends January 16–31
Jack and the Beanstalk at Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre January 13–17
Great Balls of Fire at Famous People Players dinner theatre January 16–May 31
Concerts and Sing-Alongs
The month starts out with two sing-along events: Frozen Sing-Along at the Meadowvale Theatre in Mississauga (Jan. 2) and Sing-Along Sound of Music at TiFF Bell Lightbox (Jan. 2).
Later in the month are two cool shows: Banana Hatz: A Ukelele Adventure Sing-Song (January 23) and Splash N’ Boots Live! (January 31).
Ice-Skating
A mild December meant closures at outdoor skating rinks, but January should bring us some decent skating weather. Lace up your skates and find a City of Toronto rink near you or head to popular rinks like the Natrel Rink at the Harbourfront Centre.
The Harbourfront Centre’s annual DJ Skate Nights take place every Saturday in winter.
See 8 Great Toronto Skating Rinks for Families.
Maurice Sendak at the Library
From December 19 through January 31, the Toronto Reference Library will display more than 50 works by Maurice Sendak, beloved author of Where the Wild Things Are, in its “Maurice Sendak: 50 Years, 50 Works, 50 Reasons” exhibit. Works on display include set and costume designs, animation cels, posters, and sketches. Guided tours are available on January 11 and 25.
Red Bull Stratos Exhibit
On at the Ontario Science Centre, this travelling exhibit includes the capsule and spacesuit from Austrian daredevil Felix Baumgartner’s 2012 supersonic freefall from a stratospheric balloon. While there, see gear worn by Canadian astronaut Colonel Chris Hadfield and watch the IMAX film Hubble.
Sporting Events
Most of us can only dream of seeing the Maple Leafs rink-side, but there’s more than one team in town!
See Toronto’s NBA team, the Raptors, play home games in January at the Air Canada Centre. The Toronto Marlies AHL hockey team play at the Ricoh Coliseum. For something different, see a pro lacrosse game: The Toronto Rock play at the Air Canada Centre.
Non-pro games can be just as much fun! Check out Toronto Roller Derby; the Ryerson Rams’ women’s hockey, men’s hockey, and volleyball teams; the Brampton A’s (basketball); and the Mississauga Steelheads (junior hockey).
Cross-Country Skiing
For ski-lovers, fingers crossed that there will be enough snow to get out and enjoy winter snow sports this year!
GTA conservation areas and parks have pristine trails for skiing—surrounded by evergreens and far away from the city bustle. Not all conservation areas and parks have ski rentals (but many do), so be sure to check in advance.
Popular family-friendly cross-country ski areas are Albion Hills Conservation Area (Caledon), Hilton Falls Conservation Area (Milton) and Mountsberg Conservation Area (Campbellville).
Mansfield Outdoor Centre is an hour north of Pearson Airport, with 40 km of groomed trails. And, of course, you can get way out of town for an amazing ski adventure in places like the Scenic Caves (Blue Mountains/Collingwood), Horseshoe Resort (Haliburton) or Algonquin Provincial Park.
You can ski in the city, too: If you’ve got your own skis, try the Toronto Islands, High Park, or Don Valley trails.
Indoor Swimming
Nearly every neighbourhood has a community centre with an indoor pool, but for a treat, head to the Regent Park Aquatic Centre, the Richmond Hill Wave Pool, or the Agincourt Recreation Centre pool in Scarborough.
For the ultimate in splash-around fun in winter, plan a trip to Niagara Falls, where there are three indoor water parks.
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
• Active Winter Family Getaways in Ontario
• 9 Things To Do with Kids Before Winter’s Over
• 31 Things To Do During Winter Break in Toronto
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