photo: National Ballet of Canada’s The Nutcracker (Aleksandar Antonijevic/National Ballet of Canada)
As the weather grows colder and the days grow darker, the Toronto cultural calendar brightens, with some of the best children’s plays, musicals, concerts, dance performances and more in all of North America taking the stages across the city.
Access to world-class performing arts venues and companies is without a doubt one of the best things about raising kids in Toronto. Don’t miss out on these fabulous shows and events this season!
Be sure to check our online events listings, updated daily, to find out what’s coming up.
Theatre and Musicals
At Solar Stage Children’s Theatre you’ll find plays, musicals, music concerts, puppet shows, and more for kids ages 3 through 10. Highlights this winter season include musicals like The Stone Princess, the ever-popular Peter Pan, a mash-up of Robert Munsch classic stories on stage, plus holiday performances.
Young People’s Theatre has though-provoking performances for kids and youth, ages 3 to 18. The winter season features an action-packed musical, a play based on Aboriginal stories, and Goodnight Moon.
At the historic Elgin Theatre, Ross Petty Productions mounts a splashy family music each year. This year it’s the magical story of Peter Pan.
In December, Soulpepper Theatre presents its Soulpepper Family Festival, with concerts, magicians, and the classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol.
Cow Over Moon Children’s Theatre will bring Jack & the Beanstalk to Mississauga (November) and Toronto (January).
More musicals on this season:
November:
Mary Poppins
Curious George Live!
December:
Cinderella
Jesus Christ Superstar
Phantom of the Opera
January:
Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing Show
March:
Beauty and the Beast
Music and Concerts
See Holiday Events for Kids for Christmas-themed concerts.
Our top picks for kids from November through February are:
November:
Bubble Guppies Live! Ready To Rock
Raffi at Roy Thompson Hall
Canadian Opera Company’s Opera for Kids
Peter and the Wolf: Toronto Symphony Orchestra
December:
Christmas Concert by the Candy Cane Carolers
January:
Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra
March:
Pixar in Concert
The Legend of Zelda global concert tour
Dance
Each holiday season brings the most famous ballet ever performed to the stage: Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Every child should see it at least once—and for many, it’s an annual family tradition.
Several companies perform the classic ballet in Toronto and the GTA from mid-November through early January. See Holiday Events for Kids for more information on The Nutcracker performances.
The Nutcracker aside, you can find plenty of other dance events to delight children interested in dance:
November/December:
The Winter’s Tale and Romeo and Juliet from the National Ballet of Canada
December:
WinterSong from the Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre
December/January:
Ballet Creole’s Soulful Messiah
January:
Dance Ontario’s Dance Weekend ’16
So You Think You Can Dance?
Ice Shows and More
Two ice shows glide into the city this season: Sleeping Beauty on Ice in November and Disney on Ice: Dare To Dream in December.
Cirque du Soleil’s Toruk comes to the Air Canada Centre in January.
Museums and Exhibits
Family Sundays at the Art Gallery of Ontario take place every Sunday from November through April. Each month brings a different theme, with interactive, innovative family activities. Always on at the AGO is the Kids’ Gallery, a special space with exhibitions for little eyes and hands.
A visit to the Royal Ontario Musum to see the dinosaur bones and to brave the Bat Cave is always fun. But the ROM also has hands-on galleries just for kids.
There’s always something on for kids at the Ontario Science Centre, like IMAX films and planetarium shows, but coming up for winter 2015/16 is the “Red Bull Stratos Exhibit” where you can see a space capsule and spacesuit up close.
The new Children’s Discovery Centre is a play-based learning centre and museum for kids ages 6 and under. Encourage imaginative play and art through hands-on exhibits. The pilot project is open through December 2015.
Holiday Events for Kids
The Nutcracker
Canada Ballet Jörgen’s The Nutcracker will be performed in Milton, Toronto, and Markham, plus other Ontario locations. (Nov. 21–Dec. 30)
Moscow Classical Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker will take the stage in Brampton. (Dec. 10)
National Ballet of Canada’s The Nutcracker, performed at Toronto’s Four Seasons Centre, is the most opulent ballet in the company’s repertoire. Not to be missed! Dec. 12–Jan. 13)
Toronto International Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker is performed for one date only downtown. (Dec. 19)
Victoria Ballet Company presents The Nutcracker in its full classical form according to the tradition of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg, Russia, in Richmond Hill. (Dec. 18–20)
A Christmas Carol
The classic Dickens’ tale of Ebenezer Scrooge takes to the stage across the GTA; find productions at the Soulpepper Family Festival, at various venues from the Humber River Shakespeare company, and more.
Christmas Concerts for Kids
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents Cirque de la Symphonie: Holiday Hits and A Christmas Circus, both with silk artists, jugglers, contortionists, magicians, and more.
Christmas Plays and Musicals for Kids
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical (Nov. 17–20)
It’s a Wonderful Life (Dec. 3–24)
Frosty the Snowman (Dec. 5–6)
Krampus, the Original Christmas Curmudgeon (Dec. 12–Jan. 3)
Sign up for the Help! weekend events newsletter for a round-up of the best of what’s on for kids and families each weekend.
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
• 15 fun indoor kids’ activities in Toronto
• Toronto film festivals for kids and families
• active family winter getaways near Toronto
Looking for more indoor things to do with kids in Toronto or the GTA? Check out Fun Things To Do With Kids in Toronto in our online directory.
