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Your kids are home for the summer and you have run out of ideas for keeping them busy and off the devices for 3 months. Here are some local, family friendly, activities that you can do together.
Boat rides on the canal
Enjoy the sun by taking the family on a boat ride along the Lachine Canal! You can learn about the rich history of the canal or challenge yourselves to a geocache challenge that is interactive and requires team work. Saturday mornings include group tours of the canal that end by the Old Port for lunch. It’s a great way to build and appetite and spend the day outdoors with the family.
The Biodome
Spend the day having fun and learning about bugs, plants, animals, and our solar system at the Biodome. The insectarium, botanical gardens, planetarium, and biodome are open all summer and ready to entertain and educate you and the kids. Visit each space individually throughout the summer or visit multiple spaces throughout the day. It’s a great way to spend quality time with the family and learn something new and interesting to talk about at home.
The Theatre
https://centaurtheatre.com/children-s-theatre.html
The Centaur theatre’s saturday morning Children’s Theatre is fun, affordable, and will introduce your kids to the magical world of theatre. On select saturdays, the Centaur offers special shows for children and families to enjoy. All performances are live and given by some of Montréal’s best talent for kids around.The shows include storytelling, puppet theatre, live action, and more.
Tohu – Cité des arts du cirque
Spend a weekend viewing acrobatic performances for the whole family! Tohu and local companies have worked together to create a series of artistic workshops and performances that include dance, circus, and theatre to promote creativity and bonding with your family. Enjoy movies under the stars and bee-themed family activities.
Chinatown
http://www.chinatownmontreal.net/
Explore Montréal’s Chinese heritage walking through the streets of Chinatown where you will find shops, kiosks, and restaurants in an area that’s culturally diverse. Chinese immigrants to Montréal first settled in this area as early as 1860 so there is a lot of history to catch up on here.
Le Taz indoor sports centre
This place is one of the largest indoor sports facilities in Canada. It is dedicated to the practice of inline skating, skateboarding, and BMX. The location totals over 83,000 square feet and is setup for beginners and experts. There is entertainment here for the entire family allowing each visitor to enjoy a unique experience full of memorable sensations in a large, safe, and supervised area.
Mont Royal
The mountain is both beautiful and full of activities for you and the kids this summer. Get on the paddle boats on Beaver Lake, see the sights from multiple lookouts, go on a nature walk on your own or with a tour group, and enjoy the surroundings on the plentiful picnic areas.
Olympic Park
http://parcolympique.qc.ca/en/
The olympic park, located near the biodome, planetarium, and insectarium has several activities for the family. The stadium, Montréal tower, and sports centre are just some of the activities you can get the family into while visiting. Visit their website to see a number of festivals and events being held there this summer!
Old Montréal
http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/eng/accueila.htm
Old Montréal is a place full of history and fun to meet the tastes of adults and kids! Along with its beautiful old city atmosphere, le Vieux Port offers the Science Centre, zip lining, a pirate ship, and the SOS labyrinthe.
Park Jean Drapeau
http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/en/
If you can think of it, Park Jean Drapeau has it! Plenty of activities for the whole family this summer including, Aquazilla water park, boat rentals, team building exercises, public art, open water swimming, beach volleyball, the Jean-Doré beach and more! It’s all about being outdoors at the park.
I-Saute
https://isaute.ca/en/hours-pricing/
Get the whole family jumping at I-Saute, the trampoline centre! Purchase tickets online and book a day of jumping or a family night jump for $35, its wall to wall fun.
Funtropolis
Get in touch with your inner kid at Canada’s biggest indoor playground. With giant play structures, ball cannons, mini golf, X-rider, and giant spider web the kids will be in play heaven!
Montréal Festivals and 375th Anniversary Events!
There are never enough festivals going on in Montréal over the summer months. If you want to enjoy foods from different cultures, international music, have a laugh and more check out all of the festivals going on this summer in Montréal. Many of them have free events that you can bring the family to and enjoy a little time outside during Montréal’s 375th anniversary!
Montréal is a great place for families and summertime is the perfect time to spend quality time together. Enjoy the both the outdoors and indoors engaging in fun and interactive activities. The kids will have fun and memorable moments for when they return to school.
Written by: Mayte Parada, PhD