5 of the best things to do with kids this weekend

Sat 6 – Sun 7 Jun

Photo credit: Do West Fest

Oscar Peterson School of Music’s annual event

Kid-friendly highlights:

  • 10am – 10.30am: Free trial classes
    • For new families (ages 1-2)
  • 10am – 3pm: Product demos
  • 10.30am – 3pm: “The Sound of Me” zone (ages 4-10)
  • 10.30am – 3pm: Percussion zone (ages 4-10)
  • 10.30am – 3.30pm: Face painting
  • 10.45am – 11am: Kids’ percussion class
  • 11am – 2pm: Kids can try playing string & band instruments & the piano
  • 1.30pm – 4.15pm: All-ages percussion drop-in classes

Registration required for trial classes. 

“Play”-themed summer festival

RedBall Toronto

  • Each day the RedBall appears in a new location – wedged between buildings, perched on staircases, or tucked into alleyways

Anthems to Colour

  • Sculptural works using coloured acrylic, mirrored surfaces & refracted light.

Pyramid Fields

The Power of the Land

Colourful Parachutes

  • Invites children to reimagine art galleries as a place of play

All events are all-ages & free. Weekend hours/locations:

RedBall:

  • Sat (11am – 6pm): Harbour Square Park West 
  • Sun (11am – 6pm): Regent Park Aquatic Centre 

Anthems to Colour: 

  • 24/7: Bay Adelaide Centre, Brookfield Place & First Canadian Place

Pyramid Fields:

  • 24/7: Trinity Square Park at CF Toronto Eaton Centre  

The Power of the Land:

  • Sat (11am – 9.30pm): Harbourfront Centre

Colourful Parachutes:

  • Sat & Sun (11am – 6pm): The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery

Street festival

  • 11am – 1pm**: Magic show
  • 12pm*: Puppet & human brother duo
  • 1pm*: Salsa lesson
  • 1pm – 4pm**: Freestyle hand drumming
  • 1pm – 4pm**: Aerial space show
  • 4pm & 6pm**: Flamenco performance
  • 5pm – 7pm**: Hip hop dance
  • 7pm – 11pm**: Mobile art & music carriage inspired by Cinderalla

Sun

  • 11am, 1pm & 3pm**: Magician
  • 12pm, 2pm & 4pm**: Comedy juggler
  • 1pm – 3pm**: Marie Antoinette mime artist
  • 2pm*: Afro-folk-soul vocalist
  • 3pm**: Caribbean dancers
  • 4pm – 8pm**: Pogo stick stunt performance
  • 5pm*: Circus act
  • 7pm – 9pm**: Circus performance

*Kids Zone
**Buskers Zone

Features a Mystery Box fundraiser: each box contains a surprise prize valued between $15-$500+.  

Carroll St

  • 12pm – 6pm: Meet Toronto Humane Society pets
  • 12pm – 6pm: Make a ‘World in a City’ themed button
  • 12pm – 6pm: Explore a reconstruction of Da Vinci’s helicopter
  • 12pm – 6pm: Make your own puppets

Mcgee St

  • 12pm – 5pm: Community BBQ
    • 12pm – 2pm & 2pm – 5pm: Live patio music
      • Face painting & crafts

Saulter St

  • 12pm – 12.30pm, 1pm – 1.30pm, 4pm – 4.30pm: Magic show
  • 12pm – 5pm: Library PRIDE activities
    • Bubbles, rainbow crafts & button making
  • 12pm – 6pm: Ralph Thornton Community Centre kids’ activities
  • 12pm – 6pm: Garden Centre gardening tips
  • 2pm – 3pm: Puppet show
  • 4.30pm – 5.30pm: Meet & greet with lion dancers

Eats

  • 12pm – 6pm: Meet Tim Hortons’ mascot Timmie
    • 1pm – 4pm: Face painting

Young artisans
12pm – 6pm: Shop from Kid Biz Vendors

  • Entrepreneurs under the age of 16

Age: All

Presenting films by Indigenous artists

Sensory-friendly short films

  • Niwahkohmahkanis:
    • Shines a light on the love children have for their grandmothers
  • Wolverine and Little Thunder:
    • Animation follows 2 friends on an eel-fishing trip
  • Migizi Makes A Deal With Gzhemnidoo:
    • All-ages 2D animation celebrating Indigenous tradition
  • Nenaboozhoo:
    • Animated in-language Anishinaabe story of how the arrow got its feathers
  • Tankha:
    • 3 friends receive a prediction from a fortune teller, unleashing strange events

Location: TIFF Lightbox (350 King St W)
Date: Fri 5 Jun & Sat 6 Jun
Time: Fri (10.30am) & Sat (11.30am)
Price: $10
Age: All 

Runtime: Films are 4min – 13min long

Sat

  • Artisan Market

Sun

  • Community Fair of 20+ local charities, non-profits, clubs & elected officials

Sat & Sun

  • Diverse music & dance performances

Family activities

  • Mini-putt, an escape room, face painting, aerial hammock, instruments, LEGO building, a robotic field, arts & crafts, caricatures

Location: Mel Lastman Square (5100 Yonge St)
Date: Fri 5 Jun – Sun 7 Jun
Time: Sat (12pm – 10pm), Sun (12pm – 8pm)
Price: Free (donations encouraged)
Age: All 

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