Ottawa Kids Guide
Ottawa is a great place to raise kids. We have lots of outdoor space, plenty of indoor attractions and recreation facilities, and a safe environment. Here are some ideas for entertaining your family.
Featured Listings
- Starr Gymnastics & Fitness
Starr Gymnastics & Fitness is Ottawa’s first choice for Family Fitness. We provide instructional gymnastics for children of any background and ability. Our programs are dynamic, challenging, promoting self-esteem. Our instructors are the best in the industry! Starr Gymnastics provides everyone with Great Exercise, Great People and Great Fun!
- Nanny Perfect
Nanny Perfect is a Canadian online nanny placement service that puts Canadian families in touch with locally-based nannies. Families can use our website to find and contact candidates matching their requirements, without having to deal with an agency and at a fraction of the cost of a regular nanny placement service. Search for matching nannies online, contact candidates to discuss requirements, and create a free profile to advertise your vacancy on our popular website.
- TummyThyme
TummyThyme is an Ottawa based nutrition consulting service specializing in prenatal nutrition for singleton pregnancies or multiples; infant nutrition including starting to feed your baby, making homemade baby food and transitioning to table foods; toddler nutrition; school lunches; picky eaters; and healthy eating for autism. We offer group workshops or individual consultations to meet your needs. All services are provided by a Registered Dietitian. See www.tummythyme.com for details.
- Ottawa Parenting Times Magazine
An Ottawa based parenting magazine home delivered in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Parenting Times covers issues and topics important to parents and families for helping to raise their children. Parenting Times strives to give parents the information they want on health, education, family fun, the arts, community profiles, and so much more. From interesting, and informative articles, Ottawa Parenting Times provides in-depth editorial and information for today’s busy parents.
Tumblers Gymnastics Centre
Tumblers Gymnastics Centre offers everything ‘gymnastic’ under one inviting roof. Drop-in classes, recreational and competitive programs, camp programs and Parties are just some of the fun available. Tumblers is open seven days a week offering daytime and evening programs. Check out our website: www.tumblers.ca or call 613-834-4334 for more details.
Brinkeetos
We provide fun activities that will help your child develop while keeping fit. We offer Brink Dance, Brink Yoga, sensory programs, and developmental classes. If you are looking for great unstructured fun activities, visit us and bring your child during our Drop-in & Play time! We also host Birthday Parties!
- SOSsitter.ca
A Canadian online service that connects families to local, pre-screen nannies and babysitters and other caregivers. Choose from many available candidates from Ottawa for all types of needs: occasional, regular, live-in, live-out. Each caregiver has a Mom reviewed detailed profile with contact details, references and background checks. Select, contact and hire with confidence at a fraction a nanny placement agency would charge. We also offer candidates for Special Needs, Senior Care, Pet Care and Housekeeping. Also available in French as SOSgarde.ca
Monkey Rock Music
Monkey Rock Music is a fun, entertaining and participatory music program for children ages 0-4 and their caregivers. Our goal is to instil a love of creating and experiencing music that will last a lifetime. Nothing has a stronger impact on children than enjoying an activity with people they love.
Funhaven
Funhaven is Ottawa's newest and best entertainment centre destination. We offer a world-class Laser Tag Arena, award winning Comfyland toddler play centre, a jungle gym with built-in Ballocity cannons, the latest high-tech Mini Bowling Lanes, Video and Prize Games, Simulators, crazy fun Bumper Cars, Mission Impossible style Laser Frenzy and other award winning attractions that will leave you thrilled. Whatever you consider fun, you'll find more of it at Funhaven, The Fun Experts!
Kids in the Capital
Kids in the Capital is a blog written by parents who share some of the activities, attractions, events, tips and tricks they love to do with their kids in the National Capital Region.
On this page (and beyond)
Activities & attractions
- See also: Ottawa Family Day
- See also: Ottawa March Break
- See also: Ottawa Summer Camps
- See also: Ottawa Birthday Party Guide
- Art Empowerment for Kids
- Bearbrook Farm (Navan)
Elk, deer, buffalo, llama, peacocks and chickens
- Bowling: Check out our Sports & Recreation Guide
- Brinketoos
"more than just fitness for kids"
- Capital Kids
Event calendar featuring activities for kids in Ottawa
- Chrichton Cultural Community Centre
- City
of Ottawa Recreation & Culture
Includes a listing of programs and activities
offered by the City of Ottawa.
- Cosmic Adventures (Glouceseter)
- Dovercourt Recreation Centre
- Frugal Fun Ottawa
Lists free and frugal events and activities happening in
the National Capital Region, geared towards families and kids.
- Funhaven
- Gracewood Stables (Kenmore)
- Kids in the Capital
Kids in the Capital is a blog written by parents who share some of the activities, attractions, events, tips and tricks they love to do with their kids in the National Capital Region.
- KidSports Ottawa
Helps Ottawa children & youth from low-income families participate in organized sport by providing grants for sport registration fees & equipment.
- 40
(mostly) free family fun ideas
A great blog post from DaniGirl with lots of indoor and outdoor activities
for your kids. Make sure you read the comments for more ideas from
readers, or add your own Ottawa kids activities to the list
- Macaroni Kid
A listing of kid-friendly events and activities, along with a focus on the environment, local services and independent stores.
- Macoun Field Club
- Mini golf: Please see our Ottawa Golf Guide...
- Monkey Around Ottawa
- Motherhood in Ottawa
- New Star Childrens Theatre
- Odyssey Theatre - Youth Matinee
- Ottawa Art Gallery - Creative Sundays
- Ottawa Mommy Club
- Ottawa Parades Guide
Our listing of local parades, including the annual Santa Claus Parade.
- Ottawa Robotics Academy
- Papanack Zoo
- Pinto Valley Farm (Fitzroy Harbour)
- Renfrew Storyland
- RCSCC Falkland (sea cadets)
- Salamander Theatre
Related: Ottawa Theatre Guide
- Saunders Farm
- Sugar Bushes in Ottawa and Gatineau
- Strawberry Picking
A directory of pick-your-own berry farms in the Ottawa area.
- Tagzone Painball
- Tiny Hoppers
- Tubes & Jujubes (Gatineau)
- Valleyview Little
Animal Farm (Nepean)
- Vertical Reality (indoor rock-climbing - Victoria Island near downtown)
- Y Kids Academy
- See also: Ottawa Events Guide
- See also: Ottawa Festivals Guide
- See also: Ottawa Sports & Recreation Guide
- See also: Ottawa pools, water parks, splashpads
Blogs
A growing list of Ottawa-based blogs by parents, about their families. Add your blog...
Books
Ottawa
with Kids by James Hale. The complete family travel guide
to attractions, sites and events in Ottawa.
- Frommer's®
Ottawa with Kids by Louise Dearden. Reveals the most
fun and educational experiences for kids in Canada's capital. It's
full of incredibly detailed tips - right down to which hotels offer
cribs and rollaway beds and which restaurants offer high chairs.
The
Lobster kids' guide to exploring Ottawa-Hull by John
Symon. Whether you're a parent, an educator or a tourist, if you're
caring for children between the ages of 1-12, this book is the perfect
answer. More than 100 suggestions for fun-filled family activities
in the National Capital Region.
- Books Guide... (includes local libraries,
book stores, and more)
Daycare, babysitters & nanny services
Resources for kids
- Child & Youth Friendly Ottawa
CAYFO strives to engage, inspire, support, and celebrate children and young people in our community.
- Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868. Available anytime of the day or night, in English and French, by phone and by web, it is the go-to resource for kids in Canada from five to 20 when they need help or trustworthy information on issues that are difficult to discuss with anyone else.
- Turn Around Project
Helping youth and their families to deal better with the prevalence of dugs and drug use.
- Youth Canada
From the Government of Canada, resources for teenagers and older youth.
Resources for parents
- Canada Toy Testing Council
If you're buying for kids, a good resource is the Canada Toy Testing
Council. Each year, they test hundreds of new toys, rating the toys
for durability, safety, design, function, ease of assembly, battery
consumption and overall play value.
- Food
recalls & allergy alerts
From the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- momcafé Ottawa
A network site for moms, including monthly events with inspirational speakers over a latté and light breakfast.
- Multiple Birth Families Association
For parents and expectant parents of twins, triplets, quadruplets and higher order multiples.
- One Parent Families Association
A non-profit association of families with one parent who have joined together to provide guidance, enlightenment and friendship for one another
- Ottawa
At Home Dads
A Yahoo! Group for stay-at-home-dads
- Ottawa Families
Listing
events, camps and resources for families
- Ottawa Mommy Club
Activities and resources, plus members-only events
- Parent Resource Centre
of Ottawa
This website offers information about programs, workshops and where to get parenting help.
- Playgroups & Drop-ins
A listing
from Frugal Fun Ottawa
- SavvyMom - Ottawa Edition
help with the ever-present challenges of modern day motherhood.
- Single Parent Club of Ottawa
Social activities, events and meetups aimed at fostering new
friendships.
- Tummy Thyme
Nutrition Guidance for Growing Families
Stores, services & more
Related Guides
Thanks to Andre Ouellette for his assistance in creating
our Kids Guide.