Your March Break Ideas
Posted March 9, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
We asked – you answered.
Earlier this week, Education Specialist Cynthia Mulligan put out an APB for March Break ideas that were different from the normal “What-am-I-going-to-do-with-the-kids” questions every parent asks at this time of year.
If you’re one of the many who’ve decided to stay home during this winter vacation, there are a lot of places to go you may never have thought of. But others have. Here’s a wide cross section of their responses, as chosen by Cynthia herself. Thanks to all of you who wrote in.
” Jungle Cat World in Orono is our destination this year. They even have two apartments you can hole up in overnight, one with a balcony overlooking the zoo. You can hear the animals in the dead of night, and are free to roam the entire zoo after hours! You’d be amazed at the cost of one night’s accommodation (including all the breakfast you can eat!)
“The price is right, and if your timing is good, you can watch the keepers feed the animals.”
Cheryl Snelleman
“Try the Toronto Public Library. All programs are free and with 99 locations, there are sure to be some great events for everyone.”
Grace Hammill
“Every other year my 11-year-old daughter attends a Parks and Rec Dance Camp. She loves to dance and thoroughly enjoys the camp. They have a mini-recital at the end of the week to show the parents what they have learned. It costs approximately $129 for 5 days, from about 9am to 4pm.
“When she’s not attending Dance Camp, we do many different things. One of the least expensive things she likes to do is go to the beach!
“We pick a good weather day, head out from Scarborough to Queen Street, grab hot chocolate and a tea and head down to the Boardwalk. I usually take something to read and she plays in the snow and skips rocks. When she gets tired of that we walk back through Kew Gardens and back up to Queen. We grab something for lunch and then window shop.”
Denise and Cassandra
Would you want to spend your March Break where the politicians play? At least one family would.
“Every morning during March Break children can participate in a fun and interactive program in the Ontario Legislative Building. They will meet Bill Law – a ghost that has been hanging around the building for quite some time watching the action in the Legislative Chamber (he also sings and dances)!
“Children also visit the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite; don the robes of the Speaker and the Clerk and follow a junior Sergeant-at-Arms in a procession into the Chamber; go on a scavenger hunt as ‘Inspector Parliament’ and end the morning making their own version of a parliamentary mace.
“The program is best suited for children ages 6 to 12 and the best thing about it is that it’s free.
“The program runs each morning from 10am to 12:30pm. We still have spaces available for next week except for Wednesday. Parents can call to register at (416) 325-7500.
Debi LaMantia
“We haven’t taken the kids too far in the last couple years but heading from Ottawa to the Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls. It has a water theme park in it. I don’t know what it will be like but it sure looks like fun for the kids.”
Gina
Steve Bolger
” All Fired Up Paintable Ceramics is a paint-your-own ceramics studio where you go in and pick your piece of ceramic (or pottery if you would like to call it that) design it, pick your paints and then paint until you faint!
“In terms of cost, it is very reasonable. Each piece has a price ranging from $6-50 (depending on the size and intricacy) and then on top of the price of the piece there is a studio fee which pays for the paints, glazing, firing and AS MUCH time as you need to finish your piece. This ranges from $7-14 for children and $8-20 for adults.
“The pieces that the kids really love average between $16-18 so with the studio fee it is about $23-26 plus tax which isn’t bad for something you can do all day and something you will have the rest of your life! This means you can spend the entire day painting if you want and it is very affordable.”
“You can get out of there spending as little as $14 per piece plus tax and as much as $75 (see … less than a movie!!) They have mugs, bowls, plates, boxes, fairies, dragons, banks, vases … my fingers are getting tired!!
“They are located at 8 & 10 Brentwood Rd North which is one block north of Royal York and a few steps north of Bloor about 20 min. from downtown.
“If you want more information or call (416) 233-5512.”
Jenn
” Wheels Inn in Chatham has everything from bowling, to laser tag, to golfing, to indoor water slides, to indoor rides … it’s never ending!”
Leanne Haley
“Since both my husband and myself have to work, I am sending my kids to the beach. No, not the real one, there is a new place that just opened up in Barrie called Shanx. It’s an indoor beach. It looks really great so I’m hoping that the kids will like it.”
Sheila Mifsud
“Roller Skating. It’s indoors, it’s fun, and most people haven’t done it in years. Scooters Roller Palace in Mississauga is a great spot to go to!! Under $10 (maybe $20 if you want lunch or something, too.)”
Angela Galati
“A few weeks back, I asked the children to make a list of all the things that would make them happy. On that list, they indicated two common interests, swimming and visiting family. With our hectic schedules, our children are denied the ability to bond with family members and learn the importance of visiting and caring for elders and smaller children.
“So, I have enrolled them both into swimming lessons that will be run from 6-7pm from Mon-Fri of that week. In the morning, they will do one educational activity, tidy their rooms, then pack their bags with juice boxes and snacks and head out to visit family members each day – all at a low cost!
Swimming – $58 (for both children) @ 5 lessons each
Gas – $70 to fill up the tank of our ’98 Winstar for the week
Visiting cousins, grandaunts and godparents – free
“Depending on the schedule of the family members, we might arrange a group trip to Woodbine Centre’s Fantasy Fair, followed by a movie at the Rainbow Cinema and/or a visit to the local library. After swimming for an hour in the evening, they will return home for a late light dinner, followed by reading time and bed!
“This will be a meaningful March Break for both parents and children – which is important because we all know from experience that if your parents aren’t having fun – you won’t be either.”
“All we need now is a camera.”
Denise DaCosta-Murrell
“March Break is the last chance to do the winter sports my family really enjoy. Starting Friday, March 9th my family (four of us) will head out to Barrie to ski. Take a break on Saturday. Actually not a full break. We will take the kids to skate on Saturday. Or we will go to Centennial Park to enjoy the “family night skiing”.
“On Sunday we will go to Barrie to ski again . From March 12 to March 16th I have signed my son to a Powerskating and Hockey skill camp to sharpen his hockey skills before the hockey season finishes. Also I have signed my 3-yr.-old daughter to a “learn to skate” program so she can enjoy her skating more. It will be a busy and fun week for my family.”
Michelle
“I am thinking about taking them to Purple Woods Conservation Area to see the making of Maple Syrup. They have pancake meals ($4.50 for adult meals and $3.50 for a kid’s meal,) wagon rides (weather permitting) are $2/person/ride.
“Reasonable pricing too. Adults are $2 and children 12 and under are $1 March 10-18 9:30-3:00.
“One of those places I keep saying I am going to do, but haven’t been there yet!”
Kathy Richards
“If all goes accordingly to plan…we will be:
– going out for lunch with our favourite naturopathic doctor. (hopefully she pays??!!)
– helping a Passover Food Drive for the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada.
– playing board games, “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?”, Rummy-Q, Cranium, Jotto
– playing cards, cards, cards, we love our card games, Rummy 500 or “Run Jimmy” as one of the kids calls it
– tobogganing in the nearby park
– going to friends’ houses
– friends visiting us
– 2 of my boys have planned to shovel snow (saving up to buy a Wii (again) because the money they had saved got stolen)
– baking (probably something chocolate)
– going out to the movies with our movie passes
– using our gift certificates to rent DVD’s
– going to FizzEds, a gym for kids in Richmond Hill (purchased a membership from a silent auction – great deal!)
– enjoying each other’s company as a family!”
Aura Bellin
“I will be taking my kids to the Kortright Centre to show them where maple syrup comes from.”
Kim Vellios
And finally this word from a woman who has a lot on her plate.
“I have 5 kids and every year we try to plan something special that doesn’t break the bank.
“Some of our best ideas are:
Ice skating: Nathan Phillips, Mel Lastman Square and Scarborough Civic Centre all have ice rinks open, as long as the weather co-operates. Hot-chocolate and a walk around the neighbourhood seeing the city sites is fun after your skating adventure.
“The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held on March 18 starting at noon til 3pm … what kid doesn’t like a parade?
“The Leafs are playing, so are the Raptors but it’s just so expensive, so instead we like to take in a Marlies game, all the seats are reasonable and you can see the ice wherever you are, and then walk along the CNE waterfront. There is always something interesting at the Ex, even when’s it’s winter.
” Harbourfront has ice skating, and many children’s related exhibits and exhibitions ongoing.
“March Break with Colborne Lodge and the High Park Nature Centre Colborne Lodge. March 12 2007 – Mar 16 2007. Great activities based on the history and environment of High Park.
“Rogers Centre has a Disney show on ice called 100 Magical Years.
“My kids love the Wave Pool in Richmond Hill, where a family of 5 is less than $20 for an afternoon of waterslides and wave pools.
” Spring Fling 2007 Rogers Centre Mar 13 2007 – Mar 18 2007. This March Break, the Rogers Centre will again be turned into Canada’s largest indoor midway and carnival. Food and drinks are pricey.
“When was the last time you took your kids tobogganing? For the first time in years there is snow for March Break.
” BugBlitz II is going on at the Zoo … pack a lunch and some comfy shoes, it’s a lot of walking but worth the admission, especially as they have a neat exhibit.”
” Wizard World goes on again at the Better Living Building… See something magical there…
” The Imax at Ontario Place and the Science Centre are open for March Break although we haven’t checked to see what’s playing there yet.
“We also want to drive to Haliburton to our cottage to spend a couple of days enjoying winter, building snowmen, tobogganing and snowmobiling.”
Anne Brooks
Whatever you wind up doing, be sure you don’t try and cram in too much.
“I think we put a lot of pressure on ourselves as parents,” advises Dr. Chaya Kulkarni of the group Invest in Kids. “I think it’s O.K. for parents to say this March Break we’ll take it easy, kids just want to be with us and have fun with us.”
But if you decide that’s not the case, there’s no shortage of things for you – and them – to do. In fact, you may need another week off just to get to everything.
To read Cynthia’s blog, click here.
For some other March Break ideas, click here.
