March break in K-W: Here’s some fun activities to do with kids

Whether you feel like getting crafty or are more interested in having an up-close encounter with a bird of prey, there’s plenty of things to do with kids this week in Kitchener-Waterloo – and many of them are free.

VISIT THE KITCHENER MARKET

Fun-filled and free activities including live music, tie-dye tote bag making, and family movie screenings are planned Tuesday through Friday at the Kitchener Market.

Residents can also drop by to try the market’s new synthetic ice rink. It’s one of two newly installed synthetic rinks in the city that offer softer and more forgiving surfaces than traditional ice – plus they’re able to be used year-round, regardless of the temperature.

The synthetic ice rink and Food Hall are open Tuesday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A schedule of daily events is available here.

GO ICE SKATING

If you prefer a more traditional ice surface, a free public skate will take place at RIM Park in Waterloo on Sunday March 13 from 3:30 to 4:20 p.m.

Paid public skates at RIM Park will be held on March 14, 16 and 17 from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. and 3:00 to 3:50 p.m.

Pre-registration is required.

Skating schedules for Cambridge and Kitchener are also posted online.

SEE SOME DINOSAURS

Dinos are ready to roar again as the Dinosaur Drive-Thru returns to Bingemans on March 11.

Organizers promise this year’s event will be “bigger and better” with a longer journey though a prehistoric park featuring over 50 “Jurassic-size” dinosaurs – some as big as 30-feet tall.

Price: $30 per car

HIT THE SLOPES

With snowfall kicking off the first weekend of March break, conditions are looking good to squeeze in what may be some of last ski or snowboard runs of the season at Chicopee.

Ticketing information is available here.

HAVE CLOSE-UP ENCOUNTER WITH A BIRD OF PREY

A presentation by Wild Ontario on Wednesday March 16 is just one of a full suite of activities planned at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum in Kitchener for what staff are calling ‘March Break Madness.’

“Solve a museum mystery one day, only to extract DNA from strawberries the next,” reads the museum’s website. “Uncover real fish fossils, and then return to enjoy the ‘Intensely Irish’ dance troupe! Build a fire with your family to survive outdoors on the weekend, and meet live hornworms on a Friday!”

DISCOVER WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE AN ASTRONAUT

Open Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Health in Space exhibit at the City of Waterloo Museum invites visitors to find out what it’s like to be an astronaut.

Discover which foods you can take to space and try the exhibit’s ‘I Spy’ game. All completed ‘I Spy’ cards will be entered to win a space themed prize!

There’s also a special free online event where participants can learn about trailblazing women who’ve been to space and what daily life is like – out of this world.

MARVEL AT BUTTERFLIES

While the planned week-long “BugFeast” event may have been cancelled this year – it’s hard to eat bugs while wearing a mask – the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is still ready to welcome guests throughout March break.

The conservatory says nature interpreters will be on hand to share information about the insect collection as guests enjoy a stroll through a tropical conservatory.

Ticket information is available here.

MAKE SOAP

Squishy soap-making fun can be had at Bubbles Treat and Toy in Cambridge.

This drop-in activity is available Thursday March 17 and Friday March 18 between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m.

It takes around 20 minutes and includes a complementary ice cream.

Cost: $10 per child