Toronto Educational Summer Field Trips

The summer school vacation is a wonderful time for families to do exciting and meaningful activities.  While trips outside of Toronto to cottages across Ontario or other vacation spots can be fun, there is also a ton to do in the city.   Here are some of our favourite educational activities for your summer family field trip:

Riverdale Farm: Located in Cabbagetown (201 Winchester St, Toronto, ON M4X 1B8), this is a wonderful educational activity for families looking for a more local experience than visiting the Toronto Zoo (2000 Meadowvale Rd, Toronto, ON M1B 5K7).  Kids can tour the turn-of-the-20th-century farm and learn about chickens, sheep, goats and pigs.   Don’t forget to bring a picnic and enjoy the lovely grounds just outside of the park.

Ripley’s Aquarium:  This popular attraction in downtown Toronto (288 Bremner Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3L9) is a hit for both kids and parents.  The aquarium is one of the largest in North America and has over 15,000 fish to see including: sting rays, tropical fish, eels, sharks and jellyfish.   See how these fish interact in their local habitats.   Also don’t miss some of the attraction highlights including a 97 metre tunnel that takes families through the Dangerous Lagoon, live shows and touch tanks to feel some of the different sea creatures.

Black Creek Pioneer Village: Previously Dalziel Pioneer Park, this open-air heritage museum is in the North York district of Toronto, just west of York University and southeast of the Jane and Steeles intersection (1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, Toronto, ON M3J 2P3). Learn about 19th century life in Ontario and recreate the community atmosphere at the time.  Tour 40 restored homes, farms, public buildings and workshops and interact with the different community members.

Casa Loma: This former residence of Sir Henry Pellatt is located in midtown Toronto (1 Austin Terrace, Toronto, ON M5R 1X8). Take an educational visit to a castle in the middle of the city and learn about its interesting history.  Also, don’t forgot to visit all the towers, staircases, tunnels, gardens and exciting secret passageways.

Young People’s Theatre:  Situated close by St. Lawrence Market is this professional theatre for students and youth (165 Front St E, Toronto, ON M5A 3Z4). The summer can’t be complete without seeing a play.  Designed for young audiences, YPT has award winning musicals, plays and classics from children’s literature that are designed to excite.