There’s no shortage of family friendly activities in Manitoba’s capital city that combine indoor learning, outdoor exploration, and all-age action to keep the dreaded words “I’m bored” at bay this spring break.
Learn Something - Expanding your mind is anything but boring in Winnipeg.
How about a first-hand look at a replica of the Nonsuch ship, or find out what kind of dinosaurs may have roamed (or swam) in Manitoba before people ever stepped foot on the plains. The Manitoba Museum will take you through time and let you experience each era as it was. The museum also boasts a Planetarium featuring interactive light shows, and more than 100 hands-on exhibits in the Science Gallery.
The eye-catching Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ 11 multi-sensory exhibits use art, storytelling, and media to provide a stirring account of the human experience and the importance of rights for all. Family friendly activities, thought-provoking discussions, and special tours further foster engagement at this important attraction.
Bet you can’t lift a bar of gold? Give it a try on a tour of the Royal Canadian Mint, which produces every single Canadian circulation coin - that’s BILLIONS each year. Watch as massive strips of metal are turn into thousands of coins in the high-velocity, state-of-the-art facility, which also makes currency for more than 75 countries around the world.
Even though the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) is Canada’s oldest civic art gallery, it’s far from stuffy. Explore local, national, and international art from the permanent collection and touring shows, plus an exciting series of events and programs for all ages. WAG also holds the largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world.
Pull gears and levers inside a real train engine, create a unique cityscape in the Tumble Zone, and wiggle your way past Rigatoni Rollers in Lasagna Lookout as part of the Children’s Museum’s 12 hands-on exhibits. This spring break take part in their marine-theme programming that combines art, crafts, science, and fun. The Children’s Museum is located at The Forks, another must-do for food, outdoor activities, shopping, and history.
Go Wild – Become part of the Winnipeg herd with these nature-inspired experiences.
Ever wonder what the polar bears in Journey to Churchill eat for breakfast, how fast a seal can swim, or how to go about gabbing with a gibbon? Assiniboine Park Zoo’s spring break Zoo Chats, led by the animal’s care professionals, will give you first-hand insight into the attraction’s favourite residents. Explore the rest of the 80 acres which plays home to 200 furry, feathered, and fabulous animal species.
Venture to the top of the Bison Viewing Mound at FortWhyte Alive for a great view of the plains bison herd that roam a portion of this 660 acre urban oasis. While you trek the rest of the trails, keep your eyes out for whitetail deer and countless other critters, as well as unique structures including a pioneer sod house, tipi encampment, and a tree house up in the forest canopy. For a list of spring-break specific events, click here.
It’s going to be a wild wetland week at Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre where you can explore the fascinating world of the marsh’s inhabitants through different activities, movies, games, and crafts. Take a pair of snowshoes for a spin outside, or spend some time indoors discovering the interpretive centre’s interactive exhibits.
Get Moving – As two iconic Canadians once said, “Keep fit AND have fun.”
If you’ve ever want to be IN the video game, Activate Games is for your family. Part high-tech challenges, part physical exertion, part mental prowess, but all fun, teams of three to five players have 90 minutes to beat as many levels and collect as many points as possible in the 11 game rooms.
Perfect that backflip while landing on the airbag pit at Flying Squirrel, the city’s largest indoor trampoline park that is beyond just boring up and down bouncing. Find yourselves on the free-style court, tackling the extreme climbing wall, or super dunking hoops. There’s even an area for pint-sized jumpers for all-age family fun.
Whether you want to knock down a few pins, or work up a sweat playing a round of space-themed laser tag, Uptown Alley is place for all-day family entertainment. The 43,000 square foot facility also hosts a massive arcade (with one of the best prize redemption programs in the city), a ping-pong room, and a bistro for you to refuel with sharable snacks and milkshakes.
For more Winnipeg family activity ideas visit here – and while you’re taking in the sights and activities of the city, we've got tons of culinary options in our Spring Break family food guide!