As a stay-at-home mom of two boys aged almost 2 and just turned 4, I am always looking for things to do in Kingston in the winter to keep these kiddos busy!
I find that this is especially challenging in the winter months when you want to find indoor activities you can do with the kids here in Kingston, Ontario, and the surrounding area.
(cus sure we still go to the park but it’s freaking cold and sometimes you can’t find the sidewalk so a roster of indoor activities is also key!)
Here are some ideas for regularly scheduled programming you can do day after day and week after week to keep your kids entertained during these long cold winter months.
Because if you’re anything like me, the struggle to get the kids out the door is outweighed by the fact that they’re better behaved out of the house (mine isn’t big enough to contain their energy, lol). And of course, it’s fun for them!
These are my two boys, aged 22m and 4. We are rarely inside the house all day, as with the amount of energy these two have, we’re always on the go! And the winter is no exception.
1) Loyalist Township Recreation Programs
Ok yes, this is technically outside of Kingston, but just barely! I thought I’d lead with this one as I don’t feel like very many mamas know about these programs yet.
Loyalist Township (I’m talking Amherstview, a 4-minute drive from Kingston’s West end) has tons of very affordable and awesome programs for kiddos of various ages!
We have partaken in a few classes, including dance and movement programs that provide my kiddos with plenty of opportunities to get their sillies out in a fun and somewhat structured environment.
What is the program like?
What I love about these programs is that they are not busy and are very relaxed, so you don’t have to stress if your child isn’t exactly following the instructions. They’re there to have fun and that’s all the instructors care about (at least the ones we’ve had). I have always been so impressed with these teachers, who week after week come up with new ideas and different ways to use the space and materials available.
For about $60 a kid, I signed my 22m old and 4-year-old up for a class called Little Movers (ages 2-4) this winter. For 45 minutes they could climb, jump, roll, and challenge their bodies with gross motor play and development. Even tho my littlest is just under 2, I just called and asked if he would be able to participate anyway and the staff very kindly helped me register him, they’re very reasonable! The classes we’ve participated in take place here, which is an easy drive with ample parking, but some programs are hosted at different locations nearby.
Where and how do you sign up?
Check out their online PDF play and explore guide here where you’ll find all the info, including preschool programs such as the ones we’ve tried, as well as children’s, youth, and even adult classes.
Here are my kiddos at Little Movers, a 9-week class we took every Thursday morning through Loyalist Recreation. Their programs are a total hidden gem activity to get your kids moving indoors this winter!
What if you’re not a Loyalist Township resident?
If you don’t reside in Loyalist Township don’t fret! Residents of Kingston and surrounding areas are also welcome to register. Usually, you just have to wait until the date opens for non-residents, often just a few days later. You can view the dates and register here. It’s a total hidden gem!
2) Kingston and Amherstview, Ontario Library Programs for Kids
Both Kingston and Amherstview have awesome libraries! Of course, Kingston has multiple locations, such as the main branch downtown which has some really cool wall-mounted manipulatives for the kids to crank, spin and explore.
But what about the programs? And which library branch is a good one to go here in the Kingston, Ontario, area if you just need to kill time indoors in the winter with your kids? Oh, let me spill the beans!
County of Lennox & Addington Libraries – Amherstview Branch
The Amherstview branch, one of the Lennox and Addington Libraries, is fantastic! In my opinion, it’s the best one. Why? Because they have one of the most stocked children’s areas of all the libraries I’ve been to in the area (which is a lot of them). If you’re a Kingston local, it’s not far! It’s a 5-minute drive from the Kingston border on the West End of town, so very easy to get to!
What’s the location and program like?
At the Amherstiew branch, located here in the W.J. Henderson Recreation Centre, they have toys, such as puzzles, a kids computer, pencil crayons, printed worksheets, floor stickers/activities, busy boards and blocks galore, as well as books of course. And what’s also awesome about this particular location is that the children’s area is a separate and defined space with a door, so you can contain the kiddos and not worry too much about their volume (phew!).
They have toys, such as puzzles, a kids computer, pencil crayons, printed worksheets, floor stickers/activities, busy boards and blocks galore, as well as books of course. And what’s also awesome about this particular location is that the children’s area is a separate and defined space with a door, so you can contain the kiddos and not worry too much about their volume (phew!).
It’s my go-to if we’re not registered for anything and I don’t know where to take them but know we need to get out of the house. With all that’s available here, my kids can spend a good hour just enjoying and playing in the space. Not to mention, there is ice skating within the same building, so you can even walk around and spy some skaters, or bring your skates along if you time it right!
The Amherstview branch, one of the Lennox and Addington Libraries, is actually our favourite one in the area, becuase it has so many toys and has a separate room for kids! Not to mention, it’s in the same building as the ice rinks, so my kids love walking around and watching the skaters and Zambonis there as well.
How do you sign up for Lennox and Addington library programs?
The Lennox and Addington Libraries have lots of programming, including STEM activities, trivia, and storytime, many of which run at the various area branches. We love to attend the family storytime program on Wednesday mornings (ages 0-5). You can register online, but you don’t have to (I have sometimes forgotten and have never been turned away). You can find more info about their programs and events here.
Kingston Frontenac Public Library
The various Kingston library branches are an awesome go-to activity if you’re looking for things to do in Kingston during the winter. But, we particularly love to attend the kids programming.
It goes above and beyond in terms of the effort the instructors go to to ensure that the material they cover introduces early language, literacy, and school readiness skills. Trust me, before my stay-at-home mom days I used to facilitate and plan programming like this and also taught kindergarten! The educator in me just loves these programs.
The program goes above and beyond in terms of the effort the instructors go to to ensure that the material they cover introduces early language, literacy, and school readiness skills. The facilitators are very clever in how they weave together the story and active physical play. And week after week, it’s always something different!
My kiddos have attended the Play to Learn program at the Isabel Turner Library on multiple occasions and what I love about it is that it encourages movement and doesn’t expect the kids to just sit there and listen to story after story for an hour. The facilitators are very clever in how they weave together the story and active physical play. And week after week, it’s always something different!
What if you’re not a Kingston, Ontario, resident?
If you live in a nearby town and aren’t a Kingston resident, you can still participate! The library offers various memberships, you can purchase one for 3 months for just $13! Get all the info here, or head to one of the branches in person and their lovely staff will help you out.
How do you sign up for Kingston Frontenac Public Library programs?
You can learn more and register for their programs, which include activities for babies, older children, teens, and even adults and seniors here on their website event page. I would also recommend that you subscribe to their Grow Newsletter, which will deliver all the latest info right to your inbox and let you know when registration is open for programs.
3) EarlyON Centres
If you’ve never been to an EarlyON playgroup, run, don’t walk! I have been attending these playgroups since my first was about 9 or 10 months old and I kicked myself for not going sooner!
What is EarlyON? Run by the government of Ontario, EarlyON is a playgroup program that isn’t just offered in Kingston, Ontario, but you can find a child and family centre to attend near you throughout Ontario. They are suitable for children from birth to 6 years of age.
I’ve been attending EarlyON playgroups for 4 years now! If you’re more comfortable, your child is welcome to wear a mask, and during COVID restrictions we did as well. You can bring kids from 0-6 years of age! My kids are 1 and 3 in these photos.
What is the program like?
If you want to imagine what it looks like, picture a typical Kindergarten classroom, set up by Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) who understand how to create a space that is warm and inviting. There’s a house centre, arts and crafts, building materials (such as blocks of various sizes and types), puzzles, sensory bins, dress-up, and some even have indoor climbers and open spaces such as turf and gyms where the kids can enjoy ride-on toys, balls, hula hoops and other physical play materials. The educators sometimes organize pizza parties and serve snacks, and often bring the children together for circle time during the program (which is when they’ll sing songs with actions, do little nursery rhymes, and stuff like that).
My kids love these playgroups, especially when the absolutely fabulous educators organize snacks and pizza lunch days! Sometimes I can’t believe this programming is totally free and available Ontario-wide. So awesome!
When and how do you attend?
I cannot stress to you how awesome these programs are, and they are totally free! But what is especially beautiful about these programs is the atmosphere.
If you’re at home with a baby and are feeling isolated and stir-crazy, go! You’ll find like-minded parents and caretakers to chat and connect with, and the ECEs are a wealth of knowledge.
These playgroups are not only amazing for your babies and kiddos, but they are also equally wonderful for moms. As a super social person who found it difficult to be home alone with a baby (they’re not great conversationalists, let’s be real), these playgroups saved me from feeling isolated and helped me navigate motherhood in those early days. My mental health would not be the same if not for the absolutely stellar EarlyON community we have here in Kingston, Ontario!
If you want to browse locations and register for a playgroup, create a KeyON account here. Doing so will also allow you to use the drop-down at the top of the calendar page to choose your area, so you can browse the various locations where there is a playgroup near you. They’re usually housed within community centres and schools.
A bunch of photos from our playgroup days, at the Bayridge Elementary School site, as well as at the Boys and Girls Club on the East end of Kingston, which has the best indoor climber! A favourite for us during the winter especially.
Here in Kingston, my kids and I have checked out many of the locations (all of which are great and suitable for 0-6 years). But, here are our favourites:
- Bayridge Elementary School (for a double-sized large classroom setting)
- The Boys and Girls Club Southeast (where there’s turf, a gym, a climber, and classroom time, you’ll find it listed as “BCG West”)
- The Boys and Girls Club on the East end of town (which has a classroom, open ride-on toy space, soft play for babies, as well as a fancy awesome climber).
- Lastly, the Invista location is another one we like to attend, and let me tell you why…
4) Early ON + Mini Stick Rink at the Invista Centre
You may already be aware of the EarlyON playgroup that takes place at the Invista Centre here in Kingston, Ontario, but did you know that there is a mini-stick rink for kids just upstairs?
Totally free and open to the public, this mini rink is fantastic! It looks like a real hockey rink (minus the ice). We often register for the playgroup here and will bring our mini-sticks and balls along. My kids enjoy the playgroup, mainly because it has lots of open floor space where they can use bikes indoors (extra fun to do in the winter).
But they won’t head home without a chance to go upstairs with their sticks and balls in tow. My boys love to run around and play hockey here with their friends, which is a great way to burn off some energy before that afternoon nap!
Not to mention, upstairs you can also see the ice rinks down below, so my kids also enjoy just walking around and exploring, as well as taking a seat and having a snack while watching the Zamboni do its thing. If you’re looking for a Kingston winter activity that you can pop into to kill a bit of time, grab a mini hockey stick, a ball, and off you go! The building is open from 8am until 8pm daily.
Who knew the Invista Centre in Kingston, Ontario, would count as an indoor winter activity? But it totally is! With a playgroup running downstairs, a mini stick rink upstairs, and Zambonis to watch, my kids love going here during the winter months.
So what other Kingston activities do you like to do with your kids, mamas?
I’ve shared my favourite things to do in Kingston in the winter as a stay-at-home mom, but I’m sure there are lots of indoor activities I don’t yet know about!
Be sure to leave a comment below or connect with me via Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok @struckblog so I can share your ideas with the STRUCKBLOG community and spread the word!
And don’t forget to join my Facebook group, Kingston Meet-Up Moms, where we get together and plan fun opportunities to meet and connect while our kids run a muck. It’s a great way to make some mom/dad friends, socialize the kids, and find more ways to entertain them here in Kingston, Ontario, during the winter.
And as for surviving that long Canadian winter with your little one(s), if I can do it, so can you. You got this!
-Anna
