15 Great Ways To Entertain Both a Baby and a Toddler in Calgary
When you’re on maternity or paternity leave the first time around, it seems like there’s no shortage of fun ways to stay busy with your newborn. There are tons of classes and activities geared towards a parent with one child in tow. When your second baby arrives, however, it can be a little trickier to find activities that cater to both a newborn and an older child, but they’re out there if you know where to look! Whether you’re looking to schedule a weekly class or prefer something drop-in or on your own schedule, we’ve found 15 great activities to do with your baby and your toddler in Calgary (at the same time!)
Parent Link – Fun With Art (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Tuesdays from January 7 – January 28 from 10 am – 11 am
YWCA – 1715 17 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
Parent Link has a ton of fantastic resources for parents and families. They offer many services and programs, including a huge variety of fun, drop-in classes for kids and parents. Let your littles get crafty at this class full of painting, crafts, and mess-making. Best of all, parents get to leave the mess behind when they head home for nap time!
Parent Link – Musical Mondays (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Mondays from January 20 to February 10 from 11 am – 11:45 am
YWCA – 1715 17 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
There’s no doubt that music is a way to every kiddo’s heart, and little ones of all ages are sure to love this class full of instruments, songs and rhymes. Shake bells, tambourines and shakers as you teach your kids fun songs and rhymes they’ll want to sing again and again.
Parent Link – Singing in the Village (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Tuesdays from 2:30 pm – 4 pm
Carya East Village HUB – 428 9 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
Help your littles to develop their literacy and communication skills in this class filled with songs, stories and rhymes. Build connections with your fellow families in this interactive class!
Parent Link – Mother Goose I (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Wednesdays from January 15 – March 18 from 10 am – 11 am
YWCA Calgary – 1715 17 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
There are tons of early literacy benefits related to singing. Help to build your child’s love of reading by singing favourite songs and rhymes, telling stories, and playing together in this 60-minute class.
Parent Link – Busy Builders (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Thursdays From January 9 – February 27 from 10 am – 11:30 am
YWCA Calgary – 1715 17 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
Give your curious kiddos a chance to explore concepts such as size, weight, strength and balance in this class that encourages new learning as they build with different materials. This fun and interactive class will help your little ones burn off steam as they develop their fine and gross motor skills, problem-solving, and social skills.
Parent Link – Terrific Thursdays (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 5 years
Thursdays from January 16 – February 6 from 1:30 pm – 3 pm
Alexandra Centre – 922 9 Avenue SE
ywcalgary.ca
Enjoy a little bit of everything in this new program offered by the YW-Parent Link Centre and The Alexandra Centre. Whether you and your babies want to try out crafts, fine and gross motor activities, reading, storytelling, or singing, there’s something for everyone to enjoy (and everything for someone to enjoy!) at this free-play program.
Calgary Public Library – Baby It’s Cold Outside
For kids 6 – 23 months
Dates and times vary depending on location. (Pre-registration is required)
events.calgarylibrary.ca
We may have just escaped the deep freeze in Calgary, but winter will still be here for a few more months at least. Bring your little ones to a variety of Calgary Public Library locations for winter-themed songs, stories and fingerplays.
Calgary Public Library – Colossal Calgary Playdate (Drop-In)
For kids 0 – 3 years
Dates and times vary depending on location.
events.calgarylibrary.ca
If you’re looking for a chance to connect with your fellow Calgary parents and kids, the Colossal Calgary Playdate is the perfect place to be! Kids up to age 3 are invited to come to this super big and super fun playdate at a variety of locations.
My Gym – Waddlers/Gymsters Class
For kids 9 months – 2 years 11 months
Tuesdays at 9:20 am, Thursdays at 5:30 pm and Sundays at 10:30 am (Pre-registration required)
#118, 15 Royal Vista Place NW
mygym.com
For future gymnasts, My Gym has the perfect class to learn skills like balancing, tumbling, hanging and agility. Watch your little one advance from crawling to running as they develop fine and gross motor skills like kicking a ball, building a tower, riding a tricycle and walking upstairs. Interactive songs, choreographed dances, puppet shows and more will be a part of the program.
Kindermusik Multi-Age Family Classes
For kids 0 – 4 years
Visit the website to view the registration schedule for dates and times (Pre-registration required)
520 57 Avenue NE
kindermusikbykaelie.com
For parents with children of different ages, Kindermusik offers mixed-age classes that cater to various levels of learning and musical interest. Dances and movement activities are modified to suit age and ability levels, and instrument play activities are created to suit the developmental levels of each child. Each 45-minute class is filled with stories and rhymes, instrument exploration and play, singing, sharing and social development. There are also digital home materials that you can enjoy together between classes!
Crock A Doodle
For babies and toddlers
8850 112 Avenue NW – Unit 1111
crockadoodle.com
For a special activity that you’ll remember long after you leave the studio, why not make a precious keepsake at Crock A Doodle? No registration or reservation is required at their drop-in pottery painting sessions. You can also join in on their Baby Print Parties where hand and footprints are captured on a pottery piece, or sign up for their Once Upon a Doodle storytime program with themed pottery projects. Visit the website or call 403-374-1118 to contact your local store for more information.
Children’s Reading Place
Great for kids of all ages
Open Thursday – Saturday (see website for available times slots to book in advance)
105, 105 12 Avenue SE
calgaryreads.com
If you’ve never had a chance to visit the Children’s Reading Place, located in Inglewood, you’ve got to check it out! The decor of this adorable home has been converted top to bottom into a magical place where families with children of all ages will love to cuddle up in to read a great book (or ten). Time slots can be booked on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Explore each room in the house, where there are books and secret spaces galore. There are even stories in the bathroom!
Calgary Zoo
Great for kids of all ages
201 St. George’s Drive NE
calgaryzoo.com
A visit to the Calgary Zoo is always fun no matter how old you are. Take your baby and toddler for a stroll through the grounds as you visit animal friends of all varieties. The zoo is open year-round, with indoor exhibits to keep everyone entertained when the temperatures drop or get too warm. Enjoy a free daily creature feature, or visit on Thursdays where there is storytime at 10:30 am in the Karsten Discovery Center. If you like to visit the zoo often, it might be a good idea to consider purchasing an annual pass!
Go For A Walk
Great for kids of all ages
One of our family’s favourite things to do when we had a baby and a toddler was to head out for a walk. We loved exploring Fish Creek Park, where we could stroll along the paved pathways and stop to throw rocks in the creek. Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Carburn Park, Pearce Estate Park, Bowness Park, and Sandy Beach Park were other popular haunts of ours. There are so many incredible parks and pathways in the city, all you have to do is Google “Calgary parks and pathways” to find great ones close to you!
When the weather wasn’t cooperative, we enjoyed going for walks in the malls, where play centres kept my toddler busy as my baby and I watched him play. Visiting the Devonian Gardens at the CORE was always a nice place to go as the plants and ponds made us feel like we were in a tropical climate, even though the weather outside suggested otherwise. There is also an indoor playground for older kids to enjoy, which was nice! IKEA is another great option if you’re looking for a good place for a stroll. If your toddler is potty trained, you can also drop them off at Småland to play while you and your baby take a walk around the giant store.
Visit one of Calgary’s Public Libraries
Even if you aren’t signed up for one of the sessions they provide, a visit to the Calgary Public Library is always an enjoyable time. Many of the libraries around town have incredible places for kids to read, play, imagine and explore many hands-on activities. Some libraries have features like real helicopters or fire trucks, while others have stages, blocks, climbing structures, LEGO, light tables, art supplies, and more. Visit your local library or venture out of your neighbourhood to see the amazing resources the Calgary Public Library provides. Don’t forget, library cards are free – pick up some books on your visit to take home with you when you’re done!
What are your favourite ways to keep a baby and an older sibling (or more than one older sibling) entertained in Calgary? Have you tried any of the options on our list? Did we miss some that we need to include? Let us know in the comments!
