Things to Do in Calgary this Winter with Kids

It’s winter in Calgary. whether the snow agrees or not! Whether the weather outside is frightful or mild, there are tons of ways to get outside and enjoy all of the beauty that mother nature has to offer during the winter months in YYC. Here are a few of our favourite ways to embrace winter with some local wintertime fun.

Family Fun During Winter in Calgary with Kids

Get cozy at The East Village Hygge Hut

If you have plans to be in the East Village, don’t miss a chance to warm up by the fire at the East Village Hygge Hut on RiverWalk until March 1st. Each Friday from 3:30-5:30 pm, check out live music and other fun events – visit the event listings page to see what’s coming up!

Hurry Hard to St. Patrick’s Island for Curling

Hurry hard to the curling rink on St. Patrick’s Island! If you’ve ever wanted to see what the Canadian favourite of curling is all about, head to the pop-up synthetic curling rink near Confluence Plaza on St. Patrick’s Island during 2024’s Chinook Blast event. The rink welcomes curlers of all ages and abilities from January 26 to February 24 and admission is free!

Bundle up for a sleigh ride

Oh, what fun it is to ride in a two horse open sleigh! This is your chance to experience the magic of an old-fashioned horse drawn sleigh ride in beautiful Kananaskis! Cozy up under a blanket, sip some hot chocolate, and bring all of those holiday carols to life! Bookings are available on January 6, 7, 13, 14 and 27 via Boundary Ranch.

Go tubing at WinSport

If you’re looking for a tobogganing experience with an extra adrenaline boost, head to Canada Olympic Park to visit the WinSport Tube Park – one of the fastest of its kind in Canada. Grab a tube, jump on the magic carpet to the top of the slope and queue in one of the 8 lanes to get ready to race!

Plan a winter scavenger hunt

Get the family together to make up the perfect scavenger hunt list, or search for one online. Next, grab some snacks, hop in the car or bundle up and head out on foot to see who can cross the most items off of their list! The beauty of a scavenger hunt is you can change up the clues as often as you’d like, meaning you’ve got a new game to play whenever cabin fever is starting to sink in.

Go downhill skiing and snowboarding

Living in Calgary means we’re lucky to be just a short drive to many different ski resorts. Whether you’re looking to spend a day in the mountains or just want to hit the slopes at Winsport, there are tons of great options for getting out on your skis or snowboard. Check out Sunshine Village, Castle Mountain, Nakiska, Lake Louise or Mount Norquay for a perfect day in some mountain powder.

Here’s how to start snowboarding with your kids.

Try out cross country skiing

Have you had a chance to try out cross country skiing? If we happen to get some snow this year, there are a handful of groomed trails within the city that can be accessed for free, including Shaganappi Point Golf Course, South Glenmore Park and Bowness Park. The University of Calgary Outdoor Centre also has rentals and lessons for beginners. If you’re looking to get out of the city for some cross-country adventuring, the Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park has more than 65 kilometres of groomed trails for beginners and more experienced skiers. They even have illuminated trails for night skiing, as well as rentals and lessons.

Explore nature

If you’re looking for a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without actually leaving it, Calgary has tons of beautiful, nature-filled parks to explore. Get lost in the trees at Fish Creek Provincial Park, which is filled with hiking and biking trails and all sorts of wildlife. The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary offers lovely scenery and all kinds of birds to spot – don’t forget your binoculars! Nose Creek Hill, Carburn Park, Bowness Park, and Pearce Estate Park are just a few more great locations to spend a snowy afternoon.

Many of these parks also have playgrounds for the kids to check out, and some also have fire pits, making them a great spot for a winter wiener roast!

Try out snowshoeing

Have you ever tried your hand (err… foot) at snowshoeing? For something a little different, why not strap on some snowshoes and get a one of a kind experience from University of Calgary Outdoor Centre, which offers a variety of snowshoeing programs, including guided day hikes and snowshoe camps?

Visit the Calgary Zoo

Did you know that the Calgary Zoo is open year-round? With many exhibits outdoors, you’ll be able to spend most of your day enjoying the fresh air while checking out the animals in their habitats. There are indoor exhibits as well, which is great when the weather gets chilly!

Go skating

Skating at an outdoor rink is a fun-filled way to spend an afternoon. We’ve rounded up a list of some of our favourite spots for skating in Calgary and outside the city limits.

Take a hike

You don’t have to go far to experience wonderful winter hikes in Calgary and the beauty of nature in and around the city. With many urban parks throughout YYC, there’s no shortage of places to explore – even during the coldest months. If mountain views and frozen waterfalls are what you’re looking for, we are also lucky to have tons of incredible hikes to take just outside of the city, in Canmore, Banff, and Kananaskis. Check out Our Favourite Winter Hikes in Calgary and the Surrounding Areas

Hit the slopes

Whether skiing or snowboarding is your favourite way to tackle the snow, there are plenty of great places to hit the slopes in and around Calgary. If staying in the city limits is your goal, head to WinSport. If you’d rather see what kind of powder the mountains have to offer, Kananaskis, Nakiska, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise are all great options!

Get creative in the snow

There are plenty of ways to keep young kids busy outside in the snow. Grab a few spray bottles with some water and food colouring inside and let them channel their inner artist as they paint the snow. Once the novelty of that wears off, find some kitchen pots, bowls and mixing spoons for a little creative “cooking” using snow, leaves, rocks, and other random things they find in your yard. Another fun activity for kids is taking action figures or dolls out for a winter adventure in the snow. Are they climbing Mount Everest? Lost in a snowstorm? Let your kiddos choose the storyline! If you’re lucky, you can send the kids outside in the back yard while you whip up some hot cocoa and sneak a few quiet moments for yourself.

What are your favourite ways to get outside and embrace winter in Calgary? Are there any that we missed? Let us know in the comments!