Smart Art

We’€™ve heard it before: if you can’€™t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. That’s an excellent excuse to throw in the dishtowel and find something a bit more fun to do.
We’€™ll paint a picture of our perfect scenario: a little art appreciation, some superior toy shopping and a place where meals (including healthy menu options for kids) are made for us.

It makes sense then that we’€™re totally melting over the new shopAGO Kids! store. This new, funky, Frank Gehry-designed spot at the base of the AGO was created for kids to come and explore. From shelves the shorter set can reach, to seating for smaller-sized humans and a bright decor that adds to the sense of fun, the shopAGO Kids! store is a welcome and interactive place for kids at every age and stage.

Gifts here go beyond the ordinary’€”educational, unique and whimsical’€”all helpfully grouped based on age (from pre-birth to teen) and have been carefully selected by the staff.

A wise planner (a mother, perhaps?) designed the AGO’€™s family-friendly modern cafe, cafeAGO, to flow directly into the store. Rumour has it staff barely bat an eye when your toddler wanders off, grilled cheese in hand, to check out the gadgets and other gifts next door.

Beyond toys and taste buds, the AGO has many activities for kids including the Dr. Mariano Elia Hands On Centre, as well as summer camps ( for kids 6 and up) that still offer limited spots in some August sessions.

So take the kids, introduce them to a little culture, buy a great gift and save your sanity.

Get cultured at our 10 Favourite Cultural Institutions in Toronto.

Tested by Alison R., Toronto