We can probably all agree on one thing – winter months are EXPENSIVE! With the holidays, winter clothing, heating the house… and on and on, it feels like a breath of fresh air to find activities for the kids that won’t break the bank. When looking for something to do with the kids over the holidays and throughout the winter weekends, keep our list close by. The cost of these family-fun activities? $5 or less – but most are FREE!
Skating the Emera Oval and Scotiabank Centre
Not only is skating FREE at the Emera Oval, but if you don’t own a pair of skates, you can borrow skates for NO COST for use at the oval. Bring a picnic and a thermos of hot chocolate and enjoy a beautiful winter day at the Halifax Common. If you want to take the skating indoors, the Scotiabank Centre has FREE noon skating throughout the winter.
Geocaching
Are you ready to be the hiking hero? Tell the kids you are taking them on a treasure hunt to find real treasure! Halifax has a TON of beautiful trails that are great for hiking any time of the year and are packed with things to find along the way. The snow may ‘up the difficulty factor’ a bit, so why not make your own Geocache and hide it along the way? The kids will love to make a homemade treasure box and include treasures for others to find. You can download a free app to help on your hunt!
Sledding
We might need a bit more snow for this, but there is absolutely no better way to enjoy a day outdoors in the winter! Bundle up, grab the sleds and hit one of the many hills around HRM. Not sure which hill to head to first? Here’s our list of the best places to go sledding in Halifax.
HRM Libraries
The libraries in HRM have amazing programs for all ages year-round and the best part is that almost all of the featured programs are FREE! You can check out their programs and locations on their website and in addition to the scheduled programs, each library has a kids play and reading area which will keep them busy for hours!
Home Depot Kids Workshops
The Home Depot stores in Halifax and Dartmouth host a FREE Kids Workshops on the 2nd Saturday of each month. They feature a different DIY project every month for the kids to create, using wood, hammers, glue, and paint. Participants are required to pre-register so please be sure to check with your local store.
Cineplex $5 Tuesdays
From January 20th to February 24th, Cineplex Theatres brought back $5 Movies on Tuesdays. Catch your must sees for only $5 (in theatre pricing), and popcorn for $5 too! You can book your tickets in advance on the app or website. They also have Family Favourites under $5 on January 17, 24, and 31st!
Indigo Kids
Check out Indigo Kids Events for story times, crafts, make and takes, and more. Most events are free, but registration may be required. Occasionally, some events have a fee.
Winter Festivals
There’s a number of fun winter festivals taking place in January and February, and they are usually free to attend and offer free activities, music, and hot chocolate!
Museums, Art Gallery, and the Discovery Centre
We have lots of great museums to visit in HRM that offer hands-on fun and learning. Some have one evening a week where you can visit FREE of charge or by donation, others offer FREE admission to children under 5 and reduced rates for youth.
Maritime Museum of the Atlantic – Free Tuesday evenings from 5-8 PM | Anytime – Children 5 and under are Free, Youth 6-17 are $3 (until April 30th)
Museum of Natural History – January 26 – Early February – Admission by donation | After that, Children 5 and under are Free, Youth 6-17 are $4
The Discovery Centre – Children 2 and under are Free
The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia – Free Thursday evenings from 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
The Shearwater Aviation Museum – Admission is by donation
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