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 and Snowshoeing at the Emera Oval

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. Once you’ve finished skating, you can trade your skates in for a pair of snowshoes that you can also borrow at NO COST! Bring a picnic and a thermos of hot chocolate and enjoy a beautiful winter day at the Halifax Common.

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. I highly recommend suggesting to your kids to include trinkets that you embed in your feet on a daily basis or stickers from their collection to lessen the amount that you continually have to peel off random walls and furniture. 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

Until February 11th, Cineplex Theatres brought back $5 Movies on Tuesdays. Catch your must sees for only $5, and popcorn for $5 too!. You can book your tickets in advance on the app or website.

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.

Museums, Art Gallery and 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 – Children 5 and under are Free, Youth 6-17 are $3.10 (until April 30th)

Museum of Natural History – Children 5 and under are Free, Youth 6-17 are $4.05

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 – Always free admission, but currently closed for renovations

Do you like to be in the know? Sign up for the monthly Family Fun Halifax newsletter. We give you a peek at all of the great, upcoming, family-friendly activities scheduled for HRM.

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