Toronto with Kids: Attractions, Free Spots and Rainy-Day Plans

Doing Toronto with kids comes down to three places most families choose between: Ripley’s Aquarium, where a 3 to 5 year old is $12.50, the Ontario Science Centre at a flat $15 a head, and the Toronto Zoo, which drops to $25 a child on 1 November. Children 12 and under ride the TTC free, so moving between them costs nothing for the kids themselves.

The part worth knowing before you book is what is shut. The High Park Animal Display, which is the free little zoo families usually get told about, is closed for construction until spring 2027. The Science Centre, the ROM and the AGO all close on Mondays.

What Toronto with kids actually costs

Place	Child	Youth	Adult
Ontario Science Centre	Free under 3	$15	$15
Ripley’s Aquarium	$12.50 (3 to 5)	$29 (6 to 13)	$44
Toronto Zoo, from 1 Nov	$25 (3 to 12)	$35 (13+)	$35
Hockey Hall of Fame	Free under 4	$19.95 (4 to 13)	$29.95
CN Tower	$18 (3 to 5)	$34 (6 to 13)	$47
Riverdale Farm	Free	Free	Free

Prices are in Canadian dollars. The Science Centre includes tax. Everything else is before HST, so add 13% to the ones that matter.

The three big indoor picks

The Ontario Science Centre is the best value in the city for young kids and nobody seems to know it. It reopened at a temporary home inside Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, while the permanent building is built, and general admission is $15 per visitor with tax included. Children 2 and under are free. It runs Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays.

Two details matter here. KidSpark and Innovation Station, the hands-on areas built for the under-eights, are running at a special admission of $10 during the temporary setup. And the Space Deck is unavailable until late November while Harbourfront Centre does planned maintenance, so do not sell your kids on it. Book the timed slot online, because it does sell out.

Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, 288 Bremner Boulevard, is the one that works for every age at once. Timed tickets are $44 for adults 14 and up, $29 for youth 6 to 13, $12.50 for children 3 to 5 and $29 for seniors, all plus HST, with 2 and under free. It opens at 9 a.m. and runs late, often to 9 p.m.

The money tip: the aquarium knocks $5 off entry from 5 p.m. The crowd tip: peak is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, and the tunnel gets shoulder to shoulder. A 9 a.m. or a 5 p.m. arrival is a different visit. One more thing for anyone pushing a stroller: wagons, stroller-wagons and large running strollers are not allowed inside. A small umbrella stroller is fine. Our Ripley’s Aquarium guide has the show times and how long to budget.

The Toronto Zoo, 2000 Meadowvale Road, is the day that needs a plan. Non-peak pricing starts 1 November and runs to 31 December, which takes an adult from $45 to $35 and a child 3 to 12 from $32 to $25, plus HST. Kids 2 and under are free. It is open every day, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., last admission an hour before close. Parking is $20.

Seven hours of daylight and 10 km of trails is a lot of walking for short legs, so pick the indoor pavilions and one or two trails rather than the whole loop. Getting there without a car takes planning once summer ends, and our Toronto Zoo guide explains which bus runs on which days.

Free things to do in Toronto with kids

Riverdale Farm, 201 Winchester Street, is a working farm in the middle of Cabbagetown with cows, goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys and ducks. The City lists it as open daily year round, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and admission is always free. There is a warming area with washrooms in the Simpson House, which matters in November.
Harbourfront Centre keeps its art exhibitions free and on view, and it is the same building as the Science Centre, so you can pair a paid ticket with a free wander.
Public library branches run free drop-in programs for babies and toddlers, and the Toronto Reference Library at 789 Yonge Street is free to walk into. The atrium alone holds a four year old for a while.
Free museum nights. The AGO is free the first Wednesday of the month from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Ontarians under 25 get in free any time. The ROM is free the third Tuesday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Both want a timed ticket booked ahead.

More no-cost options are in our free things to do in Toronto guide.

Getting around with kids

Children 12 and under ride the TTC free. No pass, no proof, just walk them through the gate with you. Youth 13 to 19 pay $2.35 with a PRESTO card, adults pay $3.30, and cash is $3.35 with no youth discount, so a cash-paying teen pays adult fare. A day pass is $13.50 and pays off at four adult trips.

The subway is the easy option with a stroller because the platforms are level and most stations have elevators. Streetcars are harder, and you wait outside in the middle of the road. Fares, transfers and the two-hour window are covered in our TTC beginner’s guide.

What is closed, and the Monday problem

The High Park Animal Display is closed. The City is rebuilding the upper section of Deer Pen Road, which is the main way in, and the animal display is expected to reopen in spring 2027. It is Canada’s oldest animal display and takes over 600,000 visitors a year, so plenty of older guides still send families there. Riverdale Farm is the working substitute.

Far Enough Farm is on Centre Island and runs on the island season, not the city one. The winter ferry only goes to Ward’s Island, so it is out until spring. Check the off-season times in our Toronto Islands ferry guide before you plan an island day.

Mondays close the Science Centre, the ROM and the AGO. What stays open is Ripley’s Aquarium, which runs 365 days a year, and the zoo, which does the same. The Hockey Hall of Fame at Brookfield Place, 30 Yonge Street, is daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the fall, but it closes on Induction Day, Monday 9 November 2026, and the Esso Great Hall has partial closures on 7 and 8 November.

Picking the right day

If it rains, the whole plan moves indoors, and our Toronto rainy day activities guide has the full indoor list with prices. If it is cold but clear, the zoo is better in November than in August, because the animals are active and the paths are empty.

Save the CN Tower for a clear day. You are paying $47 an adult and $34 a youth for a view, and low cloud takes it away. If you want the tower and the aquarium together, the Sea the Sky combo is $79 adult, $54.25 youth and $26.75 child, which undercuts buying both.

How we check prices and hours is on our about page.

Prices, dates and hours were checked in October 2026. Attractions change them, so confirm on the official site before you go.

Quick answers

What are the best things to do in Toronto with kids?

Ripley's Aquarium, the Ontario Science Centre and the Toronto Zoo are the three that hold almost any age. The Science Centre is the cheapest at a flat $15 per visitor with tax included, and the zoo drops to non-peak pricing on 1 November, which takes a child ticket from $32 to $25.

Do kids ride the TTC for free in Toronto?

Yes. Children 12 and under ride the TTC free, with no pass or proof needed. Youth 13 to 19 pay $2.35 with a PRESTO card, and adults pay $3.30. A day pass is $13.50 and is worth it once an adult makes four or more trips.

What are free things to do in Toronto with kids?

Riverdale Farm at 201 Winchester Street is a working farm with cows, goats, pigs and poultry, and admission is always free. The art exhibitions at Harbourfront Centre are free, and public library branches run free drop-in programs for young kids.

Is the CN Tower worth it with kids?

It is the most expensive hour of a family trip. General admission is $47 for an adult, $34 for a youth 6 to 13 and $18 for a child 3 to 5, plus tax. If you want the tower and the aquarium, the Sea the Sky combo is $79 adult, $54.25 youth and $26.75 child, which beats buying both separately.

What is closed in Toronto for families right now?

The High Park Animal Display is closed while the City rebuilds its access road and is expected to reopen in spring 2027. The Science Centre's Space Deck is out until late November. The Science Centre, the ROM and the AGO are all closed Mondays.

How many days do you need in Toronto with kids?

Three days covers the big three without rushing: one downtown day for the aquarium and the waterfront, one zoo day in Scarborough, and one flexible day for a museum or a farm. The zoo alone eats four to five hours plus an hour of travel each way.

Sources

Prices, hours and schedules change. Check the official site before you go. Spot something out of date? Email info@truecitytourism.com. Some links may be affiliate links. Disclosure.