22 Things To Do with Kids in Vancouver

I’ve become sort of an expert at what to do with Rowan in the city. Especially on those dreary days (months let’s be real) and sunny days.

There are so many family-friendly activities throughout the city and surrounding area. You don’t need to leave the city to experience British Columbia’s natural beauty, and, as a bonus, it’s free to take a walk through the woods or to feel the sand beneath your toes. With a mild climate, you can enjoy outdoor activities year-round, as Vancouverites typically do. I’d invest in a muddy buddy and raincoat for the littles, makes the cleanup after jumping in puddles easier!

You can check out my Vancouver Playgrounds Post for some suggestions.

Here are 22 activities to do with your kids in Vancouver

1. Granville Island + Granville Island Kids Market

Kids will enjoy perusing the sights, sounds, and smells of the public market, which is open daily from 9 am to 7 pm. With fresh produce and locally made delicacies like perogies and cured meats, you can grab lunch, groceries, and souvenirs all under one roof.

The Kids Market around the corner has a variety of shops and services geared towards children, including bumper cars and an arcade. In the summer, the water park, which has been around since I was a kid, opens for the season with food carts and is loved by kids and parents.

2. Science World

You could easily spend an entire day at Science World experiencing the interactive and fascinating displays, exhibits, shows, and activities. If you have children under the age of 5, the Wonder Gallery is a great place to start with sensory activities and a small play center to explore.

It’s conveniently located along the False Creek seawall where you can walk after or even continue the fun at the cool playground right out its front door.

3. Vancouver Aquarium

Arguably one of the coolest things to do in Stanley Park is to visit the Vancouver Aquarium, a spectacular facility exploring the mysterious world under the sea.

The exhibits are organized by geographical region, with tank after tank of colourful fish, frogs, turtles, monkeys, and more. If you head outside, you can catch sea lions, penguins, and other animals in action. Easily spend a couple of hours here exploring the exhibits.

4. Seabus to Lonsdale Quay and The Shipyards

This is where the SeaBus from Vancouver’s Waterfront Station travels to. It’s packed with intriguing stalls, stores, and restaurants, the bustling public market is wonderful fun to explore. Put together a picnic lunch, sit outside, and eyeball the passing ships. Summertime features a wealth of festivals and street entertainers in the neighbouring The Shipyards, a spot where great restaurants and shops have opened up in recent years. Breathtaking views of the Vancouver skyline are seen and a nice pier to walk down to catch the sunset. There’s always something going on, there are splash pads, and playgrounds, in the winter they turn the Shipyards into an ice rink and during the summer it’s a mini waterpark.

5. Beach Days

You really can’t go wrong at any of Vancouver’s eight beaches on the Pacific, but if we had to pick the most family-friendly one, we’d go with Kitsilano Beach. A playground is located right there, concession, and a few yards from more restaurants and the outdoor pool.

6. Kidtropolis

Kidtropolis is a giant ‘pretend city’ with miniature play stations including a grocery store, gas station, streets, police station, veterinary hospital, and more. We have spent a good few hours here, never a boring time. It’s located just in Richmond, a 20-minute drive from the city.

7. Community Centre Play Times

Check out your local community center for a schedule, but they usually all have these drop-in playtimes where they’ll have toys and activities set up for an hour or two for parents and littles to play. I would suggest those under the age of 5 will enjoy it the best.

8. Chorus and Clouds Drop-In

An early learning studio for babies, toddlers, and preschool-aged children in Vancouver. If you can’t commit to their weekly classes, they now offer drop-ins again. I love the team there, and their new location in Kitsilano is beautiful with an amazing curated shop up front.

9. Your Local Library

Libraries are underrated, we recently signed Rowan up for a library card. They have a great selection of children’s books (no surprise there), but some locations offer story times, play areas, and other fun activities to do as a family. Our local library has a Lego building hour every Friday for example.

10. Maplewood Farms

It’s a farm, it’s a park, and it’s always a hit with kids. They can take a close-up look at 200 domestic farm animals and birds, pet a bunny and pat a horse. Rowan loves hanging out in the goat yard, they’re funny creatures. Bonus is a great playground located right outside too, and it’s an educational experience at the same time.

11. Take an Aquabus

When you’re a kid, sometimes the simplest things are the most memorable. For instance… the Aquabus.

These mini rainbow-coloured ferries travel around False Creek, serving as water taxis that link popular destinations like Granville Island, Yaletown, and the Plaza of the Nations. You can even go as far as Kitsilano Beach.

12. Visit Engine 374 at Roundhouse Community Centre

Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.) Engine 374 is located in downtown Vancouver, along the shores of False Creek in Yaletown.

Engine 374 is a historic locomotive as an extension of the collection in Squamish. Volunteers are always available to share information and talk about the history of the train and the area before it changed. It’s FREE, there’s a park nearby, kids love it, you can’t go wrong.

13. Local Waterpark

This is more of a seasonal activity, but there are a few waterparks, splash pads, and wading pools around the city to visit during the summer. We visit those and a local outdoor pool a few times a week when it’s hot. They are free to visit and a fun way to cool off.

14. Burnaby Village Museum

History comes alive in this 1920s Village in Deer Lake Park. I remember going as a kid for a field trip, there’s a schoolhouse, and a tiny movie theatre, and you can ride the C. W. Parker Carousel built in 1912, check out the miniature train set, and grab a cone at the ice cream parlour. Every winter, they open it up as a Winter Village. Overall it’s a fun time, not too expensive, and educational.

15. The Greater Vancouver Zoo

Bears, monkeys, lions, tigers… oh my! The zoo sits on 120 acres east of Vancouver, about an hour’s drive. A picnic area, petting farm, and play area make it ideal for family excursions. Jump on the Safari Train to see the zoo and get a lay of the land. It’s not as creative and put together as San Diego Zoo or Toronto Zoo but it is fun nonetheless for kids.

16. Bloedel Observatory

Located in Queen Elizabeth Park, visit Bloedel Conservatory to get a taste of the tropics. Inside the domed greenhouse are exotic plants and more than 120 free-flying exotic birds. After your visit, walk the paths, see the rose garden and if you have older kids, enjoy a pitch and putt located in the park.

17. Vandusen Botanical Garden

With 55 acres of flowering plants, trees, and shrubs to engage the senses, this botanical garden is a peaceful refuge in the city. It’s free for kids under 4 to attend, they put on workshops throughout the year, and kids always enjoy the maze.

18. La Casa Gelato

With more than 238 flavours, including Wasabi and Durian, it’s hard to choose.  This gelato shop is a Guinness World Record holder for the number of flavours it has in store, they have 30 different chocolate ones to choose from alone.

19. Take the Skytrain anywhere

Riding public transit might not sound exciting, but in Vancouver, the elevated light rail system offers amazing views. All Sky Train stations and trains are stroller friendly. Take the Canada Line down to Waterfront Station and transfer to the Sea Bus to North Vancouver for a fun adventure.

20. Indoor Pool

Indoor pools are warm, covered, and inexpensive. Plus they’re often attached to a library or community centre where kids can roam freely.

21. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary

Not exactly in Vancouver, but it’s a short 40-minute drive away situated on Westham Island. This 300-hectare sanctuary attracts feathered fowl and curious visitors in almost equal measure. There is a lookout tower, a few hundred ducks that greet you in the parking lot (the sound of them is memorable), and walking trails that are easy for the littles to go on.

22. Stanley Park

What is there to do in Stanley Park? LOTS. There are plenty of casual ways to enjoy the beauty of the park — among the most popular is a cruise along the Stanley Park Seawall. This paved trail follows the ocean along the perimeter of the park. At nearly 9 km in length, it’s a little too long for most kids to walk, but it’s a great place to go for a bike ride. Several bike shops in the vicinity provide rentals.

We love to walk around Lost Lagoon, point out the turtles sunbathing, visit the Vancouver Aquarium, splash around in the outdoor pool, and visit a couple of playgrounds before walking into the Rose Garden. You can take the seawall and end your journey in English Bay.

And of course, there are more activities to do as they age. I plan on taking Rowan to more parks and sights she will enjoy in a couple of years such as the Art Gallery and the trampoline park in Richmond. Here’s my list of things to do in Vancouver in the summer you can check out.