Spring Break brings with it a world of possibilities for suddenly out-of-school children, but can be—let’s face it—a bit of a conundrum for parents trying to figure out what to do with those kids. If you’re staying at home the week of March 23, but looking for ways to get out of the house, look no further than our favourite, family-fun attractions and activities.
HEAD FOR THE HILLS
More sun and moderately warmer temperatures makes spring skiing a favourite pastime for Rockies revelers. Most mountain resorts and local hills remain nicely snow-covered, but AMA members can carve excellent powder for less at Banff’s Sunshine Village Ski Resort. Purchase direct-to-lift tickets through AMA Travel to save up to $33—and save 15% on ski and snowboard rental packages.
INSTITUTIONAL INSIGHTS
It’s easy to sneak in a bit of extra-curricular education at museums across the province—from palaeontology at the Royal Tyrrell to musicology at Studio Bell to aviation history at the Hangar Flight Museum, the opportunities for enlightenment are diverse indeed! For some truly eye-popping info, check out the Science of Ripley’s Believe It or Not exhibition at Telus World of Science Edmonton. Opening March 20, the interactive display examines the factual underpinnings of some unbelievable creatures, people and achievements. AMA members save on admission to a variety of Alberta museums, including TWOSE.
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BY THE BOOK
From March 21 to 29, eager learners can enjoy all sorts of fun classes and performances at branches of the Edmonton Public Library. The varied programming gives kids age six to 12 a chance to discover chemistry, cryptography, Quidditch and much more. The drop-in events and lessons are free, though space will be limited.
BIG SCREEN STORIES
Now that you’re caught up on all the recent Oscar winners, it’s time to let your children choose their next favourite flick. An afternoon at the theatre this month might mean going on a fantasy-world road trip in Pixar’s Onward or giggling at the undercover hijinks of My Spy. Or you might see Spring Break out with some excitement: Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan opens March 27. AMA members save on Cineplex and Landmark Cinemas movie vouchers purchased at AMA centres.
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Architectural highlights across the province
LIVE ON STAGE
If your pint-size music lovers have been filling your streaming playlists with Shawn Mendes and Ariana Grande tunes, they’re sure to love seeing them performed live—by Mini Pop Kids. Canada’s favourite youth music group is set to play the hits in Edmonton (March 23), Fort McMurray (March 27) and Calgary (March 28). And for your family’s littlest tykes, Peppa Pig’s Adventure, featuring lovable life-sized puppets, is on stage in Calgary (March 29) and Edmonton (March 31).
PARK IT
Though the weather isn’t yet balmy, fresh air always does a family good. Add some extra fun to a spring hike by becoming geocachers for the day. Just download an app and use your phone’s GPS to search for hidden caches throughout the province: There are more than 1,000 to be found in Alberta’s provincial parks. On the other hand, if you’d prefer that the natural world come to you, there’s always the Calgary Zoo—and it’s whimsical daily Penguin Walk.