10 Things to Do in Edmonton with Kids

Housed in its sci-fi-styled silver-white building, the wealth of interactive displays and exhibits of Telus World of Science in Edmonton will fascinate the whole family. These range from talking robots and life-size animatronic dinosaurs to moon rocks and meteorites. It's also home to an IMAX theatre and a vast planetarium dome, where shimmering stars and spinning planets whizz and whirl before your eyes. Captivating 3D documentaries also offer stunning visual journeys to the Jurassic era or down into the colorful depths of the Great Barrier Reef.

Edmonton Valley Zoo is home to over 350 beautiful exotic and native animals. Head to the zoo’s Carnivore Alley to see snow leopards and arctic wolves and check out the bright-white snowy owls in the Birds of Prey house. There’s also an orphaned elephant that was brought to Edmonton Valley Zoo from Asia through a partnership with the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage and Colombo Zoo. Tickets are around $10.25 for adults and $6.25 for kids aged 12 and under.

Besides offering pleasant walks through galleries that showcase Alberta’s rich natural and cultural treasures, Royal Alberta Museum in downtown Edmonton offers kids a series of fun pop-up activities. Carts are loaded with props and toolkits covering varying topics, from food to mock superhero capes that they can borrow and wear throughout their visit. The museum also has a dedicated gallery where tots and older kids can engage in free play and build things through hands-on exhibits. Tickets are around $19 for adults and $10 for kids under 17 years.

This is one for history and aviation buffs. Alberta Aviation Museum’s amazing collection includes over 30 aircraft, various history exhibits, and flight simulators in cockpit mock-ups that offer fun experiences for families. After touring the various historical planes, some of which are displayed against large diorama set pieces throughout the vast hangar, you can climb into a cockpit of a Cold War-era jet fighter and get a feel of the sophisticated instrument panels. Tickets are around $12 for adults and around $8.50 for kids aged 17 and under.

This ski resort is great for families in Edmonton as it offers plenty of slopes and options for young skiers and snowboarders. Onsite skiing and snowboarding lessons are available for anyone from total beginners up. Advanced skiers might find the slopes a little tame, but there is a small part which offers some fun challenges. Lift tickets are around $33.00 for adults, and family passes are available from around $119. You can reach Snow Valley Ski Club just off the Whitemud Freeway, south of downtown.

This beautiful country stable by the North Saskatchewan River is a great place for your family to discover a love for horses. They provide a series of riding lessons catering to different ages and skill levels, including a therapeutic riding program for kids and grown-ups with disabilities. Even if you’re not up for any lesson, a visit to the equine center’s beautiful ranch can be a great break while in Edmonton. Their regular horse shows and competitive show jumping events can be fun to watch.

One to tick off the list for family must-dos in Edmonton is riding the world's tallest and longest indoor rollercoaster, known as the Mindbender. You can find it at Galaxyland. the world’s largest indoor amusement park, which is inside West Edmonton Mall. This triple-looping rollercoaster is around 14 storeys high and features many twisting drops. It zooms under Galaxyland’s other rollercoaster, the Galaxy Orbiter. Milder thrills for younger kids include carousels, mini Ferris wheels, and an assortment of playparks. Tickets are around $45 for adults and $35 for kids under 110 cm tall.

Pack your swimming suit and head into the western wing of West Edmonton Mall, as it’s home to an amazing 2-hectare waterpark. Being indoors and featuring some heated pools, World Waterpark is great in any season. For the little ones, the kiddie slides and play areas such as Caribbean Cove and Dolphin Kiddie Pool should keep them busy. For thrill-seekers, the vertical-drop Sky Screamer and the Cyclone looping waterslide offer up plenty of excitement. Besides lazing about in an inflatable in the wave pool, you can zipline over it.

This can be a fun place to settle any sibling rivalries that may heat up during your family trip in Edmonton. The Edmonton branch of the SPEEDERS Electric ProKarts franchise has a great indoor racetrack with sharp turns and fast lanes that you can conquer in fully electric (fumeless, low-noise) go-karts. Simply drop in and sign up for a race. Slap on a helmet, buckle up and put the pedal to the metal for some thrilling laps toward the chequered flag.

Led by museum guides in period clothing, you and your kids can learn how they used to spin wool, back in the pioneering days of Edmonton. This is one among the various activities that you can experience at John Walter Museum. The family-friendly living museum features three historical houses that hark back to Edmonton’s past, built by the namesake boatbuilding entrepreneur in the 1880s. The kids also get to dress up in their own selection of period clothing and make butter for baking their own snack cookies.