Things to do with kids in Calgary

22 family-friendly places in Calgary: zoos, aquariums, playgrounds and more.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

DoNorthwest
Butterfield Acres
Farm featuring interactive kids' activities, including pony rides & goat milking, plus picnic spots.
EatSouthwest
Glamorgan Bakery
Family-owned bakery specializing in Dutch heritage baking & sweets; locally prominent for their cheese buns.
Mon-Fri 7AM-6PM, Sat 7:30AM-5PM
DoCity Centre
Jack Singer Concert Hall
Jack Singer Concert Hall, part of Arts Commons, is a 1,800-seat concert hall and home to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra which presents everything from buttoned-down traditional classical music to pops to symphonies for children.
DoSoutheast
Loose Moose Theatre
One of the originators of, and international leaders in, short-form improvisation and Theatresports (think Whose Line Is It Anyway?). Loose Moose does improv weekly, as well as the occasional original children's show or comedy.
$10-15
SeeSouthwest
South Glenmore Park
South Glenmore Park is the area surrounding the south side of the reservoir which includes the Weaselhead Natural Area. It is also home to the Variety Children's Park, a playground and water park that is accessible to disabled children. South Glenmore Park also houses the Glenmore Sailing School.
Daily 5AM-11PM
DoSoutheast
Stage West Theatre Restaurant
Stage West Dinner Theatre
Offers unchallenging, tried-and-true shows, kids' theatre, and tribute concerts, along with a generic buffet dinner.
$32-105
SeeCity Centre
The Confluence
The Confluence (formerly known as Fort Calgary), a Northwest Mounted Police (NWMP, now RCMP) fort was built in 1875 at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers (near modern Inglewood). It became the nucleus around which Calgary grew. The original fort was destroyed decades ago. Today, it is a museum and historic site focusing on the history of the city and of the RCMP.
9AM-5PM$11/adult, $11/concession, $6/youth, $8/senior, indigenous peoples and children free
DoNortheast
The Rec Room
Part of a national chain similar to the American Dave and Buster's, this giant complex is an arcade, restaurant and bar rolled into one. Also features various simulators and VR experiences. Family-friendly and licensed.
Mon-Thu 4-11PM, Fri 4PM-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-11PM
BuySouthwest
Westhills Shopping Centre
A large outdoor mall (power centre) in SW Calgary. Includes a small outdoor toddler playground in the southernmost part of the shopping centre, near Plum. Just south of the very similar Signal Hill Shopping Centre.
SeeNortheast Not mapped
Bridgeland
Bridgeland-Riverside
An urban revitalization area northeast of the downtown. Although the community has long been Calgary's "Little Italy" (hence the abundance of Italian restaurants in the area), the demolition of the old General Hospital in 1998 sparked a long-term project redevelop much of the era. The area is expected to be a family oriented Pearl District (see Portland, Oregon) and the initial phases are already done. The area includes posh shops, chic apartments, and beautiful lofts, while maintaining the old charm of the distinct houses. The area is undergoing massive gentrification due to its proximity to downtown and the now cleaned up East Village. It is a great area to walk through for those interested in architecture and planning. The far eastern end of Bridgeland connects with the Calgary Zoo and Telus Spark Science Centre. Tom Campbell's Hill is an excellent viewpoint of downtown.
Do Not mapped
Calgary Folk Music Festival
(July, 4 days) An extremely broad definition of "folk music" is used for this well-established festival. In addition to seven different stages with dozens of international performers, there is an area with performances & activities for kids, a market, food, and lots more.
SeeNortheast Not mapped
Calgary Zoo
The world-class Calgary Zoo is home to over 1,000 animals from all over the world, as well as to the Botanical Garden and a Prehistoric Park for dinosaur lovers. It is the second largest zoo in Canada.
9AM-5PM$29.95/adult, $27.95/senior, $19.95/child
Do Not mapped
Dragon Boat Race and Festival
(August, 2 days) Dozens of 20-person dragon boat crews race to the beat of their drummers on Glenmore Reservoir. Kids' activities, food, and entertainment are all available in the park.
Free
SeeSoutheast Not mapped
Inglewood
Inglewood is Calgary's oldest neighbourhood and the site of the city's original downtown. It is also one of Calgary's most culturally influenced and eclectic areas. Inglewood contains everything from stores targeted at bikers, to unique boutiques, antique stores, galleries, and restaurants. It is not as developed as some of the city's downtown districts, but it is quickly becoming one of the city's most popular "urban chic" neighbourhoods. It lies immediately east of downtown (east of 1st Street E) and is concentrated along 9th Avenue SE. Just to the north is the Bow River and the Calgary Zoo.
SeeCity Centre Not mapped
Lougheed House
Beaulieu National Historic Site
Historical mansion and National Historic Site; it was built in 1891 by Senator James Alexander Lougheed (grandfather Peter Lougheed, 10th Premier of Alberta). Lougheed House has been a family residence, a training centre for young women, a women's military barracks, and a blood donor clinic before it was restored in 2000. The public can visit both the house and its gardens.
House: Wed-Fri 11AM-4PM; Sat Sun 10AM-4PM Garden: 7AM-sundown daily$8.50/adult, $6.50/seniors & students, $5/child (ages 6-12), free/child (under 6)
BuyNorthwest Not mapped
Market Mall
CF Market Mall
One of the largest malls (by area) in Calgary, it is near the University of Calgary. It has a playground inside for pre-schoolers.
Mon-Fri 10AM-9PM, Sat 9:30AM-8PM, Sun 11AM-6PM
DoNorthwest Not mapped
Olympic Oval
A covered speed skating oval, built for the 1988 Winter Olympics, it is the official designated training centre for Speed Skate Canada and the Canadian National Speed Skating team. When not hosting hockey games and speed skating competitions, The Oval is open to public skating, family day events, and the Calgary Science Fair.
SeeSoutheast Not mapped
Sikome Aquatic Facility
Sikome Lake
Man-made lake, a swimming area open during the summer as a public beach. No lifeguard.
Seasonal 10AM-7PMAdult (18-64) $5; senior (65+) $4; child (6-17) $3; child (0-5) free; family $10
SeeNortheast Not mapped
St. Patrick's Island Park
St. Patrick’s Island Park lies in the Bow River between the East Village to the south, and the community of Bridgeland to the north. The park boasts hiking and biking trails, a public plaza and amphitheatre, children’s play area, public washrooms, a small hill, and restored river channels.
5AM-11PM
SeeNortheast Not mapped
Telus Spark
formerly the Telus World of Science
Founded as the Calgary Science Centre in 1967, it took this name when it moved to a new building in 2011. It is a place where people of all ages and abilities can put their imagination into action. Constructed on over 18 acres of reclaimed land, the new facility features over one hundred hands-on exhibits, four exhibit galleries, plus a travelling exhibition gallery, an expanded and enhanced Creative Kids Museum, Calgary's only HD digital Dome Theatre, a new Presentation Theatre and Learning Centre, a atrium, and a outdoor park.
Sun-Fri 9AM-4PM, Sat 9AM-5PM, first Thu of each month 9AM-9PM, second Thu 9AM-4PM, then reopens to 18+ only 6PM-10PM$19.95 (adult/youth)
SeeNortheast Not mapped
The Hangar Flight Museum
formerly Aero Space Museum of Calgary
Over 24 aircraft are on display, as well as 58 aeronautical engines. A section details the Canadian space programs. Archives containing documents about aeronautics are also located on the premises.
10AM-4PM dailyAdults $15, Senior (65+) $11, Student (12-17 or valid student ID) $10, Children (3-11), Children (0-2) free, Family $35
SeeCity Centre
Glenbow Museum
.
Closed for renovation until 2026$16/adult, $11/concession, $10/child, $40/family, +5% GST

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Calgary (CC BY-SA 4.0).