Brian JonesIn this day and age, kids are becoming more dependent and attached to gadgets. Gone are the days when children regularly spent hours doing fun, educational, and creative activities without using a tablet or smartphone.
As parents, we want to encourage our kids to spend time away from their glowing screens. That’s why we’ve created a list of the best kids activities in Edmonton here!
The Best Kids Activities in Edmonton
This list features the best kids activities in Edmonton that parents can do with their children. The fun places you’ll find here will give your children a chance to learn, explore, exercise, socialize, and have fun beyond their gadgets.
1. Elk Island National Park
| KNOWN FOR | Nature Getaway with the Whole Family |
| ACTIVITIES | Camping Hiking Cycling Elk and Wildlife Viewing Picnicking |
| FEES | Free admission for children aged 6 to 17 years old $7.90 for adults aged 18 to 64 years old $6.90 for seniors aged 65 years old or over $16.00 for families or groups of up to 7 people in a single vehicle $6.90 per person for commercial groups *Annual passes also available at discounted rates **Additional fees for camping and camping services |
| WEBSITE | www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/ab/elkisland |
| ADDRESS | 54401 Range Road 203, Fort Saskatchewan, AB T8L |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 1-780-922-5790 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Open 24 Hours Daily |
Elk Island National Park is located 35 minutes east of Edmonton. It is open daily all year round for tourists and local visitors.
We think that Elk Island National Park is the perfect spot for families, especially during the summer. The park has trails for hiking and cycling, and it also has spots for picnics and camping.
It’s a serene place to bond with your families and gives your children a chance to put down their gadgets and enjoy nature. At night, the stars are clearly visible in the sky as the view isn’t obstructed by artificial lighting.
You may also view elk and other wildlife that live in the park to make the trip more educational. There are more than 250 bird species that can be spotted here.
Pros
- Lots of activities for both adults and children
- Free admission for children
- Open 24 hours year-round
Cons
- Additional fees per night for camping and camping services
- Not the best getaway when the weather is bad
- Located outside of Edmonton
Customer Reviews
Read this review from someone who has visited Elk Island National Park.
“Amazing experience, beautiful clean place and people are very considerate. You can enjoy the beach and the huge playground, and you can enjoy the beautiful long fall trails with beautiful views perfect for hiking and photography. Spotted a herd of bison which was the cherry on top of a perfect trip. Would highly recommend this place for a family trip, perfect for children to learn and see a lot of nature.” —Rose Al Ratrout, Google Reviews
2. World Waterpark
| KNOWN FOR | Largest Indoor Waterpark in Canada |
| ACTIVITIES | Swimming Surfing Slides Birthday Parties Swim Club Concerts and Events |
| FEES | Free admission for children aged 2 years old and under $30 – $49 General Admission Rate $25 Single-Day Toddler Time Rate *Waterpark season pass also available **Additional fees for rentals like lockers, hammocks, and cabanas |
| WEBSITE | https://www.wem.ca/play/attractions/world-waterpark |
| ADDRESS | 8882 170 Street NW #1338, Edmonton, AB T5T 4M2 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 1-780-444-5300 |
World Waterpark is the largest indoor waterpark in Canada and the second-largest indoor waterpark in North America.
Parents love World Waterpark because they have a lot of facilities that suit both children and adults. They have 17 unique waterslides and areas for surfing, swimming lessons, and birthday parties.
In our opinion, one of the best kids activities in Edmonton is the waterpark’s Toddler Time, where children can have a playdate with their friends. The admission fee includes one child and one chaperone.
The waterpark is also close to other fun places that your family can visit. Ice Palace, Ed’s Bowling, and Marine Life, among others, are just within walking distance.
Pros
- Convenient location with nearby family-friendly attractions
- Areas for different activities including 17 unique slides
- Clean and sanitized spaces for your family’s safety
Cons
- Expensive admission and rental fees
- Outside food and beverage not allowed inside the waterpark
- Inconsistent opening hours throughout the year
Customer Reviews
Check out this review from a dad who visited World Waterpark with his kids.
“Great time for the whole family and plenty for all to do and slides are fun. There [are] large play areas for the kids and even several slide ovens. Only [a] small complaint would be that the one kids play area/splash play structures water was quite cold in comparison to the rest of the park and as such made it a little more unwelcoming to children.” —Marshall Dyck, Google Reviews
3. Galaxyland
| KNOWN FOR | Tallest and Longest Indoor Roller Coaster |
| ACTIVITIES | Carousel 35th Aero Squadron Galaxy Orbiter GAlaxy Express Galactic Rodeo Cosmic Spinner Cosmo’s Space Derby Time Freak Solar Spinner Auto Sled Moto Jump Lazer Vault Quirks in the Works Swing of the Century |
| FEES | Free admission for children aged 2 years old and under $30 General Admission Rate $25 Single-Day Toddler Time Rate |
| WEBSITE | www.wem.ca/play/attractions/galaxyland/ |
| ADDRESS | 8882 170 Street NW #2784, Edmonton, AB T5T 4J2 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 1-780-444-5300 |
Galaxyland, formerly known as Fantasyland, is an indoor amusement park. Like World Waterpark, it is located inside West Edmonton Mall.
This amusement park is most known for Mindbender, the tallest and longest indoor roller coaster, which may not be suitable for young children.
Fortunately, Galaxyland has a total of 27 rides and attractions, so you’ll definitely find an activity that suits kids of all ages.
Toddler Time is also available inside Galaxyland. However, children and chaperones can only access Toddler Time rides.
We included Galaxyland on this list because we know that kids love amusement parks. As a child, who here hasn’t felt excited going on fun rides?
Pros
- Conveniently located inside West Edmonton Mall
- A lot of rides available
- Discount available for day passes for groups of 15 and above
Cons
- Expensive admission fee
- Some rides closed due to COVID-19 safety guidelines
- Opening hours vary throughout the year
Customer Reviews
See what this visitor had to say about his experience at the amusement park.
“It’s an indoor amusement park. The rides in here are awesome. [It’s] got the largest indoor roller coaster in the world that in itself is amazing. There is so much going on that your head gets turned around all the time. This place is clean and tidy. The staff is friendly and attentive. This is just a cool place. I have been coming here for many years and have always enjoyed the experience.” —Kirk Dewhurst, Google Reviews
4. University of Alberta Botanic Garden
| KNOWN FOR | Alberta’s Largest Botanical Garden |
| ACTIVITIES | Hiking Picnics Tours Birthday Parties School Field Trips Summer Camps for Kids Luminaria (Annual Winter Display) |
| FEES | $150 Garden Experience Package* *One-year unlimited admission for one person, tax and tickets to some events excluded **Regular admission rates posted every spring |
| WEBSITE | www.botanicgarden.ualberta.ca |
| ADDRESS | 51227 AB-60, Spruce Grove, AB T7Y 1C5 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | 1-780-492-3050 [email protected] |
| OPERATING HOURS | 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM Daily |
The University of Alberta Botanic Garden, formerly called the Devonian Botanic Garden, is the largest botanic garden in the whole province. Inside this 97-hectare piece of land, you can find thousands of trees, shrubs, flowers, and other flora.
The University of Alberta Botanic Garden comprises smaller gardens, including the Kurimoto Japanese Garden, the Patrick Seymour Alpine Garden, and the Indigenous Garden.
For a nice day in nature with the kids, you should definitely visit this place. You can teach them about the different species of plants and animals that live here and have a nice outdoor picnic with the whole family.
Pros
- Beautiful botanic garden with thousands of plant species
- Educational trip with the children
- Lots of areas to visit and exhibits to see
Cons
- Admission rates may vary per year or season
- Additional ticket fees for events and exhibits
- Not the best place to visit during bad weather
Customer Reviews
A visitor left this review for the University of Alberta Botanic Garden.
“My kids and I loved it here! It was great to just wander around and look.” —Asley Winsor, Google Reviews
5. Monster Mini Golf Edmonton
| KNOWN FOR | Monster themed venue |
| ACTIVITIES | MONSTER MINI GOLF MONSTROUS GAMING ARCADE LASER TAG MINI BOWLING LASER MAZE VIRTUAL REALITY ATOMIC RUSH ROPES COURSE STELLA’S KITCHEN / CAFE |
| FEES | Little Monsters – $11.00 Big Monsters – $13.95 Seniors – $9.50 |
| WEBSITE | https://monsterminigolf.com/edmonton/ |
| ADDRESS | 3414 Gateway Boulevard Edmonton, AB, CANADA T6J 6R5 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | (780) 756-5533 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Monday to Friday: 16:00 – 21:00 Saturday: 11:00 – 21:00 Sunday: 11:00 – 20:00 |
Monster Mini Golf has a course made up of 18 glow-in-the-dark holes, each with varying levels of difficulty and obstacles that make it extra challenging.
You will be surrounded by virtual canvases since they have cool walls filled with witty, comical, and relatable pop-culture artworks. With the black light, everything will glow and will bring to life the most stimulating and unique mini golf experience in your life!
At Monster Mini Golf, you will get to experience what it feels like to be a kid again. Just listening to groovy music and playing endless games with your friends and family.
Unlike other venues, party rooms are available at Monster Mini Golf. These rooms still stay true to the monster neon theme and are definitely an awesome place to celebrate a kid’s birthday party or even office events!
Pros
- Amazing customer service
- Cool theme
- Friendly staff
- Group coupons are available
Cons
- Loud music at some areas
Customer Reviews
Here’s a review from one of Monster Mini Golf’s clients:
“I love playing with neon balls in the dark.
After having such a good time at the KISS-themed Monster Mini Golf in Vegas, my wife and I decided to check out the Monster Mini Golf establishment in Edmonton. It was hard getting used to the disco music blaring in the background, which the DJ here seems to like, as opposed to KISS tunes. I don’t know what ’70s disco has to do with monsters in the dark, other than the fact that they’re equally creepy and scary, but that’s what goes here.
It’s 18 holes of glow-in-the-dark, monster-themed obstacles that’s equal parts challenging and annoying. The holes are kind of close together so it’s best to leave two or three holes between yourself and the players in front of you. I always seem to end up with the slowest team alive in front of me whenever I play mini-golf. There is one other review here that seems to have been written for the express purpose of defending the honour of those who like to loaf and laze about the course with complete disrespect to other paying customers who would like to finish their game sometime this century. It’s not an option to walk past the team in front of you if they’re going too slow. If I paid for 18 holes – I’m playing 18 holes. If you play at a snail’s pace – install a course in your living room.
The DJ/host/cashier guy occasionally likes to appear on the course out of thin air in a puff of ninja smoke to issue challenges to the players. (To all the soccer moms planning their kid’s birthday party: I’m speaking figuratively here – don’t show up expecting literal ninja smoke) He challenged me to make my shot with my eyes closed. He either felt sorry for me for missing miserably or he just wanted to reward me for being a good sport because he gave me prize vouchers. (I still have to redeem those for something.)
As in Vegas, the loser (me) gets a voucher to play for free upon your next visit.
Is it just me, or does the giant clown head at the 18th hole resemble Heath Ledger?”
“Had a really great time here with my son. Staff were awesome. The runs were great. A bit pricey but it’s the same prices at the other local ski hills. If you haven’t been, try it out, you won’t regret it.” —Jerry Blaha, Google Reviews
6. My Gym Children’s Fitness Center
| KNOWN FOR | Having a physically engaging environment |
| ACTIVITIES | Classes Parties Camps and PNO Events |
| FEES | Contact for more information |
| WEBSITE | https://www.mygym.com/edmonton |
| ADDRESS | 232 – 91st Street SW Edmonton, AB T6X 1W8 |
| CONTACT DETAILS | (780) 628-4440 |
| OPERATING HOURS | Contact for more information |
Want to engage your child in physical activities that they will enjoy? You are in luck because My Gym Children’s Fitness Center is the perfect place for you.
The environment they have is where children feel loved and supported. This allows their self-esteem and confidence to flourish, which eventually can help them when they grow up.
In comparison to others, they can accept children from ages 4 months to 10 years old. No wonder why they are ranked #1 as the children’s program worldwide.
Their specialty is birthday parties. Their talented party specialists will design an unforgettable birthday bash your whole family will treasure.
Pros
- Has 3 birthday party packages
- Rates are available on their website
Cons
- Operating hours are not mentioned
Customer Reviews
Here are a few reviews from their previous clients:
“I was impressed with the structured classes, they also offer free time for kids to experience different equipment and the cleanliness was awesome too, definitely will recommend it”
“A wonderful place for fun and exercise, the instructors are very kind and very patient with all kids of all skills and abilities.”
FAQs about the Best Kids Activities in Edmonton
Our list of the best kids activities in Edmonton finally comes to a close. For a fun day with your whole family, you should definitely visit these places.
But if a proper vacation for the family is what you want to plan, check out our list of the best vacation packages from Edmonton.
