January is nearly here and we’re stoked for the beginning of the new year outside! Though the temperatures are cold, we’re still aiming to get outside, explore, and enjoy the start to a new year with the kids, starting with these free (or cheap) things to do in Edmonton this month.

Here are some fabulous freee (and cheap) activities you can do with your kids this month in Edmonton area:

1. Hit up a local Toboggan hill (Use the map to find one nearest you)
   Yes! We’ve created a map of the best Toboggan hills in Edmonton, and a guide to which ones are the best to visit for every age. Use the map to plan your next adventure. Grab the sleds, a thermos of hot cocoa to keep warm, and get outside!

2. Spend New Year’s Day at Strathcona Wilderness Centre
   Enjoy two dollar ski lessons, a snowshoe ramble, and the chance to fall in love with winter on a mild New Year’s Day in Edmonton. Make a trip to the wilderness centre and get outside with the kids for a fun winter activity, on the cheap (the event is free)

3. Glastonbury New Year’s Day Festival (with Fireworks)
   Glastonbury Community Leagues Annual New Years Day Family Fun Event. There will be sleigh rides, skating, and fireworks at dusk (around 5:15 pm). With the weather warming up, it’s a great time to join in on the fun!

4. Explore Astotin Lake, on Ice
   Astotin Lake is frozen, and ready for skating. If you’re not ready to lace up those skates, grab a pair of winter boots and head on to the ice to explore the island on the lake, without having to walk over to it!

5. Register for a FREE Nature Nuts Program (January 24 and 31, 2022)
   Are you looking for ways to explore the wonders of nature as a family? Enjoying the great outdoors promotes a connection to nature that provides endless opportunities to develop new skills and enhance development. Join us for an interactive outdoor experience filled with family fun!

6. Take a Winter Walk through Mill Creek Ravine
   You’ve explored Mill Creek during the summer months, but what about during the winter? During the winter, it’s a wonderland that allows you to explore, on the creek itself, finding new paths to discover.

7. Calder Community winter carnival (January 15, 2022)
   Join the Calder Community for a day of winter fun, and a snow fort building contest. Roast S’mores by the fire, and spend the day outside, meeting new friends in your own community.

8. Skate under the Victoria Oval
   Lace up those skates and head to Victoria Oval, where you can skate under the twinkling lights. It’s a colourful sight at night, and there’s a convenient warming hut for you to lace up the kids skates, and stay toasty.

9. Skating and Hot Cocoa at Hawrelak Park
   Lace up the skates and add Hawrelak Park to the list of places to discover outdoors this winter. You can experience the new pavilion, as another option to hit the ice, in town, and stay warm by the fires and picnic tables, right beside the popular ice rink.

10. Watch Ice Sculptures at Ice on Whyte (January 27, 2022)
    Ice on Whyte returns to Edmonton this month and we can’t wait to see the art that’s outdoors, on the block. You can expect ice sculpting, food, drinks, and you just might get the chance to sculpt a piece of ice for yourself.

11. Drop in for City of Edmonton’s ‘Play Rangers’

    Every week, the city of Edmonton hosts drop in, outdoor playdates, led by facilitators at local playgrounds. Launched this fall, it’s an incredible program where kids can learn skills like fire building, and more.

12. Snowshoe and Stargaze at Elk Island Park (Saturdays)
    Spend a Saturday night out at Elk Island Park with a guided Snowshoe tour, stargazing experience with the whole family. It’s an inexpensive way to spend an evening, and gives you the chance to explore while learning something new.

13. Get FREE Admission to Art Gallery of Alberta
    Don’t sleep on this one! Kids get free admission to Art Gallery of Alberta, and there’s plenty to explore inside - even if the ROYGBIV exhibit has come to an end. Explore the gallery with your kids through a cold snap.

14. Try Sledge Hockey (for free) - January 3, 2022
    It’s your chance to visit Millennium Place and give sledge hockey a try! No registration required, regular facility admission rates apply. Don’t forget your helmet! Participants must be 4’9+.

15. Visit the Strathcona County Museum and Archives for FREE
    Every weekend, you can swing by Strathma on Saturdays to enjoy some free activities for all ages. It’s a fun chance to enjoy a free activity for the whole family that won’t cost you a dime - and chances are you haven't explored here before!

16. Winterfest in Castledowns (January 30, 2022)
    Get outside this winter and celebrate the gorgeous snow. At Winterfest, enjoy a full day of winter fun, a sleigh ride and a cup of cocoa! Take part in our pallet parade! There’s a chance to win a pizza prize pack for participants.

17. Celebrate Lunar New Year in Edmonton (January 22, 2022)
    Don’t skip the Lunar New Year festival in Edmonton. Find the details, here. Celebrate Vietnamese New year with Cultural Performances, Activities & Games, Lion Dance, Balloon Artist and more!

18. Take a Virtual Cooking Class with Get Cooking!
    Enjoy a virtual cooking class with the kids. Get Cooking offers multiple monthly classes where you can learn to make new inspired dishes, a classic, or even a fun dessert the whole family is going to enjoy. We love these classes to get the kids involved in the kitchen!

19. Skate for FREE (Indoors)
    Find out where to skate for free, right here. We’ve got the free skating details through the winter ready for you to lace up the skates, and enjoy, without breaking the bank.

20. See a $2.99 Movie with Cineplex Family Favourites
    Cineplex Family Favourites are set to make a comeback this month! (Unless the recent changes to movie theatre operations impact the return of the popular cheap movies for families on Saturday mornings). Movies are scheduled to restart on January 22, 2022 - and we can’t wait for the cheap Saturday morning indoors!

21. Experience the Magic of the Deep Freeze Fest (January 14, 2022 - January 23, 2022)
    Spark your wonder, and promenade through a gallery of light, culture and beauty. As you walk through Borden Park you will happen upon giant lantern sculptures, you might spot a woolly mammoth, some jellyfish, and or even a rainbow. Ice sculptures of creatures that roamed Under the Ancient Arctic Sky, polar bears, buffalo, and maybe a megalonyx or two! Learn about the folklore of the Ukrainian, Francophone, Indigenous, Inuit and Métis cultures through art installations, featuring world-renowned Edmonton Artists. There will definitely be an Instagram moment or two, so have those cameras ready!

22. ROAD TRIP to Hard Luck Canyon
    Schedule an adventure to Hard Luck Canyon and explore during the winter months. This small, kid-friendly canyon near Whitecourt, is only a five minute walk from the parking lot, with day use areas (fire pits for hot dogs and s’mores) on site.

23. Drop in for Play at John Janzen - It’s REOPENED!
    The John Janzen Nature Centre playground and exhibit space is reopen. Not only is it a fun place to explore with the kids, but you can learn while you’re there, and visit the newly marked outdoor trail system. Though this one is a fun indoor playground, we recommend it for the under six crowd. Older kids might get restless! Pre-booked time slots can be made, online through Move Learn Play.

24. Visit PomPom Play Cafe for $2
    Our team was excited to see that visit PomPom Play Cafe has joined the REP and you can attend knowing that guests 12+ are vaccinated. On January 2, they’re offering $2 admission for families. It’s a fun play cafe for younger kids (think toddlers, to preschoolers) with food options, and a smaller scale toy cafe to make it easy to stay and play, without running around searching for your kids!

25. Soak up the last of those Christmas Lights
    With Christmas lights on display around the city until the first week of January, you can start of the week viewing lights, or getting the chance to visit places you may not have had time to over the holidays! (Hello, Leduc Country Lights!). Who says Christmas lights have to be enjoyed before the holidays? You can still find some magic into the new year!

26. Winter Geocaching! (Try this Trail)
    Winter Geocaching can be a bit trickier, and might require a bit more research before you leave the house - but we’ve got a great spot that has the majority of Geocaches up, and off the ground. It will also get you out walking, and enjoying a new area. So, bundle up, grab the Geocaching app and spend the next winter adventure hunting up a Geocache!