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Monday, January 19
Family Storytime/ Contes en famille (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Toddlertime (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
EarlyON Baby Playgroup (Series) at 1:30pm 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Teen Exam Cram | Période d'examens pour ados (Series) Multiple Time and Locations
Cercle de Lecture (en français seulement) (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Alta Vista
Chess club / Club d'échecs (Series) at 6pm 📍OPL Greenboro
Homework Help / Club de devoirs (Series) at 6:30pm 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Starry Night Storytime (Series) at 6:30pm 📍OPL Nepean Centrepointe
Tuesday, January 20
Teen Exam Cram | Période d'examens pour ados (Series) Multiple Time and Locations
Parenting in Ottawa (Series) Multiple Time and Locations
Babytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Toddler Tuesdays (Series) at 10am 📍Peter A. Herrndorf Place
Toddlertime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Activities for Teens at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Family Storytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Homeschool Hangout (Series) at 10am 📍OPL Greely
STEAM Storytime (Series) at 10:30am 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Stay and Play/ Jouons à la biblio (Series) at 10:30am 📍OPL St-Laurent
Homework Help / Aide aux devoirs (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Chess Club D'échecs (Series) at 3:30pm 📍OPL Blackburn Hamlet
STEM club (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Nepean Centrepointe
Afternoon Storytime (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Cumberland
Livres et Lego (Series) at 6:30pm 📍OPL Beaverbrook
SoulRhythms (Series) at 7pm 📍Peter A. Herrndorf Place
Wednesday, January 21
Family Storytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Babytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Toddlertime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Parent and Tot Drop In (Series) at 9:30am 📍2 Stonehaven Drive
Stay & Play | Jouons à la biblio (Series) at 11:05am 📍Elmvale Acres
Parenting in Ottawa Drop-in (Series) at 1pm 📍OPL Beaverbrook
Centrepointe Infant In-person Playgroup (Series) at 1:30pm 📍Centrepointe Child Care Services
Homeschool Happenings (Series) at 1:30pm 📍OPL Cumberland
Bilingual Ready, Set, Kindergarten (Series) at 2pm 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Chess Club (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Main
Teen Exam Cram | Période d'examens pour ados (Series) at 3:30pm 📍OPL Blackburn Hamlet
Crafternoon / Brin d’brico (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Sunnyside
Homework Help / Aide aux devoirs (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Thursday, January 22
Family Storytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Babytime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Toddlertime at the OPL (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Centrepointe In-person Playgroup (Series) at 9:30am 📍Centrepointe Child Care Services
Homeschool Social Club (Series) at 2:15pm 📍OPL Hazeldean
Youth Chess Club (Series) at 3:30pm 📍OPL Orléans
STEAM Challenge Thursday (Series) at 5pm 📍OPL North Gower
Homework Help / Aide aux devoirs (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Friday, January 23
Gaming Drop-in for Teens / Jeux vidéo pour ados (Series) at 3:30pm 📍OPL Cumberland
LEGO Party - Fête en blocs (Series) at 3:45pm 📍OPL Vanier
Fractured Fairytale Fridays (Series) at 4pm 📍OPL Beaverbrook
Saturday, January 24
Animal Tracking on Snowshoes (Series) at 10am and 1:30pm 📍Gatineau Park Visitor Centre
Family Storytime/ Contes en famille (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
Stay and Play/ Jouons à la biblio (Series) at 10am 📍OPL Sunnyside
Let's Play at the Library (Series) at 10am 📍OPL Rosemount
Saturday Family Storytime and Stay & Play (Series) at 10:30am 📍OPL Carp
Sensory Storytime (Series) at 2pm 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Video Gaming / Jeux vidéo (Series) at 2pm 📍OPL Greenboro
Lego Block Party (Series) at 2:30pm 📍OPL Emerald Plaza
Sunday, January 25
Animal Tracking on Snowshoes (Series) at 10am and 1:30pm 📍Gatineau Park Visitor Centre
Stay ‘n’ Play | Jouons à la biblio (Series) at 10:30am 📍OPL Main
Atelier théâtre en français (Series) at 11:30am 📍OPL Ruth E. Dickinson
Family Storytime/ Contes en famille (Series) Multiple Times and Locations
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⛸️ Lace Up: Where to Skate for Free This Week
Ottawa is the skating capital of the world, and this week (Jan 19–25) is the perfect time to enjoy the ice before the Winterlude crowds arrive at the end of the month.
Location | Best For... | Public Hours | Pro-Tip |
Rideau Canal | The Full Experience | Open 24/7 (check NCC for daily status) | All 7.8km are currently open! Park at Dows Lake for easier family access. |
Rink of Dreams | Downtown Vibes | 9:00 am – 11:00 pm | Located right at City Hall. The refrigerated ice stays smooth even on "mild" days. |
Lansdowne Court | Shopping & Cocoa | 6:00 am – 11:00 pm | Great for little ones. Bring your own skates and grab a BeaverTail nearby after! |
Rideau Hall | Heritage Magic | 5:00 pm – 8:30 pm (Weekdays) 1:00 pm – 8:30 pm (Weekends) | Enter through the Princess Gate. It’s a refrigerated historic rink and feels like a movie set. |
"Parenting in Ottawa is like skating the Canal: it requires balance, endurance, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the wind is against you. Your steady hand today is building the foundation for their strongest glide tomorrow."
Beyond skating, Ottawa has a wealth of free activities that are perfect for saving a bit of money while keeping the kids entertained. Here are a few more "no-cost" ideas to include in your email for January 19-25:
1. The "Play Free" City Program
The City of Ottawa has a fantastic initiative called Play Free.
What it is: Free drop-in swimming, skating, and gymnasium sports every Saturday.
Who it’s for: Children and youth (17 and under) and their accompanying adults.
How to do it: Check the City of Ottawa website for specific schedules at your local community center (like Nepean Centrepointe, Richcraft, or Minto).
2. Parliament Hill & Senate Tours
While the Centre Block is under construction, you can still take the family inside the capital's most iconic buildings for free.
The Senate of Canada Building: Located in the old train station, it’s stunning and very "Harry Potter" for kids.
House of Commons (West Block): See where the laws are made.
Note: You must reserve your free tickets online in advance at visit.parl.ca.
3. Winter Trail Treasure Hunts
Ottawa’s community-maintained winter trails are free to use for walking, snowshoeing, or "fat biking."
Kichi Sibi Winter Trail: Walk along the Ottawa River. Kids love looking for the "hidden" ice formations near the water.
Britannia Winter Trail: Very flat and stroller-friendly, perfect for a short nature walk followed by a hot chocolate at home.
Animal Track Detective: Head to Stony Swamp (Old Quarry Trail). It's a great place to feed chickadees (bring birdseed!) and look for rabbit or deer tracks in the fresh snow.
4. The Bank of Canada Museum
Location: 30 Bank Street.
Why it’s great: It is always free. It’s highly interactive—kids can design their own digital "avatar" on a wristband and play games that teach them about money in a way that feels like a video game arcade.
