Ontario Science Centre

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770 Don Mills Road
Scarborough, ON, Canada M3C1T
888-696-1100
416-696-1000

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Babies

Toddlers & Pre-K

School-Age Kids

Pre-Teens & Teens

Ontario Science Centre Description

Wonder what you'll look like in 50 years or what too much static electricity does to your hair? This is your place. Hosts in white lab coats offer answers and direct you to adventures. Younger kids can climb in and out of a beaver dam, pull up a book or make their own music video. Toddlers have a safe soft block area with a fish tank to pass the time and small tanks throughout hold everything from poison dart frogs to a lizard named Spike. The excitement is catchy and with kids running from one learning opportunity to the next.

Kid Tips

Babies: Strollers are available on loan at the Centre on a first come first serve basis and the entire property is fully accessible.

Toddlers & Pre-K: Tired of chasing them? Let them run free through the climbing apparatus in Kidspark (kids 8 and younger only) and they'll burn off all that energy.

School-Age Kids: Send them to the Sports Hall where they can ride in a bobsled simulator, judge an Olympic competition or measure their hoop skills.

Pre-Teens & Teens: The Westin Family Innovation Centre tries to explain the science of newsworthy topics through experiments and hands-on exhibits. Teens will love the lie detector machine (may be a good time to ask them some probing questions) and the chance to do hands-on experiments with a Centre scientist.

Planning Notes

Space has a lineup. If you want to get a seat in the small planetarium (holds 50) line up early. Shows are on the hour but lineups for the only public planetarium in the city tend to go long.

Bring your lunch. The Centre is located in a valley and with plenty of benches outside and indoor spaces with tables and chairs, there's no need to step away from the action.

Start Late. The Centre is wildly popular with daycares, camp groups and school trips. To avoid the crowds plan for a late day start in the summer months (3 p.m.), avoid the weekends or plan to visit in September — the quietest month of the year. March Break? Not so much.

Lock it up. Lockers take $1 coins (loonies) and are a great way to make sure everyone's hands are free for adventure.

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