Burlington is consistently voted one of the best cities for families in Canada, and we couldn’t agree more. But it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to play here! We have a long list of great things to do with kids in Burlington today. Some are well-known places to visit and some are hidden gems only the locals know about. We are bringing you our favourite free and cheap things to do with kids in Burlington. And expect this list to grow as we find more and more free, local adventures.
Love Cheap Thrills? Don’t miss these Free Things in Hamilton!
Jump to: Winter Outdoor Fun, Spring, Summer Fall Outdoor Ideas, and Indoor Play.
Our favourite inexpensive and Free Things To Do In Burlington With Kids
Outdoors In The Winter…
Ice Skate at Burlington Rotary Centennial Pond at Spencer Smith Park
Ice skating at the waterfront is a great family activity. Skaters of all ages and abilities love spending a winter day here. The rink has some skate aids they lend out, and they lend out skates and helmets at no cost. Lending is available evenings, weekends and school holidays (but not during weekdays). There are washrooms on-site and parking is free and paid depending on the day/time you go.
Cost: Free!
Find a Great Hill To Toboggan
Burlington has 6 sites designated as official sledding hills. Sledding is one of the best wintery things to do in Burlington if you ask my kids. Find a new hill near you here.
Cost: Free!
Try Cross Country Skiing
Burlington has some great locations for cross-country skiing. Read about them here.
Cost: Variable depending on where you go
Outdoors in the Spring, Summer and Fall…
Explore the Creek at hidden valley park
Some of our best days have been spent creek walking in Burlington. We are huge fans of exploring Bronte Creek as it runs through Hidden Valley Park. The water is cool and refreshing, and there are so many creatures to discover if you have a keen eye! Watch for crayfish, frogs, turtles, small and large fish, and more! We even found an animal skull that made for some great show-and-telling!
Cost: Free!
Try geocaching with the kids
Geocaching is so much fun, especially for kids. It’s easy – and free – too! Using an app on your phone, follow the coordinates to a hidden “cache”. At this cache, you can find a small container with a log book. Add your name to the log book and see if you recognize any other names. You can log your find in the app. Many of the caches are containers with trinkets in them, take one and leave one! Read more on Geocaching here.
Cost: Free!
Spend a Day at Lowville park
Lowville Park has quickly become our favourite park to visit every season. There is a ton of parking, washrooms and lots of picnic space. Kids will love the playground, the wooded paths and of course, playing in the creek. This is another opportunity to learn all about animals and their ecosystems, or just to inspect them up close. Wander down the wooded path and you’ll find this epic staircase. The photo below is from the summer, but be sure to visit in the winter for some amazing tobogganing! You can book your free visit here.
Cost: Free!
Ride The Dirt Jumps at Nelson Park
This is a must-do if you’ve got a little daredevil or an experienced rider looking for more fun. They’ll love the dirt jumps at Nelson Park, and I’ve seen kids of all ages zoom up and down them – even glider bikes! The dirt jumps are one of the coolest free things to do in Burlington. They are centrally located at Nelson Park, on New Street. You’ll also find a playground, skate park, and community centre with an outdoor pool and splash pad here. Excitement central!
Cost: Free!
Cool Down At The Nelson Splash Pad
Burlington is home to a bunch of great splash pads, outdoor pools and wading pools that are open all summer long. Pictured below is the Nelson Pool Spray Pad, located inside/beside Nelson Pool. While it’s not free to access, it’s possibly the best splash pad in the city. With your paid admission, you also get access to Nelson Pool, definitely Burlington’s most beautiful outdoor pool. See our photos here. Registration recommended.
Cost: approx. $3.50 per person.
Roll Around burlington’s best skate parks
Burlington is home to 10 skate parks, each with its own selection of equipment and challenging levels. Read about them all here. Locals also love skating the Maple Hydro path that runs from Graham’s Lane almost all the way to the Lake Ontario waterfront.
Cost: Free!
Don’t Forget Spencer Smith Park!
Sometimes the best day trip is the closest and most obvious – like Spencer Smith Park. In the spring and summer, this massive green space is home to a huge playground and splash pad that draws visitors from the whole city and beyond! Bring your wheels because the paved pathway is long and popular. Remote control boats have a place to sail here, too, so make sure to watch those while you picnic.
Cost: Free!
Watch the Big Boats at the Burlington Canal Lift Bridge
One of my favourite things to do with kids is to watch the lift bridge go up and down. The bridge goes up every hour and half hour for pleasure boats and on-demand for ships. The best viewing spot we’ve found is sitting on the concrete blocks on the edge of the pier at the base of the bridge. Park at Beachway Park and walk/ride over to the bridge. Or park at the lots on the Hamilton side and walk over. It’s not a far ride. My kids are pretty fascinated by how the bridge goes up and the counterweights come down. We watch it go up, have a snack sitting on the concrete blocks, and watch a second time before riding back to the car.
Cost: Free!
Walk The Gnome Trail at Bronte Creek P.P.
Bronte Creek Provincial Park is home to the cutest little community. Kids love to wander down the Gnome Trail, tucked away down a tree-covered path. It’s located near the play barn, look for the directional signs. And be sure to look up, too! Cost: Admission to Bronte Creek is $18 per vehicle. Walking in or cycling in is free.
Cost: Free to walk or cycle in, otherwise day rates ar approx. $20 per car
“Supervise” A Construction Site
I have spent countless hours over the years watching cranes, diggers, cement mixers, and dump trucks. We’ve met some wonderful construction workers who are happy to wave at the kids and say hello. Everywhere seems to be under construction these days, but our fave spots to watch are the high rises being built in Burlington’s Downtown. There are a few to choose from, and they are all at different stages, so there’s lots of variety to see. Another great visual (while sad at the same time) is watching a house demolition before the new home is built on the land. It is sure to spark a ton of questions and oohs and ahhs from your kids. This is one of the easiest free things to do in Burlington with kids.
Cost: Free!
Burlington is a Cycling-Friendly City
No matter how big your bike wheels are, there is a Burlington bike trail for you! Whether you want to cycle around your neighbourhood to bike from one end to another, there’s a paved path for it! For little friends, we love the shady winding trail that starts downtown and travels south pparallel to New Street.
Cost: Free!
hike kid-friendly Trails At cherry hill Gate
Cherry Hill Gate…If you know, you know! And if you don’t, I recommend you visit. This is one of the most-recommended hikes to do in Burlington with kids. The path is stroller-friendly and kid-friendly (and gramma friendly, too!). Bring some seeds to feed the birds and get your photo snapped near this massive upturned tree with its root system exposed. Keep walking and find the boardwalk trails with more animal and bird-watching opportunities.
Cost: parking is a few bucks.
Walk the Labyrinth at central park
Tucked in just behind the Rotary Youth Centre on Guelph line is the Central Park Labyrinth. A labyrinth is a geometric pattern with one path that leads into its centre and back out again. We did have great fun pretending it was a path we had to take to reach the pirate ship on the other side and earn back our treasure. There is an excellent playground for little ones just behind the labyrinth. It’s not a big park but perfect for toddlers. One thing I really liked was how much shade was around the park. A perfect spot to have a snack or picnic lunch! And one of the simplest free things to do in Burlington with kids.
Cost: Free!
Meet The Trumpeter Swans
While you’re playing at LaSalle Park in Burlington, don’t forget to wander down to the waterfront and LaSalle Park Marina to wander the wooden pathway and meet the Trumpeter Swans. They huge and regal and live at the water’s edge all season – even in winter! Plus, they’re often hanging out with more of their bird friends and lots of squirrels and chipmunks.
Cost: Free!
Trainspotting Around Burlington
You don’t have to travel far to find a GO train station or a Via rail station in Burlington. The stations are busy and exciting, no matter the time of day. You can watch from afar or get an up-close look from the platform. Trains go whizzing by all day long and passengers love to exchange waves. This shot is from the Drury Lane Pedestrian Bridge – a great viewpoint for GO Train fans.
Cost: Free!
Indoors Play Ideas
Check Out This Free Indoor Play Place
We love a free indoor play structure and this one at Tansley Woods Community Centre is perfect for little kiddos. It’s got climbers of varying heights and a slide, all enclosed in a room with windows on all sides. This spot is perfect for kids under 8. WHen you’re done, be sure to visit Tansley Woods park and Japanese garden.
Cost: Free!
Drop In Play at Gymalaya Burlington
Looking for something to do with the kids? Bring your children to Gymalaya Burlington for unstructured drop in play time and gymnastics fun. Your kids will love jumping on the trampoline, rolling on the mats, climbing on the wall bars and swinging on the rings and rope. Coaching staff is available for questions and occasional parachute games. Open to kids 4 and under. Register in advance to hold your space.
Cost: $12 per child and 1 adult
Drop In To Daytime Playtime at Supreme Cheer
Join Supreme Cheerleading every Thursday from 10:00-11:30am for bouncing, running, climbing, sensory play, obstacle courses and so much more. Parent and Tot open gym is perfect for children ages 0-5 and their parent/guardian.
Cost: $10+hst for 1 child and 1 parent/guardian. Add 1 additional adult/child for $5 each
Play At The New Appleby Library Branch
Just renovated, and now home to a massive community gathering space for all ages, the New Appleby branch of the BPL system is gorgeous! Its offers a variety of screen-free and education screen fun in addition to its huge collection of books for the whole family. See more photos of our opening day visit here.
Cost: Free!
Meet Up At Central Library in Burlington
The Discovery Space is overflowing with hands on STEAM activities where kids will have a ton of fun while secretly learning, too! There is a Lego wall, animation equipment, robots and more. Ideal for kids under 10, but everyone can have fun here. See more photos from our opening-day visit here.
Cost: Free!
Read, Listen And Imagine at BPL
My favourite free place to take kids of any age is the public library. Central Branch in Burlingotn has an indoor play climber that is perfect for younger kids. Just by being under their roof, I’m inspired! That’s why it’s one of the easiest educational things to do with kids. Libraries offer books (of course!) but did you know they also have magazines, movies, video games, activity kits and more!
Cost: Free!
indoor ice skating rinks in Burlington
Whether you’re beating the chill in the winter and mixing up your summer fun, indoor ice skating is always a great time. Burlington has multiple rinks with multiple skate times, and even sticks and pucks sessions for anyone who needs to practice their puck handling. See more info here.
Cost: About $3.50 per person
treat yourself to some ice cream
Burlington is home to a triple-scoop of great ice cream shops. Is there a better way to cool down on a warm day? We don’t think so! Find the local ice cream shops here.
Cost: about $5 per person
Borrow Free Play Equipment From The Lending Library
Burlington Public Library offers way more than books. With a free BPL card, families can borrow from their Explore & Play Collection, which includes board games, puzzles, video games, birding backpacks, and even Community Access Passes that get you free general admission to local attractions. It’s an easy (and budget-friendly) way to try something new, keep kids entertained, and add a little extra fun to your weekends.
They’re also expanding their play equipment lending, with outdoor gear like giant games, sports equipment, and seasonal items available to borrow at select branches — perfect for backyard fun, park playdates, or trying an activity before committing to buying it. It’s just one more reason Burlington families love their library: free, local, and full of great ideas for active, curious kids.
Cost: Free!
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