March Break has officially arrived across Waterloo Region and Guelph, and families looking for affordable activities have a wide range of free and low-cost events to choose from this week. Libraries, museums and community centres throughout the region are hosting dozens of programs designed to keep kids, tweens and teens busy while school is out.
From crafts and STEM activities to concerts, dance parties and skating events, local organizations have created one of the most family-friendly March Break schedules in the area. Many of the events are free and drop-in, though some require registration because of limited space.
Cambridge Public Library hosting themed activities all week
The Cambridge Public Library — formerly known as Idea Exchange — has scheduled a full lineup of drop-in activities at branches throughout the city. Families can attend themed events like the “Happy Birthday To You” party at the Preston branch, giving children a chance to celebrate birthdays together during March Break.
Other highlights include a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the Queen’s Square branch, “Down on the Farm” programming at the Hespeler branch, Fantasy Adventures at the Clemens Mill location on Thursday and a Block Party Bash scheduled for Friday at the Old Post Office.
The library system is also offering interactive programs including tween chess drop-in sessions, tween crochet activities, juggling chefs entertainment, teddy bear camp, a Carnival of Animals Mime show and a Rainbow Honmoon KPop Demon Hunters adventure designed for younger visitors.
Families can explore the full schedule through the Cambridge Public Library events page.
Kitchener Public Library offering crafts, dance parties and balloon shows
Kitchener Public Library is launching the week with a high-energy KPop Demon Hunters Dance Party at the main branch. Throughout the week, events will be held across all library branches, offering activities that range from arts and crafts to interactive games.
Popular programs include Rainbow Craft Time, Amazing Aliens science fun, Popsicle Stick Palooza craft sessions and a Pokémon-themed event called Pokémon Palooza. Families can also participate in March Break Mysteries and other KPop-inspired activities designed to keep kids active and engaged.
The week concludes with a balloon making show hosted by balloon artist Drew Ripley on Friday. While the programs are free, the library notes that some events may distribute tickets about an hour before the program begins due to limited space.
More details about the programs can be found on the Kitchener Public Library events calendar.
Region of Waterloo Library programs include comics, crafts and Lego engineering
Branches across the Region of Waterloo Library system are also participating with a variety of family-focused programs. These events range from creative workshops to STEM-inspired activities.
Some of the featured programs include Curious Celestial Cartographers at the New Hamburg branch, St. Patrick’s Day crafts and games at the Wellesley branch and Puppet Adventures at the Bloomingdale branch.
At the Elmira branch, families can make friendship bracelets through the We Belong Here Campaign. The New Dundee branch is hosting a drawing workshop where participants can learn how to draw comics and anime with guidance from a professional artist.
Another highlight is Operation Autopilot at the Linwood branch, where participants will use Lego kits to design and build autonomous rover models inspired by NASA’s Perseverance rover.
All Region of Waterloo Library events are free, but registration is required in advance.
Waterloo Public Library events include concerts, crafts and outdoor play
Waterloo Public Library has also prepared a wide selection of March Break programming. Some events, such as the Erick Traplin concert scheduled for Tuesday, quickly reached wait-list status.
However, several drop-in programs remain available, including a STEM pop-up event hosted by Engineering Science Quest, a Glow Dance Party designed for children aged four to eight, and St. Patrick’s Day themed crafts and games.
Families can also attend the Family Lego Club or visit the interactive Pet Hospital activity, where children bring stuffed animals and role-play medical scenarios.
Outdoor Family Play Day is also being held during the week, including an event Thursday at the Heasley Park Tennis Courts located at 455 Parkside Drive.
Glass painting workshops for tweens and teens are also scheduled multiple times throughout the week, with some spots still available as of the end of last week.
Guelph Public Library offering crafts, science and magic shows
In Guelph, library programming has also proven popular during the March Break period. Several programs requiring registration have already filled up and now have wait lists.
Still, families can attend several drop-in programs, including Perler bead crafting at the West End branch, a concert by Erick Traplin at the main branch on Wednesday morning and an evening art program scheduled later that same day.
Mad Science will visit the east side branch on Thursday with an interactive science presentation. The week will conclude with a Family Fun Magic Show on Friday at the Westminster Square branch.
Museums adding educational and wildlife experiences
Local museums are also contributing to the March Break schedule. Schneider Haus in Kitchener will host fossil-themed programming in partnership with the University of Waterloo Earth Sciences Museum.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet animals during special sessions with Speaking of Wildlife on Tuesday and Thursday. At least one reptile will be on display throughout the day, with additional animals introduced during scheduled presentations. These activities are included with regular museum admission.
Meanwhile, the Guelph Civic Museum is organizing Roots and Rhythms drop-in dance sessions on Tuesday afternoon. The museum will also host a Family Shorts film screening on Friday in collaboration with imagineNative.
Free skating and hockey events happening across the region
Beyond libraries and museums, several free community events are planned across Waterloo Region during the March Break week.
One of the biggest attractions is Downtown Showdown on Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. in downtown Kitchener. The event will feature the Kitchener Rangers playing a live three-on-three road hockey tournament with six short games followed by a championship final.
Fans will have the chance to meet players, collect autographs and take photos with the team mascot Tex. The event will also include music, games, fire trucks, hot chocolate and maple taffy.
Families can also attend Meet the Zamboni at the Wilmot Recreation Complex in Baden on Friday from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The 90-minute program includes story time followed by a visit outside to see the Zamboni machine up close. Registration is required.
For skating enthusiasts, a free drop-in skate will take place Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Bill Gies Recreation Centre in Wellesley. Participants are asked to bring their own skates and helmets, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Another free skating session will be held Thursday from 4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m. at the Albert McCormick Community Centre in Waterloo. Additional free skating times are scheduled throughout the week at several arenas across Kitchener, while the outdoor rink in front of Kitchener City Hall remains open.
With so many activities available across Waterloo Region and Guelph, families have plenty of ways to keep children entertained throughout March Break without needing to travel far or spend heavily.
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