Montréal winter fun for families

Rosy cheeks, limber legs, lungs full of fresh air: it just wouldn’t be winter in Montréal without lacing up for a skate. The city has plenty of options, including the refrigerated ice rink at Esplanade Tranquille in the Quartier des Spectacles that can hold up to 400 skaters (and includes a multipurpose room for lockers, rentals and lounging) or the Beaver Lake ice skating rink atop Mount Royal. More places to lace up include the picturesque pond at Parc La Fontaine, the huge ovals at Parc Maisonneuve and Parc Jarry and Verdun’s BLEU BLANC BOUGE pro-size rink. You can double your fun with Parc Jean-Drapeau’s skater's trail and adjacent ice rink and when MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE is on, you can whirl around its groovy, dancy skating loop. Indoors, Atrium Le 1000 is a go-to skate spot on particularly cold or stormy days. In fact, all of these are popular picks, whether you have teetery legs or can twirl like an ace and almost all of them include fun music and lights! You can get the full scoop on the city’s outdoor and indoor rinks here. Or how about experiencing the thrill of a professional hockey game with the Montréal Canadiens downtown or by hopping on the metro to catch local teams the Rocket de Laval or the Victoire de Montréal in action? 

In Montréal, kids can’t wait to hit the hills with their saucers, carpets and sleds the minute the snow hits. Mount Royal provides two choice locations: the slope facing Parc Avenue and the hill that looks onto Beaver Lake. Parc Angrignon and Parc Jean-Drapeau are two other great places to go whoosh on your sled, with snowboarding, fat biking and cross-country skiing also available. The borough slopes of Parc du Pélican and Parc André-Lavallée in Rosemont-Petite Patrie, Parc Jarry and Parc Lafontaine or Murray Hill in Westmount are also options – you choose your level of steepness. You can also try cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in parks around town, with rentals on site. Finally, as both the young and young at heart already know, you don’t need extra equipment to have a ball in the snow.  How about building a good old fashioned snow fort or snowperson? Now we're high fiving in mittens!

The ultimate reward of all this outdoor frolicking? Coming inside, shimmying out of your snowpants and wrapping your fingers around a warm cup of hot chocolate. The city has plenty of options for foodies of all ages, including fresh from the oven churros and doughnuts. Check out this list of Montréal’s best bakeries and pastry shops for the full rundown.  If you’re looking for something more sit-down, consider these kid-friendly restaurants.

Museums offer great jumping off points for family conversations about art, history and social issues. Check out exhibits at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the McCord Stewart Museum and the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal for thought-provoking art and activities fall under the spell of Montréal, then and now, at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum or at Château Ramezay. The grand public-bathhouse-turned-history museum, Écomusée du fier monde, is an off-the-beaten-path point of interest, while the Marguerite-Bourgeoys Historic Site will take you 2,400 years back in time. Devotees of model trains young and old will love the miniature train exhibit at the Canadian Railway Museum. Finally, make the city’s streets your playground and go for an art walk as you explore Montréal’s  many eye-catching outdoor murals. Or go gallery hopping! For more inspiration, consult this list of kid-friendly museums.

Montréal’s solution to shorter days and longer nights? Turn on the party lights! From November 27, 2025 to March 8, 2026, show your kids how to look on the bright side at Lumino, where light, interactive installations and winter wonderment will boost everyone’s spirits, even on the darkest of days During MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE (February 27 to March 7, 2026) the whole family can marvel at this festival full of art, food and entertainment designed to light you from within. Fancy a ferris wheel-ride with glittering views of the city? Hop on La Grande Roue for a whole new perspective on Montréal by night. Head to the Old Port for views of the majestic Jacques Cartier Bridge all lit up and reflected on the waters of the St-Lawrence River. For indoor light experiences, the stunning and universally-acclaimed AURA light show at the Notre-Dame Basilica will impress all ages. OASIS immersion, created by the world’s most prominent digital artists, is another mood-booster happening at the) Palais des congrès de Montréal (Montréal convention centre). There’s a reason why Montréal is called the City of Lights!

On days where it’s too cold to play outside, kids can start bouncing off the walls. Instead, why not let them bounce around on trampolines at iSaute, trade figurative wall climbing for  literal rock climbing and get them using their heads with escape game adventures? Young Jedis-in-training will love Laser Game Evolution and water babies and future Olympians will adore splashing around in the Big O’s Olympic-sized swimming pool. Hotel pools offer another fun-filled indoor option. Be sure to check out these kid-friendly hotels perfect for visitors and staycationers, alike!

Whether your kids are already voracious readers or need a little nudge in that direction, you can help inspire a life-long love of reading by visiting the city’s many libraries and bookstores If they’re into manga, 1000000 Comix’s name says it all. Looking to take a load off and enjoy a matinee?  Foster your little ones’ love for neighbourhood theatres and arthouse film by visiting Cinéma Moderne, Cinéma Beaubien, Cinéma du Parc, Cinéma du Musée and Théâtre Outremont. You can also catch the latest big budget flicks at Cinéma Banque Scotia Montréal, Cinéma Cinplex Forum et VIP and Cinéma Cineplex Royalmount, or enjoy the crystal-clear immersive experience of the IMAX®TELUS theatre at the Montreal Science Centre. And don’t miss the family film extravaganza that is the Montréal International Children’s Film Festival (FIFEM). Finally, budding scientists and nature lovers are sure to enjoy the interactive exhibits at the Montreal Science Centre as well as the incredibly rich and diverse offer at the Montréal Espace pour la vie, which encompasses the Jardin botanique, Planétarium, Biodôme, Biosphère and Insectarium.

Did somebody say dance party? Help your kids get their energy out at the family friendly offshoot of Igloofest, Igloofete! Featuring afternoon electronic beats, food trucks with snacks and hot chocolate, and inventive play structures and activities specifically designed for children, it’s guaranteed fun for all ages. If you’d prefer to march to your own beat, older children will love learning more about the city’s history, art, neighbourhoods (and ghosts!) with these winter walking tours. Or, plan your own tour of Montréal’s most famous icons. For animal lovers, the Ecomuseum Zoo, an outdoor zoo dedicated to Québec’s wildlife, is a perennial favourite. Finally, you might be surprised by the sheer number of  parks Montréal is home to, from friendly neighbourhood green spaces to major nature reserves, the city is full of endless family friendly discoveries.