Activities and events in the Kingston area for March Break 2022
The days are getting longer, and the sun is a little warmer – spring must be on the way! And nothing says ‘spring is almost here’ like March Break.
Families in the Kingston area may be on the lookout for things to do during the annual week-long school break. This year, we have rounded up some fun and (mostly) free things to do in and around the Kingston area.
Enjoy the outdoors with free music
Start your March Break with free ‘Music in the Park.’ On Saturday, Mar. 12, 2022, the Township of South Frontenac is holding their last event in the series at Battersea Ball Park. The event was originally scheduled for Gilmour Park, but the venue was moved due to unsafe ice build up.
Jordy Jackson will entertain listeners from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the ball park. According to the Township, there will be fire pits, warming stations, snow shoeing and a bilingual ‘Storywalk,’ in partnership with Kingston Frontenac Public Library, featuring I am Canada by Heather Patterson. Full details are available on the township website.
Sweeten your holiday at Maple Madness
Maple Madness is back this year at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area – with pancakes!
“March means maple syrup at Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area,” the Cataraqui Regional Conservation Authority said. “Take a tractor-drawn wagon ride to our sugar bush and learn how maple syrup was made in the olden days, and how we make it today. Take a stroll through the sugar bush and be sure to stop by the Sugar Shack for freshly made pancakes with warm maple syrup.”
The event will take place every weekend in March, and daily during March Break. Reservations and masking are required, and there is a fee to participate. Find all the details on the Maple Madness website.
Learn about historic sites with March of the Museums
Area families will be familiar with March of the Museums, a yearly event full of activities featuring local museums and historic sites.
This year marks the return to some in-person activities, and offers activity bags to participate at-home, as well. Pre-registration is required to attend in-person Creation Stations, and to reserve an activity bag.
This year’s participating sites (activity bags and/or online resources) include:
- Beyond Classrooms Kingston
- Kingston Frontenac Public Library
- Murney Tower Museum
- Museum of Health Care at Kingston
- Frontenac County Schools Museum
- Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston
- Miller Museum of Geology
- Fort Henry National Historic Site
- 1000 Islands History Museum
- Bellevue House National Historic Site
- Royal Military College Museum
- Military Communications & Electronics Museum
- PumpHouse
- Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum
- Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
- Lennox & Addington County Museum
Full details and links to register are available at https://www.kingstonmuseums.ca/events/march-of-the-museums-1
Get creative with a LEGO competition
The Rocking Horse is holding their 2022 LEGO Building competition over March Break. Build your very own LEGO Creation and submit it online to The Rocking Horse for your chance to win.
This year, the Rocking Horse said the competition will have two winners from each of the age categories:
- Creative Engineering Award (selected by a panel of judges)
- People’s Choice Award (the submission with the most online votes)
Entries can be submitted from March 12 to 20, and winners will be announced on Friday, Apr. 1, 2022.
More details are available at the Facebook Event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2082507891900624
‘Tell Me a Story’ at KFPL
The Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) is holding a series of online events throughout March Break. The series, titled Tell Me a Story, will explore different avenues in which stories can be shared.
“Tell stories orally, through games, with art, and even good old fashioned pencil to paper just to name a few,” KFPL said. “Our March Break programming explores all of these storytelling techniques and more. We’re excited to note that the majority of our take-home kits can now go to any of our branches, just as our patrons would send a book or other items, instead of being designated to one specific branch for pickup. Hopefully this helps spread the fun around!”
Registration opens March 5 at 9 a.m. for the library’s March Break programming. Each event link has details on registration requirements.
- Once Upon A Time Take Home Kit – This is for ages 3 and up and includes a copy of a sticker storybook.
- Plant a Tiny Seed Take Home Kit – For ages 3-8; with everything you need to decorate a pot and plant tiny seeds! The kits are available from the Rideau Heights branch starting March 14 while supplies last.
- StoryCubes Live Online Event – For ages 9-12; March 14 from 2-3 p.m. online. We provide a supply kit to the branch of choice, then everyone meets on Zoom to create and learn the StoryCubes game.
- Planting Dreams and Wishes – This is an online writing workshop for ages 7-11, happening March 15 from 10:30-11 a.m. Kids will get a kit with paper that can be planted and turned into a beautiful garden!
- Storytime – Lemurs and Sloths and Friends, Oh My! – For ages 4-8, online, in partnership with Epilepsy South Eastern Ontario. This event is happening March 15 from 10:30-11 a.m. and features our newest puppets.
- Build-a-Book Take Home Kit – For ages 6-12, this kit has everything you need to build a book including writing and illustration prompts.
- Fairy Mailboxes! – Take Home Kit – Make a mailbox and write letters to the fairies, leprechauns and elves that live near you. If you’re lucky, maybe they will write back to you! This is for kids ages 6 and up.
- Bilingual Elise Gravel Kit – For ages 5 and up, this kit includes Elise Gravel prompts for creating your own comic strips plus supplies for a craft and a memory game. Instructions are in both French and English.
- Draw & Read Along with Emma FitzGerald Live Online Event – Ages 6-16. Learn some basic warm up techniques and then dive into a drawing exercise with author/illustrator Emma FitzGerald that explores our feelings in a unique and accessible way. This is happening March 18 from 2-3 pm.
- StoryWalk® at Lions Civic Gardens – End the week by dropping into Lions Civic Gardens to enjoy reading the picture book Monkey and Me along the path by the Isabel Turner Branch. This is happening March 19 from 10 a.m. to noon.
Learning, playing, and imagining at L&A Libraries
Lennox and Addington (L&A) Libraries are offering programming throughout March Break aimed at stimulating mind, mood, and imagination. From a St. Patrick’s Day party and a variety of different storytime-based events, to science-based hands-on learning and exploring, there are options for kids of all ages and interests, spread across all five branches of the L&A Libraries.
More information and registration is available here, and the County would like to remind library users of the new website dedicated to L&A Libraries at www.CountyLibrary.ca.
Autism respite for parents
The Maltby Centre is offering a series of in-person morning and afternoon respite sessions this March Break.
“These sessions are designed to provide hours of activities geared toward enjoyment for your child/youth and a reprieve for YOU, parents, and caregivers! These respite sessions are FREE for anyone living in Ontario with a valid OAP registration number,” the centre said in a release.
Maltby Centre respite can give all family members a chance to be more actively involved in the community. All sessions will have multiple highly qualified and experienced staff, according to the release.
“To maximize the enjoyment, we have fashioned a variety and balance of activities such as: arts and crafts, tech time, active games, and the chance to just kick back and relax. Spaces are limited…SIGN UP NOW!!!”
Sessions:
- March 14
1:00-4:00
7-9 yrs. old - March 14
1:00-4:00
14-17 yrs. old - March 15
9:00-12:00
10-13 yrs. old - March 15
1:00-4:00
14-17 yrs. old - March 16
9:00-12:00
14-17 yrs. old - March 16
1:00-4:00
10-13 yrs. old - March 17
9:00-12:00
7-9 yrs. old - March 17
1:00-4:00
2-6 yrs. old
And don’t forget: public skating at Springer Market Square will be available as long as the weather winter weather remains! For details or updates visit Skating in the Square.
Know of any other fun activities taking place in the area this March Break? Let us know in the comments!