You don’t have to spend money to have fun this spring. Here’s some ideas for fun with kids in Calgary that don't cost a thing.
\n \n1. Check out some of Calgary’s best playgrounds
\nIn the last few years, Calgary has gotten some excellent new playgrounds that are good for kids of a wide variety of ages and abilities. For an inner city adventure, try the 4th Avenue Flyover Park (651 McDougall Road NE) or the Tuxedo Corner Playground (202 29 Avenue NE).
\nFor an inclusive playground that you can pair with a park walk, check out North Glenmore Park (7305 Crowchild Trail SW), Edworthy Park (5050 Spruce Drive SW) or Elliston Park (1827 68 Street SE).
\n2. Try Disc Golf
\nDisc Golf courses are available (for no charge) in several Calgary parks. You can use a frisbee or a ball as a casual player. Big Marlborough Park (Madigan Drive NE), Edgemont (off Edgemont Drive NW), and Stanley Park (off Riverdale Avenue SW) all have disc courses that are beginner and family friendly. Looking for more of a challenge? Try the David Richardson Memorial off of Royal Vista Drive NW.
\n3. Geocaching
\nGrab your smartphone, download geocaching.com’s app and go on a treasure hunt. Explore the city in a different way using GPS to find caches that other people have hidden throughout the city. If you have a kid who is reluctant to just go for a walk, this can really help keep them engaged.
\nGreat places to try out geocaching in Calgary include: Nose Hill, Edworthy Park, North Glenmore Park, Fish Creek Park, Confederation Park, Bowness Park, Tuscany Ravine, and 12 Mile Coulee.
\n4. Go airplane watching
\nThere is a small park with picnic tables and a parking lot at the Edward H. Laborde Airplane Watching Area, where you can watch planes take off and land on one of the Calgary airport runways.
\n5. Wade in the river
\nSpray parks are still a long way off in the spring but you can dip your toes in the river on a hot day. Two popular locations with families are Sandy Beach and St. Patrick’s Island.
\nSandy Beach (4500 14a Street SW) is rocky and not at all sandy, but the Elbow River is shallow and gentle, making it a fun place to play. Check water conditions with the City of Calgary before you go. St. Patrick’s Island is a newer option that has quickly become a family favorite. There you will find the Seasonal Breach – a restored river channel with a rocky shore.
\n6. Explore Calgary’s wetlands
\nA number of Calgary’s parks have wetlands which are bursting with plant and animal biodiversity. Pearce Estate Park (1440 17a Street SE) in Inglewood has been a family favorite for years and has a beautiful, shady interpretive trail. Ralph Klein Park (12350 84 Street SE) is a huge new park with lots of walking paths. This area is less shaded so the spring can be a perfect time to visit.
\n7. Go on a nature hike
\nCalgary has numerous parks with beautiful nature walks.
\nFor a gentle hike, go birdwatching at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary (2425 9 Avenue SE) or explore Carburn Park (67 Riverview Drive SE), a beautiful urban oasis.
\nLooking for something a bit more challenging? You will feel like you are out in a forest on the Douglas Fir Trail (closed in early spring). Nose Hill Park is another great option, with a very different feel. Surprisingly diverse, you can find huge glacial erratics, grasslands, wildflowers, views of downtown, and wooded areas. You may even spot deer or coyotes that make their home in the park.
\n8. Bike pump tracks
\nBike pump tracks have become more common in Calgary recently and have proven very popular. Pump tracks are set up in a circuit and riders use an up and down motion to progress around the track.
\nSouth Glenmore Park (3520 90 Avenue SW) has both a beginner and advanced course, and is walking (or biking) distance to the Glenmore Reservoir, South Glenmore Park also has an inclusive playground and a music park, Quinterra Legacy Garden. Other pump tracks include West Confederation Park (2836 Canmore Road NW), Fairview Pump Track (7800 Flint Road SE) and Inglewood Pump Track (near 7 Avenue and 20 Street SE).
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Dana spends her free time seeking out the best indoor and outdoor places to play in Calgary with her son and blogging about them. For more information, visit calgaryplaygroundreview.com.
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