Outdoor activities with children in summer can be as diverse and adventurous as you want them to be! Nature walks, biking trails, bird watching, outdoor storytime, picnic, self-guided story walks, outdoor pools, splash pads, you name it!
And you don't need to venture out for hour-long drives or look up destinations far west or north to create exciting memories with your kids this summer. Oakville has hidden gems strewn all over it to explore. You just need a robust plan with things to do, places to see and food to eat to make this expedition a hit with your family.
Oakville News contacted residents on social media platforms for their insiders' views on outdoor activity ideas and favourite town spots. As always, we received an overwhelming response and compiled a tri-part series to make your life simpler than it sounds.
Just remember to tweak it based on your child's age, interests and nap time, your mood and health or even the weather update.
Falgarwood
On hot and sunny days, if you are looking for shaded paths, there are quite a few trails in the Falgarwood neighbourhood.
You can access the green space from several roads, including Falgarwood Drive, Holton Heights Drive or Litchfield Park.
For a highly active experience, walk around the loop trail as far as possible or bike with children. Young ones can even sweat it out on the playgrounds in the public parks on the route. And kids often pick parks based on the items and colours of the play structure. So, watching them choose their favourite one can be indeed enjoyable!
You can exit the loop close to the outdoor Falgarwood Pool to cool off after the vigorous activity. Also, reserve a spot on the town website in advance for the outdoor pool, as they get filled pretty fast. Just in case you don't get a spot for a pool splash, you can always wrap up the day on a sweet note with a delicious Baskin Robbins ice cream at the Upper Oakville Shopping Centre, just about a 6-minute bike ride.
Plan a picnic with the little ones or enjoy the view along the newly constructed trail system from Fourth Line to the pedestrian bridge with your children as you walk. For a slower and calmer day, you can simply dip your toes in the Sixteen Mile Creek and let your children run across the green patches as much as they want.
And if you are starving after exploring the park, try the signature hamburgers and funnel cakes at the Burger Factory on Neyagawa Boulevard. Or spoil your sweet tooth with ice cream at Dairy Queen in the same lot.
Parking at Neyagawa Park is convenient if you want the children to have water fun at the splash pad after enjoying the sights and sounds along the Sixteen Mile Creek trail.
If you are looking for bigger and cleaner bathrooms, plan to park at the main parking lot adjacent to St. Volodymyr cemetery and take the kids to the splash pad at Pine Glen Park to access the bathrooms in the soccer club.
If you have ample time, you can also park on Sky Valley Crescent to head into the trails and explore the valley between Dundas and Upper Middle.
Later, the kids can cool off at the Sixteen Hollow Park splash pad and feed their hungry souls with a fulfilling Mediterranean meal at Malek El Shawarma.
Oak Park
For days when you want a one-stop solution for active kids of different ages, Memorial Park can be a great option. It's a gem hidden in the larger Oak Park.
Use the playground or the biking park, and let the older kids play at the adjacent basketball court. Adequate parking options and permanent washroom stalls make it popular among the locals.
Before you call it a day, take a glimpse at the Butterfly Wing Garden, a pollinator garden overlooking the ponds. The park's strategic location right across the SmartCentres at Trafalgar & Dundas spoils you with choices for various fast food options.
Try the freshly-made buns and custard tarts at Aveiro Bakery on Sixth Line for a sweeter and mouth-watering treat.
If your interest is piqued by now, stay with us in the coming days to learn about many more activity ideas and hang-out spots in Oakville.