This weekly, drop-in program encourages early years children (age 0-5) and their caregivers to spend quality time learning and playing together.
Thoughtfully designed with your child’s development in mind, each Early Year’s Play Date helps children explore their senses, their environment, and relationships with those around them. With rotating themes and activities in alternating rooms and spaces, each play date has something new to offer!
All programs are included in general admission and are free for members.
To ensure entry, members are encouraged to reserve tickets in advance, as walk-in availability is not guaranteed.
February 10, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Valentines Celebration
Celebrate friendship, love and family with a special Valentine's Day themed Early Years Play Dates this week!
Little explorers will dive into shades of red, white, and pink as they sculpt salt dough hearts, decorate pretend cookies, make Valentine cards, and experiment with colour mixing, water play, icy textures, and more!
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory, creative, and physical play, practicing fine and gross motor skills, and pattern recognition.
February 12, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Valentines Celebration
Celebrate friendship, love and family with a special Valentine's Day themed Early Years Play Dates this week!
Little explorers will dive into shades of red, white, and pink as they sculpt salt dough hearts, decorate pretend cookies, make Valentine cards, and experiment with colour mixing, water play, icy textures, and more!
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory, creative, and physical play, practicing fine and gross motor skills, and pattern recognition.
February 17, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Ready, Set, Build!
Stack, build, move and play!
Little builders will explore space to build with soft blocks, trucks and toy tools. Children can stack, move, twist, and rebuild structures as they experiment with materials and test out their ideas through hands-on play.
This playful activity supports early development through physical play and imagination, nurturing spatial awareness, strength, teamwork, and both fine and gross motor skills.
February 19, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Ready, Set, Build!
Stack, build, move and play!
Little builders will explore space to build with soft blocks, trucks and toy tools. Children can stack, move, twist, and rebuild structures as they experiment with materials and test out their ideas through hands-on play.
This playful activity supports early development through physical play and imagination, nurturing spatial awareness, strength, teamwork, and both fine and gross motor skills.
February 24, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Littles Lab
Experiment, discover, observe and learn!
Little scientists will experiment with pipettes, beakers, sensory materials, and magnifying tools as they investigate liquids, textures, and objects up close. From observing details on the light table to testing how materials move, swirl, and change, children can explore at their own pace through hands-on discovery.
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory, creative, and exploratory play, nurturing fine motor skills, creativity, focus, and confidence.
February 26, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Littles Lab
Experiment, discover, observe and learn!
Little scientists will experiment with pipettes, beakers, sensory materials, and magnifying tools as they investigate liquids, textures, and objects up close. From observing details on the light table to testing how materials move, swirl, and change, children can explore at their own pace through hands-on discovery.
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory, creative, and exploratory play, nurturing fine motor skills, creativity, focus, and confidence.
March 3, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Art Party
Create, move, and make!
Little artists are invited to paint, draw, squish, and swirl alongside their caregivers in this joyful exploration of art and movement. Explore colourful materials, push and shape playdough, and move along to music with streamers and balloons.
This play-based experience supports early development through hands-on exploration, encouraging fine and gross motor skills, sensory discovery, self-expression, pattern recognition, and physical literacy.
March 5, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Art Party
Create, move, and make!
Little artists are invited to paint, draw, squish, and swirl alongside their caregivers in this joyful exploration of art and movement. Explore colourful materials, push and shape playdough, and move along to music with streamers and balloons.
This play-based experience supports early development through hands-on exploration, encouraging fine and gross motor skills, sensory discovery, self-expression, pattern recognition, and physical literacy.
March 10, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
To the Market!
Pack your baskets and let’s play together!
Inspired by this week’s theme, Community & Connection, little explorers are invited to take a playful trip to the market. Sort and shop with toy foods, wrap groceries in butcher paper, roll along with carts and barrels, and set up a picnic together through imaginative, pretend play.
This play-based experience supports early development through shared play with a caregiver, encouraging social connection, emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills, and early understanding of how communities work together.
March 12, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
To the Market!
Pack your baskets and let’s play together!
Inspired by this week’s theme, Community & Connection, little explorers are invited to take a playful trip to the market. Sort and shop with toy foods, wrap groceries in butcher paper, roll along with carts and barrels, and set up a picnic together through imaginative, pretend play.
This play-based experience supports early development through shared play with a caregiver, encouraging social connection, emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills, and early understanding of how communities work together.
March 24, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Tracks and Trails
Follow the footprints to discovery!
Inspired by this week’s Early Years Play Date theme, Exploring Nature, little explorers are invited to move, imagine, and discover like animals in the wild. Follow animal tracks around the room, feel different textures in nature-inspired sensory bins, practice animal sounds, and create your own track patterns using shapes and materials.
This play-based experience supports early development through hands-on exploration, encouraging pattern recognition, physical literacy, sensory discovery, imagination, cause and effect, and early connections to the natural world.
March 26, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Tracks and Trails
Follow the footprints to discovery!
Inspired by this week’s Early Years Play Date theme, Exploring Nature, little explorers are invited to move, imagine, and discover like animals in the wild. Follow animal tracks around the room, feel different textures in nature-inspired sensory bins, practice animal sounds, and create your own track patterns using shapes and materials.
This play-based experience supports early development through hands-on exploration, encouraging pattern recognition, physical literacy, sensory discovery, imagination, cause and effect, and early connections to the natural world.
March 31, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Cardboard Castles
Imagine, build, explore and dream!
Little builders and storytellers are invited to create their own cardboard castles using blocks, cardboard, and open-ended materials. Work together with your little one to build towers and walls, decorate your space, then bring your castle to life through dress-up, movement, and imaginative play!
This play-based experience supports early development through creativity, collaboration, spatial awareness, and building both fine and gross motor skills through shared play with a caregiver.
April 2, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Cardboard Castles
Imagine, build, explore and dream!
Little builders and storytellers are invited to create their own cardboard castles using blocks, cardboard, and open-ended materials. Work together with your little one to build towers and walls, decorate your space, then bring your castle to life through dress-up, movement, and imaginative play!
This play-based experience supports early development through creativity, collaboration, spatial awareness, and building both fine and gross motor skills through shared play with a caregiver.
April 7, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Rain, Rocks and Rainbows
Mix, pour, and explore all the colours of spring!
Little explorers will splash into hands-on sensory play using beakers, pipettes, blocks, and rainbow-inspired materials in this spring exploration! Scoop, pour, stack, and investigate as children explore colours, textures, and materials in liquid and solid form~
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory exploration, creativity, and building fine motor skills in a calm, welcoming environment.
April 9, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Rain, Rocks and Rainbows
Mix, pour, and explore all the colours of spring!
Little explorers will splash into hands-on sensory play using beakers, pipettes, blocks, and rainbow-inspired materials in this spring exploration! Scoop, pour, stack, and investigate as children explore colours, textures, and materials in liquid and solid form~
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory exploration, creativity, and building fine motor skills in a calm, welcoming environment.
April 14, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Numbers, Letters and Patterns
Feel, count, trace and explore!
Explore numbers, letters, and patterns through hands-on sensory stations, movement, and creative play. Sort, stack, trace, and repeat using blocks, books, and tactile materials designed for open-ended exploration alongside a caregiver.
This play-based experience supports early development through pattern recognition, early literacy skills, and building fine and gross motor skills in a calm, and early language development.
April 16, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Numbers, Letters and Patterns
Feel, count, trace and explore!
Explore numbers, letters, and patterns through hands-on sensory stations, movement, and creative play. Sort, stack, trace, and repeat using blocks, books, and tactile materials designed for open-ended exploration alongside a caregiver.
This play-based experience supports early development through pattern recognition, early literacy skills, and building fine and gross motor skills in a calm, and early language development.
April 21, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Testing Textures
Touch, feel and explore the signs of spring!
Touch, tap, scoop, and explore all the textures that come with spring. From feathers and felt to soil, ice, and hidden surprises, little hands can test, feel, and investigate materials inspired by animals, plants, birds, and clouds!
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory exploration, fine motor skills, physical literacy, and discovering cause and effect in a calm, welcoming environment.
April 23, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Testing Textures
Touch, feel and explore the signs of spring!
Touch, tap, scoop, and explore all the textures that come with spring. From feathers and felt to soil, ice, and hidden surprises, little hands can test, feel, and investigate materials inspired by animals, plants, birds, and clouds!
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory exploration, fine motor skills, physical literacy, and discovering cause and effect in a calm, welcoming environment.
April 23, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Testing Textures
Touch, feel and explore the signs of spring!
Touch, tap, scoop, and explore all the textures that come with spring. From feathers and felt to soil, ice, and hidden surprises, little hands can test, feel, and investigate materials inspired by animals, plants, birds, and clouds!
This play-based experience supports early development through sensory exploration, fine motor skills, physical literacy, and discovering cause and effect in a calm, welcoming environment.
April 28, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
On the Go!
Move, imagine, and explore how we get from place to place!
Roll, scoot, build, and pretend as little ones explore cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and more. Children can play with toy vehicles, roadways, train tracks, soft blocks, and sensory materials while moving through big and small play experiences inspired by travel and transportation.
This play-based experience supports early development through imaginative play, physical literacy, coordination, spatial awareness, and storytelling.
April 30, 2026 9:30 am to 11:00 am
On the Go!
Move, imagine, and explore how we get from place to place!
Roll, scoot, build, and pretend as little ones explore cars, trucks, trains, airplanes, and more. Children can play with toy vehicles, roadways, train tracks, soft blocks, and sensory materials while moving through big and small play experiences inspired by travel and transportation.
This play-based experience supports early development through imaginative play, physical literacy, coordination, spatial awareness, and storytelling.
