Indoor family activities for dreary days

The kids are getting cabin fever, and the weather outside is frightful? Here are suggestions for some indoor activities to enjoy with the family!

GO ROCK CLIMBING

At Altitude Gym, rock climbing is a religion! It’s not for nothing that the gym has moved into an old church. Bouldering, top roping, lead roping: you can try it all—just bring your running shoes! For younger kids, the Clip ‘N Climb climbing theme park is a great compromise between a play structure and a climbing wall.

Visit Bloc 9.81 – Centre d’escalade, a climbing center with high quality bouldering problems that are constantly updated to keep things interesting. Practice climbing in a relaxed environment where climbers encourage each other. All you need are climbing shoes. These can be rented on site.

In Wakefield, be part of a community of passionate climbers at Klimat! Discover this bouldering and training center where specialized structures will challenge you. Introduce yourself to this wonderful sport with a private lesson or enroll your children in a climbing program.

VISIT A MUSEUM

Canada’s Capital Region boasts the highest concentration of museums in the country. Take advantage of it! Our museums are becoming more and more interactive, and most of them offer workshops and activities for all age groups. Discover canadian dinosaur fossils at the Canadian Museum of Nature, spark your scientific curiosity by visiting the Crazy Kitchen and ingenious exhibits at the Canada Science and Technology Museum, explore the fascinating world of food preservation at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum or immerse yourself in parts of the canadian history at the Canadian Museum of History, the largest in Canada.

Museums, the Outaouais has a plethora of them! See the other options available to you here.

PLAY AN ESCAPE GAME

Here’s a good way to improve communication and grow closer as a family. Or maybe not.

Escape games are really popular on both sides of the Ottawa River. At Escape Manor, Room Escape Ottawa and Maitre du Jeu, you and your team have to work together to solve problems and untangle clues. From a jail cell to a space shuttle or a pirate ship, you get to choose your scenario and challenge level. Most escape games welcome kids (recommended age is 10 and up).

An escape game in an 1850s house? This is an unusual experience that can be enjoyed in the Pontiac at the George Bryson Cultural House! Two escape rooms will give you a suspenseful time trial experience. Call to check availability before showing up.

Diefenbunker's tunnel

VISIT A BUNKER

In addition to being an unusual location for an escape game from Escape Manor, the Diefenbunker was cloaked in secrecy for years, but it’s now open to the public. 45 minutes from Gatineau, it was built during the Cold War and covers 100,000 square feet (10,000 square metres) on four levels. The bunker was designed to house 535 people for 30 days! A real little underground city to visit, sheltered from the lousy weather—from just about everything, in fact.

HIT TOP SPEED AT TOP KARTING

Be fast and (not too) furious at Top Karting. At this indoor karting track, race against the clock and your opponents in cars that can reach speeds of 70 kph. There are several competitions where you can show off your racing skills. Children (height 1.30 to 1.55 m) can enjoy the fleet of junior karts. For those whose preferred location is the passenger seat, there are pool tables and arcade games.

WATCH A SHOW

With the many theaters in the region, it’s impossible not to find an interesting program to put on your agenda! Whether it’s for a show of magic, humor, music, theater or dance, you are sure to find a performance to watch. Whether it’s at the Salle Odyssée of the Maison de la culture de Gatineau, the Cabaret La Basoche, the National Arts Centre (NAC), the Salle Jean-Despréz, the auditorium of the Nicolas-Gatineau multipurpose school or at the Théâtre de l’Île, a successful cultural outing awaits you!

GO WILD IN AN AMUSEMENT CENTRE

Looking for things to do as a family? These two places are guaranteed to banish boredom. In Gatineau, Adrenaline Plus has lots of activities for the whole family: arcade games, play structures for children, laser tag, and an amazing ninja course. Spend some energy in the structures and slides of the Rond-point milieu de jeux. For new parents, have fun in the bouldering area specially designed for toddlers’ development. Craft workshops and video games are also available.

Brush your teeth and put on your brightest fluorescent clothes: you’ll glow under the neon lights! In Ottawa, Funhaven describes itself as the expert in fun, and it’s easy to see why. A multi-level laser tag arena, bumper cars, a huge playground, mini-bowling, more than 100 arcade games and games of skill, a simulator ride experience, a laser maze … As previously noted, you won’t be bored!

JUMP FOR JOY

Defying gravity is amazing fun, and it’s a guaranteed mood booster. Both Flying Squirrel and Sky Zone offer an impressive range of trampolines. At these giant indoor jumping parks, you can leap into a sea of foam blocks or shoot spectacular baskets. These spots will allow you to jump endlessly. Your mattresses at home will thank you!

CHOOSE YOUR GAME AT L’AS DES JEUX

Board games are enjoying renewed popularity these days. In the Outaouais, the specialist in the field is L’As des jeux. Whether in Aylmer or Gatineau, they offer a great selection of games for the whole family and a selection of games available for rent. Next to the Gatineau boutique, the Pärlé – Bistro Ludique allows you to play while enjoying a good meal. Also in Gatineau, VR82 Virtual Reality Arcade offers you the opportunity to have fun in virtual reality mode, alone or in a group. Choose from a selection of more than fifty games. 

WATCH THE NEW BLOCKBUSTER AT THE MOVIE THEATRE

Here’s another activity in Gatineau, and this one is exceptional. Did you know that our region is home to a movie theatre that uses the largest commercial film format in motion picture history? The CINÉ+ screen at the Canadian Museum of History is seven stories high! Enjoy a wide variety of enriching and inspiring films that are anything but dull. While you’re at the museum, why not take the time to visit an exhibition?

For a more conventional movie outing with a big bag of buttery popcorn, head to Cinéma StarCité Gatineau or Cinema 9 to see one of the new releases.

What’s your favourite indoor activity? We’d like to hear about it!