A+ Summer Day Trips For Grade Schoolers

Teach them the roots of that smartphone they can’t stop staring at with a trip to learn about one of the most important scientific breakthroughs in history, the telephone, at Bell Homestead National Historic Site.

Westfield Heritage Village is an amazing place to visit to give kids a great sense of what life was like for pioneers. There are over 30 carefully restored heritage buildings, costumed interpreters and fun events throughout the summer.

Dundurn Castle is a 40-room castle that tells the story of the family who lived above stairs and the servants who lived and worked below stairs to support their affluent lifestyle in the late 1850’s. Be sure to check out the Hamilton Military Museum, also on site, so the kids can see original uniforms from the War of 1812.

Head for the Hamilton Harbour and climb aboard the HMCS Haida for a tour of Canada’s most decorated war ship.

For children eight and up, it doesn’t get any more exciting than the behind-the-scenes access of African Lion Safari’s Wake Up The Wild experience. One of the park’s game wardens will guide you on an unforgettable open-air truck tour where you’ll watch lions devour their breakfast, hand-feed a giraffe and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Mountsberg Conservation Area’s Douglas G. Cockburn Raptor Centre is home to two dozen different birds of prey, each with their own unique story. Learn about native birds of prey, ask questions and see Mountsberg’s raptors up close at daily shows.

Thrill your favourite budding paleontologist with a day of searching for ancient fossils embedded in the Niagara Escarpment. In addition to miles of trails for exploring, Dundas Valley Conservation Area has a fantastic Discovery Centre where visitors can examine fossils found along the Escarpment and kids can make fossil crafts.

Then, head to Robert Hall Originals in nearby St. George, where you can browse through the fascinating showroom that houses the largest worldwide collection of rocks in Ontario. See Orthoceras, which are 400-million-year-old squid-like fossils found at the bottom of the ocean, and Apache’s Tears, which are volcanic rock glass created by the sudden cooling of drops of lava coming into contact with water or ice.

Let them explore a 15th Century Reconstructed Iroquoian Village and learn from hands-on displays, exhibits and seasonal demonstrations at Crawford Lake Conservation Area.

Spend the day dancing to a new beat at one of the region’s amazing Pow Wows. The Grand River Champion of Champions Pow Wow in July and the Three Fires Homecoming Pow Wow and Traditional Gathering in August are great options.

Introduce train fanatics to a steam engine that puts Thomas the Tank Engine to shame at the Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology.

Give them the ultimate lesson in physics and a thrill. Visitors to Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum can navigate the legendary Lancaster bomber or a supersonic CF-101 Voodoo jet on a flight simulator.

Biology lessons don’t get any more beautiful than a trip to Canada’s largest botanical garden. Burlington’s Royal Botanical Gardens is filled with trails and exhibits that make for a really fun day of exploring. Read a blogger’s account of her afternoon of blooms at Royal Botanical Gardens.

The Grand River’s gentle currents make it a great choice for first-time paddlers. Area outfitters such as Grand Experiences and Grand River Rafting make it so easy to gear up and go.

Forget indoor climbing gyms. Take a family lesson on the limestone cliffs of Milton’s Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area. Read about some outfitter suggestions.

Cool off and splash the day away in one of Canada’s largest wave pools at Wild Waterworks.

Learn the ins and outs of mountain biking at Kelso Conservation Area’s new Mountain Bike Skills Zone, which features wooden bridges, rollers, rocks, and logs to help riders learn how to properly tackle technical features in a controlled environment.