Family Activities
From Calgarypedia
Contents |
Children’s Activities
Main Article: Children’s Activities
Calgary has a wide variety of entertainment options for children and young families. From sports, music and arts programs, boys and girls clubs and after school care, parents can always find an activity for their children. Sports programs for boys and girls are offered through local community clubs and associations. The City of Calgary also offers recreation programs throughout the year. There are activities from swimming to baking, giving an almost unlimited choice of summer and winter activities. Most of the activities are offered through the over 40 recreation facilities located throughout the city; over a dozen of which offer aquatic facilities as well. For children who show an interest in music, there are numerous private tutors all over the city that can provide instruction on almost any instrument. For children interested in arts and crafts, there are several locations throughout the city where children can enroll in art camps or take classes on how to paint, draw or make other crafts.
Amusement Parks and Centres
Main Article: Amusement Parks and Centres
Amusement parks and recreation centres are popular destinations for families with children in Calgary. Calaway Park, The TELUS World of Science - Calgary, Storybook Theatre, the Calgary Zoo, Bowness Park, city playgrounds, swimming pools and recreation facilities are all fun places for parents to take their children.
Day Care
Main Article: Day Care in Calgary
Families that have either a single working parent or both parents working will likely need daycare services for their children. Day and child care services in Calgary are regulated by the Government of Alberta along with the Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority. The Alberta government licenses child care centres around the province to ensure that proper guidelines concerning the care of children are followed.
The government also subsidizes child care facilities in the province to keep costs to parents low. Lower income families may also be eligible for additional financial assistance to pay for child care. The Government of Canada also provides a child tax credit that can be used towards the cost of day care services.
In the fiscal year 2007-08, the Alberta Government spent $116 million on child and youth services in the province, including child care facilities. To see the full list of regulations governing licensed child care facilities in Calgary and Alberta, visit the Social Care Facilities Licensing Act.
