Child in town program

Aquatics
Birthday parties
Camps (P.A. Day, March Break, summer, and holiday programs are offered)
Drop-in programs
Oakville Hockey Development (OHD) programs
Oakville Museum Programs and Events
RBC Play Hockey Day and free P.A. Day Skates
Tim Hortons holiday swims and skates

The Town of Oakville runs a variety of children’s programs including aquatics, martial arts, specialty and drop-in programs. Check out the Parks, Recreation and Culture program guide or browse our programs in iris, the online registration system.

Town programs for children and youth focus on healthy child development. As a HIGH FIVE® Accredited Organization, our programs for children 6 to 12 years of age are recognized as having the highest levels of quality and safety. 

Every season, the Recreation and Culture department introduces new programs for all ages and abilities. Whether you're looking for something active or arty, we've got a class for you!

• Sleds and Skates is an unsupervised program for parents and children ages 2 to 5 to practice their skating skills on one of the mini ice pads at River Oaks Community Centre.
• Newcomer Swim for Safety (ages 8 to 12) is a four-week program that provides students with the basic skills needed to be safe in and around the water.
• The Splash and Dash program for ages 9 to 12 (who can swim 50 metres) introduces participants to triathlon training, combining swimming, biking and running.
• Fencing programs are now being offered for ages 10 to 13, and older.

Registration for spring and summer programs opens February 9 (for residents). For more information about these, and other great programs, visit iris (the online registration system) or view/download the new program guide.

Subsidy options

The town offers financial assistance to qualified individuals who are unable to afford town recreation and leisure services. For more information, visit the subsidy programs page.

QEPCCC All Ages Family Drop-in studio times

Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC), is a unique and dynamic public space designed to meet all of your recreation, arts and cultural needs. With 144,000 square feet of activity space, there's plenty of room to be creative! All Ages Family Drop-in sessions are offered at the following times:

• Ceramic Studio on Saturday, 2-5 p.m.
• Fine Arts Studio on Wednesday, 6-9 p.m.

The Family Rate is $8 per participant. For non-resident families, a fee of $10 +HST will be applied per visit, not per person. Note: material fees extra. Clay fees include firing and glazing. Visit the QEPCCC Studio Programs page for more information.

Weekend Warrior Series

QEPCCC is introducing a new series of one-day workshops for children and adults. In the parented program, one adult and one child (ages 7-12) can explore printmaking, sculpture, textiles, and more together for a couple of hours on a Sunday afternoon. In this case, the child is registered and the adult/parent assists. View/download the Parks, Recreation and Culture program guide for details.

Home School options

Home School Swim to Survive at QEPCCC
This program will be a combination instructional/ recreational swim opportunity for children/youth (5-13 years of age) who are home schooled. Instructors will work for 45 minutes towards completing the Swim to Survive curriculum. The swimmers will then be provided with a 15-minute supervised fun swim. Swimmers may register as individuals, or as an organized group. Visit iris (the online registration system) or check the program guide for more information.

Oakville Museum
Oakville Museum offers both on-site and in-class programs with specific curriculum links to a wide variety of subjects and grade levels. Our programs are fun and interactive and include resources for classroom use. Themes explored include: Early Settlers, Canada and the First World War, the Underground Railroad, Traditions and Celebrations, Nursery Rhymes at the Erchless Estate, and gardening programs. Visit the Oakville Museum page for details.

Summer programs

As well as camps, the Town of Oakville offers various programs for children throughout the summer. Sign up for a one-time class in the new Weekend Warrior Series, or take a class that runs for a couple of days just in the morning or afternoon.

Summer aquatics programs are generally offered on a daily basis or once-a-week. Some locations also offer a twice-a-week option or one week of classes (one-hour classes daily) for specific levels.

For more information about these and other great programs, visit iris (the online registration system) or view/download the new program guide.

Community Organizations in Recreation and Education

C.O.R.E. stands for Community Organizations in Recreation and Education and is a membership-based program that offers community groups and organizations support in delivering their services to the community.

Expectations and commitment
C.O.R.E. members are seen as an extension of the town’s recreation service delivery system, which is centralized and facilitated by the Recreation and Culture department. As such, all C.O.R.E. members are expected to maintain and uphold high standards of operation. These standards include commitment to the Parks and Recreation Ontario HIGH FIVE Quality at Play Program which endorses healthy child development. In addition, all facility users must comply with the Rzone zero tolerance operating procedure that applies to all Town of Oakville recreation, cultural centres, facilities, parks and programs.

For more information about C.O.R.E. and a list of current members, please visit the C.O.R.E. page.