PA Day Activities Near Toronto: Where to Go on November 20, 2026

If your kids go to a Toronto District School Board elementary school, write this down now: Friday, November 20, 2026 is the board's next Professional Activity day. No school, a full day to fill, and a forecast that in late November could land anywhere between sunny and sideways rain. Other GTA boards set their own PA days on different dates this term, so check your own school's calendar before you plan around TDSB's. The question that matters either way is the same one every parent asks the night before: where do we actually go?

Why this one is trickier than a summer day off

A PA day in November is not like one in June. The splash pads are drained, a lot of the farms have packed up for the season, and daylight runs out not long after you have had lunch. Outdoor plans are still possible, but they depend on a dry forecast and the right layers, and a day built entirely around a park is the first thing to fall apart if the morning turns out colder or wetter than the app promised the night before. That narrows the realistic list to places that are genuinely good indoors, plus one or two outdoor spots worth bundling up for on a clear day.

Below are nine real options across the GTA, each with one honest tip so you are not wasting an hour on parking or admission once you get there. Before you head out, it is worth checking live weather and any posted closures for the day, since plans can change fast once the temperature drops; DayHop pulls that in automatically so you are not relying on an old blog post or a listing nobody has updated since last winter.

Nine places worth the drive

Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Toronto

Down by the base of the CN Tower, this is the reliable choice when the weather is genuinely bad. The shark gallery and the moving walkway over the ray tank still hold a four-year-old's attention for a solid hour, and there is enough ground to cover that you can stretch a visit to half a day.

Tip: buy tickets online and pick a timed entry slot ahead of time. Walk-up lines on a PA day, when every other family has the same idea, can run long.

Ontario Science Centre, interim location at Harbourfront Centre, Toronto

The Don Mills building closed in 2024 over structural concerns, and the Science Centre has been operating out of temporary sites since. Its current interim home is at Harbourfront Centre, with the permanent new building at Ontario Place not expected until around 2029. The interim space is smaller than the old one, but the hands-on exhibits that made kids love the place are still there.

Tip: check the Science Centre's own site for current hours and admission before you go. A temporary location means the schedule can shift with less notice than a permanent museum would give.

Toronto Zoo, Scarborough

The Zoo stays open all year, and several pavilions, including the Americas and the gorilla habitat, are indoors or semi-enclosed, which makes a November visit more comfortable than you would expect. The outdoor loop is quieter than a summer weekend too, so you actually get to see the animals instead of a crowd.

Tip: dress like you are going for a winter walk, not a museum visit. Most of the walking path between pavilions is outside.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Vaughan

Inside Vaughan Mills, this is built for exactly the age range that struggles most on a day off: roughly three to ten. There is a small ride, a 4D cinema, and enough LEGO on the floor that younger kids can play freely while you sit for ten minutes.

Tip: it is indoors inside a mall, so pair it with lunch or a second hour of mall walking if your kids have energy left over.

Little Canada, Toronto

This miniature-world exhibit downtown on Dundas Street East packs tiny versions of Niagara Falls, downtown Toronto, and other Canadian landmarks into a single room, with trains and lights running on a timed day-night cycle. It is a short visit, closer to 45 minutes than a half day, which makes it easy to pair with something else nearby.

Tip: book a specific entry time in advance. Little Canada runs on timed sessions and does not usually accommodate walk-ins on a busy day.

Markham Museum, Markham

A heritage village on the edge of Markham with historic buildings, farm animals, and walking paths, open Wednesday to Friday from noon to 5 p.m., which happens to cover a Friday PA day. Access inside most of the heritage buildings is by guided tour only, so this works best as an outdoor wander rather than an indoor refuge.

Tip: only go if the forecast is dry and you are prepared to layer up. There is not much indoor space to retreat to if the weather turns.

Aga Khan Museum, Toronto

Up near Eglinton and the Don Valley Parkway, this museum of Islamic and Iranian art is a calmer option than the others on this list, and the building and gardens are worth the trip on their own. The galleries rotate, and the museum has run family-oriented craft activities in its classrooms in the past, so it is worth checking what is scheduled the week you plan to go.

Tip: it suits kids around five and up better than toddlers. Check the museum's own site for that week's hours and any family programming before heading over.

Playdium, CF Fairview Mall, Toronto

Cineplex's arcade and entertainment concept has a location inside CF Fairview Mall, with laser tag, mini golf, bowling, and a floor of arcade games that covers a wide age range. It leans more toward tweens and teens than toddlers, which makes it a good match if you have an older kid on the same PA day as a younger sibling at a different school.

Tip: the activities are priced separately, so decide ahead of time whether you want a day pass or just one or two attractions. Costs add up fast if you let the kids choose on the spot.

Toronto Public Library branches, GTA-wide

Easy to forget, free to use, and often running something on PA days specifically, from drop-in craft tables to movie screenings at individual branches. It is not as flashy as the rest of this list, but it does not need to be when the goal is just getting out of the house for a couple of hours without spending anything.

Tip: check your specific branch's events page the week before. Programming varies a lot from one branch to the next, and not every branch runs something every PA day.

The honest part

None of these are guaranteed to be open, fully staffed, or running the program you read about last year. Museums adjust hours, exhibits close for installation, and small operators sometimes shut for a private event with little warning. Call ahead or check the venue's own page the morning of, especially for anything an hour or more from home. If you would rather not do that checking yourself every time a day off comes up, the free GTA Family Weekend Playbook is built around exactly this problem, with a Thursday email that lines up real plans against the actual weather before your weekend starts.

A PA day does not have to turn into a scramble. Pick one thing from this list, build in a backup if it is the kind of place you cannot call ahead to confirm, and let the rest of the day be unplanned. That is usually when kids remember it was a good one.