Parental Leave Freebies in Mississauga

Your ‘bundle of joy’ has arrived and parental leave has begun! If you are lucky enough to have time off with your new baby, check out some fun, free ways to keep busy, bond with your little one and have some fun.

Library

The library is a great place to visit with children of all ages.  Borrow books, movies, music and other resources to share with your baby.  Attend a free Baby Storytime program or bring the whole family for an all ages Family Storytime.  Or just hang out in a kid-friendly space and interact with other parents and children.

You are your child’s first teacher and you can help your baby develop early literacy skills, helping them get ready to read at the library. There is nothing better than watching your little one learn, interact and recognize stories, rhymes and songs.

Visit mississaugalibrary.ca and click on programs to see what’s on at the library this fall and winter.

Parks

Visit one of the City’s many parks.  Use eparks.ca and the navigation bar on the left to ensure the park you visit has washroom facilities -an important consideration with your little one in tow! The navigation bar will also narrow down parks that are accessible, have picnic areas and even outdoor workout equipment if you want to squeeze in a quick workout if your baby falls asleep in the stroller.

Celebration Square

Mississauga Celebration Square is located in the heart of downtown Mississauga and offers free year-round programming produced by both the City and community. With easy access to family washrooms, a turf lawn for ‘no-mess crawling’ and food trucks on site daily, it’s a great place to visit and hang out with your child.

EarlyON Child and Family Centres

The Region of Peel offers support for parents and caregivers, as well as families who have children with special needs.  Specifically, the EarlyON Child and Family Centres offer free drop-in programs for caregivers and children from 0 to 6 years old. Join fun activities such as reading, storytelling, sing-alongs and games and connect with other families with young children. Many centres are open weekdays, evenings and weekends.  Visit peelregion.ca/children/children-and-families to find an EarlyON centre near you.

Recreational Swims

Enjoy a swim with your little one! Children 3 years and under get access to recreational swims for free with a parent or guardian.  The cost for a parent or guardian to attend is $3.80 before taxes. Many community pools have play pools, warm water therapeutic pools and water play toys available to participants during swims. Recreational swim schedules and locations can be found at activenow.ca/swimschedules