5 Ways to Play in Saskatoon This Summer

Summer in Saskatoon is smoking hot and prime time to take advantage of the best the city has to offer! My kids relish the dog days of the season for the dawn-to-dusk opportunity to move, adventure, and PLAY without the added pressures that the school routine inevitably brings. Lucky for them, Saskatoon has no shortage of activities and locales to inspire their creative exploration. Lucky for me, all I have to do, is show up and let them show me the ways to play…

1| Get Wet

If you’re faced with a Saskatoon forecast of all sunshine and 25+ temperatures, the name of the game is GET WET! As toddlers and preschoolers, my kids loved spending time at the city’s dozens of splash pools and spray pad locations, and now they beg to visit the city’s outdoor pool locations, most of which are open with social distancing precautions even in this crazy year.

2| Adventure

Nothing spells adventure quite like paintballing and laser tag! Merrill Dunes facility is open and ideal for the extra space required for a group to enjoy some socially-distant fun this summer season. Apex Trampoline Park is also doing its part to keep up the spirit of adventure this summer operating at a reduced capacity (that just might prove to be beneficial for my 6 year old who is prone to crashing into people)! But our favourite summer adventure of all has to be our annual summer trip to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo! It offers lots of space to move about (and stay apart) and, of course, visit the resident animals. Our favourites are the grizzly, the wolves, and monkeys!

3| Move

Locals of Saskatoon know there is no better way to enjoy the city’s natural beauty than to get moving along the city’s Meewasin Trail, a good portion of which is situated alongside the stunning South Saskatchewan River. Visitors can get in on the fun with EcoGlide Adventures who rent Segways and mountain bikes for just this purpose!

4| Throwback

Museums are not just for adults! A favourite of my kids is definitely the Western Development Museum which showcases a 1910 Boomtown full o’ old-time fun. There are dozens of locomotives, vehicles, tools, buildings, and stories to uncover including the world’s creepiest ‘fun house’ which I prefer to supervise from the outside. New to the museum scene in Saskatoon, and definitely a family favourite, is the province’s newly opened children’s museum known as Nutrien Wonderhub. Wonderhub is full of amazing interactive exhibits ideal for kids from 0 to 12 and beyond, but mention has to be made of the Cosmic Commotion display, a stunning macramé-esque exhibit that is handmade and strung from the roof for hours of climbing fun.

5| Chow Down

With all that playing, at some point you’ll have to stop for a refuel, and what do kids like more than donuts?! The answer? Darkside Donuts. This gem located in the Riversdale district sees my minions ordering the likes of Cookies & C’remai  (named for Saskatoon’s world-class art gallery, the Remai Modern) and pink lemonade, but, for me, it’s gotta be the blue-cheese and bacon jam! Not exactly lunch material, so we also like to indulge at the one-of-a-kind Berry Barn which is worth the short drive from the city as the restaurant, full of local favourites, doubles as a haven for kids to burn off some energy in an idyllic country setting while their parents enjoy views of the river.

For my kids, the best part of Saskatoon summer is, no doubt, the long days of play. For me, it is the long sleep that follows a day well-spent…