Theme & Amusement Parks in Markham

Originally founded in 1919 as a small petting zoo known as the Cream of Barley Park, Bowmanville Zoo has since evolved into one of the largest collections of animals on the continent. More than 300 creatures roam its 42 acres of parkland, including turtles, primates, and large felines seen in feature films and television shows such as Animorphs and Peter Benchley’s Amazon. Throughout the week, visitors can ride camels or elephants, see trained critters perform in the 400-seat indoor Animatheatre, or watch as handlers feed the carnivores by throwing them meat to trade with monkeys for delicious twigs.

At Kidnetix Edu-Play Centre, toddlers and children clamber up eight towering play structures and slide back down to the carpeted floor in plastic tube slides, and wee adventurers scale a child-sized rock-climbing wall, explore a tree house, and dive into a ball pit. Others test their agility on padded obstacle courses, crawl through tunnel mazes, and bounce in a large jumping castle.

Kids engage in safe exploration at both Brampton and North York playgrounds, and children can also challenge friends and settle sandbox territory disputes in games of skee-ball, table hockey, and virtual racing at each location's arcade. Kidnetix Edu-Play Centre's engaging staff wields their certifications in ECE and first-aid CPR as they guide kids through educational programs for all ages, as well as themed day camps during the summer and March break, which let campers work out youthful energy through arts and crafts, games, and field trips.

Just Bounce Trampoline Club's certified coaches orchestrate proper technical progressions on eight competition trampolines surrounded by padded decks and walls to ensure safety. As jumpers slice through the air learning turns, pike jumps, or flips, parents and onlookers cheer from an elevated window booth. During group instruction, day camps, and birthday parties, each instructor supervises up to eight leapers, ensuring that each gravity-defying participant receives individual attention and truly learns what a frog's perspective is like. Each coach aims to imbue burgeoning athletes with self-esteem and refined focus as they teach skills of gradually increasing difficulty during both group and private lessons.

Established more than 40 years ago, Goodwood Kartways covers more than 20 acres of rolling hills with a 0.75-kilometre professional racecourse geared toward first time drivers and advanced roadsters alike. Current owners and professional racers Daniel and Marco Di Leo continue Goodwood Kartways' legacy of mentoring racing stars with the rookie Arrive and Drive program. Participants race on a biweekly schedule, and consistently excelling drivers qualify for scholarships that grant them entry into competitions throughout Ontario and a kart with wheels dipped in gold. A pro shop equips drivers with all necessary parts and accoutrements, a dyno shop inspects engines and ensures their quality performance, and the garage examines and heals broken machinery. Boasting more than 15 years of experience and more than 35 Canadian National titles, Goodwood Kartways personnel supply abundant kart maintenance and aid through trackside support, private group events, storage facilities, and deep-tread massages for weary tires.

Niagara Go-Karts entertains entire families with the leisurely competition of miniature golf and the fast-paced fishtailing of more than 40 racing-style go-karts. Double-seated family karts let children 10 and older play copilot while parents practice high-speed chaperoning. For faster-paced driving, 13-horsepower engines propel realistic Formula 1 karts to high speeds under the control of drivers 14 and older. For the safety of all drivers, each kart features a roll bar, seatbelt, and outside bumper cage.

Outside of the driver's seat, a pastoral collection of wild flowers, safari animals, and indigenous astro turf decorates a mini putt course that's flecked with a barrage of amusing obstacles. All-day pricing allows for unlimited rounds from open until close.

Russ Bond knows a thing or two about go-karts; after all, he's dedicated his career to them. As own of Canadian Karting League, he offers kids and adults the opportunity to take to the tarmac with race-prepared karts, comprehensive safety training, and a battalion of professional mechanics at their backs. Russ explains to motoringtv.com that through years of training and racing cars professionally, he “always wanted to give back … so kids could get involved in karting,” In addition to boosting adrenalin and making for memorable afternoons, karting can teach kids and tweens how to pass other cars, handle turns, and harmonize by punching their horns. Giving kids the experience of maintaining their own kart “can only help them when they get a licence,” Russ says.