Free Classes

The small Rockcliffe Park branch of the Ottawa Public Library holds a Monday morning family storytime with stories, songs and rhymes for children of all ages with a parent or caregiver. It pairs nicely with a walk to the nearby Rockeries and Rideau Hall grounds. It runs Mondays at 9:30 AM until December 28, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

The Hazeldean Library in Kanata hosts Exploratory Writing Workshops, a weekly Write With Us session with prompts and friendly sharing for anyone who wants to try creative writing. Beginners and experienced writers are both welcome. It runs Sundays at 2:30 PM until December 27, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

Slow Stitchers and Handcrafters is a relaxed drop in circle at the Ruth E. Dickinson Library in Barrhaven where people bring their own embroidery, knitting, mending or other hand projects and stitch together. It is a calm, social way to spend a Sunday afternoon. It meets Sundays at 2 PM, with the series listed until June 2027, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

The Capital Region Writers Group meets at the Ottawa Main Library for a weekly write-in, where local writers bring a project and work side by side in good company. It is a nice motivation boost for anyone working on fiction, poetry or a memoir. It runs Sundays at 1 PM until November 29, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

The Ottawa Main Library on Metcalfe Street offers a bilingual family storytime (Contes et chansons en famille) on Sunday mornings, with stories and songs for children of all ages with a parent or caregiver. It is an easy downtown outing on a cold weekend. It runs Sundays at 11 AM until December 13, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

Nepean Centrepointe Library hosts a Sunday morning family storytime with picture books, songs and rhymes for children of all ages with a parent or caregiver. The branch is part of the Ben Franklin Place civic complex, so it is easy to add a walk in the park afterwards. It runs Sundays at 10:30 AM until December 13, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

The Orléans branch of the Ottawa Public Library holds a bilingual English and French family storytime on Sunday mornings, with stories, songs and rhymes for children of all ages with a parent or caregiver. It is a relaxed way to start a family Sunday. It runs Sundays at 10:15 AM until December 6, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

The Ottawa Public Library runs a weekly Saturday STEM Club at the Main Library on Metcalfe Street, with hands on science, technology and building activities for curious kids aged 7 and up. It is a fun way to spend a winter Saturday afternoon downtown. It runs Saturdays at 3 PM until December 12, 2026, and it is a free drop in program with no registration.

Thirteen Toronto Public Library branches, including the Toronto Reference Library, have Digital Innovation Hubs with 3D printers, design software, audio and video recording studios with a green screen, and a fabrication studio with sewing machines and a vinyl cutter. The library runs free programs and classes to help you learn these tools, and hub computers and studios can be reserved online. Open during library hours. Programs are free; check the page for booking rules and any material costs.

Volunteer led nature and history walks through High Park on Sunday mornings, from 10:30 AM to noon. Meet at the centre triangle median just inside the main Bloor Street entrance; walks are announced monthly, so check the High Park Nature page for the next date. Some walks use wooded trails, so dress for the weather and wear good shoes. Free, no registration.

A free self-guided walk that follows rainwater from Riverdale's streets down to the Don River, covering lost streams, storm sewers and the area's urban history. It starts at Chester subway station and ends about two hours later at Chester Springs Marsh. The ground can be wet and sometimes difficult, so wear good footwear. Free (donations welcome), with a City of Toronto route map.

Guest musicians show off instruments from Toronto Public Library's Musical Instrument Lending Library, and kids get to try playing them and learn the basics. For preschool and school age children; children under 9 must come with an adult. Friday, November 20, 2026, from 10 a.m. to noon in the York Woods atrium. Free drop in program.