Play Free | City of Ottawa

Play Free drop-in activities

Play Free is the City of Ottawa’s lineup of free drop-in activities for children and youth. The Play Free initiative is to encourage young people to participate and get active.

Children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults do not pay for these drop-in activities for all of 2024.
Drop-in schedules vary by facility. Be sure to check the program times at each of the participating locations listed below.
Register in advance where required! You’ll find this information in the schedules.
Equipment may be required for some activities as detailed in the descriptions for sports, swimming and skating.

Several youths playing basketball in a gymnasium.

Swimming

Free drop-ins on Saturdays! Applies to children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults. Wave swim not included.

Details about Play Free.

Sports

Drop-in sports include: badminton, table tennis, basketball, floor curling, kindergym, open gym, indoor skateboarding, roller-skating, soccer, volleyball and more. Fees still apply for specialized activities such as rock wall, squash and racquetball.

The following recreation centres are currently offering drop-in sports for children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults.

East

Central

South

West

Skating

Free public and family skating sessions. Applies to children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults.

View a list of facilities that offer skating.

Museums

Seasonal, when they are open. Free general admission access to Cumberland Heritage Village Museum and Billings Estate National Historic Site. Applies to children and youth (aged 17 and under) and accompanying adults.

Play anywhere

Sites that do not have facilities to offer drop-in sports will offer some free drop-in programming opportunities throughout the year.