East End Family Explorer 🧭 December 1-7
The holiday season is showing off in the best way this week. Whether you're soaking up the charm of the Distillery Winter Village, wandering the whimsical displays along Riverside’s Window Wonderland, or hopping between the many holiday markets popping up across the neighbourhoods, there’s no shortage of places to explore.
As always, you can see the full calendar here and submit events here. See you next week!
EAST END MOM FRIENDS
🥥 Jan-Feb Playgroup Registration
Wait-lists for January-February playgroups are now open and registration begins on Tues Dec 2. Join a wait-list now to be the first to know when registration opens for your preferred group!
We have playgroups for Itty Bitty Babies, Senior Babies, Dads, Toddlers & Preschoolers, and Weekenders.
🧷 December Diaper Drives
Fri Dec 5 | 12-3pm | Tots & Taps at Black Lab Brewing
Fri Dec 19 | 11am-2pm | Tots & Taps at Reid’s Distillery
This month, we’re asking the East End Mom Friends community to give back at Tots & Taps! Bring any size diapers and we’ll deliver them all to the Nourish East End food bank at Glen Rhodes Church.
Why a diaper drive? The local families they serve have a serious need for baby diapers. If you’ve ever run out of diapers by accident, you know how stressful that can be. Now imagine you can’t just buy them and the food bank you rely on to make ends meet doesn’t have any either. This is the reality for an increasing number of families in our community.
If you can’t attend Tots & Taps at Black Lab this Friday, we’ll host another diaper drive at Reid’s on Fri Dec 19 or you can donate funds directly to Nourish East End.
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
🎄 Distillery Winter Village | Distillery District
Until Jan 4 | Tickets req’d Fri-Sun after 4pm
❄️ Riverside Window Wonderland
Until Dec 10 | Queen St E btwn Davies and DeGrassi
🎶 Soul-Nourishing Song Circle + Soup
Tues Dec 2 | 10:30am-12:30pm | Bain Co-op Community Centre | Register here
🎁 Winter Market | St. Lawrence Market
Wed-Sun until Dec 22
🎁 Leslieville Christmas Pop-up Market | 388 Carlaw Ave #207
Fri Dec 5- Sun Dec 7
🎁 Holiday Market | Eglinton Square
Fri Dec 5- Sun Dec 7
🎅 Breakfast with Hamper & Santa | Centre 55
Sat Dec 6 | 8am-12pm
👚 Thrift Sale + Breakfast w/ Santa | St Lukes Church
Sat Dec 6 | 10am-3pm
🎄 Christmas Market | Kimbourne Park United Church
Sat Dec 6 | 11am-2pm
🎁 Holiday Arts Market | 450 Broadview Ave
Sat Dec 6 | 11am-4pm
🍪 Christmas Cookie Crawl | St Nicholas Church
Sat Dec 6 | 11am-1pm
🎄 Ornament Painting | Michaels
Sat Dec 6 | 1-3pm
🧸 Family Movie & Toy Drive | Fox Theatre
Sat Dec 6 | 1-3pm
🍪 Gingerbread Cookie Decorating | Amber Kitchen
Sat Dec 6 | 4-6pm
🎄 Beach Triangle Lights Together | Brookmount Rd/Columbine Ave
Sat Dec 6 | 6-7pm
🌲 Holiday Tree Lighting | Riverdale Farm
Sat Dec 6 | 6:30-8pm
🌳 Family Wander | Evergreen Brickworks
Sun Dec 7 | 10-11am | Register here
🎁 Vegan Holiday Market | Animal Liberation Kitchen
Sun Dec 7 | 11am-3pm
🛍️ Kid Maker Market | The Wright Spot
Sun Dec 7 | 11am-2pm
🪩 Family Rave | Cake Caberet
Sun Dec 7 | 2-4pm | Tickets
🫙 Sunday Makebreak: Gnome Jars | Michaels
Sun Dec 7 | 2-4pm
🎅🏿 Black Santa Celebration | Old’s Cool General Store
Sun Dec 7 | 2-5pm
🧑🎄 Holiday Charity Event | Daniels Spectrum
Sun Dec 7 | 3-5:30pm
🎵 Riverdale Share Concert | Danforth Music Hall
Sun Dec 7 | 3-5pm | Tickets
Farmers markets 🥕
Evergreen’s Saturday Farmers Market | Sat 8am-1pm
Allen Gardens Farmers’ Market | Sat 10am-2pm
Leslieville Farmers’ Market | Sun 9am-2pm (now indoors)
EARLYON CHILD & FAMILY CENTRES (0-6y)
Beyond circle time highlights
👨🏽🍼 Dad's Drop-In | Family Resources
Mon Dec 1 | 1:30-3pm
🌊 Swimming | West Scarborough
Tues Dec 2 | 10-11am
📚 Family Literacy Drop-in | EYET Cosburn
Tuesdays | 1-4pm | Free book!
🎄 Holiday Craft Workshop | South Riverdale
Wed Dec 3 | 10:30am-12:30pm
🤟🏼 Baby Sign Language Circle Time | Parent Resources
Wed Dec 3 | 11-11:30am
🏳️🌈 Glitterbug: 2SLGBTQ+ Program | EYET Danforth
Wed Dec 3 | 3:30-5:30pm
📚 Reading Club | Parent Resources
Wednesdays | 3:30-4:30pm | 3y+
🏳️🌈 Rainbow Family Time | Birchmount
Thursdays | 9am-12pm
🚼 Growth & Development Workshop | Access Alliance
Thurs Dec 4 | 9:15-11:15am
🌊 Swimming | West Scarborough
Thursdays | 10-11am
💃 Gym Time| South Riverdale
Fri Dec 5 | 9am-10:30am
🎶 Jingle Jams: Fun with Music Together| South Riverdale
Fri Dec 5 | 11am-12pm
🧸 Play & Learn Drop-In | Family Resources
Sat Dec 6 | 9:00am-1pm
🧸 Drop-in | Eastview
Sun Nov 30 | 9:30am-1pm
You can find many more EarlyON activities on our full calendar.
TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Family-friendly activities
🖍️ Family Colouring Hour | St. Lawrence
Tuesdays | 4-6pm
📚 Kids Book Club | Beaches
Tues Dec 2 | 4-5pm
🧱 LEGO Club | Jones
Wednesdays | 3:30-5pm
🇫🇷 La Maison Des Bébés | Danforth/Coxwell
Thursdays | 10-11:30am
🧶 Knitting & Crochet for a Cause | Beaches
Thurs Dec 4 | 1-2:30pm
🧂 Winter Arts: Glue and Salt Art | Jones
Thurs Dec 4 | 3:30-4:30pm
🤖 Robotics Club | Parliament
Fri Dec 5 | 4-5pm | 6-12y
🎨 Crafturday | Jones
Saturdays | 9:30am-4:30pm
🐧 Applefun Puppet Show: The Penguin Show | Cliffcrest
Sat Dec 6 | 11am-12pm
💌 Letters to Santa | Beaches
Sat Dec 6 | 11am-12pm
♾️ Sensory Storytime Social for Neurodiverse Children | S Walter Stewart
Sat Dec 6 | 1-2:15pm | Register
🪡 Sewing Birds | Gerrard/Ashdale
Sat Dec 6 | 2-3pm
🪄 Magic Show with Bob the Magician | Thorncliffe
Sat Dec 6 | 2-3pm
❄️ Winter Choral Serenade | Pape/Danforth
Sat Dec 6 | 2-3pm
🎨 Sunday Crafternoon | Jones
Sun Dec 7 | 12-4:30pm
💡Sunday Snap Circuits | Thorncliffe
Sun Dec 7 | 2-3pm | 6-12y
😛 Sunday Funday | Cliffcrest
Sun Nov 30 | 2-3pm
You can find many more Toronto Public Library activities on our full calendar.
CITY OF TORONTO RECREATION
Winter 2026 registration
You can now browse and favourite Winter 2026 Recreation programs in the online registration and booking portal.
For more information, check out our parents’ guide: How to Register for Free and Low-Cost Recreation Programs in Toronto
Registration dates:
Toronto East York: Tues Dec 2 | 7am
North York & Scarborough: Wed Dec 3 | 7am
Virtual preparation session: Mon Dec 1 | 7-8:30pm
City of Toronto staff will show how to use the online system to create a wish list, register, pay with or without a credit card and manage the Welcome Policy. Staff will also answer questions you have about using the system.
