The city is leaning hard into holiday magic this week, and honestly, it’s nailing the assignment. Whether you're wandering the twinkle-lit lanes of the Distillery Winter Village, catching the playful art installations along Riverside’s Window Wonderland, or popping into one of the many markets sprouting up like festive mushrooms, there’s no shortage of places to get your seasonal sparkle fix.

This week is packed with storytimes, crafty mornings, sing-alongs, drop-ins, concerts and cozy workshops - basically, enough to keep your tiny humans joyfully busy and give you a breather.

As always, you can see the full calendar here and submit events here. See you next week!

EAST END MOM FRIENDS

Local Gift Ideas For East End Toddlers & Preschoolers

From beautifully made wooden toys and open-ended play sets to beloved picture books and screen-free entertainment that will last them well into the big kid years, local East End Toronto shops offer thoughtful alternatives to gifts from big-box retailers. Read more

🥥 Jan-Feb Playgroup Registration

Registration for January-February playgroups opened last week and we loved to see you all registering in record numbers!

If you haven’t had a chance to join a playgroup yet, there are still spaces available in a number of groups, including:

BROWSE PLAYGROUPS

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 9 | 10:30am-12:30pm | Bain Co-op Community Centre | Register here

🎄 Holiday Play Date | Extreme Fun Indoor Playground
Tues Dec 9 | 11:30am-2:30pm | Tickets

🎁 Winter Market | St. Lawrence Market
Wed-Sun until Dec 22

✝️ Busy Bees Drop-In | St Aidan’s in the Beach
Thursdays | 10-11:30am

🎄 Special Event – Ornament Painting | Michaels
Sat Dec 13 | 1-3pm

🎶 Snow Day - A Capella Christmas Concert & Market | 3739 Kingston Rd
Sat Dec 13 | 1-4pm | Tickets

🤶🏾 Queer Joy to the World | Old’s Cool General Store
Sat Dec 13 | 3-5pm

🎁 Village Wonderland | Variety Village
Sun Dec 14 | 10am-4pm | Tickets

💎 Sunday Kids Club: Clay Trinket Tray | Michaels
Sun Dec 14 | 2-4pm

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)

NEW PARTNERSHIP: EXCLUSIVE LEGAL SUPPORT

Turnpenney Milne LLP

We’re proud to announce a partnership with Turnpenney Milne LLP, also a sponsor of our December Diaper Drive.

Turnpenney Milne LLP is a proudly female-led employment law firm in Toronto’s East End, led in part by long-time EEMF member and trusted advocate Ozlem Yucel!

Known for championing employees - and especially working mothers - Turnpenney Milne LLP provides clear, strategic guidance during life’s most challenging workplace moments.

As part of our partnership, EEMF members can access the following exclusive support from Turnpenney Milne LLP (using the code EEMF):

Free legal consultations for anyone terminated during maternity/parental leave or within six months of returning to work;
Free legal consultations for those who believe they were terminated or discriminated against because of pregnancy or sex;
A special, reduced-rate consultation of $200 (flat fee) for up to one hour - including document review.

If you or someone you know could benefit from knowledgeable, compassionate employment law support, connect with Turnpenney Milne LLP or Ozlem Yucel (ozlem@tmllp.ca).

Learn more by visiting their website: turnpenneymilne.ca

EARLYON CHILD & FAMILY CENTRES (0-6y)

Beyond circle time highlights

💡 Resource Educator | EYET Sackville
Mon Dec 8 | 9-10am

📚 Librarian Visit | Birchmount
Mon Dec 8 | 10-11am

📚 Circle Time with Literacy Specialist | Abiona
Mon Dec 8 | 11:30am-12:30pm

👨🏽‍🍼 Dad's Drop-In | Family Resources
Mon Dec 8 | 1:30-3pm

🌊 Swimming | West Scarborough
Tues Dec 9 | 10-11am

📚 Family Literacy Drop-in | EYET Cosburn
Tuesdays | 1-4pm | Free book!

🪶 NCCT Circle Time | South Riverdale
Tues Dec 9 | 4:30-5:30pm

🎄 Holly Jolly Craft Day | Birchmount
Wed Dec 10 | 9:30-11am

🍎 Eating Healthy on a Budget Part 2 | Parent Resources
Wed Dec 10 | 10-10:30am

🤟🏼 Baby Sign Language Circle Time | Parent Resources
Wed Dec 10 | 11-11:30am

🏳️‍🌈 Glitterbug: 2SLGBTQ+ Program | EYET Danforth
Wed Dec 10 | 3:30-5:30pm

📚 Reading Club | Parent Resources
Wednesdays | 3:30-4:30pm | 3y+

🏳️‍🌈 Rainbow Family Time | Birchmount
Thursdays | 9am-12pm

🍽️ Holiday Lunch | Abiona
Thurs Dec 11 | 10am-2pm

🧘 Yoga With Miriam | EYET Sackville
Thurs Dec 11 | 10:45-11:45am

🚒 Toronto Fire Services Visit | EYET Cosburn
Thurs Dec 11 3-4pm

🍿 PJ’S & Movie Day | Birchmount
Fri Dec 12 | 9:30-11am

🥗 Holiday Potluck| South Riverdale
Fri Dec 12 | 10:30-11:30am

🧸 Play & Learn Drop-In | Family Resources
Sat Dec 13 | 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

🎤 Sing-A-Long with Julie | S Walter Stewart
Mon Dec 8 | 11-11:45am

⛄ Winter Crafts | Beaches
Tues Dec 9 | 4-5pm

🖍️ Family Colouring Hour | St. Lawrence
Tuesdays | 4-6pm

☃️ Dash and Dot: Snowball Challenge| Beaches
Wed Dec 10 | 4-5pm | 6-12y

☁️ Swallowing Clouds a Physical Arts Workshop | Cliffcrest
Wed Dec 10 | 4-5pm

🧱 LEGO Club | Jones
Wednesdays | 3:30-5pm

🧶 Knitting & Crochet for a Cause | Beaches
Thurs Dec 11 | 1-2:30pm

🦠 DIY Christmas Slime | Jones
Thurs Dec 11 | 3:30-4:30pm

⛄ Melting Snowman Experiment | Jones
Fri Dec 12 | 3:30-4:30pm

🤖 Robotics Club | Parliament
Fri Dec 12 | 4-5pm | 6-12y

📖 Children's Book Club | S Walter Stewart
Fri Dec 12 | 4-5pm | 8-12y

🎨 Crafturday | Jones
Saturdays | 9:30am-4:30pm

♟️ Chess and Board Game Café | Beaches
Sat Dec 13 | 10-11:30am

🎨 Family Coloring Club | Cliffcrest
Sat Dec 13 | 11am-12pm

🎭 Puppet Freeplay | St. Lawrence
Sat Dec 13 | 11am-3pm

🍿 Saturday Afternoon Family Movie: The Grinch | Thorncliffe
Sat Dec 13 | 2-4pm

🎅 Holiday Crafts, Songs & Storytime | Leaside
Sat Dec 13 | 2-4pm

🍿 Saturday Afternoon Family Movie: The Grinch | Thorncliffe
Sat Dec 13 | 2-4pm

⛄ Snowman Tea Light Ornaments | Riverdale
Sat Dec 13 | 2-3pm

🧸 Stuffie Storytime | St. Lawrence
Sat Dec 13 | 3-3:30

🎨 Sunday Crafternoon | Jones
Sun Dec 14 | 12-4:30pm

💡Sunday Snap Circuits | Thorncliffe
Sun Dec 14 | 2-3pm | 6-12y

😛 Sunday Funday | Cliffcrest
Sun Dec 14 | 2-3pm

You can find many more Toronto Public Library activities on our full calendar.

Thank you to everyone who hauled boxes and sleeves of diapers to Black Lab last Friday to kick off our December Diaper Drive!

This is an amazing start, but we think we can do better - especially since donations will be matched up to $500 by both Turnpenney Milne LLP AND local real estate agent Ameera Rajwani. You’ll have another opportunity to contribute at our Dec 19 Tots & Taps.

East End Family Explorer 🧭 December 8-14