Activities for teens in Ottawa - Axe Throwing at BATL

I have tried a lot of sports since I was young. From shooting hoops in basketball to kicking goals in soccer, I know the satisfying feeling of throwing objects at a target and getting a point. I thought I had tried them all- until I heard about axe throwing. As something I had only seen in action movies, I never realized it was a sport, let alone a common recreational activity. I recently threw axes for the first time at BATL Ottawa.

As soon as we arrived, we met Lynn, our axe throwing coach. You could smell the sawdust that had been propelled from the circular wooden board by previous groups. Lynn taught us the basic rules of safety and beginning technique. This included foot positioning, the basic throwing movement and how to not end up looking like a Halloween decoration. 

While my first two shots bounced erratically off the board, the axe came close to the bullseye on the third try. Once that happened, I was hooked. After a few more tries, and with the guidance from my coach, I quickly got the feel of axe throwing. After that, I was ready to throw independently.

BATL provides papers with multiple different formats of two player games, with more accurate throws gaining more points. Think darts meets H-O-R-S-E. I played a few exciting games against my dad, and then my mom. There's just something so satisfying about swinging a sharp axe firmly into the center of a wooden board, then prying it out victoriously. 

We played a variety of games with the axe throwing, during which time we all improved quickly in our skill. The learning curve is much quicker than I had anticipated. Finally, after around an hour of swinging axes, Lynn brought out an even bigger axe. This was the official size that is used in tournaments. It was definitely a lot heavier, but I still managed to make it connect once or twice. I was very impressed by the people who do this as a sport. All in all, I had a great time axe throwing at BATL.

Next time,  I plan on inviting my friends for an afternoon of axe throwing.  

If you want to burn off a weekend afternoon hurling axes at a wooden board, check out BATL Ottawa. Depending on the package, you can book for groups of 2-24 people for a price as low as $21 per person. Time slots are 1 or 2 hours long. For more detailed information, click here.

David is a fifteen-year-old aspiring adventure and travel writer living in Ottawa.  Skydiving is on his bucket list. David received free passes to try out Axe Throwing but all thoughts are his own.

Rideau River Kayak

Kayaking has always been a pleasant activity for me to do on sunny summer days. I enjoy seeing the scenery, flora and fauna and doing a bit of exercise throughout. The only issue is that whenever I go to a kayak rental place, their entire fleet is limited to one boat launch. If I really want to visit somewhere else, there are a few rare instances of them allowing us to strap one of the kayaks to our car and bring it elsewhere, typically at a higher cost. 

This time, I wanted to explore the Rideau River, but found that there were no kayak rentals in the area that interested me. Luckily, Riverview Mobile Kayak had a solution.

We arrived at the Brantwood Park Boat Launch in the mid afternoon. It was sunny and not particularly windy, perfect weather for kayaking. Unlike most kayak places, Riverview Mobile Kayak brings the kayak to the boat launch, meaning they don’t have just one permanent location. 

The owner, Sylvie, kindly provided a briefing on the use of the kayak and recommendations on my route. I then put on my lifejacket, put my phone in the dry bag and launched into the Rideau River. I opted to paddle fast and hard against the current for the first 15 minutes, which was already relatively calm. Once I got upstream to the Billings Bridge, I relaxed and allowed the river to slowly bring me back to the boat launch, while paddling to adjust. It was then that I was able to truly appreciate the combination of scenery and wildlife on the Rideau River.

First, I saw a group of around five painted turtles lying on a log on the shoreline. I was able to stealthily approach them before they consecutively plopped into the water like dominos. As I floated further downstream, I was able to see a diverse array of birds. Canada geese and mallards dotted the waterline, but the highlight for me was seeing two herons. Surprisingly, I managed to get incredibly close to one of them while remaining quiet. After a few moments, it fluttered away and I continued paddling.

I spent around 1 hour and 45 minutes on the water, finding the kayak stable and easy to maneuver throughout. Eventually, I landed on the boat launch where Sylvie was ready to pull me back in. All in all, it was a relaxing trip through the natural heart of urban Ottawa. 

If an afternoon of paddling at one of a diverse set of locations around Ottawa sounds like a nice summer activity, Riverview Mobile Kayak is available at 10 boat launches on the Ottawa and Rideau River. These include Petrie Island, Britannia Beach, Mooney’s Bay and others. The minimum age is 7 years.  The price is $60 for up to 3 hours on the water but if you book for 2 or more participants, the price drops to $45 each.  That’s a good deal. Riverview Mobile Kayak Rental is insured and a fleet of paddleboards is also coming soon. For more information, visit https://www.riverviewkayak.com/.

David is a fifteen-year-old aspiring adventure and travel writer living in Ottawa.  Skydiving is on his bucket list. He received a complimentary rental for this post, but all views are his own.

Activities for Teens and Tweens in Ottawa and surrounding areas

Having been around for 13 years, a lot of the families that first started following Kids in the Capital now have teens and tweens!

We have so many great attractions in and around Ottawa to check out but we’ve mostly written about them from a kid perspective. This post is going to focus specifically on attractions we think teens and tweens will like. Some we have our own content on and others we’re working to get. Stay tuned as this post will continue to be updated regularly!

Outdoor adventures

Eco Odyssee

Eco Odysée has a variety of water mazes that you can take in a paddle boat, kayak, or SUP. They also have daytime and evening mazes, as well as additional walking mazes on site.

Pricing ranges from $40-55 depending on the maze, but they are also piloting a program where you can bring your own kayak/SUP and the cost is $30.

Marked Adventure Park

Marked Adventure Park has obstacle courses, paintball, axe throwing, archery tag, disc throwing, watergun fights and more.

They are located on Highway 7 just past Carleton Place.

Many of their activities are available by reservation only so check out their website and plan for the best time to visit!

Waterslides

We have two great waterparks in the Ottawa area that are great for teens and tweens. Many parents of teens have also recommended buying their teens summer passes and drop them off at the park weekly.

Here are reviews written a few years ago targeted more for children but with good info to have when deciding to take your teens and tweens as well.

Calypso

Mont Cascades

Ziplining

Camp Fortune has a great peak to peak zipline experience.

Interzip is a nice and short zip lining experience. It doesn’t go too fast which makes it good for those who don’t love the thrill of ziplining and it’s right in the city, so easy to get to.

Arbraska Lafleche has ziplines and they also have cave tours.

Great Canadian Bungee has a zipline called the RipRide that our teen blogger David got to enjoy recently.

Art

Ottawa Art Gallery

The Ottawa Art Gallery is a lovely place to go and enjoy local art. It’s free (though they appreciate donations) and they have four floors of exhibitions.

From July 2023 to February 2024 they have an exhibition called

83 ‘TIL INFINITY 40 YEARS OF HIP-HOP IN THE OTTAWA–GATINEAU REGION where “where we see, hear, and move with stories and experiences of hip-hop in the Ottawa–Gatineau region that flow from decades-long conversations about the craft and values of hip-hop's five pillars: breaking, emceeing, DJ-ing, graffiti, and knowledge.”

Indoor Activities

Room Escape

Room Escape is located on Bank Street near Walkley and has six escape rooms to choose from. They are open 7 days a week and the cost is $29/person.

This was a bit hit with the three teens who are big escape room fans and recently got to try out Undermined.

Where: 1860 Bank Street, #3B

Cost: $29/person

Hours: Monday/Tuesday - 5pm - 10pm
Wednesday/Sunday - 10am - 10pm

Archery Games

Archery Games is located on Bank Street in the same facility as Room Escape and is an indoor archery game space. We sent a family with kids ranging in ages from 8-14 and they had a blast!

Where: 1860 Bank St, #3B
Cost: $29/person
Hours: Monday/Tuesday - closed, Wednesday/Thursday - 5-10pm, Friday - 5-9pm, Saturday/Sunday - 11am-9pm  *Bookings outside of these hours are available by appointment only and require a minimum of 10 players.

Bad Axe Throwing

Bad Axe Throwing is a fun activity and Bad Axe welcomes kids to try it out. While there is no official minimum age we believe 10+ is a good guideline. It’s also good to note that axe throwing is an activity where there might be adults using adult language so if you were prefer your kids not be in that environment you may want to pass on this or go in earlier in the day.

Address: 1580 Liverpool Ct #8, Ottawa ON
Booking Hours: Monday-Sunday 8am-11pm
Walk-in Hours (schedule subject to change - call before heading over): Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday (2pm-7:30pm), Tuesday (3pm-4:30pm)

Cost:
Walk-ins - $26.98pp (45 minutes)

Bad Axe Booking - $41.99pp with a minimum of 6 people (1.5 hours)

VR Adventures Zone

If your teens/tweens like video games, VR Adventures Zone is a fun way for you to do something they love together!

Location: 1642 Merivale Rd Unit 300 (Merivale Mall)

Cost:

Pricing differs based on which experience you choose and how long you play, but expect about $25-40/person.

Hours:

They are open daily from 11am-10pm and on weekends they stay open until 11pm.

Important to know:

Kids must be at least 7 years old to play and anyone under 18 needs a waiver signed by a parent to participate.

Rollerskating

4Wheelies

4Wheelies has just opened in Ottawa and is a roller rink and arcade. Located at 1101 Baxter Road, the cost to skate is $16.99. You can bring your own traditional roller skates (no in-line skates are allowed) or you can rent a pair for $5.

They are open 6 days a week (closed on Mondays) from noon - 9pm.

Drive in Movies

Drive-in movies are nostalgic for many parents and there are some options in the Ottawa area!

Port Elmsley is located halfway between Perth & Smiths Falls Ontario and is open 5 nights a week!

Your price includes a double feature and they recommend getting there early to get a good spot.

Ticket prices include HST and are per person.

Age 5-12 $6

Age 13+ $15

Skylight Drive-In Theatre is located in Pembroke, Ontario.

They are open seven days a week and your price includes at least two movies.

Every night is Carload Night! (except for select Dusk to Dawn nights - please check website for details)
$25 Carload Up to 6 People OR
$14 adult
$7 Youth (4-14)
Children up to 3 free.

Movie Program starts at dusk.

Events

House of PainT Festival

The House of PainT Festival is a FREE Outdoor HipHop Jam that showcases Graffiti, Breakdancing, Dj’s and MC’s from across Canada and this year is their 20th anniversary!

The Main Event happens Saturday, August 12th, with amazing performances from DJs, MCs, artists, and dancers.

Location: Dunbar Bridge 100 Brewer Way

Graffiti & Murals/Dance Battles/ Choreography Performances/ Community Workshops/Art Vendors/Music/Poetry/Food Vendors/
Featuring Music, Art, Workshops and Dance Battles

Tickets are not needed to attend but registration is encouraged to stay up to date with House of PainT news, updates, and relevant information. The Main Event on August 12th is free to attend. Donations are encouraged and appreciated!

PuppetCon

It's time to get your Con on! Join us for PuppetCon in Almonte, August 11 – 13, 2023 for a weekend of workshops, shows and panel discussions.

Theatre

There is lots of great theatre in Ottawa and many teens and tweens love taking in a show with their parents.

Broadway Across Canada

Broadway Across Canada has a great series of shows every year. Upcoming shows in the 2023/24 season include Hairspray, Ain’t Too Proud: Life and Times of the Temptations, Disney’s Frozen, and Six.

Odyssey Theatre

Odyssey Theatre is running a summer production of the Miser at Strathcona Park from from July 27-August 20, 2023 Tuesdays through Sundays at 8pm, with matinees on Sunday afternoons at 2pm, PWYC. Tickets are on sale now, with 50% off opening weekend (July 27th to 30th).

The Miser is satire about greed and love is performed in the style of commedia, featuring mask performance, choreography, and singing. Our show is recommended for ages 8 and up, runs for about 2 and a half hours with a 15 min intermission, and takes place next to the banks of the Rideau River..

Rock Climbing

Altitude Gym

Altitude Gym now boasts three locations (Gatineau, Kanata, and Orleans) and the Gatineau location has clip’n’climb.

Coyote Climbing Gym

Coyote Climbing Gym is located at 1737B St Laurent and a youth climbing pass is $15. They also have 10 pass punchpasses for $125 as well as memberships.

If you have any suggestions to add to the list of if you’d like to write some content for us, comment below or email us at kidsinthecapital@gmail.com!

Bonding over video games

If you asked me if I would have spent an enormous amount of my time this spring and summer playing a game called Animal Crossing, I definitely wouldn’t have thought the answer would be yes.

But several months ago, my teen asked me if I wanted to play, and when I said yes, we proceeded to spend more time talking and having something in common to bond over then we have in a long time.

Animal Crossing

Photo of Nintendo Switch with Animal Crossing Game

Animal Crossing has a lot of fun ways that you can have special moments with folks. If you’re playing with people on a different island, you can go for visits and you can mail them presents. If you’re in the same family/playing on the same Nintendo Switch you can also send mail or do what I do and drop off gifts in front of the kids’ houses.

We’ve been able to plan out parts of the islands and figure out how to create hybrid flowers together, making for lots of opportunities for great conversations and time spent together.

It’s not really about the game

The thing is, the video game was the topic, but it’s really about meeting them where they’re at. We don’t have a lot we both want to do any more. Animal Crossing turned out to be a blessing because I really do enjoy the game. And since then I’ve been introduced to quite a few other games (most of which I am not particularly interested in ) and the kids get really invested in trying to show me how to play or being amused at just how many times I can NOT land that jump in Celeste or at how confused I am about what I’m supposed to be doing in Paper Mario or trying to get me to take on my Rhythm Heaven Fever challenges with them. ;)

It works beyond video games too

My husband has been watching a lot of anime with our teen lately on Crunchyroll (and Netflix has many of the Studio Ghibli films available). He enjoys Anime but hasn’t really spent time watching any since he was in his twenties. This gives them something that is for them and gives them a reason to hang out together.

I have another friend who chooses and watches a show regularly with their teen - it’s not always a show they particularly want to watch, but it’s really not about that, and we need to remember that when saying yay or nay.

Next time you see an opportunity to connect on something, even if it wouldn’t be YOUR choice of things, it may make for the perfect chance to bond with a kid who seems more inclined to hang out by themselves in their room than with you any more.

In case you’re here for the Animal Crossing part, I want to share a few of my tips for the game ;):

• There is a money rock on your island every day. Hit it with your shovel (not your axe) as fast as you can after creating a way to not bounce away (I dig holes or bounce against a flat surface) and you’ll get more bells (this works for getting more resources too - you can get up to eight).

• Save all the fish and bugs in your storage for the days that Flick and CJ come to buy them from you. You’ll get more bells that way.

• You can catch the wasps almost every time if you’re holding your net when you’re shaking a tree, facing the tree from the front and immediately turn in the directly the nest falls and swing. The wasps are worth at least 2500 bells so it’s worth it.

• There is at least one item hiding in a tree on your island every day, sometimes more. I like to shake the trees looking for items and wasps.