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Our camps
Free camps at every school break: Christmas, March Break and summer. Every camp is free, every camper is fitted with equipment to keep, and every session is led by professional coaching staff. Every child who joins Open Ice is new to hockey when they first arrive.
At every camp
What every family gets
The same promise at every Open Ice camp, whichever arena your child skates at.
- Cost
- $0No fee, no deposit
- Ages
- 5 to 10No experience needed
- On the ice
- 3 hours a dayTwo 90 minute sessions
- Equipment
- A full setFitted and kept
- Lunch
- Every dayProvided at camp
- Arenas
- Across TorontoFour planned this winter
Upcoming
The next camp
Christmas Camp 2026
Five days of free hockey for children aged 5 to 10, at four planned arenas: Leaside Memorial Community Gardens, Ted Reeve Community Arena, North Toronto Memorial Arena and Upper Canada College’s Wilder Arena.
Past camps
Every camp we have run
Three camps since December 2025, each one larger than the last.
Summer Camp 2026
Our first camp across two arenas at once: four days, 26 student volunteers, Pizza Pizza lunches and gear from HockeyStickMan.
See the full camp
March Break Camp 2026
Five days of professional coaching, a Media Day with Councillor Brad Bradford, the first Open Ice Cup, and coverage on CTV News and CP24.
See the full camp
Christmas Camp 2025
The pilot that started it all: brand-new, fitted equipment for every child, and more than 250 hours of free programming.
See the full campFor families
Everything you need to know
Camp is free, and applying takes about 15 minutes. Help is available in any language.
Apply for a place
Our multi-step application saves as you go. Sharing a household income document is optional.
Start the applicationSelectionHow we choose
Places go to the families who need them most, chosen by a written, needs-based system. Skating ability never matters.
How we chooseDay oneWhat to expect
Arrival, gear-up, the first skate and pickup: what the first day of camp looks like for your child.
Day oneEquipmentKeep your gear
Every camper leaves with a full, fitted set of equipment that is theirs to keep.
Keep your gearLanguagesInformation in 11 languages
Key family information is published in 11 languages, and you can write to us in any language.
Choose a languageQuestionsFrequently asked
Transport, allergies, what to bring, and what happens after camp.
Read the FAQHow our camps work
The curriculum behind every Open Ice camp: skill tiers set on the ice, six skill modules, house groups led by student volunteers, and a full set of equipment to keep.
Every dayThree hours on the ice
Two ninety-minute ice sessions, a mid-day block of guest speakers, life skills or games, a free lunch and a closing circle with a Camper of the Day.
Beyond the iceLife skills
Daily themes of Courage, Teamwork, Resilience and Leadership, so the lessons of the rink travel home with the child.
Last dayKeep Your Gear
Camp ends with every camper taking home the full set of equipment they used all week. It is theirs.
Curriculum
How campers are grouped
Every camper is assessed on the ice early in camp and placed into one of four skill tiers by what they can do, not by age. Each tier runs its own arc through the week, and a camper who progresses quickly moves up. The guiding rule is simple: never hold a confident skater back, and never overwhelm a newcomer. Within the tiers, campers belong to small house groups of three or four, each led by a student Program Assistant.
| Tier | Who it serves | Goal for the week |
|---|---|---|
| First Stride | Brand-new skaters | Stand, glide, stop, and get up without fear |
| Building | Skaters finding their balance | Skate with confidence and handle a puck while moving |
| Confident | Developing players | Pass, shoot, and play positions in small games |
| Experienced | Returning campers | Refine technique, compete, and lead by example |
Skills
Six skills, four depths
Every tier draws from the same six modules at a depth suited to the group, so a camper who moves up is not starting again. Coaches score the six skills on a one to five scale on the first and last day of camp.
| Module | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Skating | Balance, stride, edges, stops, crossovers, transitions |
| Edges and balance | Isolated inside and outside edge work |
| Stickhandling | Puck control with the head up, soft hands, protection |
| Passing and receiving | Give and receive a pass under increasing pressure |
| Shooting | Technique first, then accuracy, then release under pressure |
| Small area games | Everything above, applied in a game the campers want to play |
Where we skate
Rinks across Toronto
Open Ice runs where the families are. Two arenas have hosted our camps, and two more are planned for Christmas Camp 2026.
Dr. Tom Pashby Play Safely Rink, 1073 Millwood Road • Leaside
Our flagship, and home of Summer Camp 2026.
175 Main Street • East Toronto
Where Open Ice began, and home of our Christmas and March Break camps.
174 Orchard View Boulevard • Yonge and Eglinton
A short walk from Eglinton station on Line 1.
200 Lonsdale Road • Forest Hill
Through our partnership with Upper Canada College.
What families say about camp
Public reviews from Open Ice families.
“On the first day I was kind of scared because I didn’t know how to play, but the coaches helped me a lot and I only fell a few times… I made new friends and wanted to come back every day.”
Jayden T, age 8Camper, Google review
“It was his first time playing hockey, and we were so impressed by how much he learned in just five days… By the end of the week, he was already saying he wants to become a coach one day.”
Lin ZCamp parent, Google review
“Going into the March break camp, my boys could barely stand on their skates alone… Everything was provided including the hockey gear which the boys got to keep, complimentary pizza lunches each day… All they want to do is hockey now.”
Jessica SerpaCamp parent, Google review
Newsroom
The latest headlines
Camp stories and coverage from the newsroom.
Aug 16, 2026
Aug 12, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
Mar 17, 2026
Mar 17, 2026
Jan 1, 2026
Mar 1, 2026
Get involved
Help a child take the ice
Every place is free to families because of the people who apply, volunteer and give.
Apply for Christmas Camp 2026. Applying takes about 15 minutes, and every place is free.
Apply nowVolunteerLead a house group on the ice, help with gear fitting, or run the front desk. Student volunteers earn community service hours.
Volunteer with usSponsor a campPartners fund the ice, the equipment and the lunches. One child’s full camp place is $1,060.
Become a partner