Where We Spent a Wake Window: The Granville Island Kids Market.
Location & Parking:
Set your GPS to: Granville Island Kids Market 1496 Cartwright St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Y5, Canada.
Paid Parking is available but its notoriously busy so give yourself time or use alternate transportation.
Official info: https://kidsmarket.ca/#welcome
The Damage Report ($):
Free to enter the Kids Market. I spent $10 on tokens for the arcade games.
Wheely Friendly?
Yes, there are ramps and elevators and a designated stroller parking. However, the building is pretty small and cramped so bring a compact stroller, if possible.
Checking out the ducks in the pond behind the kids Market.
The Snack Situation:
There is an abundance of food around Granville Island and in the public market (you can read about our favorites in my full Granville Island post). However, if you don’t want to leave the Kids Market area:
Beanstalk Bistro: Located right next to the arcades, it looks like they have something for everyone, ranging from fruit bowls and ice cream to hot dogs, dumplings, and wonton soup.
Courtyard: If you’ve brought a snack (like we had), there is a lovely Kids Market courtyard to sit outside and eat. There is also a pond with ducks which Yuyu loved.
Potty Proximity:
Easy - there is a bathroom and change table on both levels of the Kids Market .
Mum Musings:
The Kids Market is iconic and it is magical for kids in every way. It’s packed with stores and activity, but I also find it overwhelming. I liken my experience to trying to get into a cold pool - I'd dip my toe in a couple of times and take it out quickly before eventually committing to getting in. After a little while, it is enjoyable. The first few times I went it was crowded, and Yuyu was touching everything that caught her eye, so we escaped. Maybe it's less overwhelming with older kids?
Yuyu “shopping” in one of the stores.
Kids Market Hacks & Timing
Avoid Crowds: To avoid the crowds, try going as soon as they open or during the week. Because of the crowds and the cramped space, this isn’t my go-to rainy day destination, even though it’s all indoors.
Shopping Tip: If you want to do some serious shopping at the amazing locally-owned stores, my suggestion would be to go without your toddler. That way, you can actually take your time and look at all the great products instead of chasing your child around and willing them not to break anything.
Best Activities for Kids Under 3
While there is a lot to do, these two activities were the most appropriate for young toddlers:
Arcade Rides: Getting tokens and going on the motorized rides (mini carousel, horse rides, car rides, etc.) is a must. While many of the arcade games were for older kids, Yuyu still enjoyed the flashing lights and pressing the buttons.
Adventure Zone: This is a paid, unsupervised soft-play area where kids can come and go throughout the day. Kids under 3 years old need to be accompanied by an adult. I'll admit I lied and told Yuyu she was too small to go inside because I was too tired to go in. But, it looked fun!
Toddler Tolerance Level:
About 1–1.5 hours is more than enough - then head outside to the courtyard for fresh air and recovery.
Nap Roulette Options?
You could continue to explore Granville Island, but if you’re like me, you’ll want to head home after the Kids market.
Author
I’m Mimi, the writer behind Mi & Yu. This blog was born out of a year spent exploring Vancouver with my toddler Yuyu and newborn son Gabe while my husband Jamie worked through a demanding fellowship.
What started as a way to survive the newborn phase turned into a collection of tried-and-tested family adventures, real reviews, tested logistics, and the occasional toddler meltdown included. Now back home in Newfoundland, I’m sharing those adventures so other parents can skip the decision fatigue and get straight to the fun part.
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