School Break is a perfect opportunity to kick back and spend some quality time as a family. Here are a few suggestions for activities to enjoy with the youngsters, depending on the temperature.

WHEN MOTHER NATURE COOPERATES

The Alaskan Aventure team will help make unforgettable memories during a dogsled excursion. After a short training course, visitors are invited to take part in harnessing up the teams. Then…they’re off! The frenzy of departure is replaced by a sense of wonder and the calm of the surrounding landscape. Children, accompanied by the guides, will have a chance to drive their team, and they’ll love it! When the ride is over, everyone is invited to reward and hug the wonderful huskies. A different venue, the Ranch du cheval d’or (golden horse ranch), provides an interesting, original variation on the theme: a sleigh ride pulled by a miniature horse or in a Roman chariot.

Tubing – sliding on big inner tubes – is offered by Tremblant (resort) on sliding evenings and by Aventure neige (in the Centre-ville sector); you can hurtle down the slopes safely ensconced in a huge inner tube. Ice skating is available, as well, near the Saint-Bernard Chapel (Tremblant) or on the ice oval on Lac Mercier (Village sector) where you’ll also find the very popular ice slide.

Head in the clouds? Try one of the aerial adventure courses at Parcours Aventure Tremblant (Tremblant) or on the mega-ziplines of Tyroparc (Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts).

Undecided, or wanting to try it all? The Kanatha-Aki Nature Center (at Val-des-Lacs) will delight you with its range of activities: dogsledding, forest survival, encounter with a trapper, an overnight in a teepee or mountain-top hut, a visit with wood bison, or ice fishing.

WHEN MOTHER NATURE MISBEHAVES

One sure-fire outing is to the Jungle Magique (Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré), where children of all ages can blow off steam in enormous indoor play modules. And it would be a shame not to mention the splendid Complexe aquatique Mont-Tremblant (Centre-ville sector) which has a recreational pool for the little ones and a big semi-Olympic pool for the grownups. Alternatively, with its paddling pool, climbing rope and more, Aquaclub la Source (Tremblant) lets all ages work off their surplus energy. Lastly, there are several hockey and free skating periods available to all at the Gilles Cadieux arena (Centre-ville sector).

IMMERSIVE UNIVERSE

As a family or a group, enjoying escape games is definitely hot right now. Mission liberté offers several different scenarios that will test your neurons and your observation skills. Mission laser, on the other hand, will plunge you into the heart of a video game where strategy and skill will lead you to victory (Tremblant).

CULTURE

Why not visit Animalium, the new zoological museum on the Montée Ryan? Here you’ll discover the incredible variety of fauna and flora in the North American and European temperate forests, the Arctic tundra, and the African savannah (see p. 54). At Tremblant, artistic souls can exercise their creativity at the Studio créatif, where you can paint your own pottery, or at Univers toutou, where you can create your own stuffed animal.

SCHOOL BREAK AT TREMBLANT

Every day, from noon to 4 p.m., Tremblant’s mascot Toufou wanders the streets of the pedestrian village, arms wide open and wearing his trademark outfit and a cheery grin. From Monday to Friday, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., it’s time to play boot hockey, volleyball and more in Place Saint-Bernard. Lastly, Saturday night fever provides the chance to dance like crazy in an open-air discotheque, as a family, also in the Place Saint-Bernard. Saturdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fun for all ages. Tremblant.ca