This is the kind of week where you open the door and the air just… hits right. Warm but not sticky, breezy but not windy. If you're a cat, you park yourself in a sunny spot and call it a day. If you're a parent, you have approximately 4 minutes to enjoy it before someone needs a snack. 🙃

This week's scoop, we’ll cover a petting farm, a cherry blossoms map with calm tips, sensory morning at the Aquarium, and a sensory fair.

Note: This is your YORK Edition. Reply HALTON to switch to York & Vaughan Edition. Or BOTH to get both editions.

PS: See full events on our event page.

Newly found or rare events

📍 Lionel's Farm, Stouffville
🕐 Fri + Weekends through May 10 · 💰 $7/person

Sheep, alpacas, deer, and bunnies, pre-book a 1-hour time slot. Wide open outdoor setting. → Book your slot

📍 Ripley's Aquarium, Toronto
🕐 Sun May 3 · 9 AM – 12 PM · 💰 Included with admission

Increased lighting, completely music-free, and a quiet room for breaks. → Get tickets

📍 McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
🕐 Sun May 3 · 1:30–3:30 PM · 💰 $20/child

Autistic children and siblings explore art and nature through hands-on creative experiences, colour, printmaking, sculpture. Each family gets a Family Pass to the gallery. → Register

Peak bloom is here. Catch it this week before petals drop.

🥇 Toogood Pond Park — Markham / Unionville (free, anytime) About 40 sakura trees planted along the pond trails and hillside. The park is massive so families spread out naturally — no shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Calm tip: Weekend afternoons get busy → Details

🌿 Rougeside Promenade / Dragonfly Park — Markham (free, anytime) A true hidden gem. About 40 cherry trees across two connected green spaces tucked behind Highway 7. Entirely possible to picnic under the trees and barely see another person. Calm tip: residential area, no washrooms, street parking only. → View on map

🌳 Sussex Park — Richmond Hill (free, anytime) A quiet neighbourhood park with a dozen cherry trees. No "tourist attraction" energy, just an enclosed green space where kids can wander safely. → View on map

🎓 York University Keele Campus — North York / Vaughan border (free, visitor parking fees) 100+ sakura trees — largest stand near Calumet Residence on Arboretum Lane. → York U cherry info

🏡 Edwards Gardens — North York (free, anytime) Calm garden walk with cherry trees near the water fountain. Paved paths, parking off Leslie St. Not a huge display but a lovely spring outing. → View on map

Exclusive offers just for our community. See full list on our perks page

An award-winning camp with dedicated support. → View details

📍 Brooks Farms, Mount Albert
🕐 Sat–Sun May 2–3 · 9 AM – 4:30 PM · 💰 Ticketed

Baby animals, sand play, train rides, and wide open outdoor space. → Plan your visit

📍 Riverwalk Commons, Newmarket
🕐 Sat May 2 · 8 AM – 1 PM · 💰 Free

Season opener. Outdoor, self-paced, easy to leave when you're done. → Details

📍 Aurora Town Park, Aurora
🕐 Sat May 2 · 8 AM – 1 PM · 💰 Free

Season kick-off with food, local goods, and open park space nearby. Go early for lower crowds. → Details

📍 McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg
🕐 Daily through May 4 · 💰 Admission

Self-guided sculpture walk through the forested grounds. Self-paced, quiet, immersive. → Details

📍 Stouffville EarlyON Centre, Stouffville
🕐 Fri May 1, 8, 15, 22 · 10 AM – 12 PM · 💰 Free · Age 1 - 6

Play-based early learning adapted to each child's interests and abilities. Autism Ontario program in a supportive environment. → Register

📍 Veterans' Park, Vaughan / Woodbridge
🕐 Mon May 5 · 9:30–11 AM · 💰 Free

Outdoor hands-on sensory play, mud, flowers, scents, bubbles. Ages 0–6. Self-paced messy play in the fresh air. → Details

📍 Kortright Centre, Woodbridge
🕐 Thu May 7 · 3:30–5:30 PM · 💰 Free

Thinking about forest school? Meet the staff, explore the outdoor classrooms, toast marshmallows over the fire. Preschool to Grade 6. September registration is open. → RSVP

📍 Kortright Centre, Woodbridge
🕐 Sat May 9 · 1:30 PM · 💰 $89.25 per family

Hands-on outdoor navigation activity. Families explore trails with maps and compasses. Self-paced, nature-based. → Details

📍 Kortright Centre, Woodbridge
🕐 Sun May 10 · 10 AM – 2 PM · 💰 $8.40–$16

Trail walks, clay creatures, wildflower seed balls to take home, and a natural playspace. Pack a picnic. A calm, creative Mother's Day outdoors. → Register

📍 Little Canada, Toronto · 🕐 Sat–Sun May 9–10
💰 ~$36 adult, ~$22 child

Explore Canada in miniature together, 45,000 sq ft, self-paced, special Mother's Day promo. → Book tickets

🐾 Sensory Social at Vaughan libraries · Drop-in sensory-friendly environment

Wishing you a pink weekend with petals in the air.

Quick one - if my emails have been landing in your Promotions tab, hit reply to this email with “hi”, which tells Gmail that you want these in your inbox. 💛

Check out our event page to see more events. And we also put together a summer camp guide to line up early for the inclusive camps and funding (new therapy-led camps coming soon).

See you next week,

Stella

Sensory Scoop · sensoryscoop.ca