The PumpHouse offers learning opportunities, programs, and special events for visitors of all ages. From exhibitions to site-based and neighbourhood-based walking tours, from baby/toddler programs to school visits, from adults-only evenings to family-focused programs, the PumpHouse has something for everyone!
Dip into Beeswax
Saturday, August 29
Session 1: 10:30–11:30 a.m. Register Here
Session 2: 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Register Here
Capacity: 25 participants
Location: PumpHouse Museum
All ages welcome
Discover the versatility of beeswax during a hands-on morning of creativity at the PumpHouse Museum.
Learn the traditional art of candle making with local beekeeper Brendan Goff, President of the Limestone Beekeepers’ Guild . Beginning with a simple wick, participants will repeatedly dip their candle into warm beeswax, building it layer by layer before taking their finished creation home.
Candle dipping will take place outdoors, rain or shine, with a tent to help keep participants comfortable. Adult assistance is strongly recommended for children under nine participating in the candle dipping activity.
Inside the Education Hive, participants can continue exploring the many uses of beeswax through hands-on activities. Gillian Goff, a local Mulberry Waldorf School teacher, will begin each beeswax modelling session with a short story while demonstrating how to shape modelling beeswax into unique figures. Approximately 15 minutes long, these sessions will be offered three times each hour.
Between modelling sessions, create a folded bee at the origami station or take a closer look at a live observation hive for a fascinating glimpse into the lives of honeybees and the work happening inside their colony.
Be sure to leave time during your visit to explore the BEES! exhibition and discover even more about pollinators, biodiversity and the remarkable world of bees.
Ticket Information
$20 Special Event - Ticket Required for anyone participating in the candle dipping activity and taking home a hand-dipped beeswax candle.
$5 Adult Admission - Available for parents, guardians and other adults accompanying a participant who do not intend to make or take home a candle. Admission includes access to the program space, activities, live observation hive and BEES! exhibition.
To ensure there are enough materials for all participants, everyone entering the program space must purchase the appropriate ticket for their level of participation.
BEES! was developed by the City of Surrey’s Museum of Surrey in collaboration with Honeybee Centre of Surrey and funded by the Government of Canada.
The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive. This hands-on learning space connected to the BEES! exhibition supports further learning through interactive exhibit elements, curriculum-linked school programming, and community programs. The Education Hive will help visitors of all ages explore pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship in meaningful and engaging ways.
Bee Creative! PumpHouse Saturday PlayDays
PumpHouse Playday is back, bee edition!
Join us for four Saturdays of relaxed, family-friendly craft sessions inspired by the PumpHouse bee exhibit. Children and caregivers are invited to create a new bee-themed craft each week, from painted rocks and colourful suncatchers to paper flowers, masks and headbands.
Designed for children ages 0 to 7 and their caregivers, these sessions are self-guided, creative and welcoming. Museum staff will be on hand with examples and instructions, and families are invited to create at their own pace. Each Saturday hosts two sessions.
After crafting, be sure to explore the bee exhibit and discover what makes these tiny pollinators so important.
Dates and Crafts
Saturday, August 8: Folded Paper Flowers
Flowers and bees go hand in hand. Inspired by the colourful blooms that attract pollinators, children will fold and create paper flowers while discovering the important relationship between flowers and bees.
Register for 10 a.m. // Register here for 12 p.m.
Saturday, August 15: Bee Masks and Headbands
Get ready to become a bee for the day! Children can create a wearable bee mask, a fun bee headband with antennae, or both. These playful crafts are perfect for imaginative play and buzzing around the Museum.
Register for 10 a.m. // Register here for 12 p.m.
Admission
$5 per person All materials included.
Space is limited. Please note that all attendees require a ticket, including children and accompanying adults.
Come paint, fold, create and buzz your way through a summer Saturday at the PumpHouse.
The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive. This hands-on learning space connected to the BEES! exhibition supports further learning through interactive exhibit elements, curriculum-linked school programming, and community programs. The Education Hive will help visitors of all ages explore pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship in meaningful and engaging ways.
Early Learning Programs
Water Warriors
July 15 - August 19, 2026
At the PumpHouse, for Ages 4-7
Register for each session below
💧 Water Warriors is back at the PumpHouse Museum for a five-week summer adventure where fun meets water learning! Designed for children ages 4–7 (with younger siblings welcome alongside a caregiver), this weekly program invites kids to explore how water moves, how we keep it clean, how scientists study it, and how we can protect it. Each session includes a mix of hands-on activities, movement, story time, and simple experiments, using the PumpHouse’s real history and Lake Ontario right outside our doors to bring learning to life. Portions of the program take place outdoors, rain or shine, so please dress for the weather.
Lesson 1: Water on the Move (July 15, 2026)
Follow water’s journey from Lake Ontario to our taps and learn how pipes and pumps helped Kingston get running water.
Register Here
Lesson 2: Clean Water Keepers (July 22, 2026)
Explore why clean water matters, hear surprising PumpHouse history, and build a simple water filter to clean “lake water.”
Register Here
Lesson 3: Water Scientists at the Lake (July 29, 2026)
Join us for a special collaborative edition of Water Warriors in partnership with the Sovereignty Garden, Kahwá:tsire Indigenous-Led Child & Family Programs, All Our Relations Land Trust, and Two Sisters SUP. Explore Lake Ontario through hands-on water testing while learning about water stewardship from both scientific and Indigenous perspectives.
Register Here
Lesson 4: Water Is Life (August 12, 2026)
Discover how water supports plants, animals, and people through games, movement, and creative activities.
Register Here
Lesson 5: Protecting Our Water (August 19, 2026)
Wrap up by learning simple ways to protect water every day, then celebrate everything our Water Warriors learned.
Register Here
Program Details:
When: Wednesdays, 10:30–11:15 am | July 15 – August 19, 2026
Where: PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario Street
Ages: Designed for children 4–7 (younger siblings welcome with a caregiver)
Pre-registration: Recommended (limited spots)
What to Expect:
- Weekly themed sessions: A new water-focused topic each week, from how water moves through the city to lake science and everyday water protection.
- Hands-on learning: Simple experiments and activities (like building a basic water filter and testing lake water) designed for ages 4–7.
- Movement + story time: Active games and guided storytelling to keep learning playful and engaging.
- Outdoor exploration: Some portions take place outdoors (often near Lake Ontario), rain or shine, so dress for the weather.
- Caregivers stay on-site: Children must be accompanied by a caregiver who remains on-site for the full session. Younger siblings are welcome to attend alongside a caregiver.
- Supportive, flexible environment: Kids can take breaks as needed, then jump back in when ready.
- Optional museum time after: Stay and explore the museum together after the program.
Trains & Tots
June 2 - Aug 8, 2026
For ages 0-4 at the Pumphouse
Register for each session below
🚂 Trains & Tots is back at the PumpHouse Museum, and your little conductor is invited aboard! Designed for tots ages 0–4, this weekly early learning program turns the museum into a playful “discovery train” filled with songs, stories, crafts, movement games, and hands-on stations. Each week features a different theme (letters, numbers, shapes, emotions, fine motor fun, and more), built to support early development in a way that feels like pure fun. Caregivers stay on-site for the full session, and you’re welcome to keep exploring the museum after the program.
Trains & Tots: All Aboard (June 2)
Kick off the season with a train song, a train-themed read-aloud, model train exploration, and a paper conductor hat craft.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Sounds of the Railway (June 9)
Explore train sounds through story time, a listening/guessing game, and a hands-on train whistle craft.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Trainbow (June 16)
Celebrate colour and inclusivity with a read-aloud, matching colourful objects to train cars, and making friendship bracelets.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Locomotive Letters (June 23)
Learn letters with a song, alphabet story time, a playful obstacle course, and a “letter smokestack” craft to take home.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Shapes on the Tracks (July 7)
A shape-filled train ride with an interactive read-aloud, building train cars with magnet tiles, and Train Shape Twister.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Counting Train Cars (July 14)
Practice early numeracy with a themed read-aloud, train car art activity, and a movement-based train tracks game.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Emotions Express (July 21)
Explore feelings with a themed read-aloud, sticker faces activity, and guided meditation for little learners.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Choo-Choo Fine Motor Fun (July 28)
Build fine motor skills through story time, song, and stations like lacing, tracing, and playdough decoration.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Contrasting Caboose (Aug 11)
Learn “same and different” through songs, matching giant train cards, and a game of Train Conductor Says.
Register here
Trains & Tots: Animals on Board (Aug 18)
Animal-themed story time, helping mini animals board the train, and decorating animal masks to take home.
Register here
Program Details:
When: Tuesdays, 10:30–11:10 am | June 2 – August 18
Where: PumpHouse Museum, 23 Ontario Street
Ages: Designed for tots 0–4
Pre-registration: Recommended (limited spots)
What to Expect:
- 40-minute structured session: A mix of singing, story time, movement, and a themed craft or activity.
- New theme each week: Early learning topics like shapes, counting, letters, emotions, colours, and fine motor skills.
- Hands-on, developmentally appropriate activities: Stations and games designed for tiny hands and growing brains.
- Caregiver-required: Children must be accompanied by a caregiver who remains on-site for the full session.
- Flexible environment: Need a wiggle break? No problem. Step out, reset, and hop back in when ready.
- Optional museum time after: Stay and explore the museum together after the program.
PumpHouse Theme Days
Monthly Dress Up Days at the Museum
Dress up. Explore. Play. Repeat.
PumpHouse Theme Days are a new monthly tradition at the PumpHouse Museum, inviting families to add a little extra imagination to their museum visit.
Once a month, kids are encouraged to dress up according to a fun, easy theme, then head inside to explore the PumpHouse. Whether they’re padding around in pajamas, showing off their dino swag, or rocking the most gloriously mismatched outfit possible, Theme Days are all about playful self-expression and hands-on discovery.
There’s nothing formal to follow and no schedule to keep. Just come as you are (or as your theme-inspired alter ego), explore the museum at your own pace, and enjoy a visit that feels a little more special than usual.
A little extra fun
As a bonus, children who arrive dressed to match the monthly theme will receive one entry into a quarterly prize draw. Each Theme Day visit during the same quarter earns an additional entry, making repeat visits even more rewarding.
Prize bundles will vary and be inspired by current or upcoming exhibitions. Prizes may include PumpHouse swag items and free admission passes.
Upcoming Theme Days
- Thursday, August 20 – Backwards Day
- Saturday, September 12 – Dress Like a Teacher Day
- Friday, October 30 – Costume Day
- Tuesday, November 17 – Mismatched Day
- Wednesday, December 2 – Ugly Sweater Day .
Why families love Theme Days
- A simple excuse to dress up and have fun
- A relaxed way to explore the museum together
Attendance is included with regular museum admission. Pre-register or simply drop in with your themed outfit and a sense of curiosity.
School Programs
You can book any of our school and group programs through our online form
We are currently offering the following programs at the PumpHouse Museum:
Check out our City Hall program:
Check out our MacLachlan Woodworking Museum Programs:
The PumpHouse is grateful to TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their support of the Education Hive. This hands-on learning space connected to the BEES! exhibition supports further learning through interactive exhibit elements, curriculum-linked school programming, and community programs. The Education Hive will help visitors of all ages explore pollinators, biodiversity, and environmental stewardship in meaningful and engaging ways.
