Kids Market on Granville Island
Price
Free
Duration
1-2 hours
Best Ages
1-10 years
About
The Kids Market on Granville Island has been a Vancouver family institution since 1984, and it's one of those places that looks a bit dated from the outside but delivers genuine kid joy inside.
Housed in a converted century-old paint factory, the two-level market is filled with over 25 kid-focused shops, play areas, and activities. This isn't a sterile chain-store experience — these are independent, often family-run shops selling wooden toys, science kits, puppets, costumes, art supplies, and locally made children's items that you won't find at big retailers.
The main attraction for younger kids is the Adventure Zone — a four-level indoor jungle gym with a giant corkscrew slide, ball pit, softplay building blocks, and climbing structures. It's clean, well-maintained, and big enough that kids can play for a solid hour without getting bored. Socks are required for entry.
Upstairs, the Granville Island Arcade has classic games — Skee-Ball, basketball, Whack-A-Frog — where kids earn tickets and redeem them for prizes. It's old-school fun that even screen-addicted tweens enjoy. There's also a children-only hair salon where first-timers can sit in novelty chairs shaped like fire trucks and airplanes, which takes the anxiety out of haircuts for nervous little ones.
The Kids Market hosts free monthly drop-in events with themed crafts and activities — these are worth timing your visit around. Birthday parties can also be booked here, which is useful to know for locals.
Entry to the building is free; you only pay for what you buy or play. On a rainy Vancouver day (and there are many), this is one of the best places to be with kids under 10. Pair it with the nearby Public Market for food, the free outdoor playground across the way, and you've got a full day on Granville Island without needing to go anywhere else.
The building is stroller-friendly with elevator access between floors, washrooms with changing tables on both levels, and a small cafe for quick snacks.
Age Suitability
Parent Logistics
Stroller-Friendly
Yes
Nursing / Changing
Available
Kid Meals
Available
Setting
Indoor
Rainy Day
Great option!
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to Visit
Weekday mornings are quietest. The play area gets busy after 11am on weekends. Drop-in events happen monthly — check the website.
Wait Times
No wait for entry; play area may have capacity limits on busy weekends
Nearby Food
The Granville Island Public Market is a 5-minute walk with dozens of food vendors. Go Fish nearby serves great fish and chips. There's a small cafe inside the Kids Market for quick bites.
Why Kids Love It
The Kids Market is basically a mini shopping mall designed entirely for children, and it's been around since 1984. Housed in a converted century-old paint factory, it's got two levels packed with toy shops, a candy store, costume shops, and activity spaces. The Adventure Zone is the main draw for little kids — a four-level indoor jungle gym with a giant corkscrew slide, a ball pit, softplay blocks for building, and enough climbing structures to exhaust even the most energetic toddler.
The arcade on the upper level has classic games like Skee-Ball and basketball — the kind with tickets and prize redemption that kids go nuts for. There's even a children-only hair salon where nervous first-timers can sit in a fire truck chair while getting their trim. The toy shops stock things you won't find at big-box stores — wooden toys, science kits, puppets, and locally made crafts.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Combine with a visit to the Public Market and outdoor playground for a full Granville Island day
- The Adventure Zone play area is cash or card — bring both
- Set a toy shop budget with your kids before walking in — every shop is tempting
- Monthly free drop-in events include crafts and activities — check kidsmarket.ca for the schedule
- The building has washrooms and baby changing facilities on both levels
What to Bring
- Socks for the indoor play area (required for the Adventure Zone)
- Cash for some of the smaller toy vendors
- A reusable bag for purchases
- Snacks (food options inside are limited)
- A willingness to say 'we're not buying that' repeatedly
Cost Info
Free Admission
Estimated Cost (Family of 4)
Free entry; play areas and activities cost $5-15 CAD per child (~$4-11 USD)
Tips to Save
- Entry to the Kids Market building is free — you only pay if you shop or use the play areas.
- The monthly free drop-in events are a great way to visit without spending much.
- Combine with the free outdoor playground nearby.