Muck about. Visit High Park and explore Grenadier Pond for returning migratory song birds, especially the red-wing blackbird. The Trackless Train starts again April 1st (weekends only until May), so hitch a ride ($4 per adult, $3 per kid) and search the 161-hectare park for signs of spring. The Nature Centre runs pre-registered programs for children, including the Knee-High Naturalist Tuesday Club for 3- to 5-year-olds (with a parent or caregiver), starting April 1st and 8th, $40 per child for six weeks, one morning session, one afternoon session. For more information, call 416-392-1748 or visit the High Park Community Advisory Council website.Cultivate a film buff. It’s the one time of year when alternatives to big-budget, coming-to-a-Happy-Meal-near-you children’s flicks abound. Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children runs April 12-18. Sprockets offers kids and teens a chance to see the best in international children’s films from 26 countries. Plus, curious cinemaphiles can try free hands-on film craft activities before and after screenings at Famous Players Canada Square. Flicks in the Reel Rascals series offer something for kids as young as three, while movies like Bittersweet (Sweden) tackle issues like substance-abuse and sexuality in a gritty but age-appropriate way for teens. The family program runs April 12 and 13, after which there’s a week of screenings for schools. Tickets for the family program are available at sprockets.ca, the TIFFG box office at the Manulife Centre (55 Bloor Street West, main floor, north entrance, near Bay subway station), or by calling 416-968-FILM, or toll free, 1-877-968-FILM.Take them out to a ball game. The Jays home opener is Friday, April 4th. There are only individual tickets left, but you can still watch the Jays battle the Boston Red Sox Saturday, April 5th and Sunday, April 6th, or check out one of nine other April home games. Don’t forget about Junior Jays Saturdays, when kids can run around the bases after the game. Membership in the Jays Kids Club gets your little slugger a subscription to the Kids Club newsletter and access to special events.Sugar off. It’s not too late too for that quintessentially Canadian outing, the sugarbush visit. Check out the Sugarbush Maple Syrup 40th Anniversary at the Kortright Centre and Bruce’s Mill, which runs until April 6. See a demo, ride a wagon, hook the whole family up with some pancakes and syrup.Salon over. The Bunch Family Salon, described as the Nuit Blanche for families, is the place to be April 12th if you’ve craving a break from Hanna Montana or the Wonder Pets. Brought to you by the peeps behind the popular Bunch Family Dance Party series, this cool event is a collaboration with the Art Gallery of Ontario, Canadian Opera Company, Design Exchange and others. Participants big and little can build a city out of recycled materials, get a sneak peek at the National Film Board’s new animated shorts, try a combined yoga and art class, and so much more. Kids can tell knock-knock jokes at the open-mic for kid stand-ups, while mom and dad listen to %26quot;undercover%26quot; singers and string quartets. The Arts %26amp; Letters Club, 14 Elm Street. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for kids, free for babies and tots under 2. Snacks and swag bag included. Celebrate Earth Day. The official day is April 22, but on Sunday, the 20th, check out the free events Earth Day at Downsview Park. The kids’ area has arts and crafts, buskers and facepainting. There’s green-themed entertainment for all on the main stage. Drop off those cans of paint that have been congealing in your garage while you’re there, or do the same at Community Environment Days in neighbourhoods throughout the month.Go buggy. Whether you’re an armchair entomologist or just the average bug-loving kid, the Ontario Insect Fair is the place to be Sunday, April 6th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Toronto Botanical Gardens, 777 Lawrence Avenue East. And it’s free. A warning to squeamish parents: because this is a fair for serious bug-collecting geeks, the dead bugs are for sale. Might want to think about dispensing junior’s allowance after the event. Or forget your wallet.Say hello to Dolly. The horse that is. The Riverdale Farm clydesdale turns 24 April 23rd. Visit Dolly and her animal friends daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or plant trees and shrubs on the farm’s Earth Week event Saturday, April 19th. If regular dollies are more your style, check out the the Toronto Toy, Train %26amp; Doll Collector’s Show Sunday, April 27th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to see antique and collectible toys from the early 1900s until today. Try out some Tchaikovsky. Swan Lake on Ice, by the Imperial Ice Stars (the creme de la Kremlin of Russia’s skating community) comes to the Sony Centre starting April 30th, running until May 11th. Tickets are $35-95, plus service charges.Fly a kite. April is a great time to catch a breeze, perfect for novice pilots – not to mention parents who’ve done minimal sprint training over the winter. Bon voyage!
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