What you need to know

Every Open Ice camp is free. There is nothing to pay, ever, and nothing to buy.

Our camps are for children aged five to ten.

Your child is given a full set of equipment to keep, fitted in person before they skate.

The next camp is Christmas Camp 2026, planned at four arenas across Toronto.

Your child does not need to know how to skate. Every child who joins Open Ice is new to hockey, and we teach skating from the very first step.

Bring your child, water and warm socks. We provide everything else, including lunch.

To apply, fill in the form on the Apply page, or send us an email. We reply to every family.

If English is difficult for you, write to us in your own language. We will find someone to translate.

Email openiceinitiative@gmail.com.

The Open Ice Blog

Longer reads from Open Ice Initiative: how our camps run, what families need to know, the hockey skills children learn, and how giving turns into time on the ice.

Blog posts

Back to every blog post

Coming soon

New stories are on the way

The first posts are on their way. Until they arrive, every story so far is in the newsroom.

Read the newsroom Media room

The newsroomNews coverage of Open Ice, announcements and updates from each camp, and the press kit.

A game in progress at Leaside Arena, campers in green and red jerseys pressing the net with the arena stand and the Leaside Sports Hall of Fame wall behind them

Announcements

Stronger Together Hockey and Open Ice Initiative explore partnership to build school-to-rink pathways for youth

Aug 1, 2026

Newsroom Press kit

The Open Ice Blog

Blog posts

New stories are on the way

Open Ice is opening two more rinks for the Christmas camp

Who Gets to Play: the first season is recorded

Four days in August: what the summer camp actually looked like

Stronger Together Hockey and Open Ice Initiative explore partnership to build school-to-rink pathways for youth