University Settlement’s free We Care holiday crafts afternoon returns Dec. 3
Looking for a free way to keep the kids busy and get some holiday gifts sorted at the same time? University Settlement is hosting its annual We Care holiday arts and crafts afternoon on Thursday, December 3.
The event is open to children aged 3 to 12. Volunteers from Toronto design firms lead the craft stations, and kids head home with a bag of gifts they made themselves.
Best of all, it costs nothing. Sponsor MillerKnoll covers the afternoon, so families do not pay a thing to get gluing.
We Care 2026 quick details
- Date: Thursday, December 3, 2026
- Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
- Location: University Settlement gym, 23 Grange Road, Toronto
- Ages: Children aged 3 to 12
- Admission: Free
What happens at the We Care event
The afternoon follows a simple schedule built around little attention spans.
- 4 p.m.: Snack time, with a treat for every child, plus small crafts for younger kids
- 4:30 to 6 p.m.: Craft time at stations designed by local design firms
- 6 p.m.: The gym closes, and kids leave with their bag of homemade gifts
The crafts are meant to go somewhere after the event. Kids can hang them on the tree, play with them or wrap them up as gifts for family members.
Toronto design firms run the craft stations
MillerKnoll, the furniture and design company, brings together design firms from across Toronto to plan and staff the craft tables. That means the projects come from people who design spaces and products for a living.
For kids, it is a hands-on afternoon with volunteers who know their way around a craft table. For parents, it is two hours of holiday fun that does not involve a screen or a shopping bill.
A holiday tradition for downtown families
We Care has become a regular part of the season at University Settlement. About 200 children and their caregivers came out last year. Since the event began, nearly 3,000 parents and children have taken part in the annual We Care holiday parties hosted at the centre.
Getting to University Settlement
University Settlement sits at 23 Grange Road, right by Grange Park and a short walk from the Art Gallery of Ontario. The 505 Dundas streetcar stops nearby, and St. Patrick station on Line 1 is about a 10-minute walk away. Since the event wraps up at 6 p.m. on a weeknight, transit is likely easier than hunting for parking downtown.
About University Settlement
University Settlement is a Toronto charity founded in 1910. It runs daycare and children’s programs, settlement and social services, English classes for newcomers, seniors’ programs and recreation activities.
It is also home to the Music & Arts School at University Settlement, which the charity describes as the oldest community music school in Toronto. Many of its programs are free, and families who qualify can get subsidies of 30 to 70 per cent on children’s program fees.
Plan your visit
We Care 2026 runs on Thursday, December 3, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the University Settlement gym at 23 Grange Road. Admission is free for kids aged 3 to 12 and their caregivers. Arriving at 4 p.m. means you catch snack time before the main crafts begin. For more details, visit University Settlement
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