How far is a kids' race?

Usually 1K, sometimes 2K, occasionally a few hundred metres for the youngest ones. Almost all of them are run on the same morning as a 5K or 10K, so a parent can race and a child can race and nobody has to sit in the car.

How young is too young?

Most events set their own minimum and plenty have a wave for under-fives that is really a walk with a finish line. The race page links to the organizer, who is the only one who can tell you the actual cut-off.

Usually not, and that is the point. Most kids' races hand out a medal to everyone who crosses the line and do not publish results at all.

Why are some races missing?

This list only includes races that explicitly say they have a kids' or family event. A race with a short distance is not necessarily a kids' race — a road mile and a beer mile are both under 2km — so we would rather leave one out than send a family to the wrong start line. If yours is missing, send it in and it goes up the same day.

Kids' races

171 races across 10 provinces with a kids' or family event — 1K and 2K fun runs, youth waves, and family categories. Nearly all of them run alongside a 5K or 10K on the same morning, which is the easiest way to make a race day work for everybody.

Next one up: Kensington Harvest Festival Race Day in Kensington, August 22, 2026.

Ontario · 74 British Columbia · 30 Alberta · 30 Quebec · 12 Saskatchewan · 9 Manitoba · 8 Nova Scotia · 3 New Brunswick · 2 Prince Edward Island · 2 Newfoundland and Labrador · 1

Confirmed dates only

171 races listed

Kids' races — what parents ask

How far is a kids' race?: Usually 1K, sometimes 2K, occasionally a few hundred metres for the youngest ones. Almost all of them are run on the same morning as a 5K or 10K, so a parent can race and a child can race and nobody has to sit in the car.
How young is too young?: Most events set their own minimum and plenty have a wave for under-fives that is really a walk with a finish line. The race page links to the organizer, who is the only one who can tell you the actual cut-off.
Are they timed?: Usually not, and that is the point. Most kids' races hand out a medal to everyone who crosses the line and do not publish results at all.
Why are some races missing?: This list only includes races that explicitly say they have a kids' or family event. A race with a short distance is not necessarily a kids' race — a road mile and a beer mile are both under 2km — so we would rather leave one out than send a family to the wrong start line. If yours is missing, send it in and it goes up the same day.

Looking for something for yourself instead? 5K races are the usual companion event, and what you actually need for a first 5K is short and mostly tells you what not to buy. Organizers can add a missing race any time — it is free.