(Please scroll down for Wait List details)

Our membership is for families with children aged 8-15 interested in scientific appreciation of minerals and collecting.

The whole family is included in our single family annual membership fee of $40. A family must include at least one adult who is related to the YTMC child participant as a parent, guardian. foster parent, or grandparent. It can include up to 2 adults from this list. The family may include any number or siblings and foster children. Other family structures may be considered at the discretion of the YTMC council.

We usually meet on the last Saturday of the month from September-June, excluding December. The meetings are normally held in the Challenge Zone at the Ontario Science Centre. Members receive free entry to the OSC and a parking discount after noon on the day of our meetings.

Our field trips include trips to quarries, the ROM, University of Toronto, and other collecting sites within a day's trip of Toronto.

Active child members are encouraged to be attentive and respectful at our talks. Some activities require parents/guardians to understand and accept by signing a liability waiver (sometimes several) before entering quarries or collecting sites. Safety equipment must be worn and we will always give a safety talk before entering a collecting site. NO EXCEPTIONS REGARDING SAFETY EQUIPMENT WILL BE PERMITTED. Failure to follow our safety standards will result in the field trip leader requiring you and your family to leave the site.

We provide a light snack at our meetings (please make us aware of any food allergies), We include these regular activities:

  • What's-It contest - children ID minerals and the the child with the most correct answers gets first choice of the minerals in the contest; second most correct gets second choice; etc. The contest is divided into Junior (under 10) and Senior (10 and over).
  • Short talks from guest speakers and Councillors including a visual presentation.
  • Hands-on minerals and mineral displays.
  • Workshops on mineral ID and micro-minerals.
  • Monthly Zonework (quizzes and puzzles) draw for prizes like specimens, books, etc.
  • Show-and-tell including option to be the Mineralogist of the Month to display a portion of the member's collection to the public at the Ontario Science Centre (for about an hour immediately after our meeting). OSC hosts will assist.

Other Contests

  • Junior and Senior annual points winners - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners based on points earned for participation through the year.
  • Joe Mandariono Memorial Prize from the Walker Mineralogical Club to the member that excelled at participating and promoting the hobby.
  • Monthly Zonework Draw - hand in the Zonework for the draw.

Wait List Opened

Please read through below before contacting us by telephone or email.

Our wait list is now open as of 01-Jan-2018.

The YTMC council meets in late August and reviews the planned returnee list to determine how many offers we can extend for the new year (September). Offers will be emailed shortly after Labour Day and you will have a week to confirm that your family wants a membership. We limit the active number of child members to 45 due to space and resource limits. Our memberships are per-family. We also review attendance in January, which may permit a few additional mid-season offers to join.

When asking to join the waiting list, please provide your name, a telephone number, the number and ages of your children, and alternate email addresses if using a business supplied address. Send the request to: WaitList@YTMC.org Please update us if you change email addresses.

We ALWAYS reply to all requests to join the Wait List. If you do not get a reply within a week, something went wrong with email so try again.

We are a volunteer organization so please keep that in mind when contacting us.

Here are some FAQs and answers:

  • Our year runs from September-June.
  • Memberships are for the whole family (one fee) with children 8-15 invited to participate.
  • Meetings are held at the Ontario Science Centre, usually on the last Saturday of the month (September-June, excluding December).
  • We encourage parents/guardians to remain at the meeting.
  • Members get free entrance to the Ontario Science Centre after noon on the day of the meeting and reduced parking charges.
  • We provide a small snack halfway through the meeting. Let us know if any of your family has food allergies.
  • Our meetings include short (15-30 minute) presentations, hands-on demonstrations, take-home puzzles and quizzes, and mineral ID contests.
  • Members are expected to be respectful and attentive at meetings.
  • Attending field collecting trips requires all adult members to understand, accept, and sign a liability waiver for themselves and their dependants. Site owners may require additional waivers.