Terms of Use
Effective date: September 4, 2026
A quick summary
The Maple Explorers is a free, independently operated educational hobby website. It offers Canadian stories, learning activities, puzzles, collectable progress features, and family travel inspiration.
Accounts must be created and managed by a parent, guardian, or other adult. Children should use the website with adult supervision. The website provides general educational and travel information, not professional advice or a guarantee that any destination, activity, or feature will always be available, accurate, or safe.
This summary helps explain the Terms but does not replace the sections below.
1. About The Maple Explorers
The Maple Explorers website is an independently operated educational hobby project based in Ontario, Canada. Its intended public domain is www.mapleexplorers.ca. Before public launch, selected testers may access it through owner-provided test or preview links. It is not currently operated through a corporation or other registered business entity.
In these Terms, "The Maple Explorers," "we," "us," and "our" refer to the individual operator of the website. "You" means any adult who visits the website, creates or manages an account, or permits a child to use the website.
2. Agreement to these Terms
By using the website, you agree to these Terms of Use and acknowledge the Privacy Policy. If you create a family account, you confirm that you are a parent, guardian, or other adult with authority to create and manage that account.
If you do not agree with these Terms, do not create an account or use account-only features. You may stop using the website at any time.
3. Children and adult-managed accounts
The children's content is designed primarily for ages 5–9, but account creation is for adults only.
When creating or managing an account, you agree that:
- you are at least 18 years old or have reached the age of majority where you live;
- you will use an adult email address;
- you will not enter a child's full name, email address, home address, school, precise location, photograph, or other identifying information;
- any child using the account will do so with your permission and supervision; and
- you are responsible for activities carried out through your account.
Children do not need their own email address. Explorer profiles should use an avatar and a nickname or family-approved first name only. The website does not provide public profiles, user-to-user messaging, or child-directed advertising.
4. Accounts and account security
You agree to provide accurate adult account information and to keep your sign-in credentials secure. Please notify us through the form if you believe an account has been accessed without permission.
You may use email and password sign-in or an available third-party sign-in option, such as Google. Your use of a third-party sign-in provider is also subject to that provider's terms and privacy practices.
We may restrict, suspend, or close an account if reasonably necessary to protect users, investigate misuse, comply with law, or maintain the security and operation of the website. Where practical, we will provide notice and an opportunity to contact us.
5. Permitted use
We grant you a limited, personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, and revocable permission to use the website and its content for lawful, non-commercial family and educational purposes.
You may not:
- copy, republish, sell, license, or commercially exploit website content without written permission;
- remove copyright, trade-mark, attribution, or other ownership notices;
- attempt to gain unauthorized access to accounts, databases, source code, or restricted systems;
- interfere with the website's security, availability, or normal operation;
- introduce malware, automated scraping, or other harmful technology;
- impersonate another person or misrepresent your authority to manage an account; or
- use the website in a way that violates applicable law or the rights of another person.
Reasonable use by parents and educators in a home or classroom is welcome, provided the content is not republished, sold, or presented as someone else's work.
6. Ownership and intellectual property
Unless otherwise identified, the website's stories, characters, illustrations, designs, activities, puzzles, text, logos, downloads, and software are owned by or licensed to the operator of The Maple Explorers and are protected by applicable intellectual-property laws.
Third-party names, maps, photographs, research materials, government information, and linked resources remain the property of their respective owners. Their appearance on the website does not imply sponsorship, partnership, or endorsement.
7. Educational and travel information
The content is provided for general education, curiosity, and family travel inspiration. It is not professional educational, medical, legal, wilderness, emergency, accessibility, or travel-safety advice.
Conditions can change quickly. Before visiting a place or attempting an activity, an adult should confirm current information directly with the relevant park, government agency, Indigenous community or organization where appropriate, attraction, transportation provider, or other official source. This includes operating hours, closures, reservations, permits, fees, weather, fire and wildlife conditions, accessibility, age requirements, equipment, and safety rules.
Parents and guardians remain responsible for deciding whether content, activities, destinations, and travel plans are suitable for their family and for supervising children online and offline.
8. Accuracy and availability
We try to keep the website useful and accurate, but we do not promise that every fact, link, activity, file, destination detail, or feature will always be complete, current, error-free, or available. Content may be corrected, updated, removed, or reorganized without notice.
We may pause or discontinue part or all of the website. Because this is a free hobby project, uninterrupted operation, long-term availability, and permanent storage of account progress cannot be guaranteed. Families should not rely on the website as the only copy of information they need.
9. Third-party services and links
The website may use or link to third-party services, including authentication, hosting, maps, videos, documents, parks, tourism resources, or other websites. We do not control third-party content, availability, security, accessibility, or privacy practices.
A link is provided for convenience and information. It is not an endorsement or a guarantee. Review the third party's own terms and privacy policy before using its service or providing information.
10. Contact messages and feedback
The form is for adults. Do not include a child's personal information or sensitive information in a message.
If you voluntarily send suggestions or general feedback, you give us permission to consider and use the ideas to improve the website without payment or obligation to you. This does not transfer ownership of your personal information, which is handled under the Privacy Policy.
11. Disclaimers
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the website and its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without representations, warranties, or conditions of any kind, whether express, implied, statutory, or collateral. We do not guarantee that the website will be uninterrupted, secure, compatible with every device, free from harmful components, or suitable for a particular purpose.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits a warranty, consumer right, remedy, or other protection that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.
12. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, the operator of The Maple Explorers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive, or consequential loss arising from or connected with the website, including loss of data, loss of opportunity, travel expenses, property loss, or reliance on educational or destination information.
You remain responsible for account security, supervision of children, device and internet use, travel decisions, and participation in activities. Any liability that cannot lawfully be excluded is limited only to the extent permitted by applicable law.
This section does not limit liability for fraud, wilful misconduct, gross negligence, or any other liability that cannot legally be limited.
13. Privacy
Our Privacy Policy explains what information is collected, why it is used, how it is protected, when service providers may handle it, and how an adult can request access, correction, or deletion.
14. Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms when the website, its features, or applicable requirements change. The revised version will be posted on this page with a new effective date.
If a change materially affects adult-managed accounts or how a family may use the service, we will provide reasonable notice through the website or account interface before the change takes effect where practical. Continued use after the effective date means you accept the updated Terms. If you do not agree, you may stop using the website and request account deletion.
15. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada that apply in Ontario, without regard to conflict-of-law rules.
Subject to any mandatory rights you have under applicable consumer or other law, disputes relating to these Terms or the website will be addressed by the courts located in Ontario, Canada.
16. General terms
If part of these Terms is found invalid or unenforceable, the remaining sections will continue to apply. A delay in enforcing a provision is not a waiver of that provision. These Terms and the Privacy Policy form the agreement governing use of the website.
17. Contact us
Questions about these Terms can be sent by an adult through the form in the website footer. Select Privacy or account data request for questions about account information or privacy.