For a big city, Chicago is surprisingly friendly and easy to explore. In a relatively short time you can go from skyscrapers to cozy neighborhood eatery, with some stops thrown in for sweets and a kid-friendly concert. In addition to the bustling downtown area, be sure to check out some of the urban neighborhoods, each with their distinct style.
10 Things to Do with Kids in Chicago, IL
1. Discover architecture at The Shedd – We highly recommend a visit to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, and not just to see the fish! The building itself is fantastic, but you may not notice the architectural details if you’re completely focused on trying to scope out the Australian Lungfish. Look up and around with your kids- you’ll notice lots of aquatic motifs all throughout the building.
2. Explore the Bean – The ‘Bean’ is really Cloud Gate, the large, shiny bean-shaped sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park. The secret is to come early on a weekend morning when it’s hot outside, and before the crowds come. Take funny distorted family pictures of your reflections in Cloud Gate, then head over and splash around in the Crown Fountain.
3. Eat dim sum in Chinatown – Search the Yelp reviews, or discover your own restaurant- there are many to choose from that serve dim sum, and it’s fun for kids to choose from all the tasty bite-sized offerings.
4. Be completely entertained by a Redmoon Theatre show - It’s impossible to explain the wonder and excitement and pure joy that you will experience by seeing one of these shows live. For 23 years, this group has brought their special brand of performance art to spaces all over Chicago.
5. Explore the Mexican Fine Arts Museum – Check out the extensive permanent exhibit of folk art, including awesome Day of the Dead pieces. Afterwards, buy a sugar skull from the gift shop!
6. Drop in on an Art Class – Many art studios around Chicago offer drop-in art classes for kids. Drop your kids off for a couple of hours while you explore a new neighborhood and suck down a latte.
7. Eat Comfort Food – Kids go nuts over the mac ‘n cheese with bacon at the Silver Cloud Restaurant. There’s plenty of yummy stuff on the menu for adults, too, and you’ll experience the ambiance and style of a typical Chicago eatery.
8. Take in A Concert For Kids – This treasured Chicago music school and concert venue has an awesome lineup of kids’ shows the whole family will enjoy.
9. Spend some time at Uncle Fun – You’ll likely have never stepped foot in such a quirky, nostalgic, kitschy toy store, and it’s completely fun to see what kids gravitate to in this shop. Don’t you want to give your kids whoopie cushions for the rest of the trip?
10. Candyality – Thousands of different kinds of candy in bulk. Need I say more?
I’ve tried to offer up a sampling of ethnic ideas (Chicago is known for its wonderful ethnic neighborhoods), creative jaunts and Chicago-centric gems. There’s no end to what you can explore in Chicago as a family, and you may be surprised at what your kids end up enjoying the most. (Besides the whoopie cushions.)
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