It is not always easy to enjoy rainy days with your family in Chicago. We survived the winter and the weather is finally warming up. Everyone is excited to be outside and more active.
Unfortunately, we can also expect lots of rain over the next three months. Luckily, we live in a city that offers so much. Here are some of our favorite places! Please share your favorite places with us also.
Garfield Park Conservatory (Chicago)
Enjoy wild Wednesday evenings and let your kids get a little wild! Whether inside or out, they will be exploring nature, getting our hands dirty and discovering new things about plants, animals and nature. Drop in with your young one and enjoy this free family programming. 4-7pm
The conservatory also hosts concerts on Saturday mornings for your kids from 11am to 11:45am! In partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events we’ll have performances by musicians, dancers, storytellers and more. It’s the perfect place for your kids to get their wiggles out this winter and spring season.
Crown Family Play Lab at the Field Museum
The PlayLab is geared towards 2-6 year olds. It starts with a child’s innate curiosity and a family-friendly environment, adds real artifacts and specimens, and encourages young explorers to discover the wonders of nature and learn about diverse cultures. What does your child want to do today? At the PlayLab, children can dress up as a local animal and star in their own nature play, or explore a pueblo home and see how families lived in different times and places. They can examine insects in amber and colorful woven pouches, play an African drum or dance to a Latin beat. They can pull out drawers and discover hidden objects, play in a dinosaur’s nest, or uncover a dinosaur bone. The PlayLab offers endless opportunities for young visitors to express themselves, thrill to their own discoveries, and be a scientist for a day. With activities and challenges that grow along with your child’s interests, the PlayLab offers a new adventure every time you visit.
Ryan Leaning Center at the Art institute (in the modern wing)
Admission to the Ryan Learning Center is always free, Drop in at the Artist’s Studio in the Ryan Learning Center, and work as a family on an art project that you can take home. Activities are thematically linked to artwork in the museum’s collection and special exhibitions. Or sign up for special events
Exploritorium (Skokie Park District)
This super cool spot features hands-on exhibits using light, water, wind and more. Attractions include a giant “light bright” peg board, musical instruments, and climbing tubes and tunnels that stretch two-and-a-half stories.
Evanston Little Bean Café
This place is great when the kids just need a huge space to run around, and you want to sip coffee and read 😉 There is a nice size gym with a Ninja Warrior obstacle course! As well as a little town for hours of imaginary play. Let the kids pretend to run the errands while you take a breather.
This Hyde Park spot offers open, drop-in play Thursdays through Sundays. Kids can pretend to do just about anything here, from shopping at a mini grocery store to doing hair at a faux hair salon. Impromptu make-believe tea parties also known to happen.
Dance and foreign language classes are offered, if you’re looking for structured fun.
Many local libraries have story time, extra cool points go to the Logan Square Library for hosting Book Fiesta: Bilingual Story Time and a Saturday morning jam session for little people from birth to 7 years old, filled with fun songs and musical instruments.
Beverly Arts Center
The art center is host to a plethora of art class but one of our mom recommended classes is the Little Explorers for 2-4 year olds. You get to work together with your toddler on instructor-led projects that help develop motor skills and social skills through art making.
Filled with so many interactive exhibits and the butterfly haven this is a great place to spend the day when you are wishing you can be outside but the weather isn’t quite ready for you yet. Free on Thursdays AND the first Thursday of the month there is a one-man band that plays children concerts.
North Park village Nature Center
North Park Village Nature Center features a 46-acre nature preserve and educational facility, which are situated within the 155-acre North Park Village campus. The nature preserve offers trails that wind through woodland, wetland, prairie and savanna. A discovery room, a hands-on table of natural objects, and interactive displays are highlights of the Nature Center. There are public programs for preschoolers, school age children, families and adults.
If you live in the suburbs or are willing to travel to the suburbs here are a few great places to explore, not too far from the city.
Sugar Beet Schoolhouse, River Forest
Offering an array of cooking classes for little people
Mom recommended class:
Nourishing Nummies,
Fridays 10am-11am
Join their hands on cooking class for preschoolers in the new cooking space designed just for them. Little chairs, little tools, BIG flavors and lots of tasting, chopping, mixing and friends. Caregivers are welcome to stay and play along or drop off. Free coffee for mommies and daddies and nannies. 🙂
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
You can spend the mornings or afternoons with Mother Nature. Children 3–4 years old and their favorite adult are invited to spend time exploring and learning through play at this old fruit orchard.
We know there are more amazing place to explore. Please share your favorites with us!!!!
