Illumination is an amazing light display at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle for the holidays. Illumination will be open until January 1, 2019. This is an outdoor attraction so dress for the weather. Our experience below is based on our 2017 visit, but other information has been updated for 2018. Location Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois […]
Archives for 2018
The Polar Express Schedules Stop at Chicago Union Station
December 10, 2018 By
The Polar Express has arrived in Chicago! Rides are scheduled from now through January 1, 2019. The Polar Express is a VERY popular holiday event. It often sells out pretty quickly after tickets go on sale, which in most locations starts in June. The Polar Express at the Fox River Trolley Museum in South Elgin […]
Best Spots for Leaf Peeping Near Chicago
November 5, 2018 By
Autumn announces itself with yellows, oranges, reds, and purples and it’s officially here. Take the kids out to explore all the changes autumn brings and enjoy the beautiful foliage at these four spots near Chicago: Chicago Botanic Garden With 26 different gardens on over 300 acres, you’re sure to see plenty of autumn foliage at […]
8 Things to do with Leftover Halloween Candy
November 1, 2018 By
Halloween is over and you’re probably either feeling sick from all the candy you ate last night, or you’re munching on it for breakfast (hey, you’ve got all day to work off those calories!). In my house we’ve got a TON of candy – the kids got lots from trick-or-treating and we had a lot […]
Halloween Candy Buy Back
November 1, 2018 By
Halloween means lots of fun – costumes, parties, trick-or-treating – and lots and lots of candy. If you’re looking to save your kids (and yourself) from the sugar and tooth decay, why not “sell” it? Through programs like Operation Gratitude and Packages4Patriots, dentists volunteer to “buy” Halloween candy from kids for money (generally $1 a […]
Chicago Area Trick-or-Treat Hours
October 25, 2018 By
Halloween is the craziest holiday and I love it. Dress up like someone (or some thing) else and go door-to-door asking for treats. Does it get any better than that? Get those costumes ready and find out trick-or-treat hours for your area. Sunday, October 28, 2018 North suburbs Zion – 2-5 pm Northwest Suburbs Round […]
Teal Pumpkin Project with Free Printable Pumpkin Sign
October 22, 2018 By
Food allergies are on the rise and Halloween can be a particularly difficult time for families of children with food allergies. To help families who are dealing with allergies, FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) is encouraging people to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project. Paint a pumpkin teal, or hang a sign with a […]
Chicago Area Halloween Events
October 19, 2018 By
Halloween only lasts one day, but doesn’t it seem like it should be more? I know I prefer to celebrate much longer than that. Looking for Halloween events in the Chicago area? Gotcha covered. Get those costumes ready and enjoy these events all through the month of October. Know of any other fun events […]
Dora and Diego at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
September 20, 2018 By
The new, hands-on exhibit Dora and Diego—Let’s Explore! opens Saturday, September 22, at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Chicago. Join the adventure into the Nickelodeon characters’ imaginative world to take part in a variety of activities to learn about nature and become problem solvers. The exhibit will also incorporate Spanish vocabulary throughout the journey, introducing the language to […]
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America
September 18, 2018 By
Fright Fest at Six Flags Great America offers more scary attractions than ever! Too scared? Visit during the daytime hours for family-friendly thrills.
Top Three Products from the Chicago Baby Show 2018
September 7, 2018 By
Once a year, representatives and merchants from around the country spend a weekend in Chicago showing parents and expectant parents products and services for babies and children at the Chicago Baby Show, the largest show of its kind in the country. Expectant and new parents can discover new brands and see new products from established, […]
Free MSI tickets for CPS students
September 2, 2018 By
The first day of school is important. There may not be a lot of traditional school work on the first day, but attending helps students and teachers familiarize themselves, gives students a chance to learn rules and routines, and starts out the year with a good routine. Research indicates that the more a child attends […]
Troll Hunt at the Morton Arboretum
August 31, 2018 By
You can expect to find lots of interesting creatures at the Morton Arboretum – birds, ducks, squirrels, and now TROLLS. Trolls first made their appearance at the Morton Arboretum in the spring and rumor has it they’ll stick around through the end of 2018. Danish artist Thomas Dambo used reclaimed wood to create these colossal […]
Legoland Discovery Center Annual Pass 50% off (limited time only)
August 28, 2018 By
Is there anyone who doesn’t love LEGOs? Probably not. LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a magical place where there are more LEGO blocks than you can even imagine and you can spend the day building, exploring, and even going on rides. LEGOLAND has been a favorite attraction of ours for years and the best way to […]
Chicago Baby Show Ticket Giveaway
August 12, 2018 By
The 2018 Chicago Baby Show, on August 25 & 26, 2018 will once again be the largest show for new and expectant parents in the country. Now in its 2nd year, no other event provides a better experience for thousands of expectant and new families from the Chicago area seeking a family-friendly jamboree of top […]
Magical Birthday Parties at CircEsteem
July 5, 2018 By
Children’s birthday parties have become a hot topic among parents and the pressure is real. During my childhood parents bought some cake, ice cream, and paper hats and we were pleased as punch. Now parents struggle with questions like: Do I invite the whole class or just close friends? Do I prepare goody bags? How […]
Giveaway: Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2 DVDs
June 30, 2018 By
Who’s ready for a giveaway? Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation will be in theaters July 13 and to celebrate I’ve got a great prize for a lucky reader: DVDs of Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2! Attention Mummies, Daddies, and little monsters of all kind: Grab your monster sized popcorn and get ready for the […]
The Science Behind Pixar at the Museum of Science & Industry
June 19, 2018 By
My kids are growing up with Pixar movies. Cars taught them about friendship, Monsters Inc taught them to think independently, and Inside Out taught them about the importance of expressing their emotions. Then there’s Wall-e, Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Up… the list goes on and on. The characters in these movies and the […]
Care.com Nanny Share: affordable child care with plenty of perks
June 18, 2018 By
Kids aren’t cheap. There’s clothing and shoes to buy every few months, groceries, and pediatrician visits. If you’re like me, you scrimp and save wherever you can. I’ve clipped coupons, bought things second-hand, and accepted hand-me-downs from friends and family. Being cheap (or “frugal”) is fine for clothes and toys, but when their care and […]
Chicago Cheap Summer Movie Guide
June 7, 2018 By
I love settling into a darkened movie theater with my family and a ginormous bucket of popcorn. It doesn’t matter if we see a brand new release, or an old favorite movie, it’s just nice to escape for an hour or so into a different world. Bonus: it’s especially nice to escape from the heat […]
Free Donuts for National Donut Day
May 29, 2018 By
Friday, June 1 is National Donut Day! Haven’t made plans to celebrate yet? “Donut” worry! Here are Chicago shops celebrating this tasty holiday with free donuts or other specials. The Dapper Doughnut Free donuts on June 1, 2018 Duck Donuts Free donut on June 1, 2018 Dunkin’ Donuts Free classic donut of your choice with […]
Urban Air Adventure Opens in Crystal Lake
May 11, 2018 By
Urban Air Adventure Park is opening their new Crystal Lake location this weekend and celebrating with a huge Grand Opening celebration! Urban Air Adventure Park is a full-service family entertainment center, with exciting attractions like wall-to-wall trampoline arenas, Dropzone, slam dunk track, trampoline dodgeball arenas, trampoline free-style open jump areas, the Urban Warrior Course™, The TUBES indoor […]
International Migratory Bird Day at Brookfield Zoo
May 11, 2018 By
What are we gonna do this weekend? It’s a constant question in our house, and I bet it is in your too. This information just came to be from Brookfield Zoo and it looks like a fun day: Enjoy the beautiful spring weather and venture out to Brookfield Zoo for the annual International Migratory Bird […]
White Sox Family Field Day
May 4, 2018 By
It’s baseball season! It’s always fun to catch a White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field, and there are plenty of extra fun events at the field as well. Family Field Day The Chicago White Sox are hosting a Family Field Day on Saturday, May 12, 2018. Fans will have the opportunity to experience […]
Chicagoland: Read All About It
May 3, 2018 By
Got a free weekend and wondering what to do with the kids? Overwhelmed with the idea of keeping the kids occupied this summer? Have no fear – I’ve got all kinds of ideas for you and I’ll be talking about them at the Schaumburg Central Library. The Schaumburg library conducts a series of presentations called […]
Sesame Street: F is for Friends Pop-Up Tour
April 27, 2018 By
This Saturday, the letter of the day will be “F” for Friends and the numbers of the day will be 11 and 4, because between those hours you and the kids can hang with some Sesame Street characters! When: Saturday, April 28, 2018 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. Three live shows will repeat throughout […]
Earth Daze Open House at the Chicago Children’s Theatre
April 20, 2018 By
Celebrate Earth Day at the Chicago Children’s Theatre’s FREE Open House. Join them for a t-shirt “make a statement” workshop, showing the world what you believe, and attend legendary and mythical workshops with our fabulous summer camp teaching artists. Explore our summer camp themes of myth, legend, fairy tale, and folktales using craft, drama, song, and play! 20-minute […]
Brookfield Zoo Celebrates Earth Day with a Party for the Planet
April 20, 2018 By
Go green this Earth Day by joining Brookfield Zoo for its annual Party for the Planet celebration on Sunday, April 22, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The day of fun-filled environmentally-friendly activities, which are presented by energySMART, a Nicor Gas program, feature animal Zoo Chats, recycling and planting opportunities, and an Eco Expo, where […]
55 Free Things to Do in Chicago and Surrounding Areas
April 19, 2018 By
FREE, FREE, FREE! There’s no better price. Use this list to plan a single afternoon, a day full of activities, or an entire vacation. I’ve tried to include a lot of variety – indoor and outdoor, city and suburbs, and activities that are appropriate for toddlers, older kids, and adults. Any suggestions for additions to […]
Bubble Guppies Live! Ready to Rock
April 19, 2018 By
What time is it? It’s time for Bubble Guppies Live! With three kids we’ve been watching Bubble Guppies for many years and it’s a really cute show. My kids, especially Campbell right now, can’t get enough and of all the shows the kids watch, Bubble Guppies probably has my favorite music. You can bet that […]
