66 Things To Do in Chicago With Kids (Parent Reviews)

Yoli B said:  The incredible 3-acre Play Garden at Maggie Daley Park is one of the best playgrounds in Chicago and is not to be missed. All of the playground equipment is special and includes slides, bridges, swings, boats and more. Each playground is moderately fenced in, as well. Check it out in warmer months and you may be able to hear the summer concerts from adjacent Millennium Park! Additional fun family activities like mini-golf and rock climbing have fees.

Gina I. said:  The barn animals change seasonally but they often have a variety of chickens, ducks, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, goats, cows, sheep, horses, ponies and donkeys. Farm volunteers invite the public into each animal pen and are ready to supply information about the animals to inquiring visitors.

Joseph Kelley said:  This themed restaurant has a large interactive model train table, and a train that goes around the diner's counter style seating delivering food. Check out their party packages when planning your next birthday party!

Yoli B said:  Located at the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg, Bison's Bluff has one of the best playgrounds in the Chicago suburbs. You have to see it in person to believe all the activities to do here. There is a waterfall that empties into a rock pond designed for exploration, and every structure is designed for either climbing, music-making, or learning! I've personally spent 3 hours at this park without one kid complaint; now that is a "win" in my book!

Shila said:  If your kids love parkour and America Ninja Warriors, you’ve got to check out the Schaumburg Park District’s free outdoor challenge course featuring unique obstacles, ninja steps, floating boards, a vault wall, 40-yard dash & more. Digital timers even allow the little ninjas to score their performance.

Yoli B said:  The Wizard of Oz statues (including Dorothy in her ruby slippers) and sprawling play structure make this one of the best playgrounds in Chicago! The wooden playground is built like a castle and maze and has tons of bridges to climb, tire swings, and even a wooden train. This park is great for hide and seek!

Alexandra F. said:  Centennial Park Aquatic Center offers a zero-depth pool with a water play feature for younger children, various slides, a cliff jump, and a lazy river with waterfalls. Two of the larger slides are a 328-foot tube slide and a 200-foot flume slide.

Kristy Pepping said:  See whales, dolphins, sharks, stingrays, jellyfish and more! Many exhibits are play-based, like the Polar Play Zone, where your kiddo can slip into a penguin suit and waddle around! Experience touch tanks, animal chats, dolphin and whale shows, shark feedings and behind-the-scene tours, sleepover events, youth camps, and more.

Alexandra F. said:  The Illinois Prairie Path was North America’s first successful rails-to-trails conversion in the 1960s, and is currently a multi-use nature trail for non-motorized public use. The trail is roughly shaped like a Y: the primarily urban main branch begins in Maywood and continues to Wheaton, where it branches into separate paths to Elgin and Aurora (with additional spurs to Geneva and Batavia). Amenities along the way include bathrooms, drinking fountains, parks and playgrounds.

Alexandra F. said:  This aviation-themed, casual-dining restaurant is perfect for the plane-loving kids in your family! Check out the reasonably-priced kids menu with all the perennial kid favorites, and sit back and enjoy watching planes and helicopters land and take off from just outside your window!

Brittany Kozielski said:  Brookfield Zoo houses around 450 species of animals on 216 acres. Don't miss their dolphin show! After going to the zoo for years I discovered the Hamill Family Play Zoo & Wild Encounters. The Play Zoo is perfect for kids up to age 10 and is very hands-on and lots of fun. During the day you can hear a zookeeper discuss certain animals and walk around with them for kids to pet. Enter the Wild Encounters section and you will be surrounded by red pandas, llamas, alpacas, wallabies, and reindeer...and can even pet and feed some of them!

Sarah D. said:  The Skokie Lagoons covers 894 acres of amazing waterscape and beautifully-kept marshes enjoyed by water-lovers from all over the northern suburbs! On any given day, see kayaks, canoes, rowers or even sailboats from the shorelines. With 7.5 miles of trails, 5.9 of which are paved, these trails offer incredible views of nature. With picnic areas and canoe rentals, this is a wonderful day in nature hiking in a natural urban waterscape!

Erin P. said:  Johnson's Farm is home to the largest garden center in the area. There is nothing like local, home grown Johnson strawberries - whether you want to go to the field to pick your own or purchase them pre-picked inside the market. They provide helpful tips for picking your own berries and produce and a tram out to the field. Join them for their fun farm weekends, too, for additional kids activities, including train rides, pedal cars, slides, tunnels, a jump pillow and more!

Strawberries start in early June followed by blueberries and raspberries in July/August

Joseph Kelley said:  Since 1951, this train-themed restaurant's success can be attributed to its friendly environment, homemade food, and a model train run that delivers food to your counter seat. Popular meals on wheels include old-fashioned burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs, and sloppy Joes. Milkshakes and malts are also recommended. If it's your birthday, they'll play a special song for you--train whistle toots and all! And you can even arrive via the Metra! The UP-NW Des Plaines train stop is 1 block away.

Gina I. said:  From koi fish to tropical palms to ancient ferns, this conservatory houses both unique plants and grows thousands of plants used in local parks. Visit the Orchid Room featuring a gorgeous array of exotic blooms, and the live model train run that's set up during winter- when it's also toasty warm inside! The free Lincoln Park Zoo and Lily Pool are next door.