Arriving in Chicago by air?
Start or finish your fun time in Chicago at the free play areas. O’Hare International Airport features the Chicago Children’s Museum satellite Kids on the Fly a free play area in Terminal Two. Kids can play with a giant Lego Sears Tower
Weekend Fun
On weekends ride a free weekend trolley for downtown. It provides service to major attractions in the city and makes sightseeing easy for even the littlest tourist.
Shopping
Chicago’s Magnificent Mile on Michigan Ave. is a shopping and entertainment center. It features kid-friendly places like the American Girl Store where you can plan a visit full of lifetime meories no matter if you choose dining with the dolls or a sleepover.
Chicago Museums:
The Field Museum is one of the world’s great museums of science, environment and culture. Inside our halls you can meet Sue, the world’s largest and most famous T. rex… unlock the secrets of 23 Egyptian mummies… stand toe-to-toe with the man-eating Lions of Tsavo… www.museumcampus.org. (800) FIELD-54e
Adler Planetarium The first planetarium in the Western Hemisphere, the Adler offers you a rare opportunity to learn about the history of astronomy along with a tantalizing glimpse into the future of space exploration. You can journey through time and space and be launched to the surface of a distant planet in the world’s first StarRider™Theater. www.museumcampus.org. , (312) 322-0995.
The Museum of Science and Industry has the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon, a German World War II submarine, baby chick hatchery and a real coal mine (go early to avoid lines). Everyone will love the virtual reality games.www.msichicago.org, (800) GO-TO-MSI .
https://www.shedd.org/ , (312) 939-2438
Chicago Children’s Museum is located on downtown’s Navy Pier, it is one of Chicago’s favorite tourist attractions., 50 acres of parks, Halloween fun, winter ice skating, street performers and a big indoor botanical garden. Hands on activities inlcude the new Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and a working art studio.www.chichildrensmuseum.org. , (312) 527-1000
The Nature Museum helps urban dwellers to connect to the natural world through scientific learning and environmental programs. https://www.naturemuseum.org
Art Institute of Chicago
The Kraft Education Center is a great place for kids.. You can pick up information at the desk, and on weekends there are drop-in art-making activities. You can also visit the Family Room, which holds over 1000 children’s books if you need a quiet break.
The exhibition is designed especially for kids, 11 art objects from the Art Institute’s collection in an interactive setting. The Kraft Center also features changing exhibitions of children’s book illustrations. to www.artic.edu, (312) 443-3600
Navy Pier
There is always something happening at Navy Pier, Chicago’s lakefront playground. Offering visitors more than 50 acres of parks, promenades, gardens, shops, restaurants and attractions, Navy Pier is host to an unparalleled array of family-oriented events and entertainment. For additional information about upcoming events, www.navypier.com. (312) 595-PIER or (800) 595-PIER outside the Chicagoland area.
Chicago City Pass
Get half-price tickets to six of the city’s top attractions ($30.50 and $22.75 for kids 3-11 and $25 for seniors) and enables you to avoid ticket lines. It includes the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium and the Sears Tower. Order from the Web site at www.citypass.net or get it at any of the attractions. Link to the attractions you plan to visit. Look for special CityPass signs for quick entrance.