Fun things to do in Chicago with kids
There are so many things to do in Chicago with kids — Photo courtesy of Vito Palmisano / iStock Via Getty Images
If your young crew is the personification of the eye-rolling emoji when you suggest a getaway to get them away from phones and tablets, turn those grimaces into smiling, satisfied faces with a long list of fun things to do in Chicago with kids. Then, check out the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice picks for the best events, restaurants and bars, attractions, and hotels in the Windy City.
Things to do with kids at Navy Pier
A bracing Seadog Lakefront Speedboat Tour is great for families visiting Chicago — Photo courtesy of Harold Rail
Some of the best things to do in Chicago with kids are at Navy Pier, the top nonprofit tourism venue in the Midwest. The venue extends over six city blocks of fun, food, and excitement.
Kids may get squirrelly during a 90-minute architectural boat ride, so sunny days call for a bracing half-hour Seadog Lakefront Speedboat Tour. It’s sure to elicit a “Wow, that was cool!” The rides are BYOB, as in bring your own drinks, and even your buddy (dogs can join, too).
Seadog Extreme Thrill Rides are the most powerful commercial passenger vessels cruising on the Great Lakes, so bring a rain poncho or be prepared to get dowsed.
Flyover is a theme park-like ride complete with music, motion seats, and mists — Photo courtesy of Pursuit
Engage all of the senses with Flyover’s signature flying experience, “Believe Chicago.” This theme park-like ride, with music, motion seats, and mists, allows guests to soar over the city’s famous skyscrapers through parks, beaches, and even the “L.”
Illuminarium is one of the best things to do in Chicago with kids — Photo courtesy of Harold Rail
Illuminarium is an immersive theater experience that takes animal-loving kids through Africa’s safari (“WILD: A Safari Experience”) or on a thrilling adventure into space to feel what it’s like to walk on the surface of the Moon (“SPACE: A Journey to the Moon and Beyond”). It’s like virtual reality without the clunky goggles, using motion picture production and interactive elements.
You can purchase tickets to Illuminarium here.
The Chicago Children’s Museum has activities for younger and older kids alike — Photo courtesy of Harold Rail
One of the top things to do in Chicago with kids is to visit the Chicago Children’s Museum. Geared to children from toddlers to fifth graders, the museum has three floors of interactive exhibits and activities, from playing under the Big Top at Circusville to climbing around Cloud Buster’s 37 feet of surprises.
Dining on the pier is one of the best things to do in Chicago with kids of all ages — Photo courtesy of Harold Rail
Keep the vacation vibe going post-sunset at Chef Art Smith’s Reunion Restaurant on Navy Pier. This restaurant offers incredible patio views of summer fireworks off the Pier and old-timey family favorites like southern fried chicken and mac ‘n’ cheese. Ask about the Wednesday night “Fireworks Special” that includes a hefty slice of Smith’s beloved hummingbird cake.
Chicago museums and immersive experiences for kids
Sharks, sea otters, and belugas are waiting to meet the kids at Shedd Aquarium — Photo courtesy of Brenna Hernandez / Shedd Aquarium
Some of my dearest school days’ memories are field trips to the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry (to watch baby chicks hatch) and the Museum Campus, home to the Field Museum (to see the mummies), Adler Planetarium (to see the universe) and Shedd Aquarium (to see the sea otters). Trust me when I say pick one for a day of sightseeing and have a plan aligning with the kids’ interests.
One of the top things to do in Chicago with kids is to visit the WNDR Museum — Photo courtesy of Kyle Flubacker
WNDR Museum is unlike other halls of artifacts — it’s a multi-sensory immersive art and technology experience with more than 20 interactive installations by cutting-edge artists and designers. One of the more popular things to do in Chicago with kids is visit the largest infinity room to date by artist Yayoi Kusama. This dark, mirrored room features other-worldly, floor-to-ceiling inflatable forms pulsating with shifting colors.
Get tickets to WNDR Museum here.
Color Factory is the perfect antidote to a rainy, chilly or way-too-hot day in Chicago — Photo courtesy of Harold Rail
Color Factory is an interactive art experience that aims to saturate visitors with the joy of color through multi-sensory installations and immersive rooms. Chicago-only exhibits at the flagship location engage curiosity and encourage uninhibited play (look for the blue stripes of the Chicago flag and green pickles on the famous Chicago hot dog). There’s lots to see and do, and kids love the open-ended, whimsical activities.
Get tickets to Color Factory here.
Vote Now: Best Family Resort (10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2024)
Over a dozen ice cream-themed playscapes and unlimited ice cream equals kid bliss — Photo courtesy of Museum Of Ice Cream
What kid with a pulse would turn down a stop at the Museum of Ice Cream? Be sure they’ve had their fruits and vegetables before your visit because there’s unlimited ice cream, ice cream-themed playscapes, and a sprinkle pool to dive into.
The Sloomoo Institute offers laugh-out-loud fun for the whole family — Photo courtesy of Sloomoo Institute
If there’s one thing kids need more of, it’s real-life sensory play that simultaneously engages, satisfies, and soothes. Enter a world of vivid color, scent, sound, and tactile materials, from slime to kinetic sand, at the Sloomoo Institute. Kids and adults plunge their hands into vats, design personalized slime (from over 4 million combinations of scent, color, and textures), and don ponchos to get doused with the stuff. It’s glittery, goofy fun.
Chicago from 1,000 feet above hits different — Photo courtesy of 360 CHICAGO
Zip up to 360 CHICAGO 1000 feet above the Magnificent Mile for a panoramic view of the skyline, and then check out TILT, one of the tallest rides in the world that juts you out over the city on a glass ledge. There’s an immersive concourse experience and some unparalleled views of Navy Pier fireworks, too.
Get tickets here.
A high-flying Chicago-style pizza dinner awaits you — Photo courtesy of Skydeck Chicago
On a clear day, see four states from Skydeck on the top of Chicago’s Willis Tower, then walk on The Ledge, a glass-floored balcony extending over four feet outside of the tower’s 103rd floor. You can also enjoy world-famous Chicago-style pizza with a Pie in the Sky dinner on the 99th or 103rd floors.
Get tickets here.
Free things to do in Chicago with kids
A visit to Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the best free things to in Chicago with kids — Photo courtesy of Lincoln Park Zoo
There is a boatload of free things to do in Chicago with kids, from visiting one of the beautiful beaches to skating and strolling the Lakefront Trail. One of the country’s oldest zoos, Lincoln Park Zoo, offers free admission, a farm-in-the-zoo where kids can interact with goats and ponies, and the Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo.
Playing tennis, in-line skating, or traversing the climbing wall are just a few things to do in Maggie Daley Park — Photo courtesy of Edenhurst Studios
Maggie Daley Park, which connects to Millennium Park by a pedestrian bridge, offers an elaborate playground, a soaring climbing wall, and an ice skating ribbon in winter that welcomes roller skaters in summer. There is a charge to play the 18-hole mini-golf course or to do the bungee.
The free Millennium Park Summer Film Series features family favorites — Photo courtesy of Patrick L. Pyszka / Choose Chicago
Millennium Park always features plenty of free performances and activities for families and kids. Millennium Park Summer Film Series screens films like “E.T.,” “Coco,” and “Jurassic Park” outdoors for free, or splash around in the Crown Fountain.
Pop into “The People’s Palace,” also known as the Chicago Cultural Center, for free concerts, dance and theater performances, and family events year-round. It’s just across the street from the park.
Vote Now: Best Waterfront Hotel / Resort (10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2024)
Theater kids, Chicago-style
The blue-domed guys still wow Chicago audiences — Photo courtesy of Kyle Flubacker
There’s always a decent list of Broadway plays in Chicago year-round, but families can always count on the percussive silliness of Blue Man Group, which has an ongoing run at the Briar Street Theater.
Comedy Sportz offers all-ages shows — Photo courtesy of Charlotte Brown
Take the budding stand-up comedian or sassy improviser in your family to an all-ages show at Comedy Sportz. Book tickets for the completely improvised musical based on audience suggestions or the signature show where two teams go head-to-head in a laugh battle, and the audience decides the winner.
