It's the inspiration kids observe in all the things to do and see in Chicago that makes the urban center feel like home — if abode was the ultimate playground. From toddlers to teens, there's a family friendly activity or allure to satisfy every interest and fuel all imaginations.

  • Costless things to do in Chicago with kids
  • Outdoor things to do in Chicago with kids
  • Indoor things to practice in Chicago with kids

Kid-friendly attractions & museums

Lincoln Park Zoo
Free to the public, this is 1 of the nation'southward oldest zoos. Kids love the old-schoolhouse carousel, locomotive rides, and the Pritzker Family Children's Zoo, a child-friendly domicile for Northward American animals. Only side by side door is the Farm-in-the-Zoo, which gives kids the chance to pet goats, cows, and ponies, and experience a little country life in the city.

Brookfield Zoo
Brookfield Zoo is set within a 216-acre nature park. Globe-renowned, the zoo's 2,000+ residents accept absorbed and educated visitors since 1934. Don't forget to take in a dolphin show at Seven Seas, and sign upward for seasonal giraffe feedings, penguin encounters, and education-focused animal kingdom experiences.

Millennium Park
In the Millennium Park each summertime, kids splash around in Crown Fountain's shallow pool and dash under water spouting from the lips of video-projected Chicago locals. Springtime is perfect for a self-guided scavenger hunt through Lurie Garden. In winter, skate with the metropolis skyline as your backdrop at magical McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. And no matter the flavor, and brand faces in the reflective surface of the stainless steel sculpture Deject Gate, aka "The Bean."

Navy Pier
Iconic Navy Pier is the identify for rides on a towering climate-controlled Ferris bike, an quondam-fashioned Moving ridge Swinger, and a whimsical 1920s-inspired musical carousel at Pier Park. And information technology'due south the place to feel the excitement of summertime fireworks, sightseeing cruises, Segway tours, an amazing maze, the Chicago Children'south Museum, fun stores, and movies at a listen-bravado IMAX theatre.

Shedd Aquarium
Correct next door to Adler Planetarium and Field Museum on the Museum Campus, Shedd Aquarium gives new meaning to "wow." Not only can you explore underwater worlds from across the globe, just the Shedd offers unique, up-shut-and-personal experiences, similar museum sleepovers, behind-the-scenes tours, and boggling animal encounters, like joining in a shark feeding tour, existence a trainer for a twenty-four hours, and interacting with stingrays.

Art Institute of Chicago
Don't retrieve the kids will savour an fine art museum? And then you haven't visited the Fine art Institute's Thorne Miniature Rooms. These meticulously reproduced miniature rooms bring the globe of art and compages to a child's level. There's also free access to the Ryan Teaching Eye, which hosts special events, interactive workshops, and family programming for kids xiv and nether.

American Writers Museum
Visit the Children'due south Literature Gallery at the American Writers Museumto become the kids all fired up about reading. A fabulous mural created by historic illustrator and author Paul O. Belinsky adorns the gallery, depicting friendly squirrels reading classic kids' books.

Bronzeville Children's Museum
The Bronzeville Children'southward Museum is the first African American children's museum in the country. Information technology's filled with exhibits for children aged three to ix, with a unique bout format that ensures kids become maximum educational value from each showroom.

Chicago Children's Museum
Kids can stretch out, crawl, and apply all five senses throughout interactive exhibits such equally WaterWays, Dinosaur Expedition, and Treehouse Trails. Best of all, the Chicago Children's Museum is located at Navy Pier — a goldmine of family-friendly things to do on Chicago's scenic lakefront.

Chicago History Museum
Climb aboard the very get-go 'L' train car, ride a loftier-bicycle bicycle, hear the Not bad Chicago Fire, catch a fly ball at Comiskey Park, olfactory property the Marriage Stock Thousand, swoop into a behemothic Chicago fashion hot dog — all at the Chicago History Museum.

Chicago Sports Museum
The Chicago Sports Museum combines high-tech interactivity with unique sports memorabilia and an impressive collection of game-used treasures and other artifacts. Kids tin examination their skills confronting some of the all-fourth dimension greats, employ CSI-type technology to unravel some of Chicago's nigh infamous sports mysteries, step into a replica broadcast booth and call a game simply like Harry Caray, and and so much more.

Field Museum
Field Museum takes adventure to a whole new level with the likes of SUE the T. rex, man-eating tigers, and Máximo the Titanosaur, the largest dinosaur known to man. The Field sits on lakeside Museum Campus, along with Adler Planetarium and Shedd Aquarium. Take a Shoreline Sightseeing gunkhole from Navy Pier or Willis Tower and explore all three.

Museum of Science & Industry
The Museum of Scientific discipline & Manufacture is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere, which means there'southward enough of room for spinning tornados, a existent-life U-gunkhole, trains, planes, and, well, just almost everything else you could possibly imagine. Oh, and don't miss screenings at the v-story, wraparound Giant Dome Theater.

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
From native animals and nature-inspired fine art, to toddler-friendly play spaces and an exotic butterfly house, the exhibits at Peggy Notebaert Museum are sure to thrill young visitors (and grown-upward ones, also). Equally an added bonus, the museum sits within the grounds and gardens of Lincoln Park, where kids can run wild amongst shady trees, blossoming flowers, and chattering squirrels.

Adler Planetarium
Function of the lakeside complex known every bit Museum Campus, Adler Planetarium is the oldest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere. Information technology's also a great museum. Hereafter explorers and astronomers of tomorrow will curiosity at interactive exhibits, immersive planetarium shows, and special programming designed to inspire the rocket scientists of tomorrow.

Child-friendly outdoor activities

Maggie Daley Park
Maggie Daley Park is a magical place where you lot'll notice a Skating Ribbon, a 3-acre Play Garden created in the spirit of Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Mill, a mini golf game course that takes you through Chicago-themed obstacles (similar a mini Willis Tower), and a climbing wall right on the lakefront.

Bike tours
Sign upward for Bobby's Bike Hike's kiddie edition, Bobby's Tike Hike, designed specifically for kids aged 10 and under. Both Bobby's Bike Hike and Bike and Curlicue Chicago give you lot the option of buying infant/toddler tickets that include special equipment such every bit child seats, comfy trailer carriers, and tag-a-long attachments.

children activities at Maggie Daley Park

Grant Park Skate Park
It'southward not just skateboarders who love the skate park at Grant Park. Yous'll see rollerbladers and BMX bike enthusiasts making the well-nigh of the park's multi-skill-level concrete ramps and grinding rails — all with a lakefront view.

Kayaking
Take the kids on a kayak tour of Chicago's waterways from Monroe Harbor or the Chicago River. Sheet forth with Urban Kayaks and be guided through breathtaking urban center vistas. No feel necessary, guided tours are provided.

Kid-friendly experiences

American Daughter Place
For little kids with big imaginations, a visit to Chicago would not be complete without a trip to American Girl Place, the first store of its kind in the United states. Consider making a reservation for the café at the downtown doll mecca, which serves brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. American Girl is located in Water Belfry Place on The Magnificent Mile.

Escape rooms
Take the kids on the greatest take chances e'er with a Chicago escape room. Brand a prison interruption, escape an 'Fifty' machine, and fifty-fifty take a mission to Mars while testing kids' problem-solving and team-edifice skills. Take your pick from Escape Artistry, The Escape Game Chicago, and Fox in a Box – Chicago, among others.

Indoor skydiving
It'due south like skydiving, without the heaven — or the dive. iFLY is the ultimate indoor trunk-elevator experience, and you don't need any prior experience to give it a whirl. This is a sure win for teen and tween visitors in particular.

LEGOLAND Discovery Eye
Take a day trip to LEGOLAND Discovery Center, a giant indoor playground located in nearby suburban Schaumburg. Ii rides, 10 LEGO build-and-play zones, and a 4D cinema are just a few of the slap-up LEGO-themed experiences you'll have hither. Once back in the city, visit the colorful building-cake wonderland that is The LEGO Store at Water Tower Place.

Skydeck Chicago
Walk on air at Skydeck Chicago. Located in Willis Tower, one of the tallest buildings in the world, glass boxes extend approximately 4 feet from the skyscraper's facade, more than 1,300 feet above basis level.

TILT at 360 CHICAGO
Literally tilt outward over 1,000 feet above The Magnificent Mile and become 360-degree views of four states. Located at 875 N. Michigan Ave., TILT is housed in the former John Hancock Edifice, one of Chicago'due south most iconic buildings.

Urban Take chances Quest
Feel an audacious metropolis bout past competing in a family-friendly Urban Gamble Quest scavenger hunt. Incorporating elements of the Astonishing Race, this competition involves solving clues and completing challenges, all while learning virtually local history.

Child-friendly theatre

Barrel of Monkeys
Butt of Monkeys has been celebrating the power of children's imaginations since 1997, with arts programs that focus on storytelling, theatre, and social-emotional skills. In fact, Barrel of Monkeys actors perform material written by Chicago Public School students, providing a unique outlet for their creative works.

Blueish Human being Group
Blue Human being Group is the epitome of theatre fun — a multi-sensory, performance art experience that keeps kids wide-eyed from the moment the curtain goes upward. And if you pick a seat in the "Splash Zone," expect things to become pretty messy!

ComedySportz
ComedySportz's interactive ninety-minute evidence has kids in stitches as two teams compete for laughs during improvised one-act scenes, songs, and games. Geared toward all ages, this is a groovy way to become kids in on the human action, with audience suggestions every bit the actors' inspiration.

Emerald City Theatre
Creating fun productions especially for young audiences, Emerald Urban center Theatre performs atThe Broadway Playhouse on The Magnificent Mile. Emerald City specializes in shows for young audiences and hosts children's theatre classes and camps.

Free things to do in Chicago with kids

  • Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo
  • Millennium Park
  • Maggie Daley Park
  • Grant Park
  • Garfield Park Conservatory
  • Lincoln Park Conservatory
  • Free museum days
  • Chicago Cultural Eye
  • Hyde Park Fine art Center

Outdoor things to exercise in Chicago with kids

  • Maggie Daley Park
  • Bobby'south Bike Hike andBike and Roll Chicago
  • Grant Park
  • Urban Kayaks
  • Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo
  • Millennium Park
  • Navy Pier
  • Lake and river boat tours

Indoor things to do in Chicago with kids

  • Chicago Children'southward Museum
  • Shedd Aquarium
  • Art Institute of Chicago
  • American Writers Museum
  • Bronzeville Children'due south Museum
  • Chicago History Museum
  • Chicago Sports Museum
  • Field Museum
  • Museum of Scientific discipline & Manufacture
  • Peggy Notebaert Museum
  • Adler Planetarium
  • Garfield Park Conservatory
  • Lincoln Park Conservatory
  • American Girl Identify
  • Skydeck Chicago
  • TILT at 360 CHICAGO
  • Barrel of Monkeys
  • ComedySportz
  • Emerald City Theatre
  • Blue Man Group