By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer
It’s cold. It’s winter. It’s Chicago. Children (and parents!) can get antsy sitting indoors with nothing to do. Here are some mostly free events and activities for Chicago area parents and children to do when it is cold outside!
Windy City Hoops
- Windy City Hoops
Chicago Park District Ceramic Studies
Chicago Park District has Ceramic locations throughout the city that offer the opportunity to play with clay from casting to wheel and hand building. Click here for more info and list of the ceramic studios.
Chi League Parks
Offered by Nike, free basketball skills clinics in citywide parks, giving Chicago’s children a safe, healthy place to play. For kids ages 9-12 and 13-18 years of age. Saturdays from 10am to 2pm the free clinics take place before Chicago Hoops in Chicago area indoor gyms. Click here for more info. (Note dates on the website are for 2013. Call the park District for dates for 2014.)
Chicago Public Library
Chicago area libraries have all kinds of events, from Toddler time and story time events to LEGO time to lessons on learning how to crochet and knit. Teens can attend the FUSE workshops which gives them opportunities to complete challenges in robotics, electronics, biotechnology, 3-D printing, and Android app development. And families can attend “Game Night” to play board games and card games in a warm comfy environment. Click here for the Chicago Public Library event page. (Note: each day lists events so you may want to use narrow your search by selecting the event type and your zip code.
Free Days at Chicago Area Museums
Chicago Parent magazine provides a listing of free days at our local museums here.
Chicago Area Art Spaces For Kids
Jeanette Nyberg’s Artchoo Blog here provides a listing of all the Chicago area Art spaces that cater to kids or provides kid friendly classes and events, Some of them may be free, others may have a fee, but this is the best list of art for kids in Chicago I’ve found. And her blog is really great for parents that want to expose and involve their kids in crafts. Great for kids that are hyperactive or diagnosed with ADHD.
- Photo from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago website
Call or check the web sites first for unexpected closings or events.
Her list includes:
Broadway Armory Park
Chicago Park District’s Indoor recreation building at 5917 N Broadway. Gym and track open Mondays-Fridays 7am to 9pm. Indoor climbing Wall open 6:30pm-8:30pm (Register online at chicagoparkdistrict.com)
Grounds For Hope Café
Three themed play rooms in Lisle, IL: Treasure House, Wonder House and Tree House for kids to explore. Grounds offers craft classes, Spanish lessons and music courses as well as the big play rooms. Free Wi-Fi for parents. 2701 Maple Ave, Lisle (630-390-1290, groundsforhopecafe.org). Free. Ages 10 and under. Open Mon–Sat 9am–7pm; Sun 9am–1pm.
Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens
Chicago Park District building in the South Loop boasts a climbing wall and a jungle gym and playhouse with padded floor. Located at 1801 S Indiana Ave (312-328-0821). Free. Ages six months–12. Open Mon, Fri 9am–6:30pm; Tue noon–6:30pm; Wed noon–5pm; Thu, Sat 1:30–4:30pm.
Related articles
• CBS Chicago’s Best Bad Weather Activities For Kids In Chicago click here.
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