12 Things to Do in Chicago With Kids

Kids Activities in Chicago

Visit Animals Lincoln Park Zoo, Millennium Park , History Museum, Explore Chicago Botanic Garden, Holocaust Museum, Go For Indoor Skydiving and Many more

Chicago is one of the best cities for kids to enjoy and have an adventurous time. From the best deep-dish pizza to enjoying the largest aquariums in the world, it has many things to do in Chicago with kids. Explore the beautiful Lincoln Park Zoo where kids enjoy looking at 200 species of animals, including gorillas and polar bears. Thrilling activities for kids here include safe skydiving and the adventurous wheel ride at Navy Pier.

The trip will be memorable with numerous kids activities in Chicago to keep them busy with Navy Pier. Take them to the Chicago Children’s Museum here or to look at fireworks here on Sunday and Wednesday. Another must visit for kids is the Maggie Daley Park, with its huge playground inspired by children's movies, it offers many attractions and rides for kids. Lastly, for a fun family activity, visit the Escape Game Chicago to indulge in mind-boggling escape room games.

Here is the list of best things to do in Chicago with kids:

01

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Tickets, Chicago

50 Ratings

Superb 50 Ratings

4.5

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50 Ratings Ratings

Visit LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago for a fun-filled experience

4H

4H

50 Ratings

Superb 50 Ratings

4.5

01

50 Ratings Ratings

~~$ 28~~ $ 27 per Adult

Book Now

Activity Location: 601 N Martingale Rd, Schaumburg, IL 60173, United States

Operational Timings: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Activity Duration: 3-4 Hours (Approx.)

About LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago:

Get ready to spend some fun, and quality time with your children at LEGOLAND Discovery Center, a children's amusement center. Your little ones will be more than excited to play with the plethora of Duplo bricks available at the facility. Join them and take part in various activities, including a princess rescue mission, going on a jungle expedition, building your kids' dream castle or their favorite racing car, and more. Book your tickets to LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago and mark your calendar for the most exciting day in Chicago.

Chicago Childrens Museum Tickets, Chicago

58 Ratings

Superb 58 Ratings

4.67

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58 Ratings Ratings

Welcome to the Chicago Children's Museum

2H

2H

58 Ratings

Superb 58 Ratings

4.67

02

58 Ratings Ratings

~~$ 26~~ $ 22 per Adult

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Activity Location: Chicago Children's Museum, 700 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

Operational Hours:

Thursday - Monday: 10:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Activity Duration: 2 - 3 Hours

About the Chicago Children's Museum Tickets, Chicago:

With your toddlers and grownups, visit the Chicago Children's Museum to explore the various exhibits and engaging activities. Allow your children to participate in a variety of displays where they can learn about various subjects while having fun. At the museum, they can generate a deep understanding about a lot of topics. So, gather your loved ones, especially your children, and create innumerable memories together.

Brookfield Zoo Tickets, Chicago

97 Ratings

Superb 97 Ratings

4.75

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97 Ratings Ratings

8H

8H

97 Ratings

Superb 97 Ratings

4.75

03

97 Ratings Ratings

~~$ 32~~ $ 32 per Adult

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Brookfield Zoo Location: Brookfield Zoo

Operational Hours: 9:30 AM - 06:00 PM

Activity Duration: 8 Hours 30 Minutes

About Brookfield Zoo Tickets:

Visit the Brookfield Zoo for a fascinating tour and be astounded by the diversity of wild animals living happily in their natural surroundings. You can witness lions, tigers, bears, reindeer, dolphins, and many other species here. You will have the opportunity to interact with them and feed them with their favourite food. So why are you still waiting? Bring your loved ones, especially your children, and make some enduring memories on this trip.

Visit Chicago History Museum

Chicago History Museum is an iconic institute of learning, a major attraction for, and one of the best things to do in Chicago with kids.

It has a research center, which is home to archival materials, photographs, architectural drawings, and more.

It has a massive photo collection, an invaluable asset, and an attraction. For instance, visitors can find a massive collection of photos from ‘the trial of the Chicago seven.’

Other spectacular exhibitions to witness here include ‘City on Fire: Chicago 1871’ and ‘Chicago-crossroads of America.’

Location: 1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, United States

Price: $17- $19

Timings: 9:30 am -4:30 pm (Tuesday-Saturday); 12-5 pm (Sunday)

Chicago History Museum Tickets

55 Ratings

3H

Starting from € 17 € 16 per Senior

05

Go For Indoor Skydiving

Indoor skydiving is one of the best things to do in Chicago with kids. It's an adventure for them without any actual skydiving.

iFLY provides the best indoor skydiving experience in its state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnels.

For an hour and 45 minutes, children as young as three can experience the thrill of skydiving with safety.

Kids can also enjoy their birthday parties here or be part of the programs offered here, like flight school, coaching, military, girls' scouts, and more.

Location: 800 W Scott St, Chicago, IL 60610, United States

Price: $200- $225

Timings: 12:30-6 pm (Wednesday-Thursday); 12-7 pm (Friday); 11 am-6 pm (Saturday-Sunday)

iFLY Indoor Skydiving in Chicago

32 Ratings

1H

Starting from ₹ 12,910 ₹ 8,271 per Adult

06

Play at The Escape Game Chicago

For an immersive adventure, the escape game in Chicago is an ideal place to visit with family and kids.

The adventure has five escape room themes: prison break, mission Mars, gold rush, the heist, special ops: and mysterious markets.

The heist is one of the most popular escape room games here, where the visitors have to claim back the priceless Monet stolen by the curator.

All the escape room games last for an hour and are played in groups of 8–10 people.

There is also a guide, assisting in the form of hints, making escape games one of the best things to do in Chicago with kids.

Location: 42 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States

Price: $39.99- $42

Timings: 8 am-12 am (Monday-Sunday)

Escape Room Adventure in Chicago

32 Ratings

1H

Starting from ₹ 6,107 ₹ 3,731 per Adult

07

Get On the Wheel at Navy Pier

A 3,300-long pier on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is known for its thrilling centennial wheel, making it one of the best things to do with Kids in Chicago.

The Centennial Wheel soars to a height of 200 meters and offers a mesmerizing view of Lake Michigan and Chicago.

You can also ride a wave runner through the air or take a leisurely ride on the classic carousel.

Other attractions at Navy Pier include the classic lake tour, the Chicago Children's Museum, and the crystal gardens.

Location: 800 E Grand Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States

Price: $18- $23

Timings: 11 am-8 pm (Monday-Thursday); 11 am-9 pm (Friday-Saturday); 11 am-7 pm (Sunday)

Navy Pier Centennial Wheel Experience, Chicago

41 Ratings

Starting from ₹ 23 ₹ 22 per Adult

08

Explore Illinois Holocaust Museum

One of the best thing to do in Chicago with kids is to exploring the museum to learn about the teachings of holocaust.

It inspires everyone to stand against prejudice, hatred, and indifference not only now but for generations to come.

This is the third largest holocause museum in the world, here you can see the evolution of life during holocaust, before and after.

Explore the authentic German rail car and visit the magnificent galleries.

Visit one of the ongoing exhibitions, like the journey back-VR experience or take a stand center.

Location: 9603 Woods Dr, Skokie, IL 60077, United States

Price: $6- $18

Timings: 10 am-5 pm (Wednesday-Sunday)

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, Chicago

64 Ratings

3H

Starting from $ 16 $ 15 per Senior

09

Encounter Animals Lincoln Park Zoo

One of the oldest and free admission zoos in North America, kids can witness over 1000 animals from 200 species in Lincoln Park Zoo.

Animals include reptiles, polar bears, monkeys, penguins, gorillas, and more. Also, you can feed the giraffe here.

One of the best things to do in Chicago with kids is to visit the plants and garden section of Lincoln Zoo to view and educate yourself about the different plant ecosystems here.

Kids can enjoy attractions like the AT & T endangered species carousel, which has 48 replicas of threatened animals.

Another kids activity here is the train ride at the zoo, with its 28-passenger Lionel Train adventure.

Location: 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614, United States

Timings: 10 am-3 pm (Monday-Sunday)

10

Explore Chicago Botanic Garden

The 385-acre Chicago Botanic Garden is a living plant museum garden with 25 display gardens, four natural habitats and tons of kids activities in Chicago to do.

Enjoy climbing a waterfall garden, a Japanese garden, a garden with trains plugging away across the bridge, and more here.

There are tons of activities happening at the garden for students, like the student field trip.

For families with kids, many events are happening every month, like the Lightscape, an annual event happening in January.

Lightscape is a breathtaking experience for all families to witness the quirkiness of nature through light, music, color, and fire.

Location: 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, IL 60022, United States

Price: $9.95- $15.95

Timings: 8 am-3 pm (Monday-Sunday)

11

Visit Millennium Park

A public park with tons of kids activities in Chicago to indulge in, like getting wet at the crown fountain.

A kid’s favorite, crown fountains have gargoyles spouting water in which kids can get soaked, splash water, and dance.

Lurie Garden here is another popular landmark with a hardware footbridge and shallow water running through it, perfect for dipping feet in summer.

Another notable feature of Millennium Park is the cloud gate, or "Bean," which reflects the Chicago skyline.

Other things to do here include rock climbing, strolling in the multiple gardens, enjoying skating rings, viewing public art, and being part of multiple seasonal events.

Location: 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602, United States

Timings: 6 am-11 am (Monday-Sunday)

12

Enjoy at Maggie Daley Park

Maggie Daley Park is a 20-acre public park house with an iconic playground, a tennis court, a miniature golf course, a fieldhouse, and more.

For kids activities in Chicago, Maggie Daley Park is ideal for kids up to 12 years with its 3-acre play garden.

Inspired by 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 'Alice in Wonderland,' it houses an enchanted forest and a slide crater.

Other things to do in the play garden include the sea (a metal play ship), the watering hole (an animal-themed play area), and the wave lawn (a foot play area).

Location: 337 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601, United States

Timings: 6 am-9 am (Monday-Sunday)

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Art Institute Of Chicago

Located in the Grant Park of Chicago and was founded in the year 1879, the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the largest and oldest museums in the USA. Exhibiting the work of some famous artists such as Georges Seurat, Pablo Picasso, Edward Hopper, and Grant Wood, this museum is one of the best places to visit in Chicago among history buffs.It is most famous for its curatorial efforts and cutting-edge scientific research for the conservation of Art. Its collection includes American Art, African Art and the Indian Arts of America, Asian Art, Architecture and design, European paintings and sculptures, and many other similar works.Location: 111 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603, United StatesHighlights: Architectural drawings, ancient paintings, impressive sculptures