Don't let April showers get you down! There is still plenty of indoor things to do with kids this weekend in Chicago, many FREE. Get into the spirit of Spring by visiting one of the lovely Spring Flower Shows at either Garfield Park Conservatory or Lincoln Park Conservatory! Or head to Lincoln Park Zoo for a fun Earth Day inspired pinata making workshop! Sunday funday includes a fun brunch and kids music sing along at Sedgwick’s Bar & Grill, fun for both kiddos and adults! What a fun weekend!
FRIDAY APRIL 8, 2016
Spring Flower Show at Garfield Park Conservatory
Garfield Park Conservatory
Neighborhood: Garfield Park
300 North Central Park Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
312-746-5100
What: The Garfield Conservatory's 2016 Spring Show, colorise, honors Luftwerk's conservatory-wide installation, solarise. In tandem with the Florescence ceiling and LED light installation in the Show House, plants have been selected to show off the reds and blues of the artwork. Azaleas, spring bulbs, and perennials will fill the room with botanical symbols of the season to come. Visitors will be able to create their own colorized Spring Show by downloading or purchasing coloring pages and books available in the gift shop.
Date/Time: Friday April 8, 2016 from 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: FREE
Parent Survival Night at The Little Gym
The Little Gym, Chicago
3216 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657
773-525-5750
What: Parent Survival Night at The Little Gym Chicago is a fun, drop off babysitting service offered on most Fridays! Need a date night sitter or simply need a few hours to unwind, The Little Gym Chicago offers a safe, fun night of group activities and play! Drop your kiddos off for a few hours on a Friday night and enjoy some much needed time off! Each night is a special kid friendly theme. Check website for details!
For ages 3 - 12.
Date/Time: Friday April 8, 2016 from 6 PM to 9 PM
Cost: $35 Members, $75 Non-Members
Drop In Crafternoons Art
Wishcraft Art Studio
3907 N. Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60618
773-348-9474
What: Drop in Arts & Crafts. You do not need to register for a full session, pick and choose which dates you want. Fun arts & crafts Monday to Fridays from 4 PM to 6 PM. This is a drop off class. On Saturdays, parent participation is an option or drop off.
Age: Elementary, Tweens
Date/Time: Friday April 8, 2016 from 4 PM to 6 PM
Cost: $25 per visit or $95 per 5 visit pass.
3D Printing at Museum of Science & Industry
MSI
5700 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637
773-684-1414
What: Calling all inventors! Turn your idea into an item you make in our fabrication laboratory, or Fab Lab. Ready to try your hand at manufacturing design, technology and engineering? The Wanger Family Fab Lab is a small-scale workshop where you can dream up, design and make items from practical to whimsical using cutting-edge software and equipment.
3D Printing workshop is daily at 1:45 p.m. Also Sunday, Tuesday and Friday at 10 a.m. Explore the latest printing technology and take home a custom 3D object!
Date/Time: Friday April 8, 2016 at 10 AM or 1:45 PM (For 1 hour)
Cost: Museum Entry Fee plus Fab Lab Ticket.
Kids Eat Free at Rocks Lakeview
Rocks Lakeview
3463 N. Broadway St.
Chicago, IL 60657
773-472-0493
What: Rocks Lakeview is the corner place that has something for everyone. Great food, awesome beers, big drinks, crazy burgers and signature cocktails. During the summer, you can enjoy their outdoor patio, which is perfect for people watching. They offer classic bar food with an upscale twist such as fish n’ chips, pork tacos, The Bourbon Street burger and a kids menu to name a few.
Kids eat FREE Monday to Fridays from 3:30 to 5:30 PM.
Date/Time: Friday April 8, 2016 from 3:30 to 5:30 PM
Cost: Kids Eat FREE
SATURDAY APRIL 8, 2016
FREE Saturday Jams
Old Town School of Folk Music
909 W. Armitage Ave.
Chicago, IL 60614
773-525-1506
What: All ages and levels welcome as we all learn from one another - tunes, instruments, and musical styles. A complement to your kid's music class, the jam is a place to do music each week! Even if you're not currently enrolled, join the music making and experience our Kids' Music Program.
All instruments, voices, and levels are welcome and encouraged. Great for teaching and learning with folks of all ages. Especially great for young folks discovering new instruments, songs, and styles. Come share your tunes, sing and dance with us.
Date/Time: Saturday April 9, 2016 from 12 PM to 1 PM
Cost: FREE
Earth Day Animal Enrichment Workshop
Lincoln Park Zoo
2001 North Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60614
312-742-2000
What: Join us to build creative items to enrich the lives of zoo animals! All ages are welcome to stop by and create edible piñatas, willow balls or other crafty items for animals across the zoo. Then head out to the zoo to see animals enjoy some enrichment. The program runs open house-style, so registered participants can drop by anytime between 1:30–3:30pm to make enrichment.
Each Animal Enrichment Workshop is tied to a specific holiday theme, so you’ll also be providing the zoo’s animals with party favors for holiday celebrations of their own!
Date/Time: Saturday April 9, 2016 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Cost: $5 per person
FREE Origami Workshop
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 North Central Park Ave.
Chicago, IL 60624
312-746-5100
What: Origami is a fascinating, fun-filled creative activity for children as well as adults. With a minimum of folds and creases, you can transform a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional form like a swan, a boat, a flower or even a hat. So, if you're interested in creating animals, dinosaurs, flowers, decorative boxes and various other models, please join us. Every second Saturday of the month in the Conservatory’s Classroom, the Chicago Area Origami Society presents a free drop-in Origami Open House to our visitors. Please drop by, both kids and adults are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Experienced folders welcome as well.
Age: Preschool, Elementary, Tweens
Date/Time: Saturday April 8, 2016 from 1 PM to 4 PM, drop in anytime
Cost: FREE
Kids Eat Free at Pizzeria Frasco
Pizzeria Frasco
3358 N. Paulina St.
Chicago, IL 60657
773-248-5222
What: Frasca is a neighborhood Italian restaurant that is very kid friendly. Their specialties include pizzas, hearty pastas and an extensive selection of wine. The main dining room is open and inviting with comfortable leather banquets, wood tables and large retractable windows, perfect for a cozy winter’s night or family dining.
The menu includes a kids menu for dinner and brunch. Kids are treated to crayons and coloring pages to keep them entertained.
Age: Kids eat FREE is limited to ages 12 and under.
Date/Time: Kids eat FREE Daily from 4:30 to 6 PM.
Cost: Two kids meal free with each paying adult, kids must choose from the kids menu.
Dozin with the Dinos
The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago, IL 60605
312-922-9410
What: Sue the T.Rex is having a sleepover! Bring your sleeping bag and explore one of the most exciting spots in town! Dozin’ with the Dinos is a unique opportunity for children ages 6-12 to spend the night at TheField Museum. Spend your evening enjoying workshop activities like dissecting owl pelletsand live insects from your own backyard. Enjoy a snack break to fuel yourself for a self guidedtour of Ancient Egypt in the dark (Make sure to bring your flashlight!). Cap your night of exploration and adventure with cozy bedtime stories, before drifting off to dreamland in one of our amazing exhibits. Bring your family and friends for a night at the museum you’ll never forget.
Age: Elementary, Tweens
Date/Time: Saturday 4/9/2016 at 5:45 PM is check in. Depart next day by 9 AM.
Cost: Group Rate: $60 per person. A group consists of 15 or more people. Groups with fewer than15 members must register as individuals. Standard Overnight Rate: $65 per person ($60 for Field Museum members).
SUNDAY April 10, 2016
Brunch & Sing Along with Mr. Dave
Sedgwick's Bar & Grill
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
1935 North Sedgwick St.
Chicago, IL 60614
312-337-7900
Purchase tickets at:
What: Join Mr. Dave at Sedgwick's Bar and Grill for a springtime sing-along! Sit back and relax with a cold one as kindie children's music performer, Mr. Dave with special guest Mat Cashman, engages your little ones for 45-minutes of shaking, stomping, clapping, wiggling and dancing. Mr. Dave has been hailed by parents as “pure magic” and “an absolute must do activity for the entire family.” Learn more about Mr Dave at
mrdavemusic.com!
Age: Toddlers, Preschool, Elementary
Date/Time: Sunday 4/10/2016 at 11 AM to 11:45 AM (Mr. Dave performs at this time)
Cost: $10 per person. Brunch buffet is an additional $10 per person.
Spring Flower Show at Lincoln Park Conservatory
Lincoln Park Conservatory
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
2391 N. Stockton Dr.
Chicago, IL 60614?
312-742-7736
What: An exhibit of floral artistry will be on display for the Lincoln Park Conservatory 2016 Spring Show. Pink and white azaleas and camellias will be unveiled for the opening on Saturday, February 6th, with a palette of jewel tones and pastels planned for mid-Spring through Mother?s Day, Sunday May 8th. Tulips, Daffodils, Hydrangeas, Orchids, spring bulbs, flowering shrubs and cool season flowers will make a festive presence throughout the Show. Strategically placed frames will encourage visitors to picture themselves in the show.
Date/Time: Sunday April 10, 2016 from 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: FREE
Neighborhoods of the World Festival – Poland
Navy Pier
600 E. Grand Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
800-595-7437
What: Neighborhoods of the world, Celebrate Poland! Chicago is famous for its ethnic neighborhoods – and Navy Pier is proud to honor the city’s Polish community with this cultural celebration for all ages. Join us for a lively afternoon of music, puppetry, mosaic workshop, colorful costumes and local vendors selling art! Located in Crystal Gardens.
Date/Time: Sunday 4/10/2016 at 12 PM to 4 PM
Cost: FREE
FREE Day at DuSable Museum of African American Art
DuSable Museum of African American Art
740 E. 56th Place
Chicago, IL 60637
773-947-0600
What: The mission of DuSable Museum is to collect, preserve and display artifacts and objects that promote understanding and inspire appreciation of the achievements, contributions, and experiences of African Americans through exhibits, programs, and activities that illustrate African American history, culture and art.
Date/Time: Sunday April 10, 2016. Admission to DuSable Museum is FREE to everyone on each Sunday of the year.
Cost: FREE