Teams of artists from around the country and the world gather to create sculpting masterpieces out of 10 ft. blocks of man-made snow.  Other activites include dog sled racing demonstrations and a snowboard rail jam competition.

Strictly Sail Chicago is the largest indoor sailboat show in the U.S. and is the winter destination to find the best deals on new sailboats, gear and accessories, plus educational seminars. The Kid's Yacht Club is where junior sailors can play with remote control sailboats,  learn the ropes aboard a sailing simulator, enjoy crafting toy sailboats, or meet Skipper, the sailing dolphin.

A guided glimpse into the world of outdoor play will depend on the day. Possibilities include snowman and snow fort building with natural materials or garden scavenger hunt for natural objects

See Siberian husky sled pulling and speed demonstrations, meet the dogs and take a photo them and an authentic dog sled, and sign up to foster or adopt a husky without a home. Plus, watch the free film "The Last Great Race" about the husky's role in Alaskan history at noon, 1:30 or 3 p.m.

Search for gnomes in the Children's Garden using your best "I Spy" skills. Checklist provided.

This show celebrates the winter season in the Japanese tradition. The Three Friends of Winter is a silhouette bonsai show, featuring trees that are in their dormant phase, which highlights their branch structure. Each bonsai is exhibited in an artistic setting with an accent object such as suiseki, incense burner, statuary, or pottery. Includes family activities on Saturday and Sunday, such as creating scrolls, storytelling and a suminagashi demonstration.

Docents help children and others learn through interactive displays and games in the showrooms. New topics every month. September: "Traveling Seeds"; October: "Cone Bearing Plants"; November: "Fruits, The Seasonal Food Harvest"; December: "Eggs and the Conservatory Critters"; January: "Urban Wildlife"; February: "Chocolate"; March topic: "Survival in the Jungle"; April: "Carnivorous Plants"; May: "Water Works."

Travel to Starved Rock State Park for the annual Eagle Watch Weekend. See live bird shows, view wild eagles fishing along the river, make crafts and participate in hands-on activities. Kids must be accompanied by a participating adult. Meals not included. Register at http://registration.pdhp.org by Jan. 24.

Build a snowman out of biodegradable and natural items to win. Fill out an entry form at the main office.

Search for signs of wildlife, hidden spring leaves, and learn some interesting facts about snow. Then enjoy hot chocolate around a toasty fire at the end of the program. Pre-registration required.

With small solar lights to guide their way, hikers, skiers and snowshoers can traverse the 1.3-mile fitness trail at Old School Forest Preserve in Libertyville or the 1.65-mile hilly section of the Millennium Trail adjacent to the winter Sports Area at Lakewood Forest Preserve in Wauconda. Starting Sunday, Nov. 4, the trails and adjacent parking lots will remain open until 9 .m. daily until March 9.

Feature the black bear and its adaptations for survival in the forest. Crawl into the bear's den, compare your senses to that of the black bear, feel his fur, come face to face with a black bear mount and more.

Learn what raptors are, how to look for signs of them in your backyard and why they are so important to our ecosystem. Includes a short trail walk and a craft.

If you're looking for an alternative to skating at Millennium Park this winter, look up. Way up-94 stories, to be exact. Touted as the World's Highest Ice Skating Rink, the 94th floor of the John Hancock Center gives ice skaters a bird's-eye view of the city and the lake.

At 20 feet by 45 feet, the rink is probably too small to be your solo destination of the day, but paired with a trip to see the view from the Hancock, it's a nice way for kids to burn off energy while parents enjoy the great view. And because it's synthetic ice, skaters stay warm and don't get wet.

The rink is scheduled to be open for skating from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. through April 18. A 25-minute skate session costs $6 (in addition to the cost to get into the Hancock Observatory). You can bring your own skates or rent some there for a dollar.

Free, fun and educational arts project for kids. Projects change bi-weekly.

See a toy so amazing, so unbelievable, it has the power to transform into anything you want it to be. Enter a world where imagination rules, and ordinary becomes extraordinary.

A new traveling exhibit created by Children's Museum of Pittsburgh that links familiar childhood objects to a process of manufacturing that combines people, ideas and technology. Inspired by the factory tour segments from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, the exhibit offers hands-on activities using real factory tools and machines to create objects including crayons, a baseball bat and a matchbox car, just to name a few.

Dave Seagren and his Tropical Sound Steel Pan bring the spirit of the Caribbean Islands to life with a variety of tropical music styles including reggae, calypso, socca, Latin and pop. Experience the sound of the Caribbean as Dave plays his steel drum or "PAN," an instrument hand crafted from a fifty-five gallon steel oil drum.

The exhibit features the illustrations of W. W. Denslow, a Chicago resident whose famous illustrations helped to inspire the design of the classic 1939 MGM film starring Judy Garland. The bright and colorful exhibit provides a variety of learning opportunities and hands-on activities within a three-dimensional representation of Denslow's distinctive illustrations.

Discover how sounds make music, and how music makes you feel, with activities like making melodies on bolt- and wrench-a-phones, using soft sculpture pegs to make a music box, blowing air over a reed, moving musical notes on a staff, beating percussion instruments, and creating an artistic masterpiece that reflects how music makes you feel

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with crafts, snacks, and special surprises.

Hundreds of objects and documents from the exclusive private collection, together with a rare collection of first editions of his most famous works, tell the story of how Charles Dickens and his characters became enduring cultural icons. Interactive and multi-media displays and personal effects take visitors through a chronological tour of the life, literature and legacy of Dickens. View his personal traveling inkwell, take a ride in an early century carriage, and learn about the memorable characters, stories and themes of his famous tales through games, time period puzzles and Dickens' own personal Facebook page.

Visitors become space adventurers and set off on a journey to discover the Universe in a way never done before. Travel a billion light-years and back, fly through space, orbit the Moon, zoom into a canyon on Mars, and soar through the cosmic web where a million galaxies shower down. The experience was created utilizing real telescopic data and the best scientific imagery.

The longest-running exhibition of African-American art in the U.S. features more than 100 dynamic works of art from amateur and professional African-American artists from around the nation.

Exhibit explores Schulz's personal history and his role as the sole inspiration and artistic talent behind Peanuts and its unique cast of characters. Through original cartoons, reproductions and related Peanuts ephemera, guests see how characters were developed and evolved. Schulz's Santa Rosa, Calif. studio, recreated for the first time, allows for a deeper look into his work and life. Kids and families have a chance to exercise their own Schultz-like creativity with activities like making a zoetrope.