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Friday, May 11, 2012
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Acorn Express at The Morton Arboretum| Lisle |
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See gardens, woodlands, wetlands and prairies in a tram tour. 60-minute and 30-minute tours explain the rich Arboretum history, and describe the trees and plants you'll see. There's also an opportunity to see lovely wildlife in a native habitat.
Where: Morton Arboretum
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $4-6; (discounts for Arboretum members)
Arbor Reading Adventures| Lisle |
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Interactive story time and fun crafts indoors before heading out on the grounds for a winter walk. Themes change each week. Wednesdays and Fridays.
Where: Morton Arboretum
When: 11-11:45 a.m.
Ages: Preschool
Cost: $5 (discounts for members)
National Public Gardens Day| Valparaiso |
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Celebrate the day with a wide variety of demonstrations, garden and grounds tours, a plant sale, and children's activities. Watch Taltree's arborists climb the ancient Signature Oak tree, or get an overview of the art of Bonsai. Find out how to care for your garden tools, learn how to create a mixed planter for cacti and succulents, or get some rose care advice from the Duneland Rose Society.
Where: Taltree Arboretum & Gardens
When: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free
Railway Garden| Valparaiso |
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The new Railway Garden, a G-gauge model railway running through a 2.5 acre site, opens April 30. Visitors enter through a 1920s-era railway depot to see trains running through a garden of miniature plants, water features and a variety of landscapes. May 1 through October.
Where: Taltree Arboretum & Gardens
When: 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $10, free kids 3 and under
Snoozeum| Chicago |
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Enjoy the chance to visit the Museum of Science and Industry after dark. Participate in science activities and make science toys, go on a scavenger hunt and unroll sleeping bags next to a 727, giant heart or steps away from a toy-making factory.
Where: Museum of Science and Industry - Chicago
When: 6 p.m. May 11-8:30 a.m. May 12
Ages: Elementary, Tweens
Cost: $45 per person includes admission, activities, a Snoozeum patch, snack and breakfast. Light dinner options are available for purchase in the Museum's brain food court. Parking is $20.
Mur-Mur (The Wall)| Chicago |
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Montreal's DynamO Theatre performs acrobatic theater. In Mur-Mur, a wall, with its graffiti and its secrets, alternates as a playground and refuge for five young characters. Performances are May 6-12.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art
Ages: Elementary, Tweens
Cost: $11, $5 kids in advance; $2 per ticket surcharge applies to all purchase at the door.
Circus Zirkus| Chicago |
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Children can immerse themselves in backstage preparation, perform routines in center ring or manage the behind-the-scenes action of lights and sound. Plus, try making a circus balance toy or dress up like a clown.
Where: Chicago Children's Museum
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Super Moms Celebration| Glenview |
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Event includes dancing, super special activities and live appearances by superheroes. Also includes refreshments and a keepsake photo. Capes and costumes are welcome.
Where: Kohl Children's Museum
When: 6-8:30 p.m.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $75 mom/child pair, $65 member pair; $20 additional child, $15 additional member child
Sweet Home Chicago: The History of Chicago’s Candy-Making Capital| Elmhurst |
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From Fannie May to Brach's Candies, Tootsie Rolls, Frango Mints, Lemonheads and more, Chicago has a tasty history of making candy loved the world over. Learn about Chicago's sweet history and how candy and the City of Chicago grew up together. May 11-Sept. 18.
Where: Elmhurst Historical Museum
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free
A Century of Girls Leading the Way| Oak Park |
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A special exhibit on the history of Girl Scouting, with special focus on Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Where: Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Scouting in America| Joliet |
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Exhibit tells the story of Girl Scouting and Boy Scouting in America.
Where: Joliet Area Historical Museum
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Fish Liberation Ceremony| Chicago |
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Celebrate the return of wildlife to the Chicago River by adopting a fish, naming it (if they wish) and releasing it into the river. Fish wranglers will be on hand to assist.
Where: McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum
When: Visit website for time
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Visit website for cost
Windy City Rhythms| Chicago |
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Two unforgettable performances in honor of National Tap Dance Day, featuring Chicago tap talents such as M.A.D.D. Rhythms, BAM!, Mr. Taps, and FootworKINGz.
Where: DuSable Museum of African American History
When: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Friday
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $25, $25 senior and students, $15 kids
Undiscovered Worlds| Chicago |
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Through the discovery of exoplanets, we have learned our solar system is not alone in the universe. IN this new space show, learn how, with new instruments like the Kepler Telescope and rapidly improving technologies, the discovery of exoplanets puts us one step closer to finding an Earth-like world.
Where: Adler Planetarium
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission.
Bikes! The Green Revolution| Chicago |
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Learn about the American bicycle and Chicago's bike culture. The exhibition details the roots of America's most democratic and sustainable form of transportation and considers why human-powered locomotion could be the way of the future for our rapidly evolving urban environment.
Where: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Household Jades of Qing Dynasty China| Elmhurst |
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Features a selection of jades used at the table, in the studio and as personal adornment. Qing Dynasty China produced exceptional carving for a growing jade market.
Where: Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Gods, Myths and Mortals| Chicago |
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Visitors go on an interactive journey through the world of ancient Greece, where they can meet the gods, experience ancient Greek daily life and interact with the epic poem The Odyssey through more than 25 engaging interactive components, including climbing into a 13-foot tall Trojan Horse. Kids play and learn as they navigate rocky caves and open seas on "The Odyssey: A Hero's Journey" and e-mail home their Hero Record, belt tunes in the Sirens Karaoke Cave, discover which Greek god they are most like, match wits with Aristotle in a game of 20 questions, test their arm wrestling prowess in the Gymnasium and marvel at a working replica of the Antikythera Mechanism, believed to be the world's oldest computer.
Where: National Hellenic Museum
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: Free with admission
Blue Man Group| Chicago |
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Watch men painted blue do unusual performance art and original slapstick comedy. It's fun to sit in the front, but remember to wear a plastic poncho to avoid the flying food and liquids. Buy tickets at the box office, online, via Ticketmaster or by calling (773) 348-4000.
Where: Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theatre
When: Check website for performance schedule.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $49-$69
Wizard of Oz| Oakbrook Terrace |
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Family friendly show also offers breakfast buffet with Wizard of Oz characters on April 28, May 12, 19, 26 and June 16. Performances run April 25-June 16. Regular performances are at 10 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday starting on April 25 (excludes May 2, May 5, June 6, June 7, June 13, June 14). There will be two performances at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. April 28, May 12, May 19, May 26 and June 16.
Where: Drury Lane Oakbrook Terrace
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $12
Nearly Lear| Evanston |
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Part of the 13th annual Stages, Sights & Sounds, performances run May 3-12. The story is told by King Lear's closest companion--his fool. Uses exuberant storytelling, music and film. Purchase tickets at (312) 494-9509 or chicagohumanities.org.
Where: Josephine Louis Theatre
Ages: Tweens, Teens
Cost: $11, $5 kids in advance; $2 per ticket surcharge applies to all purchase at the door.
Fairy Tales| Evanston |
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Solo puppeteer Nori Sawa performs fresh takes on classic fairy tales from May 9-12. From Japan and based in Prague, Sawa uses puppets, masks, music, paper cutouts and his body to tell beautiful and sometimes slightly twisted versions of traditional tales.
Where: Josephine Louis Theatre
Ages: Elementary, Tweens
Cost: $11, $5 kids in advance; $2 per ticket surcharge applies to all purchase at the door.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat| Lincolnshire |
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Performances run most Tuesdays through Saturdays at 10 a.m., and added performances March 27, 29 and 30 at 12:30 p.m.
Where: Marriott Theatre for Young Audiences
When: 12:30 p.m.
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $15
The Pirates of Penzance| Lincolnshire |
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The story concerns Frederic, who, having completed his apprenticeship to a band of pirates on his 21st birthday, is released from his servitude. Soon after, he meets the fair maiden Mabel, daughter of Major-General Stanley. The two fall instantly in love; but, as always, obstacles threaten to cause trouble for young Frederic. It turns out Frederic was born during the leap year which means even though he is 21 he has only had 5 birthdays, and is in fact indebted to the pirates for 63 more years. Bound by his own sense of duty, Frederic's only solace is that Mabel agrees to wait for him faithfully. Performances run April 11-June 10.
Where: Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $40-$48
Les Miserables| Chicago |
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Follow the captivating story of Jean Valjean as he struggles with the concepts of truth, justice and redemption. This production spotlights the Studio BE Company Youth Ensemble and features the Studio BE orchestra. Performances at 7 p.m. May 4, 5, 10, 11, 12 and 3 p.m. May 6.
Where: Hoover-Leppen Theatre @ Center on Halsted
Ages: Elementary, Tweens, Teens
Cost: $15, $10 kids and students
Chicago Homeschool Expo| Tinley Park |
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Browse and shop the Exhibit Hall, listen to speakers and homeschool moms in workshops and make some new homeschool friends.
Where: Tinley Park Convention Center
Ages: Family/All Ages
Cost: $20 online, $30 at the door; $25 online, $35 at the door per couple
















