Get out there and play

Calling all sock monkey fans: the Midway Museum’s Sock Monkey Madness Festival is coming to Rockford—the official “Home of the Sock Monkey”—this weekend. Grab your favorite sock monkeys to join in the monkey business, which includes a sock monkey film festival, sock monkey-making, crafts and the Ms./Mr. Sockford 2009 Sock Monkey Pageant. Have a sick sock monkey? The Sockford General Hospital is open to mend your little friend. This year’s festival also includes a giant 7-foot sock monkey.

The classic toys are products of the red-heeled work sock manufactured by The Nelson Knitting Company of Rockford, which includes the monkey pattern in each package of socks.

The Midway Village Museum is located at 6799 Guilford Road, Rockford. Sock Monkey Madness is held from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the festival is $7, $4 kids 3-17. Museum members are free. Workshops are available for an additional charge. For more information, call (815) 397-9112 or visit midwayvillage.com.

Get your tickets here

This week, three lucky Chicago Parent readers will win a family five-pack to the Chicagoland Family Pet Expo, held at Arlington Park Racecourse, 2200 W. Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights, March 20-22. Tickets retail for $10, $5 kids 12-3. For more information, visit petchicago.com. To win, visit our discussion board.

Get out there and play some more

Reptiles rule—and amphibians make an appearance—at the Lake Forest Recreation Center this Sunday with the Wildlife Discovery Center’s Reptile Rampage 2009 event. Check out hundreds of scaly and slimy critters from turtles and frogs to giant snakes and crocodiles. The harmless ones will be yours to handle, while the dangerous and venomous variants can be enjoyed at a safe distance.

Kids can learn herpetology from more than 80 private breeders, nature centers and organizations and make their own cold-blooded creations at the arts and crafts tables. Be sure to pick up a souvenir T-shirt or snag supplies if you’re a reptile owner.

The Lake Forest Recreation Center is located at 400 Hastings Road, Lake Forest. The event runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $5 for families. For more information, call (847) 615-4388 or visit cityoflakeforest.com.

Piece of the prize

One lucky Chicago Parent reader will win a Western Teepee from Barn Dandy’s. The cotton teepee stands 72 inches high, has a window to peek out of and a pocket to hide little treasures. It retails for $185. For more information, visit barndandys.com. To win, visit our discussion board. Error parsing XSLT file: \xslt\article-detail.xslt