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Chicago weekend events for kids
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There's a lot going on in this world-class city we live in, and the options can be overwhelming. So every week, we'll pick our not-to-miss events. Chances are, you'll see us there, kids in tow. If none of these suit your schedule, browse our full calendar to find events near you.
Why not get our recommendations in your inbox? Sign up for our Weekend Scoop newsletter, delivered every Thursday with our suggestions for a rock-star weekend. Sign up today!
Chicago Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony and ParadeFREE
Chicago Memorial Day Parade | ChicagoMay 25 (Saturday) , Wreath Laying: 11 a.m. Parade: noon
The wreath laying ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at the Eternal Flame on Daley Plaza. The parade kicks off at noon and proceeds south on State Street from Wacker Street to Van Buren Street. Participants include many area high schools' Drum and Bugle Corps as well as many veterans groups.
Memorial Day Weekend
Susanna Farms | Lake VillaMay 25 - May 27, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Enjoy kite flying, toddler hay mazes, obstacle courses,
hayrides through the fields and a ladybug release (2 p.m. Saturday
and Sunday). Plus, check out the two bull calves, baby goats, lambs
and pigs and mid-size and full sized chickens.
Family Day/Open House
Big Run Wolf Ranch | LockportMay 25, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
See wolves, a cougar, bear, groundhog, skunk and more. Plus, food, drinks, gift shop, music, raffles and fun. Special guests:SOAR (Save Our American Raptors) and Darren Curt's Comedy Magic. Season passes and adoptions available.
Dinosaur Petting ZooFREE
Millennium Park | ChicagoMay 25 - May 27
Dinosaurs come to life in a fun, educational and imaginative performance. Audiences can feed, water and care for these puppet-like, prehistoric marvels.
The Wild Wildlife Family Scavenger Hunt
Watson Adventures | ChicagoMay 25, 10:30 a.m.-noon
Kids and adults work together to discover the oddest animals and strangest facts at the Lincoln Park Zoo. You'll cross climates on an African safari, learn how your neck is like a twiga's, get hissed at by cockroaches, endure howling gibbons, go nose to snout with black bears, ponder puffins, and learn whether or not you should punch someone who calls you a bufflehead.
Vertical Viennese Dance PerformanceFREE
Navy Pier | ChicagoMay 25, 1-8:30 p.m.
Viennese dancers go sky-high with vertical dance performances mixing art, sound, lights and adventurous aerial displays. The show takes inspiration from Vienna's modern music scene, Imperial heritage, iconic artist Gustav Klimt, indulgent food and wine scene, and the Viennese waltz.
NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover
Adler Planetarium | ChicagoMay 17 - September 3
See a full-size replica of NASA's Mars Curiosity rover. The rover, which landed safely on Mars, is a high-fidelity prototype and the only one of its kind to be publicly displayed.
Piccadily Circus
DuPage County Fairgrounds | WheatonMay 25 - May 27, See website for times
See the 'Cossak Warriors' on horseback; Motorcycle Nitro Cowboys in the globe of Death; camels and zebras performing with ponies; clowns and comedy acts and much more.
Dinosaurs Alive!
Brookfield Zoo | BrookfieldApril 6 - October 27
Features supersized animatronic dinosaurs, including
favorites like Stegosaurus and Triceratops, as well as obscure
dinosaur species with unusual characteristics, like feathers.
Shantungosaurus-the largest dinosaur to walk on two legs-stands at
more than 20 feet tall and 50 feet long in Roosevelt Fountain, and
a tented showcase highlights the most recent paleontological
findings that birds evolved from dinosaurs. In addition, guests
will learn how dinosaurs are relevant to today's world and how
changes in climate may have led to their extinction, plus about
prehistoric flowers and plants .
LEGO Legends of Chima Celebration
Legoland Discovery Center | SchaumburgMay 25 - May 27, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Help your favorite animal tribe fight for control of a powerful and mystical element called CHI, and be among the first to experience the Center's new LEGO Legends of Chima 4D move. Other activities include a hunt for hidden CHI in the wilds of the Jungle Expedition; an epic battle for CHI as the animal warriors face off in Miniland; a chance to build your own animal warrior; and prizes and giveaways.
Stingray Touch
John G. Shedd Aquarium | ChicagoMay 17 - September 2
Shedd staff members guide guests through the 15-minute
touch experience, while providing interesting facts about
stingrays, including information about how choosing
sustainable seafood protects stingrays in global
waters. The outdoor exhibit also allows visitors to
see the cownose stingrays through various angles.
Animal Inside Out
Museum of Science and Industry | ChicagoMarch 14 - September 2
The exhibition showcases more than 100 animal specimens that have been preserved through the process of Plastination. From goats to giraffes and octopuses to ostriches, guests will see the inner workings of some of the world's most impressive animals and better understand the evolution of animals and the natural world.
