For kids, art has a way of sparking conversations and creating connections. That comes to life during Family Days, a special Saturday program at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
“Come ready to play,” says Alicia Sandoval Vadillo, the MCA’s Manager of Student and Family programs. “Museums can feel like really serious spaces, and we want to deconstruct that. We want the museum to be a place that’s full of laughter and joy.”
This program is “a complete museum takeover” of four floors of galleries, classrooms, and even meeting rooms. Geared at kids ages 12 and under, young visitors get to interact with other kids — and even local artists. Best of all? Since it began almost 30 years ago, it’s still totally free.
“We want families to feel like this is their space,” Sandoval Vadillo adds, “where they see themselves reflected in art and feel inspired to keep coming back.”
Discover what Family Days at the MCA has to offer between December 2024 and May 2025.
What you’ll find at Family Days
- Creative workshops: Kids dive into hands-on activities that nurture imagination, from turning paper into wearable art to making simple musical instruments from circuit paintings.
- Exhibition exploration: Check out exhibits like The Living End (on view till March 16, 2025), which shows how painting and tech intersect.
- A cozy chill zone: Relax on beanbags, flip through books or take a breather between activities in this open space.
Activities are designed for all ages: “They can be made by a 2-year-old just learning to use their hands,” Sandoval Vadillo says, “to a teen who’s taking a lot of time to really add all the details.”
All programming is bilingual, too, offered in both English and Spanish, with ASL interpretation available.
6 can’t-miss MCA Family Days
Join the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago in 2024 and 2025 for these Family Days events:
1. Zines! on Dec. 14, 2024
Kids learn all about the art of small, handmade magazines. Working alongside the museum’s Teen Creative Agency, families dig into seven zine themes, from jewelry-making to urban planning, with hands-on activities.
“We really get thinking about graphic arts, what a ‘scene’ is and different ways to get into it,” Sandoval Vadillo says. Kids can also try printmaking with the Marimacha Monarcha Press, a local collective, or create their own zines inspired by the TCA’s work.
2. Press Play on Jan. 11, 2025
Dive into storytelling with animation, puppetry and video art during this Family Day built around the The Living End exhibition.
“We’re inviting kids to direct and tell their own stories,” says Sandoval Vadillo. Local puppeteer Sam Lewis and animator Margaret Byllis will guide families in creative activities, including shadow puppets and flipbooks.
“It’s about pressing play on narratives and how we tell stories through different forms of media.”
3. Comfy Cozy on Feb. 8, 2025
As winter lingers, this Family Day focuses on warmth and self-care. Inspired by past activities like quilted valentines, families can create heartfelt art, participate in tea-making workshops, or even craft their own incense.
“It’s about love and care — thinking of ways to take care of ourselves and our families.”
4. Future Past on March 8, 2025
What can kids learn from history and imagination? Guided by the Wafaa Bilal: Indulge Me exhibit, this event explores themes of time and storytelling.
“As an artist, Wafaa is really questioning power,” says Sandoval Vadillo. “Kids get to think about history and who gets to tell history.”
Families can create art that looks at traditions and modern themes — and write poems with long-time Family Day partner, Poems While You Wait.
5. It’s Alive! on April 12, 2025
Celebrate the arrival of spring with outdoor play and a touch of whimsy.
Influenced by the MCA’s “cheese people” sculptures — three playful figures dancing in the garden — these activities encourage movement and joy.
“This one is all about being silly, celebrating levity, and embracing the natural world as it comes to life again.”
6. Playoffs on May 10, 2025
Close out the Family Day season with a sports-themed celebration tied to Paul Pfeiffer: Prologue to the Story of the Birth of Freedom. Families can explore how sports build community and create art inspired by Pfeiffer’s work on spectacle and play.
“Sports are a foundation of our society,” Sandoval Vadillo says. “We play them in school, and it’s a way we learn to build communication and empathy with others.”
Building deeper connections and memories
Every Family Day connects children not only to art but also to their communities. Sandoval Vadillo emphasizes the importance of working with local Chicago artists: “Some families discover artists who live and work in their neighborhoods. It’s about building those bridges.”
And when families leave? “I hope that they’re able to create memories that inspire them, that they’re able to look back on, and that they’re able to keep creating at home.”
Discover more about Family Days events at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.
