If you think opera and kids don’t go hand-in-hand, well, your top hat might be too tight. At the inaugural Family Day at Lyric, little music lovers will go behind-the-scenes—we’re talking the orchestra pit, props area and costume department—of Chicago’s famed Civic Opera Building, where they’ll enjoy demonstrations of operatic stagecraft and costume try-ons (dibs on the Viking helmet!), plus a short performance that’s designed especially for kids 5-10. Before you know it, they’re liable to be singing arias about all the fun they had!
$10, $5 kids. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 7. Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. (312) 827-5912.
We have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, but what about a day to celebrate the kids who gave us those special titles? That’s what they do in Mexico, where Día del Niño (“Day of the Child”) is a national holiday. In Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art stages its own Día del Niño Costume Caminata & Family Festival, a day of healthy fun for kids and parents alike. Start the day with a costumed walk to Harrison Park (superheroes outfits are suggested), where you’ll find art activities, performances and sports challenges that teach kids how to be healthy as they grow.
Free. 8 a.m. walk; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. festival. April 21. National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St., Chicago. (312) 738-1503.
We’re pretty sure that Ben Stiller won’t be showing up, but DuPage County Historical Museum’s Night at the Museum is still certain to be a hit with your history- and hijinks-loving kids. The third annual event includes a screening of Night at the Museum: Secrets of the Tomb, which starred Stiller, Robin Williams and Owen Wilson back in 2014. But it also features a flashlight scavenger hunt through the museum paid for by John Quincy Adams (it’s old, y’all), plus games, crafts and a snack bar buffet. And instead of Lancelot and Sacajawea, they’ll learn about important figures from the county’s past.
$10. 6:30-9 p.m. April 20. DuPage Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St., Wheaton. (630) 510-4941.
