Every parent knows that there always has to be a plan B for when something doesn’t work out as planned.
Rather than scrambling to find something to do on a cold or rainy day, here are some indoor play spaces in and around Hyde Park to keep in your arsenal.
Read more: Fun Things to Do with Kids in Hyde Park
Hello Baby
- Address: 600 E. 61st Street, Chicago
- Cost: Free
- Best for ages: 0-3
Hello Baby is a free of charge drop in play space for babies, toddlers and their caregivers. They are open every weekday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and often have morning or early-afternoon programs geared for both entertainment and education.
South Side YMCA
- Address: 6330 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago
- Cost: Membership required; call for pricing.
- Best for ages: All ages (children under 7 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian)
Kids looking to burn some energy can drop by the South Side YMCA for family open swim — usually a 4-hour window.
Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
- Address: 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
- Cost: Museum entry: $25.95 adult (ages 12 and up), $14.95/child (ages 3-11); children under 2 are free.
- Best for ages: All ages
Kids of all ages will enjoy stepping into a wind booth to see what 80 mph winds feel like in Science Storms, discover mathematical patterns in Numbers and Nature: A Mirror Maze, touching a 7 foot ice wall in Extreme Ice, and more.
Bronzeville Children’s Museum
- Address: 9301 S. Stoney Island Ave., Chicago
- Cost: $5/person
- Best for ages: 4-9
The country’s first African American children’s museum, the Bronzeville Children’s Museum makes black history interesting and accessible. Exhibit topics include healthy eating, African American inventors who changed lives, Bronzeville’s top landmarks and STEM activities.
Chicago Women’s Park and Gardens
- Address: 1801 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago
- Cost: Free
- Best for ages: 2-5
The Chicago Park District’s first indoor playground features 2,000 square feet of soft-surface fun including rock climbing walls, playhouses, spinners, giant blocks and lots of space to run and play.
Hyde Park Neighborhood Club
- Address: 5480 S. Kenwood Ave., Chicago
- Cost: Pay-what-you-can
- Best for ages: 0-5
Tot Lot, located inside the HPNC, offers opportunities for children ages birth to 5 years to experience the world outside their home with their caregiver. Hosted in an expansive gym, children have access to mats, riding toys, play structures, balls and open-ended building materials. A separate area is available for non-walking children to safely play, explore, and observe.
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