Swiftie Events and More Things To Do in Chicago This Weekend With Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on

Earth Day. Photo courtesy of the Forest Preserve of Cook County

Looking for the best things to do in Chicago this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list for this weekend!

Music is all over Chicago this weekend, and there are lots of ways to enjoy it with kids. We heard a certain popular artist may have come out with a new album last week, and families are celebrating with events in Ravenswood and Lake Zurich. You can also learn about A Cappella music in Glen Ellyn or enjoy festive Austrian tunes in Oak Lawn. Families can also plant a tree for Arbor Day, see a new playground opening in Oak Park, or reuse and recycle old items in Wrigleyville to round out Earth Month this weekend.

Mother's Day is going to be here before you know it! Plan an activity or a brunch with our handy lists. Then check out the full line-up of spring festivals—we've rounded up 35 that are family-friendly. 

Have a great spring weekend in Chicago!

Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival, Be My Neighbor Day, and More Things To Do in San Francisco This Weekend

Submitted by Sandra Lee on

It's going to be an insect extravaganza at Bug Day! Photo courtesy of the Randall Museum.

Looking for the best things to do in San Francisco and the Bay Area this weekend? Here are some family-friendly events and activities to add to your list. ​

Just in time for Independent Bookstore Day, this weekend in the Bay Area brings classic books and fairytales to life. We Players Presents Adventures with Alice kicks off its season with a walking wandering show through Golden Gate Park. The Three Little Pigs take the stage in Palo Alto. Solve puzzles in Salesforce Park through an immersive Fairy Tale Scramble Math Quest. 

Fans of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will want to check out Be My Neighbor Day in San Francisco. Close out the weekend with a cherry (blossom) on top at the annual two-day Cupertino Cherry Blossom Festival. 

Experience Wild Wonder at the Long Island Game Farm with Animal Encounters and More Zoo Fun

Submitted by Jennifer Voit on

From the moment you step into the Long Island Game Farm and meet its resident baby goats, the animals steal your heart.

Animal-loving kids go wild for an outing to the Long Island Game Farm in Manorville. A visit to the largest combined children’s zoo and wildlife park on Long Island is a day packed with fun and excitement. There are cuddles with furry barnyard animals and introductions to exotic species. My animal-obsessed little ones had a blast meeting, learning about, and even feeding some of their beloved new friends.

Read on for all the details of animal encounters and exotic wildlife wonders the whole family can enjoy during a visit to the Long Island Game Farm, which lands at No. 50 on our list of 100 things to do with your kids on Long Island before they grow up.

Step into the Future at Mercer Labs a New, Mind-Blowing Immersive Museum in FiDi

Submitted by Hans Howe-Freiwald on

Mercer Labs is a brand new immersive museum where seeing is believing.

If you're looking for a totally new experience in NYC, look no further than Mercer Labs in Manhattan’s Financial District. Mercer Labs is a wholly immersive digital experience that is going to leave you and your family breathless and amazed. As you wander from room to room, expect your senses to be engaged, activating a sense of wonder.

See what makes this new immersive museum in NYC a must-visit, and find more local cultural outings in our NYC Kids' Guide to Museums and Galleries.

Climate Change Anxiety in Kids: Expert Advice on Helping Kids Cope

Submitted by Meghan Rose on

One way to battle the climate change anxiety in kids is to talk, research, and take action together.

Climate change anxiety is real, and can feel so scary and existentially threatening for kids that it poses a real mental health challenge. Fires, floods, unseasonal tornados, extreme heat, snowless winters—it's real, and the constant exposure on social media  can lead to worry and depression that lead to what experts call "climate change anxiety" in kids.

It's hard to deal with as an adult, and it's doubly hard to know what to say to your worried and anxious kids that doesn't either belittle the problem or outright lie! So, we went to an expert: Aja Chavez, Executive Director of Adolescent Services at AMFM Healthcare. She answered our questions on why kids are experiencing anxiety, how it manifests, and what parents can do to help.

Keep reading for great tips to immediately calm anxious kids below. We've also rounded up actions kids of any age can take, how to live more sustainably, and more in our Earth Guide for Kids.

Amazing Overnight Summer Camps in California for Kids and Teens

Submitted by Ana Belibasis on

Kids have a blast in the ocean at Catalina Island. Photograph courtesy of Catalina Sea Camps

Overnight summer camps are pretty heady stuff: Sleep away from home, meet new friends, have adventures, master new abilities, boost social skills, develop confidence, and learn to handle situations without parents around! For parents, it's a chance to have a little kid-free time without feeling guilty, because we know our kids are having the experience of a lifetime—and disconnecting from their devices.

For some reason, sleepaway summer camp isn't quite as big a deal in California as it is in the Northeast, but we've scoured the state and found some pretty amazing overnight summer camps in California, from stunning Catalina Island to the rustic Sierra Nevada mountains.

For more fabulous overnight summer camps, check out our Sleepaway Summer Camp Guide to the Best Overnight Camps in the US. Or if you're looking to stay more local, bookmark our Los Angeles Summer Camp Guide and our Camp Directory where you can search for summer camps by type, age, and town.

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