Looking for indoor playgrounds in Chicago? Here are our favorite indoor play spaces near Chicago.

When the weather's too cold, too hot, or too rainy to play outdoors, you can head to one of our favorite indoor play spaces for kids in Chicago. There’s a climate-controlled play zone for every age, every interest, and every kind of kid. Many indoor play spaces in Chicago even offer coffee and wi-fi for grateful parents, so you can catch up on email (and caffeine) while your little ones get their sillies out.

Here are our favorite places to play indoors in and around Chicago when the weather won't cooperate. Looking for something else fun to do indoors with kids in Chicago? Check out our list of the best FREE indoor play spaces in and around Chicago. For more fun when it's too hot or cold to play outside, check out our Winter Activities Guide for Chicago Kids.

Every week we here at Mommy Poppins ask our readers a question—things like, "What is your favorite donut place in your city?" or "Which would you rather have, a maid or a chef?" We typically get lots of great responses—some funny, some sweet, and some super insightful.

But rarely do we receive as much feedback as when we posed this question: "What are you convinced people are pretending to enjoy?" So many of you came to your keyboards for this one! We received hundreds of responses, with kale being mentioned the most.

Since this was such a hot topic, we decided to compile the best answers into one big list of 45 things we pretend to enjoy—and believe other people pretend to enjoy, too. Save this for the next time you're hanging out with other parents—it's sure to make for a lively discussion. Then check out our Parenting Guide for more parent talk, from funny animal memes to parenting tips from dads.

Rent-out-the-whole-museum and hire-a-marching-band kid birthday parties have their fans, but when it comes to a memorable day, we think it's nice to find a few birthday freebies. Of course, there are plenty of at-home, DIY ways to celebrate your child's birthday for FREE, from leaving cute notes on the mirror to playing hooky. But it's also the one time each year you can take advantage of all those corporate birthday clubs that promise to make your kid's big day even more special with fun birthday freebies like complimentary gifts, food, and other deals.

We've rounded up a mix of local spots, with a lot of national chain restaurants and popular kids' stores thrown in, which all offer FREE birthday goodies. Some are specific to kids, though adults can snag a few birthday freebies, too. Most require an email list or loyalty card sign up.

Find more fun for your little one's big day (maybe even a marching band) in our NYC Kids' Guide to Birthday Parties.

A treasure trove of free things to do in San Francisco with kids awaits. From walking across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to admiring the beloved sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf, it's easy to experience a diverse range of free things to do in San Francisco and the Bay Area. 

Explore the historic charm of Chinatown, take in breathtaking views at Lands End, introduce kids to culture at the Randall Museum, and explore all the free things to do in San Francisco at the Presidio. San Francisco's cultural richness and mild all-year climate ensures kids have memorable, endless options of free things to do in San Francisco. 

For more free things to do in San Francisco, discover free museum days for kids in San Francisco, check out everything you need to know about visiting Golden Gate Park with kids, and browse our Free Things To Do in San Francisco with Kids Guide.