Chicago's Adler Planetarium with Kids: Top Things to See and Do

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on

Adler Planetarium photo by Chris Rycroft via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Chicago's Museum Campus is the perfect place to visit more than one museum in a day, and the Adler Planetarium gives families the chance to leave Earth from the shore of Lake Michigan. Like its siblings The Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium, it offers exhibits that appeal to every member of the family and provides lots of interactive learning opportunities. It was opened as part of the first planetarium in the Western hemisphere in 1930 and has evolved into a hub for families looking to learn more about stars, planets, galaxies, and space exploration.

One big advantage to the Adler Planetarium is that it won't take a whole day to visit most, if not all, of the building's exhibits. If you have kids with enough stamina, we recommend going to the Shedd Aquarium early on a Wednesday and dropping into the Planetarium at 4 p.m. It's free for Illinois residents from 4 until it closes at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, and you can remain in the same parking space all day. 

We visited with our 5- and 7-year-olds earlier this summer, and while one kid is determined to be an astronaut, the other was just happy to be at a museum. Each enjoyed different things about the museum depending on what was geared to their educational level. Here's what we liked best about the Adler Planetarium with kids!

If you're staying in town and plan to visit multiple attractions in the Chicago area (we’re looking at you, people with visiting relatives you’ll be squiring around town), it’s worth it to look into a Go City - Chicago sightseeing pass to save money on entrance fees to attractions like the Navy Pier, Field Museum, the aquarium, and the planetarium.

Music Classes for Kids in Boston: Toddler Music Classes, Piano Lessons, and Voice Lessons

Submitted by Michael Del Llano on

Music lessons for kids are engaging, stimulating, and fun! Photo courtesy of Groovy Baby Music

We're lucky to have great music classes in Boston. Music lessons for toddlers can aid language development, and music education can even improve test scores and increase your child’s IQ. Music classes also help kids explore their creativity and learn patience through practice. A fun music class will foster a lifelong love of music, which is why we scoured all the music classes in Boston to compile this list of the best of the best!

For more great classes for kids, including everything from dance classes to awesome classes for babies and toddlers, check out our Boston Classes for Kids Guide and Classes Directory.

Best Swimming Lessons in Atlanta for Babies: Mommy & Me Swim Classes

Submitted by Melanie Preis on

Atlanta kids can take a small group class with safety protocols in place at SeaVentures. Photo courtesy of SeaVentures

Learning how to swim teaches confidence, grit, and most importantly, life-saving skills. Swim lessons in Atlanta start as for babies to learn water safety at a young age. Depending on schedule, budget, and accessibility, there are a variety of Atlanta swimming lessons parents can choose from: individual or group lessons; public locations or at-home pools; daily or monthly swim class schedules. For the younger set, many of these swimming classes can introduce your child to the water when he or she is less than a year old; but be advised, children who are not potty-trained will almost always be required to wear swim diapers.

We've rounded up a few of our favorite swim lessons in Atlanta, both intown and beyond the perimeter, that offer a well-rounded aquatic curriculum—fun and informative! 

Best of Brooklyn: 50 Things To Do in the Family-Friendly Hipster Haven

Submitted by Diana Kim on

Prospect Park comes alive with the BRIC! Celebrate Brooklyn music festival each summer.

When it comes to things to do in Brooklyn, the borough has it all for families—great schools, iconic landmarks, great parks and playgrounds, eclectic dining, and the most interesting stores and museums. While we've covered a lot of our favorite things to do in Brooklyn and the borough's top neighborhoods in our Neighborhood Guides, ranging from the top things to do in Park Slope to the best of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Heights, and beyond, consider this our best-of-Brooklyn list. Below, we've rounded up our top 50 best things to do in Brooklyn with kids. Our picks are a mix of old favorites and new classics.

Read on to discover our picks for Brooklyn's top attractions, the best playgrounds in Brooklyn, our top picks for family-friendly Brooklyn restaurants, museums, and the best things to do in Brooklyn with kids.

Best Cooking Classes in Westchester and the Hudson Valley for Kids

Submitted by Katherine Dhurandhar on

Fiddleheads offers personalized cooking lessons. Photo courtesy of Fiddleheads

Cooking classes are a fun way for kids to explore and develop their culinary talents while also learning about where food comes from and developing healthy eating habits. The abundance of local farms in Westchester and the Hudson Valley makes it a great place for young chefs to learn and cultivate their skills. Whether your child has an interest in cooking as a profession or just likes to have fun in the kitchen and make their own snacks, there is something for everyone. 

We have rounded up several businesses in the area that offer kids cooking classes, many of which focus on using farm-to-table, locally sourced ingredients. Some have their own teaching gardens where kids can learn to grow, harvest, and cook with fresh ingredients, and one is held on a working organic farm.

You can find more cooking classes for kids–and even book a class online–in our directory of classes and listings. And be sure to check our Westchester Classes for Kids Guide for more kids’ activities and classes for kids of all ages and interests.

Top Swimming Lessons for Long Island Kids

Jaime Sumersille's picture Submitted by Jaime Sumersille on

Goldfish Swim Schools' three locations offer programs for children as young as 4 months. Photo courtesy of the school

Indoor swimming lessons are a great way to ensure kids are safe and can enjoy year-round fun at Long Island’s world-class beaches and pools. From private swimming lessons to classes in community pools, there are plenty of destinations for indoor lessons. The great thing about these pools is that when summer is gone, kids can continue lessons, adding to their skills.

Find more classes and enrichment opportunities in our directory.

Jenkinson's Boardwalk and Point Pleasant Beach: Top Tips for a Family Trip

Submitted by Margaret Hargrove on

Jenkinson's Boardwalk and Point Pleasant Beach are only about an hour away from NYC and Philly.

Jenkinson’s Boardwalk and Point Pleasant Beach have long been popular family-friendly Jersey Shore destinations. About an hour's drive from New York City and Philadelphia, this picturesque stretch of shoreline lies between the beaches of Monmouth County and the craziness of Seaside Heights. The boardwalk plays host to many kid-friendly attractions, including an aquarium, arcades, mini-golf courses, a ropes course, and an amusement park with a whole section that’s just right for toddlers and preschoolers.

I spent many summers here in my youth, and with my own little one in tow this summer, I headed down to Exit 98 to spend the day at this popular Shore spot.

Looking for more warm-weather fun? Check out our Summer Fun Guide and Jersey Shore Family Guide for ideas. 

Sanity-Saving Snacks for Back to School Wins

Jessica Laird's picture Submitted by Jessica Laird on

Tastykake's kid-approved treats are ready to solve some of your snack-related back to school woes.

For moms and dads, the start of the school year means a return to frantic lunch packing, endless carpool planning, and way too many opportunities to drop the ball. But what if you could solve a slew of parenting problems with something as simple as, say, a cupcake?

With the back-to-school season right around the corner, we put our heads together with the baked goods-loving pros over at Tastykake® to brainstorm how their kid-approved treats can solve some of our snack-related back to school woes. Unsurprisingly, it turns out that when a little something sweet is the answer (and sometimes it is), Tastykake has parents covered.

Pages