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Yayoi Kusama's LOVE IS CALLING. Photo by Kyle Flubacker, courtesy of the WNDR Museum
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8/18/24 - By Maureen Wilkey

The Windy City is a fabulous place for families. With world-class museums, great architecture, fun foods, and beautiful natural settings, it's filled with some of the best attractions kids and adults can enjoy together. Whether visiting on a vacation or living here, there's always something new to do or learn. So we've compiled a list of some of the best attractions in Chicago made with kids in mind!

If you want to learn or do more, check out our list of 100 things to do with Chicago kids before they grow up, or check out our calendar of fun events, many of which take place at these cool venues.

Morton Arboretum. Photo by Maureen Wilkey
Morton Arboretum. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

Top Chicago Attractions for Little Kids

Chicago Children's Museum

Enjoy all of the exhibits at this Navy Pier museum for young people. Play with water in Water City, climb the Cloud Buster indoor playground, make something in the art studio, learn about safety in the mock fire truck, or build a skyscraper in the sky lab. READ MORE

Chicago Children's Theatre

This West Loop theater focuses on creating awe-inspiring theatrical productions for kids. Its plays are usually based on popular children's literature, and its annual Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party is a Chicago tradition. Kids can also look out for theater camps during the summer. READ MORE

Sloomoo Institute of Chicago

Immerse yourself in a colorful world full of never-ending, hand-crafted slime, yummy scents, and soothing ASMR delights at Sloomoo of Chicago. Tickets include access to the DIY Bar where guests can choose from 40+ colors, 60+ fragrances, and 150 charms. READ MORE

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

Millions of LEGO bricks await at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago, featuring two stories of 12+ attractions and rides. Blast trolls on the Kingdom Quest ride, explore Miniland, take flight with Merlin's Apprentice and more.  READ MORE

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

The Chicago Academy of Science's Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum allows kids to explore plant and animal life in the Midwest and from around the world. Walk among butterflies in the butterfly haven, watch turtles swim in the look-in lab, play in the nature play space, and explore water in the RiverWorks exhibit. READ MORE

Morton Arboretum

Explore the grounds of this 1,700-acre living museum, home to more than 4,000 plant species. There are 16 miles of hiking trails to explore and nine miles of biking trails. With over 100 summer camps for kids 3.5 to 14, children learn to be conservation and environmental scientists, artists, and outdoor enthusiasts.   READ MORE

Museum of Illusions Chicago

Learn, feel, and see a variety of illusions with illusion rooms, exhibits and imagery. This fun museum shows you the difference between what you see and what you think you see, and makes for some amazing selfies. READ MORE

DuPage Children's Museum

Kids can play and discover new things at the DuPage Children's Museum. Experiment with bubbles, flowing water in a river, wind, construction, ramps, lightboards and more at this west suburban kids' favorite. The second floor usually hosts a rotating exhibit. READ MORE
The Art Institute of Chicago photo by Maureen Wilkey
The Art Institute of Chicago photo by Maureen Wilkey

Best Chicago Attractions for Big Kids

The Escape Game

In The Escape Game, players are immersed into interactive rooms where they have to follow clues, solve puzzles, and complete missions in under 60 minutes. Each escape game provides a unique hands-on experience, designed for families, friends, and anyone else looking for an elevated unplugged adventure. READ MORE

Chicago Architecture Center

The Chicago Architecture Center is known for its river cruise tours of Chicago architecture and its 4,250-building scale model of of Chicago. READ MORE

The Art Institute of Chicago


Since 1893, this Chicago school of art has collected nearly 300,000 pieces of fine art from many periods of history and from all over the world. These works are on display near Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. READ MORE

Flyover Chicago: Experience the City from Navy Pier

Flyover Chicago, Navy Pier's latest attraction, gives families the chance to coast through the air above the Loop to take in all the sights and sounds of the city (without the hassle of actually being up there). READ MORE

360 Chicago

360 CHICAGO Observation Deck offers the best views of Chicago from 1,030 feet above the famed Magnificent Mile. The 17,000-square foot observation deck is also home to CloudBar, the city’s highest cocktail lounge where guests can grab a specialty cocktail and relax while enjoying the view. READ MORE

Skydeck & The Ledge

See Chicago from a bird's eye view on the 103rd story of the Willis Tower. Brave visitors can venture out onto The Ledge, a 1.5" thick glass box stretching more than 4 feet out from the side of the building, and gaze onto the street below. Up to four states are visible from the Skydeck on a clear day, and families can learn more about Chicago's personality, neighborhoods, and history through museum-like exhibits on their trip to the top. READ MORE

WNDR Museum Chicago

WNDR is an immersive experience with awe-inspiring interactive art, lounge and shop for those curious enough to wonder. See rotating exhibits and attend family-friendly or 21+ events at this unique West Loop museum. READ MORE
Jump in the sprinkle pit at the Museum of Ice Cream. Photo by Maureen Wilkey
Jump in the sprinkle pit at the Museum of Ice Cream. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

Top Chicago Attractions for Kids of All Ages

Museum of Science and Industry

The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the largest science museums in the world, home to more than 400,000 square feet of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. READ MORE

The Land Before Time: How to Do Chicago's Field Museum with Kids

The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago is one of the country's favorites. Read our tips and recommendations for visiting with kids. READ MORE

Brookfield Zoo

West Cook County's Brookfield Zoo is home to more than 450 species of animals on its 216-acre grounds. Kids can also enjoy interactive exhibits and events. READ MORE

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

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. READ MORE

Best Things to See and Do at the Shedd Aquarium with Kids

Whether you're visiting to give kids a different perspective on their world, to see unique species of aquatic life, or to learn about biology, the Shedd has a little something for everyone. READ MORE

Museum of Ice Cream Chicago: Unlimited Ice Cream for All

Here, you can eat your way through an imaginative world of sweetness, along with one weird savory treat, and take plenty of selfies along the way. READ MORE

The Chicago History Museum with Kids: Top Things to See and Do

The Chicago History Museum is off the beaten path of Chicago's Museum Campus and downtown area in historic Old Town, and gives kids an idea of how this great metropolis got here and why its people are so interesting. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Sloomoo Institute - Chicago