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40+ Free Things to Do in Chicago with Kids this Winter

Sledding is always a fun free activity for kids in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Forest Preserve of Cook County
Sledding is always a fun free activity for kids in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Forest Preserve of Cook County
1/2/22 - By MommyPoppins

Say what you want about Chicago winters, but the fact is, this town knows how to pack a lot of fun into the coldest months of the year. And best of all, there are plenty of FREE things to do in Chicago during the winter.

Some of the city's best attractions offer free admission during the winter, with free Illinois resident days at the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum—plus, The DuSable Museum is always free (to help you celebrate MLK Day and Black History Month in February), and the Art Institute of Chicago is free on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays through St. Patrick's Day. Speaking of St. Patrick's Day, lots of parades are returning as everyone becomes Chi-rish for a day, or you can see a different kind of parade at Chinese New Year in Chinatown. Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day also make our list of fun free things to do in Chicago this winter.

Looking for more? Our list of 100 Things to Do With Chicago Kids Before They Grow Up might do the trick, and of course you can always find more daily activities in our Chicago Event Calendar or our Chicago Winter Fun Guide.

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Visit the Art Institute of Chicago for free on Mondays, Thursday and Fridays this Winter. Photo courtesy of Reddit
Visit the Art Institute of Chicago for free on Mondays, Thursday and Fridays this Winter. Photo courtesy of Reddit

Free Things to Do All Winter

Free Tuesdays at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Tuesdays — Streeterville
Illinois residents can enjoy all that the MCA has to offer, including world-class modern art exhibits (many featuring Chicago-based artists) for free on Tuesdays.  READ MORE

Free Days at the DuSable Museum of African American History

Tuesdays — Hyde Park
The DuSable Museum of African American History has free admission on Wednesdays. READ MORE

Free Weekdays at the Art Institute of Chicago

Mondays, Thursday, and Fridays — The Loop
Illinois residents can explore the beautiful, world-class Art Institute of Chicago for free on select weekdays in winter 2022. READ MORE

Donation Days for Illinois Residents at the Notebaert Nature Museum

Thursdays — Lincoln Park
Admission is free (suggested donation) for all Illinois residents every Thursday the museum is open. The Peggy Notebaert Museum has so much to offer families. Explore the Riverworks display, unlock the Mysteries of the Marsh, stroll through the Wilderness Walk, and have fun in the Hands-On Exhibit. The Butterfly Haven is a can't miss experience. Check with the museum for special hours on holidays. READ MORE

Virtual Story Time at Open Books

Thursdays and Saturdays — Virtual
Open Books hosts a free virtual story time for kids and their caregivers every Thursday and Saturday at 10 am. Everyone is encouraged to read and sing along on the bookstore's YouTube Channel. READ MORE

Lizzardo Museum of Lapidary Art Free Days

Wednesdays — Oak Brook
Visitors to the Lizzardo Museum of Lapidary Art can learn more about the history and art of cutting and polishing stone. They can also try their hand at special lapidary projects during special events at the museum. READ MORE

Elmhurst Art Museum Free Days

First Friday of each month — Elmhurst
Elmhurst Art Museum offers free admission to all guests on the first Friday of each month. READ MORE

Free Days at the Field Museum

Wednesdays in January and February—Museum Campus
Illinois residents enjoy free general admission to Chicago's world-class Field Museum on Wednesdays throughout 2024. READ MORE

Everyone at Play

Second Saturday of January and February-—Glenview
Kids with special needs can enjoy a day at Kohl's Children's Museum while it's closed to the general public. This gives families the opportunity to play in a calm, creative environment among the museum's 17 exhibits and 2 acres of outdoor space. READ MORE
Serenity is this year's theme at Garfield Park Conservatory. The exhibit is up through January, photo courtesy of the conservatory
Serenity is this year's theme at Garfield Park Conservatory. The exhibit is up through January, photo courtesy of the conservatory

Free Things to Do in January

Holiday Flower Show at Wilder Park Conservatory

Daily through January 9—Elmhurst
Elmhurst's Wilder Park Conservatory shows off a unique display of poinsettias throughout the holiday season. READ MORE

Winter Flower Show: Celebrating Silver at Garfield Park Conservatory

Daily through January 9—Garfield Park
The Garfield Park Conservatory hosts its annual holiday flower show. This year, the theme is Celebrating Silver, which honors the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance's 25th anniversary with beautiful silver foliage, lush poinsettias in pink and white hues, and more favorite winter flowers and plants.  READ MORE

Naper Lights

January 1—Naperville
Downtown Naperville's annual holiday light extravaganza features light displays and music throughout the downtown Naperville and Riverwalk areas. Admission is free. Get a photo with Santa beside the Great Tree on select dates. READ MORE

Nights of Lights

Daily through January 9—Wheaton
The new holiday light experience at Adams Park is hosted by the Downtown Wheaton Association and the City of Wheaton and has plenty of holiday spirit and socially-distanced community. Don't forget to drop your letter to Santa in the Nights of Lights mailbox to be delivered directly to the North Pole. READ MORE

Winter Lights at Central Park

Daily through January 9—Oak Brook
Winter lights adorn a half-mile path in Oak Brook's Central Park, and are lit each night through January 5 for families to enjoy. Photo opportunities abound throughout the park. READ MORE

Holiday Lights in Lilacia Park

Daily through January 2—Lombard
An array of light shows adorn Lilacia Park for the holiday season. Animated light shows, a gingerbread house, and decorated trees provide enjoyment for families throughout the west suburban park. READ MORE

ZooLights

Daily through January 2—Lincoln Park
Zoolights won't be held onsite this year. Instead, it's hitting the road and coming to you. READ MORE

Girls Build! Day 2024

Saturday, January 8—Downtown
Join the Chicago Architecture Center for a special STEM festival designed just for girls ages 11-17! Girls will build, learn and network with professionals from more than 15 different STEM organizations.   READ MORE

Winter Exploration Day

Saturday, January 8 and Saturday, January 22—Schubert's Woods and Caldwell Woods
Forest Preserves of Cook County teaches families about snowshoeing, nature hikes, art, campfires, and more. Celebrate winter in the forest preserves. READ MORE

WAITLIST Frozen Fest

Saturday, January 15—Glen Ellyn
Fan favorite characters from Disney's Frozen visit Polar Plaza in downtown Glen Ellyn to enjoy cocoa, coffee, cookies, and photo opportunities with kids. Children 4 and up can also learn to skate from representatives from Center Ice of DuPage County. READ MORE

Family Winter Scavenger Hunt and Campfire

Sunday, January 16—River Forest
Go on a scavenger hunt to track animals and plant life on your list. Then, warm up around a camp fire with snacks at the Trailside Museum of Natural History. READ MORE

Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival Free Neighborhood Tour

Thursday, January 20- Sunday, January 23—Citywide
The Chicago International Puppet Theater’s Festival Neighborhood Tour presents free family-friendly puppet shows outside a different Chicago theater venue each day. The 35-minute performances give families who might not usually get a chance to see puppetry enjoy the show. This year's presentation is "Tears by the River," performed by Krystal Puppeteers. READ MORE

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

Monday, January 17—Virtual
In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s message of giving back, the Anti-Cruelty Society hosts a day of service, where volunteers can help improve the lives of homeless pets. READ MORE

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Night Hike

Friday, January 21—Willow Springs
Introduce little kids to nature at night with this short hike to admire the night sky. Kids must be accompanied by an adult at this event at Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center. READ MORE

Ice Sun Catcher Craft and Walk

Saturday, January 22—River Forest
Get outdoors at the Trailside Museum of Natural History to make a fun and easy sun catcher craft. Families will take a short hike while the sun catchers freeze. READ MORE

Polar Adventure Day

Saturday, February 26— Northerly Island
Families can come to Big Marsh Park for a free outdoor adventure, including interactions with birds of prey, sipping on hot chocolate, storytelling, and doing winter-inspired crafts. READ MORE

Girls Day of PLAY

Friday, January 28—Citywide
Girls can learn and engage in sports, arts and crafts, and fun during these events in Chicago parks on a day off from public school. Events take place at Hale Park, Rosedale Park, Independence Park, Gill Park, Loyola Park, Kosciuszko Park, Welles Park, Harris Park, West Pullman Park, Sherwood Park, Hayes Park, Mann Park, and Sherwood Park. READ MORE

Chinese New Year Arts and Crafts Show

Sunday, January 29—Chinatown
Families can explore Chinese crafts made to celebrate the Year of the Tiger at this event at McKinley Park. Up to 25 vendors will display their wares. READ MORE

Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Clinic

January 8, 22 and 29—Parks throughout the city
Kids ages 5-12 can learn how to play hockey at various parks throughout Chicago on select weekends in December and January. Clinics will be taught by community outreach staff. Some skating experience is recommended. READ MORE
The Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, photo by Jenny Gloria Zhang, courtesy of northwestern.edu
The Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, photo by Jenny Gloria Zhang, courtesy of northwestern.edu

Free Things to Do in February

Groundhog Day Celebration at the Trailside Museum

Wednesday, February 2—River Forest
Learn how the groundhog got its own holiday and make your own pop-up weather predictor craft at this event at the Trailside Museum of Natural History. Kids will take part in other special activities as well. READ MORE

Ice-A-Palooza

Saturday, February 5 — Wheaton
Families can celebrate all things ice at this outdoor party that includes open skating, hockey, a bonfire, s'mores, and visits from Frozen's Anna and Elsa. Performances from Center Ice DuPage will be held throughout the day.  READ MORE

Ice Art Walk

Saturday, February 5—Wheaton
Families can visit downtown Wheaton to see a variety of ice sculptures that will be carved on February 5 and last until they melt. Join the Cocoa Crawl on the same date to sample cocoa from local vendors for an additional cost. READ MORE

Lunar New Year Parade

Sunday, February 13—Chinatown
The whole family can celebrate the Year of the Dragon with a Lunar New Year parade through Chinatown! The parade will feature traditional dragon and lion dancing teams, colorful floats, marching bands, and marching groups. READ MORE

Valentine's Day Festival at Anderson Park

Friday, February 11—Douglass Park
Kids can exchange cards, enjoy candy and dance to music at this Valentine's Day event in Anderson Park. READ MORE

Polar Adventure Day

Saturday, February 26— Northerly Island
Families can come to Big Marsh Park for a free outdoor adventure, including interactions with birds of prey, sipping on hot chocolate, storytelling, and doing winter-inspired crafts. READ MORE

Winter Animal Olympics

First two weekends in February—River Forest
Kids can walk a self-guided trail near the Trailside Museum of Natural History while performing feats to compare their abilities to various animals' talents. READ MORE
Don't miss the dyeing of the Chicago River in March. Photo courtesy of Reddit
Don't miss the dyeing of the Chicago River in March. Photo courtesy of Reddit

Free Things to Do in March

The Dyeing of the Chicago River & St. Patrick's Day Parade

Saturday, March 12—Chicago Loop
The Irish and Irish at heart can join the City of Chicago in the annual dyeing of the Chicago River in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The best place to see the dyeing is the intersection of Michigan Avenue, Wacker Drive, and the river. READ MORE

Naperville St. Patrick's Day Parade

Saturday, March 12—Naperville
Families can watch more than 100 parade entries including floats, cars, bands, dancers, and singers make their way through downtown Naperville at this event sponsored by West Suburban Irish. The parade starts at Naperville North High School and proceeds south on Mill Street to Jefferson, east on Jefferson to Main, and south on Main, ending at Water Street. READ MORE

Elmhurst St. Patrick's Day Parade

Saturday, March 12—Elmhurst
More than 80 floats, Irish dancers and local team mascots will be on hand for Elmhurst's 27th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The parade starts on Spring Road at Wilson Street and continues north for about a mile. Local businesses and restaurants welcome merrymakers for the remainder of the day at this festive community event. READ MORE

Maple Sugaring at Kline Creek Farm

Saturdays and Sundays in March—West Chicago
Kids can learn where the syrup on their pancakes comes from at this event at Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago. Using tools from the 1890s, experts will demonstrate how to tap a tree, check collection buckets, and thicken sap over the fire. READ MORE

Maple Syrup Festival

Sunday, March 20—River Forest
Learn about the history and method used to tap maples for syrup and celebrate spring at this event at the Trailside Museum of Natural History. Kids can enjoy spring-themed activities, crafts and games. READ MORE

Sensory Friendly Morning at Museum of Comtemporary Art

March 27—Downtown
Neurodiverse people of all ages can enjoy the Museum of Contemporary Art before it opens in a less intense and judgement-free space. Lobby lights are lower and quiet spaces are available for those who need breaks. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

The DuSable Museum of African American Art
Lizzardo Museum of Lapidary Art
Chicago Architecture Center
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Various Locations
Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Various Chicago Parks
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Central Athletic Complex- Ice Rink
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Naperville North High School
Trailside Museum of Natural History
Museum of Contemporary Art