Cirque Italia Water Circus. Photo by Joseph Gage via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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

Photo courtesy of Pioneer Farm, Facebook

12 Animal Encounters and Petting Zoos Near Chicago

Eclipse photo by Andrew Shirey. Courtesy of the National Park Service

20 Fun and FREE Things To Do in Chicago April 2024 With Kids

Kids at the Lincoln Museum in Springfield. Photo by Maureen Wilkey for Mommy Poppins

Springfield with Kids: Best Things to Do in Springfield, IL

Celebrate Mom with one of these fun things to do on Mother's Day in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Odyssey at Navy Pier

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Photo courtesy of the Chicago Park District

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Try an outdoor festival this spring in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Mole de Mayo Festival

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The lion cubs; Pesho, Lomelok and Sidai! Photo courtesy of the Lincoln Park Zoo

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Teen performers. Photo courtesy of CircEsteem

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Photo courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Center

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Three boys having fun at an arcade. Photo courtesy of Laser X in Addison

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St. Louis has tons of kid-friendly things to do. Photo courtesy of the City Museum in St. Louis

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Birthday Party fun! Photo courtesy of POW! Gym

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Chicago has so many things to do with little kids. Photo courtesy of Aster Hall, Chicago

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Rides, a children's museum, and more on Navy Pier. Photo courtesy of Navy Pier

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Whether your kids are into theater, cooking, sports, or STEM, we've got you covered! Photo courtesy of Snapology Chicago

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Ride high on Maxx Force at Six Flags Great America.

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An offbeat Chicago museum makes a fun outing for teenagers. Photo courtesy of the WNDR Museum

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Tiny Picassos can enjoy different activities every day at the Art Institute’s Family Room. Photo by Maureen Wilkey, for Mommy Poppins

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Butterfield Park is one of several great outdoor spots in Elmhurst. Photo courtesy of the Elmhurst Park District

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Batter up! There are classes for kids of all ages and interests in Chicago.

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Checking out the exhibits at Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

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Chicago has many great swim schools in the area. Photo courtesy of Lakeside Swim School

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The Skydeck at Willis Tower has spectacular views spanning four states.

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State parks near Chicago offer more than just hiking. Photo courtesy of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources

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Checking out CAMP's new immersive experience in Chicago. Photo by Maureen Wilkey for Mommy Poppins

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There are both woodland and paved trails at the Morton Arboretum. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

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Love Bug Dance photo courtesy of the Dupage Childrens Museum

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Stroller hikes make it easier to get outside with babies and toddlers. Photo courtesy of the Morton Arboretum

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Try one of these Chicago salons for baby's first haircut. Photo courtesy of My Kids Place

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Enjoy a kid-friendly tube fest at Sunburst Ski Hill. Photo courtesy of Sunburst Ski Hill

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Hit the spa with your kid for a spa party in Chicago. Photo by Lisa Gagne for Canva

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Chicago History Museum located in Old Town. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

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Photo courtesy of Enterrium in Schaumburg

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Obstacle courses and climbing gyms provide indoor fun for big kids. Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Boulders

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Climb and play all day no matter the weather, at Present Place. Photo courtesy of Present Place

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Have some fun in the water even in the winter at one of these indoor water parks near Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Kalahari Resort

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The Chicago Skydeck offers kids a great view of the city. Photo courtesy of the 360 Chicago Skydeck

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Free activities for kids in Chicago include the Lincoln Park Zoo, which is always free. Photo courtesy of the museum via Facebook

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There are many popular bar and bat mitzvah venues in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Pinstripes

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Family-friendly and voted one of the top 5 escape rooms in the USA! Photo courtesy of Escape Factor in Forest Park

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Take pregnancy classes from a birth center or doula if you choose. Photo courtesy of Chicago Family Doulas

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Cooking classes for kids in Chicago. Photo courtesy of The Kid's Table

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Birthday parties at these indoor skydiving venues include a flight class, two flights per guest, and party room time. Photo courtesy of iFly

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Garfield Park Conservatory in Chicago. Photo by @zoblue, Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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There are plenty of fishing lakes in Chicago. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Park District

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Pancakes served all day long in Chicago's West Loop! Photo courtesy of The Little Goat, Facebook

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Chicago's museums are some of the top attractions in the city. Photo courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

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Semicolon is a Black-owned bookstore in Chicago. Photo courtesy of Semicolon

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Kids will have a hard time deciding between all the delicious treats at Dinkel's, the 100 year old Bavarian bakery

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The iconic ConAgra mural in Chicago, created by artist Jeff Zimmermann, is visible from the 606 elevated Bloomingdale Trail. Photo courtesy of jazim.com

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Spectacular city views of the Chicago Skyline in River North. Photo courtesy of Wendella Boat Tours.

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The Field Museum is home to some of the country's most complete dinosaur skeletons.

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Take your little one for a splash in the Crown Fountain. Photo by Sandor Weisz

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Dad and son having fun at the auto show. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Auto Show

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Delight in an outdoor rink across Chicago. The Skating Ribbon is a popular destination. Photo courtesy of Maggie Daley Park

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St Patricks Day parade in downtown Chicago. Photo by US Army Reserve photo by Sgt 1st Class Michel Sauret via Flickr.

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Spring Egg-Stravaganza. Photo courtesy of the Lincoln Park Zoo

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Hop to It! It's time for Easter Bunny pictures near Chicago at Woodfield Mall. Photo courtesy of the mall

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Two girls at the art museum. Photo courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

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Midnight Circus in the Parks brings the circus to the people. Photo courtesy of Midnight Circus in the Parks

9/11/19 - By Siobhan Adcock

The kids are back in school at last, and there's a lot (more) to celebrate this weekend for Chicago families, plenty of it FREE. Festivals and parades in honor of Mexican Independence Day come to Pilsen and Aurora, and the harvest moon is celebrated with traditional Chinese mooncakes and lanterns at the Mid-Autumn Festival. It's also the 150th anniversary of the landmark Chicago Water Tower this weekend, which means a fun neighborhood festival on the Mag Mile. Plus, the World Music Festival kicks off with an all-ages pan-Latin concert lineup on Saturday.

Lakeview East and Ravenswood both host neighborhood art fairs this weekend, and there are fall festivals in Orland Park and Carol Stream. Kids can touch trucks or touch turtles, roast marshmallows at a harvest bonfire, rock out to The Beatles, or meet Elsa and Anna at a special screening of Frozen. And at the 23rd annual Children's Book Fair in Hyde Park, your whole fam can pick up some new page-turners for fall.

Believe it or not, those are just the highlights—see more ideas for this weekend below, and keep an eye on our event calendar and ever-growing lists of Fall Festivals and Free Things To Do this Fall in Chicago. And don't forget that apple picking season is full swing: Pick a pretty peck at these apple orchards near Chicago.