Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

How to Compost: A Guide for Kids and Families

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Tue, 10/18/2022 - 10:45am

Did you know that compost actually shouldn't be smelly? Photo by Eva Bronzini

Everything about how to compost sounds like a recipe for disaster: it takes up loads of space, it's super smelly, and everyone knows it attracts mice. Throw kids into the mix, and what parent wants to start that project? Unless ... none of that conventional wisdom is actually true. Composting is clean, stink-and-critter-free, reduces landfill, is great for the earth, and is a task that kids are eager to take on. Ok, mostly critter-free. If you have a backyard, you might want to get some worms—but for your kids, that will be part of the appeal!

Many cities, including New York and Los Angeles, offer composting programs where residents have a separate bin for organic waste. Other cities have private organizations with receptacles in designated locations for compost. But you can also compost in your own yard or kitchen, and with these easy steps to get started, your kids can be a part of the process.

For 26 Tips for Living More Sustainably Every Day and more ideas for creating more earth-friendly habits for your family, check out our Earth Kids Guide and sign up for our Earth Kids newsletter for more ideas and activities every month.

How To Make a Piñata at Home: Easy Paper Bag Piñatas

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Thu, 09/29/2022 - 11:45am

It's easier than you'd think to turn a simple paper lunch bag into a festive piñata!

Piñatas are undeniably fun, no matter what you're celebrating. But buying one at a store can get expensive, and making one out of papier-mâché can be time-consuming (plus it's a recipe for a Pinterest fail). But we can tell you how to make a piñata out of materials you may already have at home—paper bag and tissue paper.

Whether you're planning a birthday party (these make great party activities for kids to take home as a non-traditional goody bag), a Halloween bash, or just a random weekend activity, paper bag piñatas are a great bang for your buck. We made ours in about an hour, and filled them with our favorite candy. My kids added googly eyes and sequins; your decorations are limited only by your imagination!

For more crafty fun, check out our list of 100 awesome art projects for kids and more crafting fun on our Guide to Boredom Busters for Kids.

How to Pack a Zero-Waste School Lunch

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Tue, 09/20/2022 - 11:57am

What kid wouldn't want to eat a lunch this adorable?

Packing a zero-waste school lunch sounds like lots of extra work, but it doesn't have to be hard, and it's worth the effort to create a better planet and Earth-friendly habits for our kids. Wrappers, chip bags, applesauce pouches, milk cartons, juice boxes—there's a lot of waste associated with school lunches. By making school lunches as zero-waste as possible, you can help keep extra packaging and food scraps out of landfills. Luckily, there are lots of ways to easily reduce or eliminate waste in your kids' lunchboxes, and many of them will actually save you money.

Here are our top 12 tips for packing a zero-waste school lunch. For more ways to save the planet, including water conservation tricks and ways to live more sustainably every day, check out our Earth Kids Guide.

Top Montessori Preschools in Chicago

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Mon, 09/19/2022 - 4:00pm

Montessori preschools focus on independence along with learning. Photo courtesy of Gateway Montessori

Selecting a Montessori preschool in Chicago for your child can be a daunting task, with many that may or may not be a fit for your little one. Montessori schools offer personalized education with teachers guiding children through an environment full of enriching materials that engage a child's natural curiosity and interest in learning. Created by Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, Montessori is based on five principles: respect for children, the absorbent minds of children, sensitive periods that are critical for learning, an environment that is prepared for learning, and children teaching themselves (auto-education).

Montessori preschools in Chicago grew in popularity in the 1960s, with many Montessori schools in Chicago founded during that time. Newer schools are starting to emerge with a focus on providing services for children in different demographics and at different income levels. Some Montessori schools are exclusively for preschool, while others have students ranging from six weeks to 14 years old. All students learn in multi-age classrooms, often including students up to three years in age difference. Two accrediting institutions, The American Montessori Society and the American Montessori Institute, help keep schools on track to ensure that they are following the principles laid out by the Montessori Method.

Here are 20 top Montessori schools in Chicago and the suburbs. For more learning ideas, check out our Guide to the Best Classes for Kids in Chicago or our frequently-updated Directory to Classes in Chicago.

Free and Cheap After School Programs in Chicago for Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 09/11/2022 - 3:38pm

As much as parents would like to be home and attentive to their children at 3pm every day, it just isn't always possible. And the cost of daycare or after school camps and classes can really add up. Parents who need those extra few hours after school lets out each day can find a variety of fun and educational programming to keep their kids occupied from 3 until 5 (or beyond). Just because they're free or inexpensive doesn't mean they can't be fun. We found lower cost and free after school programs featuring academics, sports, creative writing, art, and even circus performance for kids throughout the city.

Want to continue the free fun into the weekend? Check out our best free things to do this fall and free days at museums and other attractions, or search for free events in our Chicago event calendar.

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

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 08/14/2022 - 10:39am

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.

Pregnancy Classes and Parenting Classes in Chicago

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 08/12/2022 - 12:10pm

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

New parents unite: there are places to learn about pregnancy, childbirth, and taking care of your baby in the early days of its life. And, many of them are in class settings with other parents-to-be so that you don't feel alone on your journey into parenthood. There are lots of different paths to having a baby, and these parenting classes and pregnancy classes in Chicago cover a wide variety of them. You may also choose to take pregnancy classes or parenting classes from the hospital, birth center, midwife or doula you plan to use during labor and delivery. Some of the places on our list also include playgroups or mommy and me classes for after you have your baby.

Cooking Classes for Kids in Chicago: A Baker's Dozen of the Best Culinary Experiences in the City and Suburbs

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 8:51am

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

Eating with kids is always an adventure—one day they'll consume anything you put in front of them; the next day it's exclusively plain pasta with a sprinkle of parm. But once kids get involved in cooking, the story changes. Many local culinary schools and cooking shops have added cooking classes for kids to their calendars, and once kids learn what kinds of food are out there and how healthy foods can taste good, they become more interested in participating in the cooking, and the eating.

Parents love these cooking classes for kids because it takes the onus of cooking off them—and, sometimes, lessens clean-up time! Our list offers cooking classes for kids as young as 3 with an adult or 5 without an adult. We suggest starting with a single class instead of a full-week camp to gauge interest, especially for younger children. Culinary classes can get expensive, but they'll be worth it for kids who have a true interest in learning how to cook for themselves. Learning a life skill can be rewarding for both little chefs and their parents!

Here's our list of favorite culinary classes for kids in and around Chicago!

Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

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