Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

100 Top Easy Recipes for Kids: Kid-Friendly Recipes for Every Meal

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Tue, 05/24/2022 - 12:44pm

Alphabet Soup. Photo courtesy of foodwithfeeling

As a parent, I’ve spent a good chunk of my life searching for kid-friendly recipes. There are three meals every single day and I need easy recipes for kids—that they will actually eat—for all of them. And while I don’t mind making toast for one kid while pouring a bowl of cereal for another, I’m only cooking one family dinner, which means easy kid-friendly dinner recipes are like gold.

You know where I find the best recipes? Right here. The kid-friendly recipes on Mommy Poppins are all parent-tested and kid-approved. These 100 kid-friendly recipes are the most popular, both among readers and our staff. So if you need to add to your repertoire with some new easy recipes for kids, look no further. All of these recipes, and so many more, can be found in our Guide to Easy Recipes for Kids.

Best Things to Do in Chicago's Lincoln Park Neighborhood with Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 05/15/2022 - 2:36pm

The Zoo is one of the best things to do with kids in Lincoln Park. Photo by Maureen Wilkey

So you've seen all of Chicago's top tourist attractions and are ready to look at a different neighborhood? Think Lincoln Park! Whether your family enjoys the outdoors, theater, food, or festivals, Lincoln Park has options to please a variety of kids. It's bound by Lake Michigan to the east and the Chicago River to the west. While most people agree that the northern border is Diversey Avenue, we can't all agree whether the southern border is North Avenue or closer to 1800 North. We still think of the Chicago History Museum and Second City as Old Town, so look for those in a future round up.

In addition to the Lincoln Park Zoo, a few museums, a conservatory, and a couple of theaters, Lincoln Park has lots of fun and kid-friendly options for dining, from pizza to hot dogs to cupcakes. We recommend going during the summer to be able to visit the beach and Green City Market, and to try out one of the neighborhood festivals, but Lincoln Park is a vibrant community all year round.

Fore more recommendations in Chicago's neighborhoods, check out our Visitors Guide.

Drive-In Movie Theaters In and Around Chicago for Outdoor Movie Nights with Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 05/13/2022 - 7:02am

ChiTown Movies is a drive-in movie theater in Chicago. Photo courtesy of ChiTown Futbol, Facebook

Drive-in movies made a comeback during the pandemic, and some of them are here to stay! While you still have to drive quite a ways to get to some of the traditional drive-ins, the new ChiTown Movies in Pilsen lets you take in a movie from the near south side with the backdrop of the Chicago skyline. And Davis Theater is partnering with Lincoln Yards to continue to offer movies on its lawn. Movies range from family classics to '80s throwbacks to recent blockbusters, so there's something for everyone!

But outdoor movies can't start until night falls, and you'll need some daytime activities, too. There are plenty of outdoor adventures to enjoy this summer in Chicago, from zoos to outdoor dining to visits to a local farm. Be sure to check out our event calendar to find something new and exciting to do every single day.

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

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 04/15/2022 - 8:46am

John G Shedd Aquarium photo by Ajay Suresh via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Chicago's lakefront Museum Campus is swimming with amazing museums to visit with your family, but one hits the highest mark for the pre-literate crowd: The Shedd Aquarium. 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. With fish, sharks, dolphins, otters, amphibians, and birds from around the world, kids might learn a little geography and oceanography as well. It's entertainment and science all rolled into one.

25 Free Things to Do with Kids this April Near Chicago

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 04/01/2022 - 8:55pm

Science Fun Fairs at Navy Pier is a free event in Chicago sponsored by the American Chemical Society. Photo courtesy of the event

It seems like everything is more expensive these days, but having fun with your kids doesn't have to cost a lot! We've rounded up a great list of free things to do in Chicago with your little ones in April 2022. The forest preserves are a great place to start, especially in April. Kids can explore the forests for spring break, clean up the preserves for Earth Day or learn about trees for Arbor Day.

Best Things To Do in Chicago with Kids this Spring

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 03/13/2022 - 1:44pm

Celebrate Holi at Navy Pier this spring in Chicago. Photo by James Richards IV, courtesy of Navy Pier

Is it officially spring yet? No one knows for sure if the last snow of the season is officially behind us in Chicago, but we do know that plenty of fun events await as kids approach spring break and the end of the school year. Flower shows are back in full force with Chicago Botanic Gardens showing off its orchids, Garfield Park Conservatory offering up playful plant-themed knock-knock jokes, and Lincoln Park Conservatory standing tall with its pillars of spring. Dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals are another popular theme of Chicago's spring events, with the Field Museum giving kids a chance to Doze with the Dinos, Kid Works Children's Museum hosting a weeklong Dino Works event, and Brookfield Zoo following up its Dinos Everywhere show with an animatronic Ice Age Giants exhibit. And plays and music based on books and fairy tales ignite the minds of kids throughout the city: Chicago Symphony Orchestra presents Jack and the Beanstalk; Chicago Children's Theater is putting on Carmela Full of Wishes based on a recent picture book, and Chicago Kids Theatre acts out modern versions of Rapunzel and the The Ugly Duckling.

Best Restaurants on the River: Chicago River Dining for Families

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 02/20/2022 - 4:31pm

Dine with a view at any Chicago riverfront restaurant. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Center

Chicago is known as The Third Coast because of its gorgeous Lake Michigan skyline, but another body of water brings beauty to the city as well. The Chicago River and the Riverwalk that has developed along its banks has become a destination for tourists and locals alike, especially in the warm summer months when visitors can dine outside. Operable drawbridges and CTA trains that cross the river add extra interest to the area for kids.

Some of the best restaurants on the river in Chicago operate only from April or May through October, while others are year-round fixtures. They become destinations during major events like the dyeing of the Chicago River and the Chicago Marathon, but they're truly relaxing at any time of year. Try to make a reservation at one of these top-notch riverfront restaurants in Chicago for the best results!

For more tips on dining out with kids in Chicago, check out our Kid-Friendly Chicago Restaurants Guide.

Top Attractions in Chicago: Best Things to See and Do With Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 02/18/2022 - 8:12am

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

It may be called The Second City, but Chicago is second to none when it comes to urban vacation destinations for families. It's easy to get around using public transportation and taxis, and there are lots of kid-friendly activities in Chicago with the Loop, giving families the chance to visit multiple tourist attractions in Chicago in one day. For example, you can check out Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, and the Art Institute without ever getting in a cab or train. Or, visit the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium all on foot. There are also plenty of opportunities to explore beautiful landscapes at Morton Arboretum, Chicago Botanic Gardens, and Oak Street Beach. Did we mention that Chicago's signature foods are mainly kid-friendly dishes like pizza and hot dogs? And who doesn't love popcorn and ice cream?

Here are the top 25 tourst attractions in Chicago that out-of-town families should visit the next time they come to the Windy City!

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.