Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

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.

Swimming Classes in Orlando: Swimming Lessons for Babies, Toddlers, and Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 08/07/2022 - 8:20am

Swim lessons for babies at places like Southwest Aquatics are crucial for life-saving skills. Photo courtesy of the school

Water is everywhere in Central Florida, from lakes to backyard pools to theme parks, so it's important that Orlando kids learn to be safe in the water early with swimming lessons. Swimming classes in Orlando can be fun, too! Many parents opt for private swimming lessons in their own pool or a community pool, but there's also many effective and fun swim schools near Orlando for children as young as six months old. Focus on safety first, then find out if your little swimmers are up for fun or competition with these local Orlando swimming lessons.

Once your kids have learned to swim, graduate from splash pads to pools and beaches. Swimming lessons also make parents feel more confident taking their kids to water parks and hotels. Just remind children to use the skills they've learned in swimming lessons, in case they get separated in the water.

17 Tricks For How Kids Can Conserve Water: Make Water Conservation Fun

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Tue, 07/19/2022 - 10:07am

Kids can give parents tickets if they forget to turn off the water to soap hands or brush teeth!

Kids can conserve water and lead the charge in making your home a water-wise place!

We know many kids love to play games with water, especially in the hot summer months when it's a fun way to beat the heat. But with many areas experiencing droughts and kids in many parts of the world unable to access clean water, it's important for kids to see H20 as a precious resource. But that doesn't mean saving water is a chore—in fact, it's fun for kids to be the agents of change. Armed with these fun methods to save water, put your kids in charge of policing family water usage and saving water in the bathroom, kitchen, yard, and laundry room. You can even let them give you a ticket when they catch you wasting water!

Looking for more ways to save the planet? Check out our Earth Kids Guide and make sure you're signed up for the Earth Kids Newsletter!

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.

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.

Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

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