KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Wed, May 20: Animal Show: Mammals of N. America (Show B-Ages 6+) at Annerino Community Center
Sat, May 23: Summer Fireworks at the Navy Pier 2026
Sat, May 23: Summer Kickoff at Lincoln Park Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo
Sun, May 24: Dinos at the Brookfield Zoo! Mon, May 25: Kid's Kitchen: Hands-On Fresh Pasta-Making 101 at Eataly Chicago
Fri, May 29: Backyard Adventure at Blackberry Farm
Sat, May 30: Summer Fireworks at the Navy Pier 2026
Sun, May 31: Falconry at the Forge Mon, Jun 1: Movie Mondays at the Forge: Jurassic Park
Fri, Jun 5: Summer Bash at Chasers Laser Tag
Fri, Jun 5: Kickoff to Summer Picnic at Museum of Science Industry Chicago Mon, Jun 8: Paws in the Park at Cantigny
Thu, Jun 11: Lincoln Square Summer Concert!
Fri, Jun 12: June Family Fun Fur-iday at Lincoln Park Zoo
Sat, Jun 13: Origami Open House at the Garfield Conservatory
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
For 25 years, one of my core missions with KidsOutAndAbout has been to make invisible things visible, to celebrate what local communities offer families. Everyone is busy, and local treasures are easy to miss. Our job is to point, spotlight, nudge, and say Look here. Try this. Bring the kids. But there’s another kind of invisibility worth fixing:
The people who create these experiences rarely get to see their full impact. They track tickets sold and kids enrolled, but may never hear that your child talked about their field trip for six months, found courage on their stage, or simply felt welcome exactly when they needed it. That’s why our annual Top 20 Places to Take Kids survey matters. Each summer, we ask readers to vote for their favorite local places to take kids.
The results help families see what other families love. The ranking and comments help local organizations see that their work matters. So your three minutes becomes both a recommendation and a thank-you. The survey is simple: Click on your three favorite local destinations. Then also, optionally, nominate favorites in special categories—like arts, sports, and STEM education—and leave comments that we’ll pass along to the people who make these experiences
happen. So please click here to vote in the 2026 edition of the survey. Help families find the places they’ll love, and help the people behind those places know they’re making a difference. The survey will be open until June 20.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
P.S. If you're interested, check out the 2025 list here to see who
won last year. |
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
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Creator Camp is coming to Chicago for Summer 2026! Our program, featured on Shark Tank, is the midwest’s premier destination for kids interested in filmmaking, animation, and technology. We provide an immersive environment where students learn to use professional software to create YouTube videos, design games, and produce original music. Our weekly sessions are designed to be social, educational, and high-energy, ensuring every camper has a blast while learning valuable 21st-century skills. From the Loop to the suburbs, help your child become a digital leader this summer. Registration for our Chicago locations is now open!
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Enjoy a Spring evening together with a DJ, dinner, dancing and more. All attendees ages 1 and must purchase a ticket. All tickets sales are final.
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Walk through this immersive exhibit in a safe, family friendly environment with hundreds of live butterflies from all over the world. Get up close and personal with these amazing creatures and see their incredible colors and patterns – a few might even land on you! The Butterfly House supports rainforest conservation projects around the world, and your support will help us achieve this for generations to come. Come visit us in beautiful Chicago, Illinois at Navy Pier and see this amazing exhibit in person! 50+ different species, 500+ live butterflies, 2,500 + square feet to explore!
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Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Rocky with Rocky in Concert – an electrifying live experience that brings the iconic underdog story to life like never before. Watch the original Rocky film on a massive screen as the Chicago Philharmonic performs the powerful score live. This is a must-see event for Rocky fans of all ages!
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Experience the sub and the story of its thrilling capture on a two-hour, private group tour offered before Museum hours on select Saturday and Sunday mornings. In-Depth Experience tickets include the morning refreshments and exclusive tour, and General Admission for the rest of the day. Age recommendation: ages 10 and up.
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Enjoy free admission to the American Writers Museum on the third Sunday of each month! Free admission grants you access to all our exhibits, including special exhibits and at 11:30 am, grab the little ones and join us for a special Little Squirrels Storytime!
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Explore the roles and lifecycles that fungi play in our forests on this informative 1-mile walk. Ages 10 & up.
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During our Owl Encounter, you’ll get up close and personal with a wide variety of different species of Old World and New World Owls that are now being used in the sport of falconry. Participants (ages 9+) will: Learn about how owls are trained and utilized in the modern sport of Falconry and how it differs from working with hawks and falcons. Learn about the oldest species of raptor on the planet and their important role in the environment. Be able to highlight the three main differences between the two groups of owls in the world (Barn Owls and Typical Owls). Discover what makes an Owl’s “silent flight” possible as you learn about a variety of their many “super powers.” And, get an opportunity to apply basic falconry skills as you learn to handle one of our Barn Owls or our Eurasian Eagle Owls.
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- Free spring mini photo session with Shoott! - Chicago - Shoott - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 05/15/2026 to 05/17/2026, See link for times
- Join the Mall Walker Club at North Riverside Park Mall - North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 West Cermak Road, North Riverside, IL 60546, 05/15/2026 to 05/16/2026, Monday – Saturday 9AM – 8PM; Sundays 10AM – 6PM
- Early Bird Walks at NPV - North Park Village Nature Center Park, 5801 North Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL, 05/16/2026, 8 - 10 am
- Asian American Pacific Islander Month Celebration at Little Red
School House Nature Center - Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480, 05/16/2026, 11 am
- May Free Museum Day at the American Writers Museum - American Writers Museum, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 05/17/2026, 10 am - 5 pm,
check the schedule for special events throughout the day
- Hidden Lives of Fungi at Little Red School House Nature Center - Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480, 05/17/2026, 10 - 11:30 am
- Springtime Stories at Little Red School House Nature Center - Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, 9800 Willow Springs Rd, Willow Springs, IL 60480, 05/17/2026, 11 am
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Chicago area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, & more. Our
guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Parents have an abundance of choices when it comes to PreK and day care options in the Chicago area! Use our Big List to help find the best one for your kiddos and check our events calendar to find Open Houses where you can meet teachers and tour the
schools.
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Looking for a thrilling family-friendly adventure in the Chicago area? Escape rooms are interactive, puzzle-packed experiences where you and your team work together to solve clues and complete your mission-all before time runs out! Whether you're escaping a
spooky cabin, cracking a high-stakes heist, or breaking a magical curse, escape rooms offer exciting, screen-free fun for kids, teens, and adults.
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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