KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
|
|
|
Mon, Jul 20: Movie Mondays at the Forge: How to Train Your Dragon
Tue, Jul 21: Parent-Tot Yoga at the Exploritorium Wed, Jul 22: Grant Park Music Festival: Cirque: A Space Odyssey
Fri, Jul 24: Fun Fridays at the Shell: Mary Macaroni
Sat, Jul 25: Taco & Art Fest
Sun, Jul 26: Bristol Renaissance Faire 2026 Wed, Jul 29: July Family Art Night at West Ridge Community Center
Wed, Jul 29: Toyota Movie Nights at Gallagher Way: Black
Panther
Fri, Jul 31: July Family Fun Fur-iday at Lincoln Park Zoo
Sun, Aug 2: Experience Disney’s
The Little Mermaid with Uptown Music Theater Wed, Aug 5: Party in the Park at Salt Creek Park
Thu, Aug 6: Millennium Park FREE Summer
Music Series
Fri, Aug 7: Fun Fridays at the Shell: Traveling World of Reptiles
Sat, Aug 8: Grant Park Music Festival:
Mozart Requiem Mon, Aug 10: Movie Mondays at the Forge: The Wild Robot
Wed, Aug 12: Summer Concert Series at the Northcenter
Town Square
Wed, Aug 12: Grant Park Music Festival: Dvořák New World Symphony
Wed, Aug 12: Toyota Movie Nights at Gallagher Way: High School Musical
Thu, Aug 13: FREE Family Movie at the Chicago Cultural Center: Black Panther
Sun, Aug 16: Chicago Kid Fest 2026
|
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When I was a kid, summer meant St. Rocco’s Feast in the Peterstown neighborhood of Elizabeth, New Jersey. The streets were filled with music, carnival rides, vendor booths, and fairgoers... but the main attraction for 10-year-old me was zeppoles: lumps of dough dropped into hot oil, puffed golden, shaken in a paper bag with powdered sugar, and handed over hot enough to require
patience. To my young self, they were almost proof of magic. They were also my gateway drug into Italian food. Zeppoles led eventually to prosciutto and fresh mozzarella, risotto and gnocchi, pesto and puttanesca. Along the way, I learned that food has a vocabulary: crisp, chewy, silky, smoky, briny, bitter, fermented, caramelized. Knowing the names of flavors and textures helped me notice them more clearly, and knowing where dishes came from helped me see that food carries
geography, history, ingenuity, celebration, and memory. The more I tasted, the bigger the world became. Summer is the perfect season to help kids develop that kind of appetite... for food and discovery. Visit a farmers market and learn what grows nearby. Pick berries and notice how they taste when harvested just a second ago with your own hands. Try the food truck serving something you’ve never ordered. At a festival, ask what country or region a dish comes from, what ingredients give it its flavor, and who traditionally makes it. Kids don’t have to like everything. Exploration still counts when the verdict is “Not for me.” As tour guides to
our kids’ universe, we can help them notice that food connects downward to the Earth and outward to people. Name the flavor. Name the texture. Name the place and the tradition. Then take another bite. Sometimes an entire world opens through one little bag of fried dough.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect:
How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong Communities
|
|
|
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. |
|
|
|
Join us Thursdays at Noon this summer in the Claudia Cassidy Theater for a selection of films for all ages to enjoy! Beat the summer heat with a collection of classic and contemporary favorites, from The Princess Diaries to Hoppers and much more, in our state-of-the art movie theater in the Chicago Cultural Center. Screenings are free to attend, with no RSVP required. Bring family, friends, and camp groups for weekly summer movie fun!
|
|
|
|
You and your family can experience Classical Music in Chicago all summer long for FREE! For 90 years, the Grant Park Music Festival has been Chicago's summer musical sensation, demonstrating that classical music, performed by a world-class orchestra and chorus, can have a transformative impact on the city. Pack a picnic, bring your kids, and be prepared to enjoy music like you've never enjoyed it before!
|
|
|
|
Happy sixth birthday to us! Join our ultimate birthday bash at The Forge: Lemont Quarries; a free event featuring incredible live music performances, a grand fireworks show, food trucks, discounted activities (25% OFF ALL ACTIVITIES with code FF25) and more. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration! Add a Kids Fest Wristband for additional purchase (includes Kids Adventure Zone, petting zoo, bubbles, face painting, character meet-and-greets and jump zone).
|
|
|
|
Spend the day outside with us for great live music, food, drinks, art, and family fun at Backyard Fest — an outdoor summer music festival in the heart of Humboldt Park! Join us on Saturday, July 18 from 1:00pm–8:00pm at 1018 N California Ave for a full day of live performances from incredible local bands and artists, plus activities for kids, games, crafts, and our Young Artists Pop-Up Market, featuring handmade goods and creations by artists and makers up to age 18.
|
|
|
|
Get ready for a sandy adventure inspired by Good Night, Good Night, Construction Site! Kids can play with our trucks, dig, scoop, and roll in the sand, then help tuck the trucks in for a cozy “bedtime” at the end of the day. Pre-registration required. Please register your child for the program. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Program is outdoors so please dress for the weather. Ages: 6 months to 6 years with an Adult
|
|
|
|
Experience the phenomenal full Broadway production of Disney's The Little Mermaid this summer! Stunning choreography, stellar voices, exquisite costumes, and a magnificent set will amaze every generation. This timeless love story follows King Triton's daughter Ariel on an adventurous quest about identity, community, and finding the strength of your inner voice. With its irresistible songs, including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and “Part of Your World”, Disney's The Little Mermaid will capture your heart! Perfect for adults and families. Seniors save 10% and youth save 50% off the adult ticket price.
|
|
|
|
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde pursue a pit viper named Gary De'Snake across Zootopia and try to clear their names after being framed. PG | 108 minutes | 2025*Closed Captioned. Start time is approximate, all movies begin at dusk.
|
|
|
|
You and your family can experience Classical Music in Chicago all summer long for FREE! For 90 years, the Grant Park Music Festival has been Chicago's summer musical sensation, demonstrating that classical music, performed by a world-class orchestra and chorus, can have a transformative impact on the city. Pack a picnic, bring your kids, and be prepared to enjoy music like you've never enjoyed it before!
|
|
|
|
We're popping into the parks on select days this summer to party with you! Join us on Wednesday, June 17, 9-11 am. Kids of all ages are invited for some good old-fashioned fun. We'll provide bubbles, hula hoops, jump ropes and more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2026's Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the Chicago Area, as voted by thousands of parents! Our Top 20 results page includes a list of your top picks, including winners in special categories like Top Arts Educator, Top Sports Educator, and Top STEM
Educator!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nothing says SUMMER quite like going to an amusement park with your family! We've put together a great list of ones you can visit within driving distance of Chicago. So, pack the sunscreen, load up the car and head out on a grand adventure!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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!
|
|
|
Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
|
|
