BB’s swimsuit is Minnow linked HERE | my swimsuit is a one shoulder Asos linked HERE, but I took the strap down | shorts are Moussy linked HERE | shoes are Valentino linked HERE | similar sunglasses HERE
Having a baby in the city has been so much fun. I have seen a whole new side of Chicago and I am even more in love with my city than I was pre-baby. But, it is true what they say, babies are little money pits. From food to gear and clothes to activities, they are a serious drain on your bank account.
We live in a two bedroom apartment, so BB and I both get stir crazy if we are in here too much during the day. So, my husband and I try to do at least one activity outside the home with the baby a day (this is in addition to our daily trip to the park). But, so many of our favorite activities cost money (music class, Bubbles Academy, swim class, etc.). All those classes range from $15-$20 a class, and that can add up pretty quickly. So, this summer we have really been exploring all the free options for kids in the city. And there is SO much to do with kids for free downtown, it just takes a little patience and research to find them all.
It is well worth the effort. If I figure one activity a day Monday-Saturday (on Sundays we go to my parents in the suburbs so that is our activity that day), that adds up to about 24 activity days a month. Or put another way, 313 days a year. Conservatively, if each class is $15, that’s $360 a month or $4,695 a year! Ouch.
To save you and your bank account so much stress, here are all my favorite FREE things to do with BB in Chicago.
SPLASH PADS
Since it is the summer and BB is part fish, she wants to be in the water ALL.DAY.LONG. Pools are great, and we do that a lot too, but there is something about a splash pad that kids just go absolutely bonkers over. Beware, all splash pads are NOT created equal. Some are dirty, slippery, or overrun with big kids who knock little kids over. For example, the Millenium park splash pad. YUCK. Dirty, smelly and uber crowded. If you do try out a splash pad, remember to bring a dry pair of clothes and a clean diaper for your walk or ride home! We bring BB’s big fluffy robe. So, here are our favorite splash pads:
River walk: the one pictured, which is on the river walk between Franklin and Lasalle. It is never super crowded, it is clean, and the stone is not ultra slippery. Bonus, the views are amazing and BB gets to watch the “choo choos” go by on the el tracks.
A. Montgomery Ward Park: this is a mini splash pad inside a park on Kingsbury and Erie. We live in this neighborhood, so it is easy and accessible. The splash pad runs every half hour for 15 minutes, which is perfect. This park in general, outside the splash pad and even the playground, is another amazing free place for kids.
Navy Pier: you would think this splash pad would be dirty just like Millenium Park, but it seems to be maintained a little better. Warning, there are ridges circling the splash pad, so if your little one isn’t a sturdy walker, I would hold off until they have better footing. We like to combine this splash pad with either the Children’s museum or a walk along the lake. Directly north of the splash pad is the lake front path and a park. It’s a good place for a picnic before or after the splash pad.
MUSIC
BB loves music in all forms. Mr. Dave’s music in Wicker Park is a weekly necessity in our house. But, that is NOT free. If I could, I would take her every day because she loves it so much. So I started to explore free music options around the city, and there are surprisingly a lot of great options.
Whole Foods music: every Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00-10:30 Bubbles Academy (another great PAID activity in Chicago) offers a free music class in the Whole Foods on North Kingsbury Street. We love doing this class before (otherwise cold or frozen groceries might go bad, been there done that) our grocery run.
The Red Balloon: the 1st Thursday of every month at 10:30 this adorable children’s shop offers a free song + storytime in Bucktown. I love going to different areas of the city with BB, and this is a great excuse to get up to Bucktown. Sometimes we pair this class with a walk along the 606, which also has an AWESOME playground at the very east end of the 606.
Vanille Patisserie: pastries and music, yes please. Indulge your sweet tooth while your tot sings along to free tunes on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 3:30 at their Lincoln Park location. They also do it at their Lakeview location on the 2nd Wednesday of every month, but that is a little far north for us, so we have never been to that one.
STORY TIME/LIBRARY
BB is obsessed with books and reading. It is my very favorite thing, to watch her grab a book, walk over to her reading nook, and read to herself (cue heart exploding). There are so many story times throughout the city, and I know I do not know of all of them, so please let me know if you know of others! These are some we like:
Monica + Andy’s: reading time on Wednesdays at 4:15 in Lincoln Park.
Play: the cutest children’s bookstore in Logan Square offers free reading time on Tuesdays at 11:00am and a playtime (they bring out toys and the kids get to play and socialize while the parents visit with each other) on Thursdays at 3:00pm.
The Red Balloon: at their Southport location, they offer free reading time every Thursday at 10:30am. This is really far north for us, so we have never been, but we love the Bucktown location.
Harold Washington Library: this is my personal favorite Chicago Public Library, but there are so many to choose from. The libraries around the city have SO many free activities for kids. So, find the closest library to you and check their calendar for events. HERE is the schedule for the Harold Washington Library. BB started going to the library as early as 3 months, and she still loves it. Baby time, family story time, and puppet play are some of our favs. But, I should note that you do need a library card to get access to the libraries around the city. The first time you go, bring two forms of identification, like your ID with Chicago address and your voter registration card. Getting a library card is totally FREE!
MUSEUMS/ZOOS
All of the major museums in the city offer free days every month. Not all museums are perfect for all age ranges, so I can only speak from our experience, so far. As BB gets older, we hope to explore some of the other museum offerings around the city. For a list of all the local museums and their free days, click HERE.
Chicago Children’s Museum: every Thursday after 5pm. BEWARE, it is a madhouse on free days. Wear your running shoes and be prepared to literally push through a mass of children to chase after yours. But, BB loves it, and that’s why we do it. Just have a tall glass of wine waiting for me after bedtime.
Lincoln Park Zoo: it pains me to go here, because truth be told, I am a major animal lover and zoos just give me an ache in the pit of my stomach. The first couple times BB went, Blake took her alone. But it killed me seeing the videos of her lighting up when she saw the penguins, so I had to go.
Art Institute of Chicago: every Thursday after 5pm. We have not done this since BB started walking, but we are going to try it again when the temperatures drop. While she was stroller bound and not as mobile, this was a great outing during the winter. She loved people watching and looking at the brightly colored artwork.
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: Thursdays are “suggested donation days” for Illinois residents. Which basically means it is free unless you choose to make a donation. BB loves the butterfly exhibit.
PARKS
A. Montgomery Ward Park (River North): I already mentioned this under splash pads, above, but outside the splash pad there is a playground, wide open green space, shaded areas, and a walking path along the river. This is hands down, my favorite park in the city. I know we are technically not supposed to do this, but BB LOVES feeding the ducks along the river. In the winter, the hill is always packed with tiny sledders, and I cannot wait to try that out this winter with BB. Chicago parks are great for picnics and just getting outdoors. For our picture perfect picnic day with Meg McMillin, see HERE.
Walsh Park (Wicker Park/Bucktown): I mentioned this park before. It is next to the east entrance to the 606 in Wicker Park/Bucktown. The park is great, with a large grassy area next to it AND a dog park, for your furry friends.
Mary Bartolme Park (West Loop): to be honest, we actually discovered this park because of the AMAZING dog park. It might be the best dog park in the city. But, next to the sunken dog park, is an equally amazing park for kids. This park is very different, and BB loves it. If you are looking for traditional playground equipment, this park is not for you. While it is not a true splash pad, it does spray out a fine mist, which is awesome for super hot days.
Maggie Daley Park (Downtown): BB is finally old enough to enjoy this space. It is definitely geared towards older children, as the slides are very high and require some serious climbing. But, it is new, clean and beautiful and the views cannot be beat. It is definitely worth a trip if you have not been already.
Honorable mentions: Adams Playground (Lincoln Park), Oz Park (Lincoln Park) and Lucy Flower Playlot (Logan Square) are all nice, but they don’t quite add up to the ones above. But if these are close to your house, they are worth a try! Adams has a sandbox, which creeps me out a little because of all the bacteria. BUT, it has an awesome splash pad built into the playground equipment. It is small, so easy to keep up with your little one. Lucy also has a splash pad and is almost brand new. It is also on the smaller side but a great part to hit if you are up in that neighborhood. If we are asking BB to sit through lunch or dinner in Logan, we try to hit a park before to get her energy out. Oz Park is centrally located in LP and has a big green area surrounding it, but the actual playground itself is old and rundown and in dire need of a facelift. It is wood, so watch out for splinters. I would like to say that I have tried all the parks in the city, and hopefully, someday I can say that, but we are still making our rounds. If I missed one of your favorites, PLEASE, let me know so we can try it out!
I hope this gives your wallets a little break and your city babies something new to try! If you know any free activities in the city I should try, please let me know! We love discovering new things to do in this beautiful city of ours.
