Ice Skate in the Sky at the John Hancock Observatory!

The world's highest ice skating rink is now open! You and the kids can now enjoy ice skating indoors without a worry about the weather - and with a 1,000 high view of the Chicago skyline and scenery!

From January 1 - March 31, this 900 square foot, synthetic ice rink is open from 9am - 11pm. You can purchase a 25 minute skating session for just $5 (on top of regular admission fee), and you can bring your own skates or rent them for just $1. Last tickets are sold at 10pm.

Every Monday from 3-5pm, the rink features a skating lesson from a Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey coach. The space for lessons is limited, so if you're interested, book one soon.

Visit www.hancockobservatory.com for more information and some fine print regarding waivers and rules.

Storytelling (and Music!) Festival at The Field Museum

If you're looking for something to do this week, make sure you check out the remaining days of this week's Storytelling Festival taking place at The Field Museum.

Tomorrow - Wednesday Dec 29 - at 2pm you can see a special concert by Justin Roberts and the Not Ready for Naptime Players. This is one of my favorite kids' bands and The Field Museum would be a super cool place to see them play. You've got to register in advance, and it's $5 on top of regular admission. Call 312.665.7400 to register.

On Thursday at 2pm, Jeanie B. and the Jelly Beans will be playing songs from their new CD, Mommy Knows Best. Don’t miss her signature song “Bubble Wrap,” where everyone gets to pop those wonderful bubbles! This one's also $5 and pre-registration is required.

And Friday at 11:30am and 1:30pm, kids can play a part in the classic children’s story The Mitten by Jan Brett - a favorite in our house! Through dramatic play, you and your family will learn about the rewards of sharing, communicating, and respecting others.

Regular admission still applies, so make a day of it!

Chicago Family and Kids Fun New Year's Celebration Ideas

If you're hoping to ring in the New Year with your kids - most likely long before midnight - here are some suggestions. Visit the ChicagoKids.com Calendar of Events to see a more detailed list of options.

Bubble Bash 2010
DuPage Children's Museum, 301 N. Washington St., Naperville
(630) 637-8000
Outer space is the theme for DuPage Children's Museum annual countdown to noon and family friendly New Year's Eve celebration. Musical performances, art activities, food and play spread throughout the Museum's three floors of fun. Reservations Required.
Time: 9am - noon.
Cost: Members $15, nonmembers $20, under 1 is free.

Ice Center's Family New Year's Eve Party
Glenview Ice Center, 1851 Landwehr Road, Glenview
(847) 724-2800
The Glenview Ice Center will host a Family New Year's Eve Party! There will be candle making by Ultimate Art. A fun event for everyone in the family. New Years Eve kiddie toast at "midnight" (9 pm)
Time: 6:00-9:00 PM
Cost: Free

New Year Eve Party at Wonder Works
Wonder Works, 6445 West North Avenue, Oak Park
(708) 383-4815
Celebrate all the excitement of New Year's with even the youngest of children. Countdown with countries across the world as you learn some very interesting traditions, enjoy the special New Year's crafts, games, prizes, food and more. Registration is required.
Time: Noon to 5pm
Cost: Included with regular $5 admission.

New Year’s Eve at The ComedySportz Theatre
ComedySportz, 929 West Belmont, Chicago
(773) 549-8080
Choose a 5pm or 7pm seating. The ComedySportz Theatre created a special 5pm and 7pm show on New Year’s Eve that is perfect for children, teens and families. There will be a full main stage show, party favors, New Year’s count down and a cider toast with the cast after each show. Reservations recommended.
Time: 5pm or 7pm.
Cost: $22

Navy Pier's New Year's Eve Bash and Fireworks
Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago
(312) 595-PIER
Navy Pier presents a spectacular all-ages showcase of hip-hop dance, live music, and more at the Winter WonderStage. The celebration starts at 6pm and comes to a grand conclusion at 8:15 with a Family Fireworks show.
Time: 6pm
Cost: Free

New Years Eve Party at Pump It Up Chicago
Pump It Up Chicago, 821 W Eastman, Chicago
(312) 664-7867
Bring in the New Year with friends at this early afternoon family friendly celebration. Event features music, play time, pizza, sparkling beverages, gifts and a countdown with balloon drop.
Time: 1-4 pm
Cost: $15/child $5/adult

Free Chicago Holiday Family Fun

We've just released the ChicagoKids.com Winter Guide to Free Family Fun, and you can find lots of fun family activities and events taking place this winter in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Here's a sampling of free holiday activities for kids and families taking place in December:

ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo
Weekends Nov 26 – Jan 2 (closed Dec 24/25)
One of the brightest parts of Chicago’s winter, ZooLights, is free and open to all. Head out for a winter evening of ice carving demonstrations, visits with Santa, warm drinks, cool crafts and more than one million beautiful lights.

Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier
December 3 – January 2
Navy Pier transforms into an enchanted 170,000 square foot holiday hamlet, and you can come out for music, entertainment, indoor ice skating, inflatable slides, carnival rides, food, beverages, and more. General admission is free, some rides and attractions have fees.

Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza
Through December 24
Christkindlmarket Chicago is a holiday market that brings a cherished German and European tradition with international flair and local charm to Chicago. Children visiting the market can enjoy scavenger hunts, interviews with vendors, and singing German holiday songs.

Holiday Concert Series at Harold Washington Public Library
Select days between December 1-17
The Chicago Public Library presents its annual Sounds of Our City: 2010 Holiday Concert Series on selected dates during the month of December. The free, lunchtime holiday performances feature some of the best Chicago area children’s, grade school and high school choirs.

Ice Skating at McCormick Tribune Ice Rink
Through March 13
Come out for a family skate! The rink is free and open to the public, and skate rental is available for $10.

See more fun free Winter family activities at ChicagoKids.com.

Winter Camps and Winter Break Activities

Winter is upon us, and Winter Break is coming up fast! Lots of places around Chicago and the suburbs offer special winter camps and programs to keep your little ones busy... and to make sure you're getting a break as well! Here are some highlight below, and you can find more in the ChicagoKids.com Winter Camp Guide.

Actors Gymnasium Circus & Performing Arts Camp
Evanston
Ages 9-14 years. Mon-Thurs, December 20-23 and Mon-Thurs, December 27-30. For young performers who want to strengthen, stretch and flex their creative muscles. Circus skills covered include juggling, tumbling, trapeze, tightwire, stilts, and more.

Artist @ Heart
120 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove
340 N. Milwaukee Road, Libertyville
For kids 6-12. Option of camp per day, or per week. Different art activities each day including drwaing, painting, modeling clay, mosaics, 3-D art sculptures, jewelry making and more.

DuPage Children's Museum
301 N. Washington Street, Naperville
Chicagoland Offering 2 mini-camp sessions based on DCM’s popular school program, Kids Design Engineering. Children will learn about pneumatic power, use cool tools to design, and build and test their own pneumatic (balloon) powered project. For ages 7-10.

Easel Art Studio
1911 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Create art, dance the snowflakes away, and play your heart out at Easel. Enroll by day, and get a discount for attending multiple camp days.

Emerald City Theatre School
2933 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
For ages 3.5-5, and 6-10. Explore different characters and environments of the season through acting, music, dance, storytelling, crafts and more. Final presentation on the last day of camp.

School of Rock Chicago
3043 N. Ashland, Chicago
Winter Camp is an intensive musical learning experiences where kids can immerse themselves. During camp they will experience speed-learning song parts, rehearsing and performing with a band, writing original music and recording basics and introduction.

Top Golf
699 W. Thorndale Ave., Wood Dale
This winter golf camp helps kids of all skill levels learn the game of golf in a fun way and is a great way to stay active during the cold winter months. Each camp is a 3-day program that covers all aspects of the game of golf in a fun, interactive way.

Wishcraft
2312 W. Roscoe Street, Chicago
Offering workshop days for ages 3-5, 5+ and 7+. Some workshop topics include Merry Mittens, Sweetie Pies, Snowy Scenes, Green Christmas, Cutie Foodies and more. Something for everyone!

Win a copy of Eat the World - a family cookbook that gives back

When I think of Art Smith, I think of two things: first, Oprah Winfrey, who was lucky enough to have him as her personal chef; and second, the best mac and cheese I ever ate, from his restaurant Table Fifty-Two.

I now have something new to think about, thanks to a cookbook for families that benefits his non-profit organization, Common Threads. Common Threads educates children on nutrition and physical wellbeing, teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals.



The cookbook is not new, but it's new to me. Parents can follow these easy recipes and let kids help with the process. Each recipe includes colorful pictures not only of the finished meal, but the different steps in the process. Helpful commentary and tips from kid chefs are included, making this book relevant for kids and giving their perspective.

And even though the recipes are easy to make, they offer a variety of sophisticated cuisine types and cultural flavors. From basics like Tomato Sauce, Roasted Yams and Cheesy Broccoli Sauce to more ethnic recipes like Moroccan Squash, Emerald Fire Noodles, Tabbouleh Salad and Sesame Date Sweets - there's something for everyone!

Sound good? Order it online and use code cthreads10 to get $2 off! It’s a great gift for any family, and it supports a great cause.

We’re giving away a copy of the cookbook on ChicagoKids.com. Enter now to win!

Chicago Toy & Game Fair this weekend - get ready for serious fun!

This weekend is the Chicago Toy & Game Fair, where parents and kids can preview and play with the latest toys and games from more than 100 exhibitors at the country’s largest public toy & game fair! Experts from companies such as Hasbro, Out-of-the-Box, Razor and more can tell you about the trends and holiday best buys.

The show is the largest of its kind that's open to the public, so Chicago families have a really special, local opportunity. Fairgoers will be able to meet legendary and up-and-coming toy and game inventors, including Leslie Scott, inventor of Jenga; Bruce Lund, inventor of TMX Elmo and founder of River Forest-based Lund and Company Invention, Tim Walsh, board game inventor, author and filmmaker; and Richard Gill, who made Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit household names.

A Star Wars Breakfast with the legendary 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist; a Mascot Madness toy drive, Monopoly Tournaments, chess tournaments in the Renaissance Knights Pavilion, the latest Eurogames from Essen, Germany and a free Illinois Accredited Educator Conference for teachers are just a few of the many fair events planned.

The fair hours are 10 am to 6 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Children under three are admitted free; Scouts in uniform, military, teachers and librarians are also admitted free!

For more information, visit www.chitag.com.

And for a $2 coupon, visit
www.chicagokids.com/specials/chitag.html.

Win tickets to Traces!

Our last blog post was about Traces - now you can enter to win tickets! Enter here, but act fast, we're drawing a winner on Friday!

Enter now!

Traces Chicago - Hold on to your seats!

While most of the performers in the newly opened “Traces” have backgrounds that include time with Cirque du Soleil – Cirque this was not.

Traces felt like Cirque du Soleil had come to my corner of Wicker Park, selected seven local hipsters right off the street, and granted them superpowers. The show opens with a purely casual vibe, with seven friends dressed in comfortable street clothes just shooting the breeze in what can be imagined as some dank, gritty neighborhood.

While the primary focus is on circus and acrobatic feats, the show offers an array of performance arts - acoustic music, poetry slam, dance, piano playing…. even a humorous, skateboarding routine that reminded me of an old Hollywood scene.

Early on, the performers invite the audience to get to know them. They incorporate personal information into some acts, further lending to the feeling that we’re just hanging out on the corner with familiar friends (who are far more flexible than we are.) There was something about getting to know these performers as individuals, and seeing them in street clothes rather than sparkling, anonymizing costumes, that seemed to make everything they did even more daring.



Traces contains an unusual mix of darkness and humor. Adding to the vibe of the show is the uber-cool music; live imagery created for the stage by performers using a drawing board; and gritty, black and white live video feeds offering different angles of the performance.

While each act provided some unique sort of performance, the acrobatic prowess of these performers was the most amazing part of the show. Long-locked Florio, who looks like he just walked off the cover of a romance novel, did an entire solo act on a stack of chairs. I’ve seen performers balance single-handedly on top of a chair before, but typically they got to that position after first balancing on two hands and then removing one. Florio was on a stack of chairs, casually put his hand on top of the back of the chair, and then just launched himself up into the one-handed pose. Amazing.

The pole acrobatics were incredible. The performers leaped and flipped between 2 poles, threatening to land on their heads but always making their marks. And by the end of the show, with the performers flipping through small hoops at the top of a 6 foot stack, I was pretty convinced that they did indeed possess superhuman powers.

I recommend this for adults and for families with older kids. The performance is 90 minutes long with no intermission.

Playing October 26, 2010 - December 19, 2010 at the Broadway Playhouse, 175 E. Chestnut St., Chicago Illinois.

The Hundred Dresses opens today - timeless and timely

The topic of bullying has been prevalent in the media lately, and the opening of The Hundred Dresses at Chicago Children's Theatre couldn't be timelier.

This musical was written by Ralph Covert (Ralph's World) and G. Riley Mills, and is based on a children's novel by Eleanor Estes. It's the story of Wanda Petronski, an imaginative young girl who struggles to fit in with her new classmates. Replete with a myriad of colorful and buoyant characters, The Hundred Dresses is a timeless tale that explores the bonds of friendship, the willingness to be yourself, and the courage that it takes to stand up to others -- even when you're standing alone.

The theater's web site provides a Student Study Guide that you can download. It's meant for teachers but provides valuable insights and topics for discussion that you can use with your own kids.

The show is recommended for ages 6 and up, and tickets start at $26.00.

Playing November 3 through December 2 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie.

Through ChicagoKids.com, you can get $5 off tickets for opening weekend performances, November 6 & 7. Reserve your seats by calling the North Shore Center box office at (847) 673-6300 or visiting www.northshorecenter.org and using the code "HDOPEN". (This code is only good for opening weekend performance)

Learn more at http://www.chicagochildrenstheatre.org.