Move over Starbucks... Play Cafés abound around town

It's the latest trend - play cafés where kids can let out some energy and parents can relax with a cup of joe. For cold or rainy days, here are a few that you might enjoy.

Family Grounds Cafe
3652 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
Family Grounds Cafe is a hip coffee shop with an area where kids can play, and a separate area where parents can relax an enjoy Intelligentsia espresso, coffee or tea, savory treats, and even free WiFi and free parking. The play area includes a Victorian playhouse, performance stage, train area, schoolhouse and more. Special classes and events take place on a regular basis - for example, violin classes, mom supprt groups, special musical performances and more.

You can reserve play time blocks ahead of time for 2-hour blocks on Mon-Fri at 9:00 or 11:00; or on Saturday at 8:30, 10:30 or 12:30. It's $5.95 for adults & children (crawlers/walkers) You can also drop in to play on Mondays - Fridays between 1-6pm, and the fee is $10.95 for the first child (crawlers & up), $5.95 sibling rate (crawlers & up), with non-crawling infants free with a $4 minimum purchase. Parents are free.

Little Beans Cafe
1809 W. Webster, Chicago
Parents can enjoy their coffee in the separate cafe, or at one of the tables inside the play area. The play area is a cute little village with a grocery story, service station, playhouse, school and more, with a corner for kids to cozy up with their favorite books, puzzles or games. The play area is large, so there's plenty of room for running around. Little Beans also offers a wide range of classes like Music & Movement, Mom & Tot Yoga, and even an upcoming Spanish class with Multilingual Chicago.

Little Beans is open Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm; Saturday 9am - 3pm, and Sunday 9am - 11am. A daily pass is $12 with a sibling pass for $7. Supervised Play is also available for $20 for up to 1.5 hours, M-F from 2-5pm.

Little Monkey Bizness
229 Rice Lake Square, Wheaton and 4700 Gilbert Ave, Suite 51, Western Springs
Little Monkey Bizness offers a full-service gourmet coffee bar, and a wide assortment of delicious and healthy choices of food. The seating area overlooks a 3,000+ square foot play area, where kids enjoy playhouses, dance floors, educational computer games, and a separate area for babies and crawlers. A separate art area provides activities during special art sessions and open art time.

Play hours are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 9am - 6pm; Tuesday and Friday 9am - 8pm; and Saturday and Sunday from 9am - noon. Open play admission is $7.50 per child over the age of 1, and $5.00 per child for crawlers between 6 months and 1 year. Infants and parents are free.

Nibbles Play Cafe
13 Huntington Lane, Wheeling
Parents will delight in the bistro-style menu and kids will enjoy a great selection of kids entrees after they've built up an appetite playing. Play areas at Nibbles include an area for non-walkers, trains and tracks, a construction zone, small toy area and arts and crafts. Nibbles also has hosts fun family events on a regular basis, with concerts, storytelling, and other themed activities.

Hours are 9:30am-8:00pm weekdays and 9:30-3:00 on weekends. Admission is $5 for kids age 1-7, with additional siblings $3.00. Older children and adults are free.

Pickle's Playroom
2315 W. Lawrence Ave, Chicago
Pickle's Playroom opened its doors just about a month ago, so it's the newest play cafe to hit Chicago. The cafe offers Metropolis brand coffee and organic baked goods from local favorite Bleeding Heart Bakery, plus a lunch menu with basic kids fare and a few selections for the grownups. The play area includes a kiddie rock climbing wall, factory control room, large tunnel slide, grocery store, towering dollhouse, and a separate area for crawlers/tiny tots. Classes and events are said to be coming soon. There's also a kids' hair salon on site, so for an additional $20, your little one can walk out with a new 'do.

Open play is $12, and siblings are $9, with multi-visit and monthly passes available. Hours are Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm; Saturday 9am - 3pm; Sunday 10am - 3pm.

Take me out to the ballgame - in Chicago!

Baseball season is in full swing, and whether you cheer for the Cubs or the White Sox, there's plenty of family fun to be had at both of Chicago's stadiums.

Chicago Cubs Family Days/Promotions:

• Tuesday, August 9: Cubs Plush Bear (First 5,000 children 13 & younger)
  
• Friday, September 2: American Girl Doll-sized Cubs Apparel (First 4,000 children 14 & younger)
  

Click here for the Cub's entire schedule of promotions, giveaways, special days, and links to purchase tickets.

Chicago White Sox Family Days/Promotions:

• Sunday, April 17: Kids Day-Celebration of spring
  
• Sunday, May 1: Mother Son Day
  
• Sunday, May 22: Kids Day-Sox Expo
  
• Sunday, June 5: White Sox Kid's Jersey Giveaway
  
• Sunday, June 12: Father Daughter Day
  
• Sunday, June 26: Kids Day-Southpaw's Birthday
  
• Sunday, July 10: Kids Day-Wild about the Sox
  
• Sunday, August 21: Kids Day-Back to School Carnival
  

Click here for the White Sox's entire schedule of promotions, giveaways, special days, and links to purchase tickets.

Tips for Enjoying Your Baseball Outing

Once you've picked a date and are ready to go, here are some tips to help your family enjoy the game:

• Get the whole family into some team colors and team gear!
  
• Bring a baseball glove - you never know when a fly ball could head your way!
  
• Bring the camera for family photos - you'll always remember the big day.
  
• Enjoy some hotdogs, pizza, popcorn, peanuts and more - it's a baseball tradition. And you can bring your own bottled water at long as it's sealed.
  
• Arrive early to watch team batting practice and warm ups - both parks open 2 hours before the game starts. Bring a permanent marker, something to write on, and ask for autographs!
  
• Protect yourself from the sun! Bring sun block, hats, and sunglasses.
  
• Stay through the 7th inning so you can sing "take me out to the ballgame."
  
• Find a fun spot to eat before or after the game.
  

Cubs Game Dining Suggestions:

Vines on Clark
3554 N Clark Street, Chicago, (773) 327-8572
Located just 1/2 block from Wrigley, Vines has a spacious dining area with an outdoor patio. Options include sandwiches, salads, wraps, burgers, & pizza, and there are brunch options for early games.

Goose Island Brewpub
3535 N Clark St., Chicago, (773) 832-9040
This kid friendly pub has patio seating, is smoke free, and offers American traditional food. It's a Chicago landmark, so it can be part of your family Chicago experience.

Pat's Pizza
2679 N Lincoln Ave., Chicago, (773) 248-0168
Pat's Pizza is known for their thin crust pizza and is only a short walk from Wrigley Field.

Ann Sather Café
3416 N Southport Ave., Chicago, (773) 404-4475
This famous local spot has great breakfast and brunch options ranging from omelettes to pancakes to french toast.

Sox Game Dining Suggestions:

Connie's Pizza
2373 S. Archer Avenue Chicago, IL, 60616, (312) 326-3443
A few miles from US Cellular field, their pizza is delicious and easy to split among the family. Picky eaters will easily find something on this Italian menu that will make them happy too!

Bongo Room
1152 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, (312) 291-0100
Located in the South Loop, this restaurant has great breakfast and brunch menus as well as a large lunch menu.

Leona's Restaurant
1419 W Taylor St., Chicago, (312) 850-2222
Leona's is a family friendly spot in Little Italy, not too far from Cellular Field. Pizzas, pastas and sandwiches will keep the whole family happy.

Chicagoland Easter Event Highlights

The Easter Bunny is quite busy this month, making appearances all over town. ChicagoKids.com has put together a list of many Easter events taking place in Chicago and the suburbs, and here are some highlights below.

Breakfast with the Bunny at Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield
April 9, 10, 17 and 23
An all-you-can-eat breakfast with a special appearance from Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, with opportunities for photos and visit from some of Children’s Zoo’s furry critters. Seatings at 9am and 11am. $38 for adults and $26.50 for children 3-11. Registration required.

Doggie Easter Egg Hunt at Horner Park, Chicago
April 16
Meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy a family-friendly event that includes a Doggie egg hunt, bonnet parade, obstacle course, raffle. 10:00am - 12:00pm. $5 per dog.

Easter Eggstravaganza at Chase Park, Chicago
April 16
Kids will experience an unforgettable time with friends and the Bunny! Event includes an egg hunt, craft project, face painting, entertainment, goodie bag, and more. 10:00am - 12:00pm. Free.

Soldier Field Spring Egg-Stravaganza, Chicago
April 17
Come out for the largest candy grab in the city! The stadium opens at 9am for family friendly activities including face painters, fun inflatables, balloon artists, and a Radio Disney Show. At 10am the first group of kids can collect all the goodies they can on the field. Free.

Egg Hunt at Frontier Sports Complex, Naperville
April 23
A colorful egg hunt and a special visit from the Easter Bunny. The egg hunt begins at 10:00 a.m. sharp. Only children age 2 or younger may have help from a parent. Bring a donation of non-perishable food items for the Jaycees. Ages 1-8. Free.

Visit our Easter Highlights page to find more events.

Earth Day Celebrations in April

It's April, and while Earth Day is still a few weeks away, there are plenty of events taking place throughout the month of April to celebrate. We've compiled a list of events on our web site - click here to view - and here are some highlights:

April 16
Green Metropolis Fair at Irish American Heritage Center
Hands-on family-friendly activities with farm animals, composting, showings of Dirt! The Movie & Vanishing of the Bees, a retail market, a food market, presentations and more. 10am-4pm. All ages. Bring a non-perishable food donation for free entry!

April 23
11th Annual Earth Day at North Pond Nature Sanctuary
Bring the whole family and spend a day making a difference and helping clean up and beautify the sanctuary. Registration required. 10 a.m. to Noon. Ages 12 and up. Free!

April 23
Party for the Planet at Brookfield Zoo
This special day highlights polar bears and the effects climate change has on them. Tour the Eco Expo, record your wish for the planet, ride on the "Poop Tram" and enjoy a variety of family entertainment. 11am - 4pm. All ages. Regular admission applies.

April 23
Earth Day Festival at Armstrong Park in Carol Stream
Enjoy Earth Day Festival & Farmers’ market, with an annual eco-fest. Volunteer for the park clean up, explore the farmers market or get hands on with eco-friendly gadgets, rain barrel workshops, Recycle Kids Craft Corner and more. 9am - 1pm. All ages. Free!

April 30
REI Earth Day Service Project at Heller Nature Center
A great project for the whole family! Help by bringing your own tools: shovels, bow rakes and wheelbarrows. Dress for the weather and prepare to get dirty! Volunteers receive a free T-shirt and other giveaways while supplies last. 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. All ages. Free!

April 30
Green and Growing Fair at Garfield Park Conservatory
The fair, sponsored by GreenNet, features a variety of vendors, workshops, demonstrations, and family activities to get your rusty green thumb up and running. Gather resources for your own garden, and participate in family take home planting activities. All ages. 10am - 2pm. Free!

View more Earth Day events and activities on the ChicagoKids.com web site.

Make-A-Messterpiece - Messy, Creative Fun

When it comes to making a mess, my nearly 3-year-old daughter Mia is NOT interested. If there's a crumb on her shirt, a speck of paint on her fingers, or essentially anything out of place, her world gets knocked out of alignment. At just one year old, she was already insisting on being given paper towel pieces to wipe up microscopic dots of milk from the floor. Common phrases in our house are "I don't want to be messy!" and "Wipe me! Wipe me!"

So when my mom started taking Mia to Make-A-Messterpiece, near her home, for occasional visits, I couldn't fathom what Mia was doing there. Last week I took Mia there myself to check it out firsthand, and I couldn't believe my eyes... my daughter with paint on her hands, not freaking out!

Make-A-Messterpiece is a hands-on art and fun space offering a variety of mess-making activities. Not counting the indoor play area - since Mia simply can't pass up a good slide - we spent our time in two areas: at the Splat-Tacular Tables, and at Bubbleology.

The Splat-Tacular Tables are simply an area where kids can pull up a chair and freestyle, with all sorts of tools at their disposal like crayons, paint, stencils, sponges and other items. Kids can experiment with all sorts of techniques, and Mia made 3 great pictures that we brought home.

The Bubbleology area is Mia's favorite. Mine too. Bubbleology looks like a futuristic lab, with huge canister-shaped columns hanging over rounded metal sinks, spewing colorful bubbles onto whatever paper you put below them. Kids can choose the color column they want, then take a piece of paper, attach a stencil if they desire, and then put the paper under the "spout" while the bubbles come out. The bubbles land on the page and eventually pop, creating magical images that are actually frame-worthy.

Mia picked a snail - here's her experience and final product:



Other creative areas include a Creative Kitchen, where kids create edible artistic treats; Drum Roll, where kids play paint-filled drums; Experimentation Station, which lets kids do experiments and learn cause and effect lessons; and Lil Sprouts, where budding gardeners learn the concepts of reduce, reuse, recycle and sustainability.

Learn more at www.makeamessterpiece.com

Last Chance to Skate in the Sky

It's hard to think about winter activities when it feels like spring is in the air.
But if you didn’t get to ice skate at the John Hancock Observatory’s indoor rink, there's still time! The rink is open through March 31, from 9am-11pm, with the last ice skating tickets being sold at 10pm. Skate rentals are only $1, and next Monday will be your last chance to enjoy a free skating lesson from the Chicago Blackhawks Youth Hockey coaches.

And there's one last taste of winter that you can enjoy when you're done skating. Walk across the street to Ghirardelli's and savor a cup of their frothy hot chocolate. And if it's too warm for hot chocolate by the time you do this, then bring on the ice cream sundaes!

With this last winter activity out of your system, let the spring weather begin!

St. Patrick's Day Family Friendly Festivities

Chicago is never short on St. Patrick's Day festivities, and there are plenty that are fun for the entire family. Here's a few of our top picks for you to try out this weekend:

SATURDAY MARCH 12

St. Patrick's Day Fireworks
Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, Chicago
Spend the day finding a variety of family fun activities at Navy Pier, and then at 7pm enjoy a special winter-time fireworks display. The 10 minute show will be set to a themed soundtrack featuring traditional Celtic songs and modern Irish artists.

Dyeing the Chicago River
It's an annual tradition, and until you've seen it in person you can't fathom just how "green" the river can be! Starting at 10am, the dyeing can be best viewed from the East side of the Michigan Avenue bridge, the West side of the Columbus Drive bridge or upper and lower Wacker Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive.

St. Patrick's Downtown Parade
After you see the river dyed green, shop a bit until the main event starts at noon. The parade begins at Columbus Drive and Balbo and then heads north to Monroe.

St. Patrick's Festival
Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N Knox Ave, Chicago
Make a downtown day of it - after the big parade, head over to the IAHC for this large-scale, family-oriented event that includes traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and children’s activities. The festivities begin at 1pm and go until midnight, with live entertainment by Chicago Irish music groups and family friendly fare like the Wiggleworms and the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance. More details at www.irish-american.org

Naperville St. Patrick's Day Parade
Starting at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill Street
The parade kicks off at 10 a.m. from Naperville North High School then continues south on Mill Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, south on Main Street and west on Water Street to the Municipal Center.

SUNDAY MARCH 13

St. Patrick's Northwest Side Parade
Starts at Onahan School, 6633 W. Raven St.
The Northwest Side Irish host their 8th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, with this year's participants including The Jesse White Tumblers, The Emerald Society Band, Mullane Irish Dancers, St. Patrick’s High School Jazz Band, Trinity Irish Dancers and more. The parade starts at noon at 6633 W. Raven (Onahan School) and will run south up Neola Avenue to Northwest Highway north to Harlem Avenue, ending at Harlem Avenue. The after party is from 1-5pm at Immaculate Conception Elementary School, 6211 W. Talcott. Tickets for the after party are $5 for kids 10 and under, and $10 for adults. Learn more.

NPN's Wake Up and Boogie Down Family Festival

NPN's annual fundraising event is back this Saturday at the Cubby Bear from 9:30am - 12:30pm. You're invited to "Wake Up & Boogie Down" with live music performances, hands on kids' activities, games, rock-n-roll makeovers and tasty snacks and treats.

On hand will be some of Chicago's best kids resources. Take part in the Cultural Care Au Pair rock-n-roll makeover station; capture the moment with a photo from ThinkLeigh Photography; decorate cookies with COUNTRY Financial; and explore activities and giveaways hosted by many other local favorites like the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Multilingual Chicago and more.

Get your tickets in advance, because this event can sell out! Tickets are $20 adults/$10 kids for members, and $25 adults/$15 kids for non-members. (infants under age 1 free). You can get tickets at http://www.npnparents.org. All funds raised will enhance NPN’s programs and member services.

NPN is a fantastic resource for Chicago area parents. In their words:
"NPN offers expectant, new, and seasoned parents connection and support for the everyday challenges of parenthood. A trusted destination for parent-to-parent interaction, school choice resources, childcare options, parent education opportunities and local community development, NPN helps strong families build strong communities!"

And in my words: This is the FIRST place I've turned each time I needed a new nanny; I met the moms in my regular moms group through NPN events; their uber-active discussion forums provide me with dozens of responses within hours of my posts; and their preschool fair and information are priceless! If you aren't a member, please consider joining and supporting this great resource.

Our family will be attending on Saturday - maybe we'll see you there!

Hold a Baby Lamb

I'm a sucker for cute baby animals - who isn't? So I love this upcoming event - "Hold a Baby Lamb!"

The Lambing Barn at Enjoy Pioneer Farm is open on Fridays and Saturdays in March from 9am-3pm for kids - and parents - to see what it's like to hold a baby lamb. And this year, the Farm also has chickens, chicks hatching, goats, rabbits, piglet and a llama to see and hold.



Lambing Days are an opportunities to get up close to a sheep and feel their wool, and kids can learn about where their wool clothes come from by watching a sheep shearing demonstration.

And while you can't take any of these cute little animal babies home, you don't have to leave empty handed. The farm sells seasonal products and produce, including farm fresh eggs.

Admission is $5 per person, or a maximum of $11 per family. Enjoy Pioneer Farm is located at Enjoy Pioneer Farm is located 17 N 400 Big Timber Rd., Hampshire. Find more information on the web site at www.enjoypioneerfarm.com.

Neighborhoods of the World at Navy Pier

Navy Pier is honoring some of the many different ethnic communities of Chicago with events every Sunday that honor these parts of the world. Every Sunday through April 3, enjoy a taste of cultural flair with an afternoon of music, dance, costumes, authentic cuisine and local vendors selling folk arts from the regions.



Here's the schedule starting with this Sunday's event:

February 27, 2011
Kick-Off to St. Patrick's Day Celebrations
Chicago Neighborhoods: Beverly, Mount Greenwood
Performances by Trinity Irish Dancers, Joe Cullen, Irish Music School of Chicago, and Anish.

March 6, 2011
Celebrate Poland
Chicago Neighborhoods: Jefferson Park, Harwood Heights, Avondale
Performances by Lechici Dancers, Soloists from the Lira Singers, Lajkonic Dancers, Academy of Music of the Paderewski Symphony Orchestra, and The Polish Highlanders.

March 13, 2011
Bell'Italia
Chicago Neighborhood: Little Italy
Midwest Premiere performance by La Rossignol (from Castelleone, Italy), plus Alfonso Ponticelli & Swing Gitan, and more.

March 20, 2011
Celebrate Mexico
Chicago Neighborhoods: Pilsen, Little Village
Performances by Mexican Dance Ensemble, Tarima Son, and more.

March 27, 2011
A Greek Journey in the Windy City
Chicago Neighborhood: Greektown
Performances by the Orpheus Hellenic Folklore Society and the Chicago Hellenic Choir.

April 3, 2011
GermanChicagoNow
Chicago Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Performances by Pieptone!, Paloma Band, Amazonen, Fanfaren Corps of Chicago,
BGTV D'Lustigen Holzhacker Buam, Egerlander Tanzgruppe, and Amazing Mike.