Being Savvy: Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers and kids in Chicago, IL

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Great Chicago Places and Spaces

May 05, 2009



May 16th is the 11th annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces Event honoring Chicago's architecture and design through a series of special events that are free and open to the public.  The event has a special focus on inspiring the imaginations of young children.  The following programs are good picks for those with little ones who want to take part in this celebration of our beautiful city.

Animals in Architecture.  Take a waking tour and spot animals that architects designed as part of the building.  The tour kicks off from the Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 S. Michigan) at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and strollers are welcome!

Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park Treasure Hunt.  Families can spot the architectural "gems" of the Chicago Cultural Center and the "jewels" of Millennium Park on this self-guided tour.  Interested families can pick up a treasure map at the information desk at the Cultural Center (78 E. Washington Street) or at the Millennium Park Welcome Center (201 E. Randolph).

Lego Block Party.  if you have little ones who love to build with blocks, you will want to mark the family calendar for this event.  Join with local architecture and art students to build colorful urbanscapes using Legos.  This event takes place from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center.

These activities really meet the definition of "family-friendly" because they are something that everyone (young and old -- well, at least older) will love.
 Read more...

Great Chicago Places and Spaces

May 05, 2009



May 16th is the 11th annual Great Chicago Places and Spaces Event honoring Chicago's architecture and design through a series of special events that are free and open to the public.  The event has a special focus on inspiring the imaginations of young children.  The following programs are good picks for those with little ones who want to take part in this celebration of our beautiful city.

Animals in Architecture.  Take a waking tour and spot animals that architects designed as part of the building.  The tour kicks off from the Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 S. Michigan) at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. and strollers are welcome!

Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park Treasure Hunt.  Families can spot the architectural "gems" of the Chicago Cultural Center and the "jewels" of Millennium Park on this self-guided tour.  Interested families can pick up a treasure map at the information desk at the Cultural Center (78 E. Washington Street) or at the Millennium Park Welcome Center (201 E. Randolph).

Lego Block Party.  if you have little ones who love to build with blocks, you will want to mark the family calendar for this event.  Join with local architecture and art students to build colorful urbanscapes using Legos.  This event takes place from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at the Cultural Center.

These activities really meet the definition of "family-friendly" because they are something that everyone (young and old -- well, at least older) will love.
 Read more...

Ways to Learn About Math in the Windy City

February 10, 2009

Your preschooler is no doubt practicing his ABC's and 123's. Pre-math skills play an important role is getting your child ready for the big move to kindergarten.  If you are looking to work on some pre-math skills with your little learner, check out one of these local activities:  

Calling All Builders!

January 16, 2009

I have never met a preschooler who doesn't love to build (and then knock down) block towers. Sound familiar? If your preschooler s a budding engineer or builder, you will most definitely want to take advantage of the Chicago Architecture Foundation's Family Studio Workshops on the third Sunday of each month. On January 18th the theme of the workshop is "Going Places." Your future Daniel  Read more...

Five Ways to Teach Your Child About Chicago's History

June 24, 2008

Your little Chicagoan should know a bit about the history of our great town. But teaching preschoolers about Chicago 's past including stockyards and political corruption amongst many, many other wonderful virtues -- can be a daunting task. How can you make history appealing and approachable for a preschooler? Here is how. 1. Visit the Chicago History Museum . The Museum  Read more...

Diggers, Bulldozers, and Backhoes, Oh My!

June 16, 2008

As I have mentioned before, my little guy adores all things transportation-related with a special love for construction vehicles. Luckily for him, Chicago is full of traffic-causing, headache-inducing construction everywhere we turn. These are a few of our favorite activities when we are in the mood for cranes and dump trucks. Onsite Inspections. Is a new house or condo going  Read more...

More of Our Favorite Activities and Things to Do in chicago

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Creatures & Critters:
Our Urban Jungle

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Do, Re, Mi! Places to Hear, Sing & Play a Tune

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Artistic Endeavors:
Our Favorite Art Venues

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Room to Run:
Run, Jump & Wiggle Outdoors

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Rainy & Quiet Days:
Cozy & Crazy Indoor Fun

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A Sense of History:
Our City's Stories

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Tot's Science Fair:
Science & Nature Sites

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Splash, Spray, Play! Local Spots to Get Wet

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The Most Fun in Life Is Free!

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The Best of... Our Top Can't-Live-Without Spots

The Voice of Being Savvy chicago:
Caitlin Giles

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