Maureen Wilkey

Latest posts by Maureen

20 Best Things to Do in Chicago March 2023 with Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 02/26/2023 - 9:30am

Celebrate Holi in March at Navy Pier. Photo courtesy of Navy Pier

Looking for things to do in March in Chicago? Here's a list of our favorite kid-friendly activities in Chicago this March.

Spring has (almost) sprung, and both kids and parents in Chicago are looking forward to sunnier days ahead. Luckily, there are plenty of things to do in Chicago in March. It's maple syrup season, and families can learn how it's made at events all over town. Flower shows also abound in the new spring air, with Garfield Park Conservatory, Lincoln Park Conservatory, and Chicago Botanic Gardens all showing off their colors.

Fun Indoor Birthday Party Places with Mega Playgrounds in NYC

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 02/17/2023 - 4:59pm

Kanga's Indoor Playspace offers activities and fun for all ages and makes a great indoor birthday party destination.

For parents of winter babies, an indoor birthday party is really the only option when it's time to celebrate. While parents of summer babies have both indoor and outdoor birthday party options and can throw a birthday party at parks and playgrounds or the local swimming pool, those of us with children born in colder months need to find a space where kids can run off all that pizza-and-cake energy. Enter: the mega play space.

From bounce houses and trampolines to arcade-packed game venues, these wide-open indoor playgrounds give all pint-sized birthday party guests a chance to run free. Check out our top picks for the best indoor play spaces to throw your next birthday party below—and find more party planning tips in our Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties in NYC.

Best Chicago Museums For Kids and Families

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 02/12/2023 - 8:03am

Photo courtesy of the Chicago Architecture Center

There are so many museums in Chicago! Here are our favorite museums for kids in Chicago.

Chicago has a lot to offer for kids: great food, the tallest building in the U.S., trains, and the lakefront. But one of its biggest draws is its wealth of amazing museums. Sure, the half dozen children's museums in the city and suburbs are a huge draw, but there are at least as many museums that appeal to the whole family. Learn about anything from science to history to art to writers in museums in downtown Chicago, in the neighborhoods, or in the suburbs. For the record, we had a tough time narrowing this article down to our favorite dozen, so click through the links to see some additional favorites at the end of the article, or check out our Chicago Museum Guide.

Of course many of these museums have their own free days, and many of them have fun events geared toward families and listed on our calendar. But whether you're going for a specific event or just to have fun, you should have a great time at any of these fantastic (and educational) museums for kids and families.

Pssst...you can save on some of these museums and other top attractions in Chicago with the Go City All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass.

Chicago's Best Indoor Places for Tweens and Teens To Hang Out

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 02/03/2023 - 8:48am

An offbeat Chicago museum makes a fun outing for teenagers. Photo courtesy of the WNDR Museum

Looking for indoor things to do for teens in Chicago? Here are out favorite safe, indoor tween and teen hangouts in the Chicago area.

How is it that teens and tweens seem to get bored so quickly? And is it worse when the weather gets dicey? No worries—we've got plenty of solutions for parents of tweens and teens who NEED to get out of the house, even if it's freezing and wintry mix-ing all over the place.

We also have some great lists for teen and tween birthday party ideas that will include some fun venues for non-birthday events too, and a list of 100 things for kids to do when they're bored. So get them out there and enjoy a few hours without the eye-rolling.

Best of February: 20+ Things to Do in Chicago with Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Sun, 01/29/2023 - 8:37am

Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! Photo courtesy of Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream

Between Valentine's Day, Groundhog Day, and Black History Month, there are tons of fun things to do with kids in Chicago this February 2023. Here's a list of the best.

February in Chicago can seem like a drag. But, there are plenty of fun minor holidays with celebrations and lots of opportunities for families to create excitement and stave off boredom. Start the month off with Groundhog Day—you can celebrate by seeing where the movie was filmed in far northwest suburban Woodstock. The first Saturday in February is National Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, and Chicago families can do just that at Jeni's stores in the city and suburbs. Cherish love for your kids with a Valentine's Day tea party in Logan Square, skate date in Mundelein, or movie and dinner at Indian Boundary Park. Black History Month is also punctuated by unique ways to celebrate African-American culture, like taking a tour of Bronzeville or learning more about the history of the month at Chicago History Museum.

Don't forget to take part in all the traditional upper Midwest winter activities like sledding, tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. Check out one of our favorite things to do indoors on a cold or snowy day, or leave the city entirely with one of our winter day trips from Chicago. Whatever you choose to do, you can make February a fan favorite.

10 Best Winter Hikes In Chicago To Do With Kids

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Fri, 01/20/2023 - 1:16pm

Northerly Island Snow Trek hike near Chicago. Photo courtesy of Chicago Parks and Recreation

Looking for kid-friendly hikes in Chicago? Here are our favorite winter hikes near Chicago to do with kids.

Chicago's 2023 winter season has been mild enough to get kids outside to burn off energy. Our favorite winter hikes in Chicago are fun even in freezing temperatures, plus they're free entertainment. And the great thing about living in the City in a Garden is that you don't have to drive several hours to get to a natural area.

We've rounded up 10 great places to take your kids for a winter hike near Chicago, no matter what the weather. With easy hikes of a mile or less, your kids can find animals (or their tracks), view amazing natural landscapes, see works of art, or learn more about the natural environment in the Midwest. We recommend wearing boots with good traction (or renting snowshoes if your kids are big enough and the snow is over three inches) and overestimating the time it will take to walk each path. Hiking with kids is more fun if you take it slow and easy. Bring your camera so you can remember your amazing journey.

Check out our Winter Fun Guide for more seasonal fun for Chicago kids. And if you lost a mitten and need to head indoors instead, check out our 21 Free Things To Do in Chicago On Cold and Rainy Days.

How To Get Free Stuff, Save Money, and Reduce Waste

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Thu, 01/19/2023 - 12:00pm

There are so many fun ways to reuse your Imperfect Foods boxes. Photo courtesy of Imperfect Foods

January is free month here at Mommy Poppins, which means we are all thinking about how to get free stuff and save money. But a new year also means new resolutions, and one of them is to be good to the planet. Luckily, saving money and being Earth-friendly go hand-in-hand. Sure, we may have to spend some extra cash upfront on stuff like compost bins, reusable water bottles, and new light bulbs. But over the long term, these things will help you save money and be less wasteful. And that's a win for both you and the planet! And some of this stuff is free right away...

Here are 12 ideas on how to get free stuff, save money, and cut down on waste. For more ways to have fun with your family without dipping into your wallet, check out your city's Guide to Free Things To Do with Kids. And visit our Earth Kids Guide—and sign up for our Earth Kids newsletter—for more ideas on living more sustainably every day.

Bluey's Big Play: A Preschooler's Rock Concert

Submitted by Maureen Wilkey on Tue, 01/10/2023 - 3:23pm

If you have preschoolers and you don't live under a rock, you might have heard of Bluey. The Australian cartoon about a family of heelers (a breed of dog) has swept the nation with its seven-minute episodes full of catchy music and jokes that are as much for grown-ups as they are for kids. Our kids are around the same age as the title character and her little sister, Bingo, and like the family in the show, our older child looks like Dad and our younger child looks like Mom, so we were early adopters of the Bluey craze. When we found out that Bluey's Big Play: The Stage Show would be coming to the Chicago Theatre for real life, we jumped in our car with the "Nice Parking Spot, Rita" bumper sticker and drove as fast as we could to get tickets.