5 Fun Things To Do With Kids In Chicago

Looking for fun things to do with kids in Chicago? Head to the Downtown Chicago area where there are tons of fun attractions, some of the top things to do in Chicago!

Have you ever taken your family to visit Chicago?

We recently returned from a fun trip to Chicago, Illinois, it was my kids’ first time and we had a blast! We chose the city because we found decent flights, plus my son has a goal of visiting every single MLB stadium in the country, the Cubs Wrigley Field Stadium tour and Chicago White Sox are local to the area. There are so many fun things to do with kids in Chicago, we really enjoyed Downtown Chicago attractions and recommend spending time there with your family!

We stayed in the Downtown Chicago area where the city is bustling with people, the train is accessible pretty much everywhere, the skyscrapers are super tall and there’s tons of stuff to do. In just 4 days, we explored the area and found a bunch of cool attractions. Here are some great family-friendly things to do when you’re in Downtown Chicago…

Frolic and play at Millennium Park Chicago

This gorgeous 5-acre park is home to lots of fun attractions. Its garden atmosphere means lots of grass to run around on, with a pavilion that features many events throughout the year. We spent about an hour exploring Millennium Park, after riding a series of trains and planes, the kids definitely needed to get the ants out of their pants!

Millennium Park is a free attraction, it is home to many art exhibits, family activities, workouts, movies, kid-friendly concerts, tours, and other events year-round. Don’t miss the massive “Cloud Gate” sculpture, also known as the Millennium Park bean. There is also a cool digitized fountain wall that flashes photos of citizens, making it look like they’re spitting out water.

Ride the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier

This is easily one of the top things to do in Chicago. If you’ve ever been near the Navy Pier, you would have seen the gigantic 150-foot Ferris wheel from afar! The lakefront pier offers sweeping views of the city and the water and has plenty of things to do. It’s situated right on Lake Michigan and there are a few rides in the area, but the Ferris wheel is the biggest attraction that soars over the city.

Stand over the city on the Skydeck Ledge at Willis Tower

Willis Tower, formerly known as the Sears Tower, is home to The Ledge, an aerial OMG view of the city from the top of a skyscraper! Ride up 103 floors to the Skydeck and stand on a see-through, glass ledge with sweeping views of the city’s landmarks and beyond, as far as the eye can see. This is not for the faint of heart, but the kids seem to love it!

Walk and Shop the Magnificent Mile

From luxury stores and boutiques to toy stores, live music, and other attractions to entertain the kids, the Magnificent Mile shopping district is a must-visit for families. Spanning 1 mile down Michigan Avenue, from Oak Street at the north end to the Chicago River banks at the south end. If shopping is your forte, this is the place to go! Don’t miss this, if you love to shop and stroll, this is one of the top things to do in Chicago!

Imagine, Explore and Create at the Chicago Children’s Museum

Of all of the fun things to do with kids in Chicago, the children’s museum is a clear favorite! We love our local children’s museum, so it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t recommend the Chicago Children’s Museum. It’s one of the attractions on the Navy Pier, featuring 3 floors of hands-on exhibits with a mission to help kids learn and explore through play.

Popular exhibits: Dinosaur Expedition, where kids can dig for dinosaur bones in an authentic excavation pit; WaterWays, an interactive system of pulleys, pumps, and pipes showcasing the wonders of water; Kids Town, an early-learning exhibit featuring a real CTA bus, mini-grocery store, and kid-sized cityscape; daily free family art workshops in the Kraft Artabounds Studio; Pritzker Playspace, an area designed specifically for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and their parents; Play It Safe, a realistic firehouse and fire truck that invites families to learn about fire safety through play; and Skyline, a National Science Foundation-funded exhibit that explores the science, engineering, art, and technology that keep Chicago’s tallest buildings standing.