We read somewhere that the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (formerly the Chicago Academy of Sciences) is one of the least visited of the Chicago museums, but it’s one of our favorite places in the city to bring our toddler. Unlike the MSI, the Notebaert’s exhibits are accessible to those under three feet tall. The taller displays have low interactive panels and those that don’t have stools nearby. And the bugs! What kid doesn’t like bugs?......

This Sunday, Old Town School of Folk Music is hosting a hootenanny! Kids are invited to come in their pajamas and tote along their favorite plushie for this twee pre-bedtime show featuring Wiggleworms teachers Lindsay Weinberg, Rob Newhouse, Elaine Moore and others. Chicago Children's Theater promises to bring their own, life-sized Teddy Bear to join in the festivities. Show starts at 5 p.m. at Old Town's Lincoln Square location, and tickets are $11 for members......

The Shedd Aquarium is free through Friday, and Chicagoist can’t think of a more mesmerizing place to take your kids. The Wild Reef and the Oceanarium are an extra fee ($15 for both) but worth it. The Wild Reef, Shedd’s newest permanent exhibit, is an underground and enclosed tribute to Pacific coral reef ecosystems. Unlike the aquariums on the main floor, many of the tanks here span the length of the wall, with some reaching......

Baby-on-Board is a few weeks away from its one year anniversary at Chicagoist. Many months ago, we first set the criteria for a baby-friendly restaurant as one that boasted “clean high chairs, a place to stow your car seat, attentive service, and food good enough“. While all that is still true, dining out with our toddler has morphed our dining experiences into something resembling a cross between a Joey Chestnut exhibition and a clown bit.......

Jane’s Place is a partnership between (among other institutions) Jane Adams’ Hull House and Nettlehorst School in Lakeview. They offer classes for kids ages 20 months through 8th grade throughout the day and in the afternoon. Prices, on the expensive side, range between $100 and $200 for six, nine and ten week programs. Titles include “Toddler French”, “Unabridged Story”, “Knitting” and “World Music Drumming”. They even offer adult classes in Yoga, Jewelry Making and Egyptian......

If you’re lucky, your toddler will be asleep, blissfully unaware when the last minutes of 2007 tick by. An earlier bed time doesn’t mean that he or she has to miss out on the festivities, though; a handful of places in and around Chicago are hosting New Year’s Eve parties for the little ones, with dancing, snacks and party favors at an earlier countdown. Rosedale Park on the northwest side is hosting their third annual......

This shopping holiday season, we’re committed to buying our kid’s presents from local small businesses. Our new crush is Timeless Toys in Lincoln Square. This tiny store is packed with a fantastic selection of items from companies that have been heralded for their attention to safety and developmental appropriateness (and lack of Cartoon Network characters splashed all over them) like Plan Toys, Haba, Schleich and Ravensburger. We love this store's unusual and massive selection of......

Many of the parents we’ve talked to told us that they will go “China-free” this Christmas, refusing to purchase toys constructed in China. This, in large part, is due to the massive number of Chinese-made recalled toys this year (like those beads that turn into GHB when ingested). Toxic toys and poor oversight is a company issue and not necessarily a country-specific one, but patronizing local small businesses, regardless of impetus, should be applauded. For......

Golly, when it comes to Christmas presents why the heck would any parent waste hundreds of dollars on a mound of crappy, potentially-toxic plastic toys for their kid? Most of 'em'll end up in next summer's garage sale anyway. There are so many cooler options out there: do some browsing at this weekend's Renegade Craft Fair and you'll be sure to find a few, or go all out and sign up your kid for......

The sidewalks are covered in ice and the temps are sneaking down to the single digits. That's perfect weather for toting a toddler around, right? Here are three (free!) reasons to spend that extra hour bundling your kid up this weekend. Christkindlmarket is a candy-cane striped Bavarian winter village deposited into Daley Plaza. Come to gawk at the expensive, often hand-made gifts, and snack on traditional German fare. The children's lantern parade is today at......

After cooking our Thanksgiving dinner from scratch while holding our toddler, we’d like to never see the inside of a kitchen again. Thankfully, Chicago is rife with take-out deliciousness. Our new favorite is Ta Tong, a local Thai and sushi dive in Lakeview. Most Chicago neighborhoods have one: a hole-in-the-wall place that serves up some awesome Asian food. Ta Tong makes one of the best Pad Kee Mao ($6.95) dishes we’ve eaten in Chicago. We......

With the new damp chill in the air, we’ve found ourselves craving a cup of hot tea. With a baby on our hip, however, we’ve been less excited about something dressy at the Drake and more nostalgic for sweats in Grandma’s kitchen. Enter Suzi’s Tea and Cafe. This former Lakeview resident is back after a few years’ hiatus in Long Grove. Occupying the former location of Las Tablas on Lincoln, the owners have remade this......

Prior to having our child, we would have considered this concept hilarious. A DJ spinning disco classics for ... toddlers? We still chuckle, but since we’ve seen our own toddler shake it to a good bass beat, we might be convinced to see what all the fuss is about. Baby Loves Disco hosts monthly parties in 21 different cities, including one at our very own Metro this Sunday. In addition to the aforementioned DJ......

We know you head to Beat Kitchen to enjoy the likes of artists like Plane, New Duncan Imperials and Deadstring Brothers. Be prepared for your toddler to start dragging you back out when they hear about the “Concerts for Kids” shows on Sunday afternoons … at the same Beat Kitchen where you were rockin’ the night before. Once a month, Beat Kitchen opens up its concert space for local talent that caters to the younger......

We didn’t grow up in a big city, so as parents we’re a little perplexed about the whole urban trick-or-treating thing. We’ve even heard that it’s taboo to go door to door in any neighborhood not your own (seriously?). Luckily, there are plenty of places in Chicago to celebrate and get your kids' hands on some candy. The Lincoln Park Zoo hosts its annual Spooky Zoo Spectacular Saturday. Kids trick or treat in the zoo's......

As the CIFF winds down, the Chicago International Children’s Film Festival kicks off. Over the next ten days, kid-friendly films from around the world will be shown at seven different area theaters, from Bronzeville to Lincoln Square and even Wilmette. Some showings feature a full-length film, but most are a thematically assembled collection of shorts.There will be actors on site to read the subtitles for movies directed towards those nine and under. How thoughtful is......

We've been itching to take a trip out of the concrete jungle and hit up a pumpkin patch. When we started our search for local places to check out, we were expecting to find a decent variety of spots to enjoy a nice hayride, sample some cider, and pick a pumpkin or two. Instead, what we found were farms chock full of the weirdest crap we've ever heard of. Whether you have kids in tow......

Chicagoist has long been a fan of Southport Grocery and Café, helmed by chef/owner Lisa Santos. The small, specialized shop and bakery also has a take-out/eat-in menu for adults as well as a handful of dishes especially for kids. This menu section, nicknamed “For Our Little Ones”, has a variety of foods for $5 that include breakfast and lunch options. It’s ideal if your kid wants noodles for breakfast or pancakes for dinner. Choices range......

The recent debate over the Chicago Children’s Museum’s relocation has overshadowed the opening of a new hands-on kids area at The Field Museum. The Crown Family Playlab, opened on September 14, is 7,500 square feet of wonderfully messy interactive history. Separated into six different themes, the Playlab aims to make the highlights of the Field Museum accessible to a younger audience. Kids can become a part of two dioramas, donning a coyote costume to cavort......

What do Brooke Shields, Grant Achatz and this Chicagoist mama have in common? All three have a professed love for the convenience and taste of HomeMade Pizza Company. HomeMade Pizza Co. sells uncooked pizzas that you then take home and pop in the oven. Twelve minutes later, you’ve got a fresh-tasting, thin-crust dinner. Voila! June Cleaver has nothing on you. Menu options include funky, artisanal options like goat cheese and herbs or a combo of......

Several days ago, we reported that the Aldermen were going to be considering a ban on sparklers in the city. Unfortunately, the Daily Southtown reports that City Council approved Jim Balcer's (11th) revised proposal to get rid of sparklers in the city, and the sparklers are now banned. They didn't even debate. The Mayor gave his pearls of wisdom on the topic as well. "Sparklers are completely different now," Daley said. "They've gotten more dangerous,......

Oh, how we wished we would have spent more time at the Bongo Room before we had our baby. This trendy Wicker Park eatery, famous for its sugary brunch specials, lives up to the hype. Taking a child to eat there, however, requires some savings and a bit of strategy. First, the food is as rumored: tasty, sweet dishes make up a good portion of the menu. We tried their chocolate French toast ($10.75, pictured),......

Plenty to do on this lazy Sunday, and oh yes, this includes toys and circus cats. As always, feel free to add more events in the comments section. From 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. today the 2006 Chicago International Toy and Game Fair takes place at the Schaumburg Convention Center. There will be a giant 8-foot jenga, a moonwalk, other giant board games, and huge slides. We don't feel we offer enough kid friendly events......

It is tucked away, but once you find it you will know where to go when you need a break from shopping or a quick lunch if you work in the area. Café Nordstrom is hidden on the Fourth Floor of the Shopping Center between Kids and Juniors. You may have to wait in line for a few minutes, but the attentive staff and quality food will make it well worth it. The cafeteria style......