Summer vacation is fast approaching.
While the kids are probably thrilled to take a break from the daily school grind, piles of homework and endless after-school activities, it can be more of a love/hate thing for us parents. Filling more than 10 weeks with activities can be quite the challenge. Lucky for us, there are a number of fun activities going on in the city to keep our youngsters from uttering those dreaded words: “I’m bored.”
Trapeze School of New York—Chicago (Ages 6+)
Trapeze is loads of fun for kids and adults alike. It’s a great way to get your kids out exploring, moving and trying something that’s most likely out of their comfort zone. The Trapeze School of New York (TSNY) in Chicago has both indoor and outdoor locations during the summer months. Yes, it’s the same school that was featured on “Sex and the City” back in 2003. In that episode, Carrie took flight on a TSNY rig. Ever since that episode, interest in trapeze has skyrocketed, and a few years ago this school opened a branch in Chicago.
You can register for a class online. They have classes every day of the week and multiple classes on weekends (no experience is necessary, and children as young as 6 can participate). Were you proud of your little one at a ballet recital? Well, wait until she catches one trapeze and releases another 30 feet in the air—you’ll leap to your feet! With the harnesses and nets, it’s completely safe, yet extremely thrilling. Broadway Armory Park, 5917 N. Broadway (indoor) and 3158 Lakefront Trail (outdoor), Chicago
iFLY (Ages 3+)
Get ready to fly. The long awaited indoor skydiving center, iFLY Chicago, is finally open in Rosemont. iFLY’s advanced vertical wind-tunnel technology creates true free-fall conditions, just like skydiving, without having to jump out of an airplane. There’s no parachute, no jumping, and nothing attaching you to planet Earth. It’s just you and the air, and an unforgettable adrenaline rush. Your flying experience will include a brief training session, flight gear and a highly trained instructor that will guide you through your flight. This will surely capture your child’s attention and is fun for the whole family. You just might get your holiday picture with this activity. 5520 Park Place, Rosemont, 779-368-4359
Steve’s Segway Tour (Ages 10+)
Segway Tours aren’t just for tourists anymore. Segways are amazingly fun and provide a great way to see the city of Chicago. Children as young as age 10 can participate in Steve’s Segway tours. Tours are typically three hours long, and you can sign up for the route you’re interested in doing. The lakefront/museum tour is a good option to start with, especially for kids. Sessions start out with a brief demo and then approximately 30 minutes of practice to get used to starting and stopping. Once everyone in the group gets the hang of it, you and your guide set out for a two-hour ride and tour.
You’ll spend time along the river (where you’ll learn cool facts, such as why they had to reverse the river in 1900), along the lakefront (did you know that 8.1 million people visited Navy Pier this past year?) and on the museum campus. You may even stop for hot dogs near 12th Street Beach. A Segway tour can be a truly great afternoon of bonding with the kids while enjoying some time outdoors learning about your city. Trust me, your kids will get the hang of it far far faster than you will. Don’t worry about them; worry about your own ability to keep up! 155 N. Harbor Drive, Chicago, 312-946-9467
Kayaking in Chicago is a great way to get the kids out onto the water and to see their city from a whole new vantage point. Kayak Chicago makes it so easy. When you show up, they put you and your child in a two-person kayak (kids 12 and older can use a single kayak), give a bit of instruction, and away you go! You can choose to go with a group on a tour such as the fireworks paddle, which would be especially fun for teens, but the eco and architectural tours are also popular with families. Or choose to just rent the kayaks with your child and explore on your own. The kayaks are reasonably stable, so while you might get a bit damp, you are unlikely to get soaked. The conversations that take place with your kids on the water can get pretty insightful, and the trip around the island is long enough to be interesting, but short enough not to tire. It’s perfection. 1501 N. Magnolia Ave., Chicago, 630-336-7245
Every summer has its share of scorching hot days and pouring rain, so it’s important to have an indoor activity up your sleeve when the skies open up. Using the History Hero app, your family’s visit to some of the greatest cultural institutions becomes a real-life interactive scavenger hunt for the kids, and a fun day for you, too.
By downloading the History Hero app (available for both the iPhone and Android), you and your kids become part of an interactive mission whose goal it is to stop the evil “Erasers” who are targeting Chicago’s churches, museums, and other historical sites and trying to erase our history. The app currently works for The Art Institute and The Field Museum. There are three different-level missions depending on the age of your group. It’s appropriate for ages 4-7 (with adult), 8-12 and teen/adult.
You start the game by choosing your Hero from nine choices of avatar. After some “oath” taking (clever code for no running, no touching any object), you embark on your mission. The missions are extremely thoughtful, and the number of tasks depends upon which level you choose. A typical quest may include finding the mighty Samson battling a beast to the death.
The app asks multiple-choice questions about the piece of art or relic, ensuring that kids are truly engaged and understand the significance of each piece. When the task is completed, points are awarded and the next clue is given. You and your kids will have a new appreciation for our local museums. The History Hero app is a free download.
Honeycomb Project (Ages 5+)
While it’s great to fill the kids’ summer break with barbecues and family outings, it’s equally important to show them the importance of helping others. The Honeycomb Project is a nonprofit organization in Chicago that creates and manages hands-on volunteer projects for families. The program was started by two Chicago women, Kristina Lowenstein and Catherine Tannen, who were looking for ways to participate in community service projects with their kids. Not finding the meaningful experiences they were looking for, they started The Honeycomb Project as a labor of love. Each month, they put together a number of fun, organized and educational projects to help people of all ages get out of the house and into the community.
Some of their summer projects include:
- Protect a nature preserve (June 7): Enjoy a spring day with volunteering at Indian Road Woods along the Chicago River. Learn about river health, protecting native species and taking care of our local nature areas. Registration is now open.
- Clean up a city beach (June 21): Join in for a big beach clean up at 63rd Street Beach to test the water quality of Lake Michigan and collect garbage and recyclables. Learn about keeping our coastline clean and healthy. Registration is now open.
- Help homeless dogs (July 13): Thousands of animals in Chicago are homeless. Make snack packs and handcrafted dog toys for foster dogs. Registration opens June 15 at 9 a.m.
Visit their website for more information on additional projects and to sign up for volunteer opportunities.
