Family-Friendly Fun on Chicago’s North Shore

“You’re it!” Be the hero when you tag and take everyone to these exciting family-friendly fun zones! Youngsters can splash around, experiment with science, and interact with animal friends. From thrilling arcade games to interactive art projects to captivating tales from the past, these venues know how to keep a kiddo’s attention — and inspire the grown-ups. Find more Fun for the Family on Chicago’s North Shore!
 

Kohl Children's Museum, Glenview

Engaging Activities to Keep Them (and You) Entertained
Learning is super cool at Kohl Children’s Museum (Skokie) where hands-on exhibits are designed just for youngsters. “Visit” a grocery store, a veterinarian's office or dolly day care. Or build a house, make music, and much more. Climb, jump, slide, fly and explore - Funtopia (Glenview) has it all. The kids (and adults) will not stop moving from the moment you walk in. Be sure to try out the giant slide and sky high obstacle course. Dubbed Skokie’s Imagination Playground, Exploratorium is the place to go hands-on interactive play. Don’t miss their two-and-a-half-story tubes and tunnels. 
 

Emily Oaks Nature Center, Skokie

Nurture a Zest for Nature
Stroll self-guiding woodsy trails or the free exhibit building at River Trail Nature Center (Northbrook) to see how native plants and animals share our modern urban environment. Learn how to make maple syrup, meet an owl or join other all-ages events—or just climb around indoor and outdoor play areas. All ages enjoy Emily Oaks Nature Center (Skokie), a natural savannah oasis full of native wildflowers, grasses, oak trees, three-acre pond and trails. See if your family can spot a Great Blue Heron, flying squirrels, and Cooper's Hawks. Step into a world that is 1/29th the size of real life at Chicago Botanic Garden's Model Railroad (Glencoe). Open all summer long, this tiny train world runs over 19 different tracks through model landmarks of America. 
 

Ignite Arcade, Skokie

Game Time
Ignite Arcade (Skokie) isn't any ordinary arcade. This all-ages place (until 8:00 pm) challenges anyone to compete in Gaming Pods, Console Booths, Rock Band Studio Arcade and more. Does your crew have what it takes to earn victory at Lock Chicago Escape Rooms (Evanston)? Your group gets an hour to solve puzzles designed around a theme. (Don’t worry; you aren’t really locked in.) 
 

Lake Michigan Beaches

Make a Splash All Summer Long
Long summer days are better by the water. Cool off with a dip at one of our beautiful beaches with miles of sparkling Lake Michigan shoreline to enjoy. Or, head to one of the local pools featuring winding slides, diving boards, splash pads and more. If you’re looking for a break from the sun, shady parks and tree-lined paths offer a relaxed way to enjoy the season.
 

Historic Wagner Farm, Glenview

Discover the Magic of Rocks and Critters
Dave Douglass got hooked on collecting fossils as a boy way before he opened Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop (Evanston) and a pre-historic life museum (free to visit). This kid-friendly haven for rock hunters showcases a vast private collection alongside authentic fossils, colored minerals, jewelry, as well as beads, precious stones and more. Compare tasks of the past with real-live barn animals at Historic Wagner Farm (Glenview). One of the last working dairy farms in Cook County, experience American agriculture and rural life as it existed in 1920–1950s with bread made in a wood stove, hayrides and cow milking.