February is here and there’s a whole new month of fun to have with the kids!
Pick your way around the Chicago area and check out these options for family fun this February:
1. Enjoy a Composting Demo, Sweet Saturday treat, or a Tree ID Walk at the Garfield Park Conservatory
The Garfield Park Conservatory offers a variety of different fun programs in February.
On February 2 from 11a-12:30p, bring the kids and learn about composting and find out the answers to any composting questions you have! If the weather allows, the event will be held in the Urban Demonstration Garden, otherwise the demo will be held inside with the “worm cart”.
For a fun Valentine’s weekend outing, head to the conservatory on February 9 from 12-3p for a drop-in event where the family can do crafts and enjoy activities for kids of all ages, listen to music from the Old Town School of Folk Music, learn about plants and try various sweet treats ranging from chocolate to vanilla, bananas to papayas, and more. It’s free, with a suggested donation of $5.
On February 15 from 10a-12p, Al DeReu, the Openlands’ TreeKeeper Program Manager, is your guide for this exploration of the trees at Garfield Park. Kids are welcome as long as they have an adult with them. Make sure to pre-register and bring the right clothing because the walks will go in any weather!
Additionally, the JuiceBox concerts continue to be one of Chicago’s biggest stroller-aged hits! These free events usually run from 11-11:45 on alternating Saturdays at the Garfield Park Conservatory (and alternating Fridays at the Chicago Cultural Center), with occasional special events elsewhere, but double-cheek the City of Chicago’s website for the full schedule of performers, dates, and times.
2. Drop the kids off for Kids Night Out at the Chicago Botanic Garden
If you want a Friday evening to yourselves, you can drop the little ones off at the very fun Kids Night Out at the Chicago Botanic Garden on February 8, from 5:30-8:30p. The program is suitable for children ages 5 and up, and while you wine and dine, the kiddos will prepare a meal together, decorate a pot to kick off their very first kitchen garden, and will have the opportunity to go to the Grunsfeld Children’s Growing Garden for a special night visit. After your own dinner date, you can come back to a happy, fed, and kid who is ready for bedtime. It’s a pretty great deal for $40 for members or $50 for non-members, which includes the fee for all materials!
3. Come out to Meet a Scientist: Insects In Your Backyard and More at the Field Museum
Head to the Field Museum at 1400 South Lake Shore Drive for some close-up time for you and your little one with live critters like scorpions, spiders, and insects. The Meet a Scientist program is free with museum admission and runs from 11a-1p every Friday. Members of the scientific staff will bring specimens and artifacts from the museum’s almost 40 million items to share, and offer a chance for everyone to learn about their newest discoveries and research.
Happy February!
