The Naper Settlement, located at 523 S. Webster St. in Naperville, is a outdoor historic village that is easily walkable and enjoyable for kids of all ages. The village consists of about 15 to 20 buildings designed to represent life in Naperville in the mid to late 1800's. All of the buildings are connected by a concrete walkway that makes pushing a stroller very easy. The favorite stops for my family were the Blacksmith shop, chapel, schoolhouse, and Martin Mitchell mansion. At the blacksmith shop the girls were able to see how metal was melted down to make various tools needed during life in the 19th century. Tours are given of the Martin Mitchell Mansion, which is the carefully preserved original home built on this property, every hour. It is very similar to other period houses you may have seen but gives good background to the original property owners. The tour was maybe 20 minutes long but our baby had to duck out early because there was too much standing still but the girls really enjoyed it. Tours are also given every hour at the schoolhouse, which basically involves the "teacher" talking about what school was like in the 1800s. This was definitely the most interesting part for the girls. The chapel is very pretty and was probably my favorite building in the village. We were lucky that we went in there first because about midway through our time at the Settlement, the chapel was closed for a private wedding.
In the grassy areas and in front of many of the other buildings were costumed guides who demonstrated games and toys that were popular during this time period. The girls were able to play a ring toss game, jump rope, croquet, walk on stilts, have a tea party, and play a game that involved tossing a hoop with two sticks (which I believe is called grace). In addition, outside of the log cabin, we were shown how typical household tasks were completed such as getting water and making clothes.
There is an area on the property with picnic tables if you want to bring your lunch. Otherwise there are vending machines located in the main building for drinks or snacks. There are plenty of clean, well marked bathrooms throughout the village. Parking is free either in a lot behind the village along Porter Ave. or along Webster St., which is where we parked. In the summer, admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children, and free for kids 4 years old and younger. The village is open year round Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM and is open for the weekend only in the summer from 10:00 - 4:00 on Saturday and 1:00 - 4:00 on Sundays.
The Naper Settlement is definitely a fun place to go with your family. The village is just the right size for younger children, who can walk around the whole village and see everything before they get tired. It is a bit of a drive from the City but really a great way to introduce history to your children.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Swim Class - YMCA and Galter Life Center
My kids have taken a variety of swim classes at all different places since they have been babies and the classes they have taken at the YMCA and at Galter Life Center have been the best. Both can be hard to get into and expensive if you are not members but both have really quality instructors who want to be there and will get your child swimming the correct way.
YMCA
Our kids have taken swim classes at both the Lakeview (3333 N. Marshfield) and Irving Park (4251 W. Irving Park) YMCA from baby classes up through the more advanced classes. Both facilities are decent but they are Y's not country clubs so that is definitely what you should expect. The baby classes are great to take once or twice to get your baby used to the water but are basically the same each quarter. Your baby doesn't progress because they believe you can't really teach a kid to swim until they are three years old. There is an entry level class your child starts in at age three or older and then at the end of the quarter they are evaluated by the instructor to determine whether they are ready to pass into the next level. My older daughter took three quarters to pass the first level and then proceeded to pass the next levels each time she took the class. For her it was just a matter of getting past her first insecurities and then she really took off. As she got older, we were fortunate enough to take classes weekday mornings. There were usually not a lot of other kids in her class and it was almost like having a private lesson. She would swim up and down the full length of the pool and get to jump off the diving board without having to worry about running into any other swimmers. The instructors were all very friendly but firm in there teaching, meaning that they did push the kids to succeed. The instructors always knew my daughter's name, even when we saw them outside of the pool or months after her class had ended, and what she was capable of doing in the pool.
Galter Life Center
Galter Life Center (5157 N. Francisco) is a fitness center that is partnered with Swedish Covenant Hospital so in addition to having everything you would find at a regular gym they also have a focus on wellness and rehabilitation in addition to providing classes on nutrition and other health issues from doctors at the hospital. Galter offers aquababies classes for babies with parents in the pool and then classes for older kids as well. We have not taken any of the aquababies classes but from what I have heard they are a bit more instructive than at the Y where you mostly just play games with your baby in the water. The older kids classes are generally held in the evening, 4:00 or later even on weekends, which is one of the downsides. As with classes at the Y, there is generally 3 or 4 students per instructor and then multiple classes going on in the pool. The instructors are great. They are very knowledgeable and really good with kids. There are multiple levels that the kids progress through with an evaluation done at the end of each session letting you know what class to sign up for next. Locker rooms are definitely nicer at Galter since it is a regular fitness center, however they can be quite busy with regular gym members.
One of the common themes between these two places is that the progression through the levels has been carefully thought out and is standard. There is a big focus on technique and learning to do things the right way. In addition, both facilities always have at least one dedicated life guard on duty during the classes. Online or in person registration is available for both and Galter also permits registration over the phone. Our daughters have really become great swimmers who love being in the water thanks to both of these programs.
YMCA
Our kids have taken swim classes at both the Lakeview (3333 N. Marshfield) and Irving Park (4251 W. Irving Park) YMCA from baby classes up through the more advanced classes. Both facilities are decent but they are Y's not country clubs so that is definitely what you should expect. The baby classes are great to take once or twice to get your baby used to the water but are basically the same each quarter. Your baby doesn't progress because they believe you can't really teach a kid to swim until they are three years old. There is an entry level class your child starts in at age three or older and then at the end of the quarter they are evaluated by the instructor to determine whether they are ready to pass into the next level. My older daughter took three quarters to pass the first level and then proceeded to pass the next levels each time she took the class. For her it was just a matter of getting past her first insecurities and then she really took off. As she got older, we were fortunate enough to take classes weekday mornings. There were usually not a lot of other kids in her class and it was almost like having a private lesson. She would swim up and down the full length of the pool and get to jump off the diving board without having to worry about running into any other swimmers. The instructors were all very friendly but firm in there teaching, meaning that they did push the kids to succeed. The instructors always knew my daughter's name, even when we saw them outside of the pool or months after her class had ended, and what she was capable of doing in the pool.
Galter Life Center
Galter Life Center (5157 N. Francisco) is a fitness center that is partnered with Swedish Covenant Hospital so in addition to having everything you would find at a regular gym they also have a focus on wellness and rehabilitation in addition to providing classes on nutrition and other health issues from doctors at the hospital. Galter offers aquababies classes for babies with parents in the pool and then classes for older kids as well. We have not taken any of the aquababies classes but from what I have heard they are a bit more instructive than at the Y where you mostly just play games with your baby in the water. The older kids classes are generally held in the evening, 4:00 or later even on weekends, which is one of the downsides. As with classes at the Y, there is generally 3 or 4 students per instructor and then multiple classes going on in the pool. The instructors are great. They are very knowledgeable and really good with kids. There are multiple levels that the kids progress through with an evaluation done at the end of each session letting you know what class to sign up for next. Locker rooms are definitely nicer at Galter since it is a regular fitness center, however they can be quite busy with regular gym members.
One of the common themes between these two places is that the progression through the levels has been carefully thought out and is standard. There is a big focus on technique and learning to do things the right way. In addition, both facilities always have at least one dedicated life guard on duty during the classes. Online or in person registration is available for both and Galter also permits registration over the phone. Our daughters have really become great swimmers who love being in the water thanks to both of these programs.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Brunk Children's Museum of Immigration (Swedish American Museum)
I have been meaning to take the girls to this museum for awhile and we finally made it there over spring break. The Swedish American Museum is located in the heart of Andersonville at 5211 N. Clark. On the third floor of this museum (easily accessible by an elevator located just inside the entrance if you have a stroller) is the Brunk Children's Museum of Immigration. Upon entering the museum space, a volunteer pointed out to us that one side of the museum is called Sweden and the other side is called America. Between the two sides is a boat with the aim of showing the immigration experience to visitors. The museum is small but there is plenty for kids to do from wearing costumes, selling tickets to board the boat, milking a cow, or working in the garden. On the Sweden side is a century old farmhouse meant to display life in the old world. On the America side is a log cabin meant to show what life was like for immigrants about one hundred years ago.
Our little guy slept in his stroller the whole time and there was room for the stroller in the museum, but just barely. There is not a lot of extra space. I initially considered taking his car seat out and leaving his stroller in the hall but a volunteer encouraged me to bring the stroller in. She said I could put it anywhere there was room. This was completely fine on a weekday afternoon (even though it was spring break) but might not work on a weekend.
On the day we were there, a large side room was set up for Easter crafts. This was the highlight of the visit for my older daughter and she spent a long time making a bunny, chick, and witch (a Swedish tradition we were told). Because the museum is small, I was easily able to keep an eye on one in the craft room and one in the play area while also navigating the stroller.
The sign at the entrance to the Children's Museum indicates that it is appropriate for children ages 6-12, although younger children are also welcome. Both of my girls had a good time but it was my three year old who really enjoyed playing there and did not want to leave.
The museum offers lots of fun events such as family nights, breakfast with Pippi Longstocking, and holiday activities. Check their website for a schedule - www.swedishamericanmuseum.org. Hours for the Children's Museum are Monday through Thursday 1-4, Friday 10-4, and Saturday and Sunday 11-4. Admission is $4/adult, $3/child or $10 for a family. Metered street parking is available. This part of Andersonville is pretty busy, however it only took us a couple of minutes to find a spot.
Our little guy slept in his stroller the whole time and there was room for the stroller in the museum, but just barely. There is not a lot of extra space. I initially considered taking his car seat out and leaving his stroller in the hall but a volunteer encouraged me to bring the stroller in. She said I could put it anywhere there was room. This was completely fine on a weekday afternoon (even though it was spring break) but might not work on a weekend.
On the day we were there, a large side room was set up for Easter crafts. This was the highlight of the visit for my older daughter and she spent a long time making a bunny, chick, and witch (a Swedish tradition we were told). Because the museum is small, I was easily able to keep an eye on one in the craft room and one in the play area while also navigating the stroller.
The sign at the entrance to the Children's Museum indicates that it is appropriate for children ages 6-12, although younger children are also welcome. Both of my girls had a good time but it was my three year old who really enjoyed playing there and did not want to leave.
The museum offers lots of fun events such as family nights, breakfast with Pippi Longstocking, and holiday activities. Check their website for a schedule - www.swedishamericanmuseum.org. Hours for the Children's Museum are Monday through Thursday 1-4, Friday 10-4, and Saturday and Sunday 11-4. Admission is $4/adult, $3/child or $10 for a family. Metered street parking is available. This part of Andersonville is pretty busy, however it only took us a couple of minutes to find a spot.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Maple Syrup Fest at North Park Village Nature Center
An upcoming fun, free event to take your kids to is the Maple Syrup festival at North Park Village Nature Center (5801 N. Pulaski) on March 23rd and 24th from 10 AM until 3 PM. At regular intervals a guide takes groups out into the nature preserve for a demonstration on how a tree is tapped to get the sap out and then how the sap is boiled down into maple syrup over a big fire. It's great for showing kids where maple syrup comes from and also provides a nice scenic hike. In addition, there are indoor events such as story telling and maple syrup for sale.
We have gone a couple of times over the past few years and how crowded this event gets really depends on the weather. If you've never been to North Park Village it is kind of an interesting place. Formerly a tuberculosis sanatorium, it now contains Peterson Park, Peterson Park Gymnastics Center (which offers tons of great gymnastics classes and a really good competitive gymnastics club), the Nature Center, and an assisted living facility for elderly people. To get to the Nature Center you turn off of Pulaski into what looks like a little village with lots of numbered buildings. After going through the first stop sign at the entrance you pass the gymnastics facility. At the next stop sign turn left and follow the bend around to the Nature Center and parking lot. In addition to the Maple Syrup Festival, the Nature center has great hiking trails totally appropriate for children and lots of great programs especially their summer camps, which families line up for hours before hand to register their children.
We have gone a couple of times over the past few years and how crowded this event gets really depends on the weather. If you've never been to North Park Village it is kind of an interesting place. Formerly a tuberculosis sanatorium, it now contains Peterson Park, Peterson Park Gymnastics Center (which offers tons of great gymnastics classes and a really good competitive gymnastics club), the Nature Center, and an assisted living facility for elderly people. To get to the Nature Center you turn off of Pulaski into what looks like a little village with lots of numbered buildings. After going through the first stop sign at the entrance you pass the gymnastics facility. At the next stop sign turn left and follow the bend around to the Nature Center and parking lot. In addition to the Maple Syrup Festival, the Nature center has great hiking trails totally appropriate for children and lots of great programs especially their summer camps, which families line up for hours before hand to register their children.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Soldier Field Egg-Stravaganza
As our daughters get older it becomes harder to find an Easter egg hunt appropriate for kids their age. It seems as though most of the park district Easter events are targeted at younger kids. The enormous candy hunt held every year at Soldier Field, however, is appropriate for kids of all ages.
When you check into this event, at the entrance into Soldier Field, you are divided into groups based on your child's age and given a specific colored wrist band. You and your child are also given another wrist band that will be checked on leaving the field after the candy grab to make sure the right parent is with the right child. Do not lose this! The candy grabs occur on the hour, I believe, starting at 10 AM (the stadium opens at 9 AM) with the youngest children allowed on the field first based on wrist band color. In between, there are bounce houses, face painting, and other fun activities for the kids.
As we found out last year, this is an extremely popular event with literally thousands of families attending. We were there plenty early but because of where we were waiting in the stands we did not get let onto the field for the first candy grab even though it was the appropriate one based on our daughters' ages. We then had to wait through the first round and then preparation for the second one. It was a really cold day and there was nothing to do while we waited (we didn't want to give up our position close to the entrance gate) so the girls' mood was definitely dampened. Then when we did get on the field we were with all older kids. It wasn't that big of a deal for my older daughter, who was able to get plenty of candy, but my younger daughter kind of froze amidst all the running and pushing older kids and only got two or three pieces of candy before it was all gone. Really the only reason she got what she did was because I grabbed it for her when generally I'm against parents participating. I think if we would have been able to get onto the field in our age appropriate group, we would have had a much better experience. Despite the craziness, however, the girls have positive memories of the event and have been asking if we will be going again.
This year the Egg-Stravaganza is on March 23rd. The event is free. However, if you drive you will have to pay to park in the Soldier Field parking garage. I wouldn't recommend a stroller because there are so many people and it is completely impractical if you are going onto the field (you enter through the stands). Also bring a coat, hat, gloves, whatever is appropriate for the weather because you will be mostly outside.
When you check into this event, at the entrance into Soldier Field, you are divided into groups based on your child's age and given a specific colored wrist band. You and your child are also given another wrist band that will be checked on leaving the field after the candy grab to make sure the right parent is with the right child. Do not lose this! The candy grabs occur on the hour, I believe, starting at 10 AM (the stadium opens at 9 AM) with the youngest children allowed on the field first based on wrist band color. In between, there are bounce houses, face painting, and other fun activities for the kids.
As we found out last year, this is an extremely popular event with literally thousands of families attending. We were there plenty early but because of where we were waiting in the stands we did not get let onto the field for the first candy grab even though it was the appropriate one based on our daughters' ages. We then had to wait through the first round and then preparation for the second one. It was a really cold day and there was nothing to do while we waited (we didn't want to give up our position close to the entrance gate) so the girls' mood was definitely dampened. Then when we did get on the field we were with all older kids. It wasn't that big of a deal for my older daughter, who was able to get plenty of candy, but my younger daughter kind of froze amidst all the running and pushing older kids and only got two or three pieces of candy before it was all gone. Really the only reason she got what she did was because I grabbed it for her when generally I'm against parents participating. I think if we would have been able to get onto the field in our age appropriate group, we would have had a much better experience. Despite the craziness, however, the girls have positive memories of the event and have been asking if we will be going again.
This year the Egg-Stravaganza is on March 23rd. The event is free. However, if you drive you will have to pay to park in the Soldier Field parking garage. I wouldn't recommend a stroller because there are so many people and it is completely impractical if you are going onto the field (you enter through the stands). Also bring a coat, hat, gloves, whatever is appropriate for the weather because you will be mostly outside.
Monday, March 4, 2013
St. Patrick's Day at the Irish American Heritage Center
Now that we have kids, our St. Patrick's Day tends to be more cutting and decorating shamrocks and less drinking green beer all day. Last year, however, we wanted to do something to celebrate that everyone would enjoy and decided to check out the family friendly festivities at the Irish American Heritage Center located at 4626 N. Knox. It seemed like everyone else in the City had the same idea! The St. Patrick's Day party here is fun but also very crowded. Parking was a bit of an adventure. There is a lot next to the Center that you can park in but all the spots were taken when we got there. That left parking on the street nearby. After circling the area a few times we were able to find something that was not too far of a walk.
Inside there were a variety of activities including music for children and adults, kids games, and of course beer. The biggest hits for our family was a parade of bagpipers and watching the Irish dancing. We didn't end up staying too long, however, because there were so many people that it was hard for us to get around with the kids. It's definitely a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, though, despite the crowds. Make sure you wear green because everyone else does or maybe dress your kids in a different color so you will be sure not to lose them!
This years festival will be on Saturday March 16th. Tickets can be bought ahead of time or at the door. The website, irish-american.org, provides a schedule of the days events.
Inside there were a variety of activities including music for children and adults, kids games, and of course beer. The biggest hits for our family was a parade of bagpipers and watching the Irish dancing. We didn't end up staying too long, however, because there were so many people that it was hard for us to get around with the kids. It's definitely a fun way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, though, despite the crowds. Make sure you wear green because everyone else does or maybe dress your kids in a different color so you will be sure not to lose them!
This years festival will be on Saturday March 16th. Tickets can be bought ahead of time or at the door. The website, irish-american.org, provides a schedule of the days events.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Brunch at Bistrot Margot
We recently stopped by the Old Town restaurant Bistrot Margot (1437 N. Wells) for brunch. When we arrived at the restaurant on a Sunday at 11:30, it was quite busy. We had made a reservation since we had a fairly large group and it was definitely necessary. They take reservations through Open Table so it is easy to do and with kids it is always nice to know you won't have to wait. The brunch menu at Bistrot Margot is very good. As the name implies, the food is French. Everyone in our group enjoyed what they ordered. I had the quiche of the day (sausage, mushroom, and gruyere), which came with a salad of greens. The quiche was quite enjoyable and the dressing on the greens was very good. Most people at our table ordered breakfast items but there are quite a few lunch type items on the menu as well. My husband had a croque monsieur served with frites that he really enjoyed. The food items all ranged in the $7-$14 range, which seemed completely appropriate since the food portions were large. The kids menu included pancakes, french toast, chicken fingers, and a few other items that I can't recall. My favorite item on the kids menu was steak frites, which is what I would love for my kids to order at a french bistro but of course they got pancakes. The kids portion was two quite generously sized pancakes that came with whipped cream, strawberries, and blueberry sauce and one sausage. It was so much food that neither girl came close to finishing her meal and, had I known, I would have only ordered one serving for both of them to share. Brunch is available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10-3.
There were a few other kids dining while we were in the restaurant but in that neighborhood you definitely get less families out for brunch on a Sunday. We didn't feel at all out of place with kids, however. The hostesses were very nice giving our daughters crayons to color on the white paper on our table and they graciously found a place to store our stroller since it was raining outside.
Parking can be difficult in this neighborhood but there is meter parking along Wells and I believe free parking along LaSalle if you can find it. The Sedgwick stop on the Brown Line gets you pretty close to the restaurant and the Clark and Division stop on the Red Line isn't too far away if you don't mind walking a few blocks.
It was really nice to be able to take our kids out to a place that was a little more upscale than our normal brunch spots and still feel completely comfortable being there.
There were a few other kids dining while we were in the restaurant but in that neighborhood you definitely get less families out for brunch on a Sunday. We didn't feel at all out of place with kids, however. The hostesses were very nice giving our daughters crayons to color on the white paper on our table and they graciously found a place to store our stroller since it was raining outside.
Parking can be difficult in this neighborhood but there is meter parking along Wells and I believe free parking along LaSalle if you can find it. The Sedgwick stop on the Brown Line gets you pretty close to the restaurant and the Clark and Division stop on the Red Line isn't too far away if you don't mind walking a few blocks.
It was really nice to be able to take our kids out to a place that was a little more upscale than our normal brunch spots and still feel completely comfortable being there.
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