For the last two summers my older daughter has gone to Kiddie Kamp at the YMCA. For the most part, we've had a really good experience there. Kiddie Kamp is a bit different than the camp for kids 6 years and older (the older kids go every day for a full day, go on field trips, have swimming a couple days a week, and participate in a talent show unlike the younger kids) so this review is exclusively for Kiddie Kamp. Kiddie Kamp is offered either Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. The first year my daughter was in camp she did two days a week and then this summer she went three days a week. You are allowed to sign up for as many or as few weeks as you want and the camp is offered for the duration of the CPS summer break. We like the flexibility of being able to choose what weeks we go so that we can go on vacation or have family come visit and take off a week or two of camp without having to pay for it. Kiddie Kamp is for kids ages 3-5.
Besides the flexibility, one of the other things I really like about Kiddie Kamp is the swimming. Regardless of whether they are in the two day or three day program, campers go swimming in the Y's indoor pool for about an hour every week. Half of the swimming time is open play and the other half is a lesson. Children are not expected to have any experience in the pool - beginner's are OK. Everyone is required to wear a swim belt regardless of skill level. The camp staff takes some pride in their ability to encourage kids who are scared of the water to get in and swim. During swim time all of the camp staff is required to be in the pool. In addition, there are two swim instructors and two lifeguards. The staff to camper ratio is 1 to 6 and I think the maximum number of kids they can have in a camp at a time is 30.
Every week has a theme. Examples of themes are Moovin and Groovin, the Great Outdoors, Super Soakin Showdown, and Lend a Hand. Based on these themes camp counselors create daily activities. For the Super Soakin theme they had extended outdoor time and played a bunch of water games, for Lend a Hand week they talked about helping others and wrote letters to troops overseas, and they learned some new songs and dances and made musical instruments for Moovin and Groovin week. I think they keep a lot of the themes the same from year to year but it did seem like this year there were a few different ones than last year.
The overall schedule that they follow every day includes circle time, story time with a story based on the theme of the week, outdoor time (they have a playground only for campers use), snack time with a brought from home snack, arts and crafts, songs, and journal writing. My daughter came home with her journal, which they are encouraged to write in at least once a week, on her last day of camp and it was so cute. A newsletter is put out every week that gives a summary of the previous week and brief description of what will be coming up that week.
Camp Counselors are generally college students and they are overseen by an older adult who is generally in the education field. Both years my daughter found a counselor that she really, really liked and talked about constantly. Although I was a little disappointed to see that almost all of the counselors for Kiddie Kamp were new this year. In the older camps it seems like they have the same counselors year after year, which provides good consistancy for the kids.
Registration begins in March and at the time of registration a $25 per week of camp deposit is required. Just like all other activities at the Y, you get a discount if you are a member of the Y. For the past two years the cost was $70 for members/$90 for nonmembers per week for the M/W/F camp and $50 for members/$70 for nonmembers per week for the Tu/Th camp. I know at some YMCAs (Lakeview location in particular) you need to get there before the facility opens for the day and wait in line to get your kid into camp while at other Ys you can still get into camp in the middle of the summer. The rest of the camp fee is due the Wednesday before camp every week but you can pay in full for all the weeks your kid will attend up front when you register. You are also required to attend a mandatory parent orientation before the camp starts.
The benefits of the camp, for us, was the flexibility, ability to go swimming, the fact that it was only half day, and all the positive experiences my daughter had with the counselors and other campers. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that they are pretty serious about their rules such as what kind of shoes campers can wear, sign in/sign out procedure, and what you need to bring to camp each day, so if you would prefer a more laid back camp this is not it. Also they charge you if you are late picking up your child. It really wasn't an issue for us and in some ways it is good to know what the expectations are.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants with Kids
As I've mentioned in the past, we love going out to eat and we love Lettuce Entertain You (LEY) restaurants. We even had our rehearsal dinner for our wedding at Wildfire downtown and we also really love Mon Ami Gabi, but probably won't be taking our kids to those restaurants anytime soon not to mention some of their even higher end restaurants. What I really wanted to talk about was LEY restaurants that you can take kids to. There are a lot of restaurants in that group and we have by no means been to all of them so this is not a comprehensive list of a the LEY restaurants that are good for kids, just some of the ones we've been to with our kids.
L. Woods
Part of what prompted this post was a recent visit to this restaurant for the first time. Whenever we try a new restaurant and we're not sure how welcome children are, we try to go right around 5 o'clock or sometimes even a little earlier, if the restaurant is open. We figure that no one at the restaurant is expecting a fine dining experience at 5 pm and shouldn't be too bothered by our kids. L. Woods is located at 7110 N. Lincoln in Lincolnwood. This restaurant, I think, is supposed to bring to mind a rustic Wisconsin cabin with "supper club fare," which, based on the menu, I guess means ribs, steak, fish, and chicken. I had a fish dish and thought it was pretty good. My husband also had fish but he was more mixed on it but, then again, he's not really a fish person. I had a melon sangria, which was a drink special for the night. The melon came from a local farm and was really good. Wine and beer lists were pretty average.
The restaurant is very large on the inside and also has a large parking lot. We were there at 5 o'clock on a Saturday night without reservations and were seated right away but as we were leaving, maybe an hour later, there was a pretty good crowd waiting for a table. On the kid front, I think we had nothing to worry about. They actually have a decently large children's menu with the expected, mac & cheese and chicken fingers, to the less expected, skirt steak and ribs. Our girls, of course, got buttered noodles and mac & cheese and were completely happy with their meals. They also have a kids club, where you get a free kids meal for joining and something from the "Treasure Chest" when they dine there. After 20 visits they get a T-shirt. The only thing that was kind of weird about the place was that the average age of the diners was probably about 85. Now I know we were there pretty early but it was a little odd.
Ben Pao
My daughters absolutely love Ben Pao, a Chinese restaurant located at 52 W. Illinois . We never seem to have any trouble getting in at 5 o'clock, when they open for dinner, on either a Friday or Saturday night. We usually call day of for reservations. The girls love the decorations and the food (chicken fingers with rice for them but also more adventurous options if your kids are up for it). They used to give out these plastic kids chopsticks that were such a hit with my daughter that she played with them forever until they broke. The last time we went they no longer had the fun chopsticks, though. You will definitely see lots of families if you dine here early - definitely more tourists than trendsetters. The adults in our household like to go there too. The food is good, love the seven flavor chicken, and they have a really great alcoholic drink called the frozen ginger ale. I went into labor with my first daughter the night after eating at Ben Pao and my husband and I are convinced the spicy dragon noodles are the reason why. We like the lighting of the restaurant, as well. It is so dark you can't see how big of a mess your child is making. Like most LEY restaurants this one is quite big and has a separate bar area. The other great thing about Ben Pao is that it is right off of the Grand stop on the Red Line.
RJ Grunts
When we used to live a block from RJ Grunts (2056 Lincoln Park West) we used to get way too much takeout. At first glance, this restaurant seems very kid friendly. It is located right by the zoo, it's casual, there are a lot of kids eating here, and they have high chairs, crayons, and a kids menu. The problems are that there is no where to park your stroller, the tables are really close together and the bathrooms are really TINY. Getting there is not so easy, either. There is no train line that gets you very close and no parking in the area. It is great if you live in the neighborhood, though. They do have really good food (sandwiches, salad bar, burgers), a full bar, and brunch. We always have a hard time not going when we are in the area despite the problems.
As for other casual LEY restaurants, we've never actually gone to Maggiano's with our kids but based on my experiences there, it seems like a perfectly fine place to take kids and, as I mentioned in a previous post, we enjoy Scoozi's kids pizza night on Sundays. What I like about LEY restaurants is that they all have their own style and feel and yet you know the food is almost always going to be good.
L. Woods
Part of what prompted this post was a recent visit to this restaurant for the first time. Whenever we try a new restaurant and we're not sure how welcome children are, we try to go right around 5 o'clock or sometimes even a little earlier, if the restaurant is open. We figure that no one at the restaurant is expecting a fine dining experience at 5 pm and shouldn't be too bothered by our kids. L. Woods is located at 7110 N. Lincoln in Lincolnwood. This restaurant, I think, is supposed to bring to mind a rustic Wisconsin cabin with "supper club fare," which, based on the menu, I guess means ribs, steak, fish, and chicken. I had a fish dish and thought it was pretty good. My husband also had fish but he was more mixed on it but, then again, he's not really a fish person. I had a melon sangria, which was a drink special for the night. The melon came from a local farm and was really good. Wine and beer lists were pretty average.
The restaurant is very large on the inside and also has a large parking lot. We were there at 5 o'clock on a Saturday night without reservations and were seated right away but as we were leaving, maybe an hour later, there was a pretty good crowd waiting for a table. On the kid front, I think we had nothing to worry about. They actually have a decently large children's menu with the expected, mac & cheese and chicken fingers, to the less expected, skirt steak and ribs. Our girls, of course, got buttered noodles and mac & cheese and were completely happy with their meals. They also have a kids club, where you get a free kids meal for joining and something from the "Treasure Chest" when they dine there. After 20 visits they get a T-shirt. The only thing that was kind of weird about the place was that the average age of the diners was probably about 85. Now I know we were there pretty early but it was a little odd.
Ben Pao
My daughters absolutely love Ben Pao, a Chinese restaurant located at 52 W. Illinois . We never seem to have any trouble getting in at 5 o'clock, when they open for dinner, on either a Friday or Saturday night. We usually call day of for reservations. The girls love the decorations and the food (chicken fingers with rice for them but also more adventurous options if your kids are up for it). They used to give out these plastic kids chopsticks that were such a hit with my daughter that she played with them forever until they broke. The last time we went they no longer had the fun chopsticks, though. You will definitely see lots of families if you dine here early - definitely more tourists than trendsetters. The adults in our household like to go there too. The food is good, love the seven flavor chicken, and they have a really great alcoholic drink called the frozen ginger ale. I went into labor with my first daughter the night after eating at Ben Pao and my husband and I are convinced the spicy dragon noodles are the reason why. We like the lighting of the restaurant, as well. It is so dark you can't see how big of a mess your child is making. Like most LEY restaurants this one is quite big and has a separate bar area. The other great thing about Ben Pao is that it is right off of the Grand stop on the Red Line.
RJ Grunts
When we used to live a block from RJ Grunts (2056 Lincoln Park West) we used to get way too much takeout. At first glance, this restaurant seems very kid friendly. It is located right by the zoo, it's casual, there are a lot of kids eating here, and they have high chairs, crayons, and a kids menu. The problems are that there is no where to park your stroller, the tables are really close together and the bathrooms are really TINY. Getting there is not so easy, either. There is no train line that gets you very close and no parking in the area. It is great if you live in the neighborhood, though. They do have really good food (sandwiches, salad bar, burgers), a full bar, and brunch. We always have a hard time not going when we are in the area despite the problems.
As for other casual LEY restaurants, we've never actually gone to Maggiano's with our kids but based on my experiences there, it seems like a perfectly fine place to take kids and, as I mentioned in a previous post, we enjoy Scoozi's kids pizza night on Sundays. What I like about LEY restaurants is that they all have their own style and feel and yet you know the food is almost always going to be good.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Green City Market/Farm at the Lincoln Park Zoo
We recently went to the Green City Market and, with the girls, a trip to the market also means a trip to the farm at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Both the Green City Market and the Farm at the Lincoln Park Zoo are fun, free activities. Even though we subscribe to a CSA, we still love to go to farmer's markets when we have the opportunity, especially Green City since it is pretty much the best in the City. The Market is located at the south end of Lincoln Park between Clark and Stockton and is open between 7 am and 1 pm Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Market, for the most part, runs year round moving to the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum during the winter from November until April. Green City also offers a children's program called Green Sprouts, which encourages kids to try a new item at the Market. For each taste the child gets a stamp and after 8 stamps they get a certificate. Our kids have never participated in this program because we just don't get to the Market enough.
The one downside to Green City, though, is parking and it is hard to get to via public transportation. We used to live right near there and would have to circle the area, sometimes for an hour in the summer, just to find street parking near our apartment - that's why we never drove anywhere. Now when we go, we pretty much just give in to the paid parking lot. You get a couple dollar discount if you get your ticket validated at the Market's main tent and stay for only two hours. In this situation, I think parking is $9. Also, don't forget to bring cash and reusable bags. The Market is always crowded but it's a little easier for us to maneuver now that we don't bring a stroller. The girls used to hate to go to farmer's markets and would drag their feet until they realized there was free samples. They have a good time trying the cheese and fruit at the various stands. They have also discovered a place that sells yummy donuts. The best part is that everything is local and organic. After getting some delicious stuff and spending way to much money we were ready to head over to the farm.
The farm is a pretty short walk from where the Market is set up. It opens at 10:00 so it is always a balance of getting to the Market early enough that it's not too crowded but late enough so that we don't have to wait for the farm to open. The farm has a schedule of activities such as a milking demonstration and an opportunity to brush and pet the goats. My girls always want to be there to feed the cows. On the Saturday we were there, this wasn't scheduled until 11:00 so we spent some time doing everything else first. The farm has pigs and usually piglets in the summer, ponies, steer, cows, goats, and an owl. Also they have an edible garden in the middle that is sponsored by the Green City Market. Bathrooms are in the barn with the tractor. I kind of think the farm is geared towards really young kids more than the rest of the zoo is, but my 5 year old still enjoys it and she has been there a lot of times. Part of the reason I think it's better for younger kids, though, is that they don't let you get very close to the animals (except the cows and the goats) and the activities in the barn, crawling through the chicken egg, listening to the animal noises, even crawling up into the tractor seemed to appeal to a younger crowd. Maybe it's just because everyone who lives in Lincoln Park only has babies so that's what I see when we're there. All in all, the combination of these two activities makes for a fun filled Saturday for our whole family.
The one downside to Green City, though, is parking and it is hard to get to via public transportation. We used to live right near there and would have to circle the area, sometimes for an hour in the summer, just to find street parking near our apartment - that's why we never drove anywhere. Now when we go, we pretty much just give in to the paid parking lot. You get a couple dollar discount if you get your ticket validated at the Market's main tent and stay for only two hours. In this situation, I think parking is $9. Also, don't forget to bring cash and reusable bags. The Market is always crowded but it's a little easier for us to maneuver now that we don't bring a stroller. The girls used to hate to go to farmer's markets and would drag their feet until they realized there was free samples. They have a good time trying the cheese and fruit at the various stands. They have also discovered a place that sells yummy donuts. The best part is that everything is local and organic. After getting some delicious stuff and spending way to much money we were ready to head over to the farm.
The farm is a pretty short walk from where the Market is set up. It opens at 10:00 so it is always a balance of getting to the Market early enough that it's not too crowded but late enough so that we don't have to wait for the farm to open. The farm has a schedule of activities such as a milking demonstration and an opportunity to brush and pet the goats. My girls always want to be there to feed the cows. On the Saturday we were there, this wasn't scheduled until 11:00 so we spent some time doing everything else first. The farm has pigs and usually piglets in the summer, ponies, steer, cows, goats, and an owl. Also they have an edible garden in the middle that is sponsored by the Green City Market. Bathrooms are in the barn with the tractor. I kind of think the farm is geared towards really young kids more than the rest of the zoo is, but my 5 year old still enjoys it and she has been there a lot of times. Part of the reason I think it's better for younger kids, though, is that they don't let you get very close to the animals (except the cows and the goats) and the activities in the barn, crawling through the chicken egg, listening to the animal noises, even crawling up into the tractor seemed to appeal to a younger crowd. Maybe it's just because everyone who lives in Lincoln Park only has babies so that's what I see when we're there. All in all, the combination of these two activities makes for a fun filled Saturday for our whole family.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Lexington, KY
The final location we visited while on vacation was Lexington, about 75 miles east of Louisville. Lexington is horse country, where some of the most famous racehorses and horse farms are located, and horses is what we went to see. We had initially intended to spend one day in Lexington visiting both the Kentucky Horse Park and the Thoroughbred Center but at the last minute decided that was too much for one day and did each of those activities on there own separate day. We also spent a decent amount of time driving around Lexington looking at all of the beautiful countryside and horse farms. There are some really amazing country roads where everywhere you look is green grass, white fences, and horses.
Kentucky Horse Park
The Kentucky Horse Park is basically a huge park devoted to all things horse. Admission was $16/adult, $8/child, 6 and under were free. There are pony rides and if you are over 7 years old you can do basic horseback rides. Horseback riding was $22 for a 35 minute trail ride. Pony rides were $5 per ride. There are also some horse shows, a horse museum, and a huge area where they do competitions and exhibitions. While we were there they were having some kind of horse jumping competition. The pony rides were, of course, a huge hit for the girls. The rides were a bit better than your average pony ride in that they were longer and your pony is pulled along by a guide as opposed to all being connected and rotating in a circle together. You can't get in line whenever you feel like it, though. They have slotted times when pony rides begin and they can potentially sell out, all though we were told that rarely happens. There is a playground located adjacent to the pony rides which is a good place to kill time while you're waiting for the pony rides to start. We also saw two shows. One featured retired champions - horses that had won the Kentucky Derby or other big races. The other show was called the Parade of Breeds and showed different breeds of horses with costumed riders. After this show the audience was encouraged to come down and pet the horses. The girls were able to enjoy both shows but definitely preferred the second one. The Park is huge, so I highly recommend a stroller, good walking shoes, and snacks. Because of the timing of the shows and activities we kind of had to rush from one place to another while carrying our children. It ultimately ended up being a hot and tiring day but a lot of fun and a great opportunity to see and interact with a lot of horses.
Thoroughbred Center
This facility ended up being a surprise hit. For me it was one of the best things we did on vacation and we almost didn't do it. The Thoroughbred Center only offers tours once a day a 9 am. They are kind of expensive for a family at $15/adult and $8/child. The Center takes advanced reservations but they weren't necessary for us on a Wednesday in August. Our original plan was to do this tour first and then go to the Horse Park, which is only a few miles away. It ended up being really hot that day so we thought the two outdoor activities would be too much and thought the girls would enjoy the Horse Park more since all they could talk about was going on pony rides. I also knew that to see anything at the Thoroughbred Center we would have to take another tour and I kind of thought the girls were done with tours. I was completely wrong and so glad we decided to drive back out to Lexington on our last day of vacation.
The Thoroughbred Center is a training facility for race horses. During racing season, which I guess is basically all year in Kentucky, the Center can house up to 1,000 horses. The horses live and train there and then travel to their races as they come up. The tour that is offered here is very laid back. You get in a bus and are driven to the track (it is right there - really you could walk there) where you get to stand up at the fence for a while and watch the horses exercise. The exercise track is open from about 5 am until 11 am. Each horse only exercises for about 15 minutes a day, which I guess is enough time to keep them in shape for their races. They are also able to practice with the starting gate. While watching the horses exercise the tour guide provides lots of interesting information about how the facility is run and answers any questions but if you want to tune here out completely and watch the horses (which is what the girls did) it's not a big deal. You basically move on when everyone is ready to go. The horses were pretty amazing to watch (and the girls loved that some came over to say hi). Then our guide drove us over to one of the barns where they keep horses and we had the opportunity to talk to a trainer. He only had one horse stabled there at the time and said he had plenty of time to answer any questions that our group had. The tour was very informal and laid back but very informative. It was really interesting to be able to get so close to race horses and see what is involved in their training.
Kentucky Horse Park
The Kentucky Horse Park is basically a huge park devoted to all things horse. Admission was $16/adult, $8/child, 6 and under were free. There are pony rides and if you are over 7 years old you can do basic horseback rides. Horseback riding was $22 for a 35 minute trail ride. Pony rides were $5 per ride. There are also some horse shows, a horse museum, and a huge area where they do competitions and exhibitions. While we were there they were having some kind of horse jumping competition. The pony rides were, of course, a huge hit for the girls. The rides were a bit better than your average pony ride in that they were longer and your pony is pulled along by a guide as opposed to all being connected and rotating in a circle together. You can't get in line whenever you feel like it, though. They have slotted times when pony rides begin and they can potentially sell out, all though we were told that rarely happens. There is a playground located adjacent to the pony rides which is a good place to kill time while you're waiting for the pony rides to start. We also saw two shows. One featured retired champions - horses that had won the Kentucky Derby or other big races. The other show was called the Parade of Breeds and showed different breeds of horses with costumed riders. After this show the audience was encouraged to come down and pet the horses. The girls were able to enjoy both shows but definitely preferred the second one. The Park is huge, so I highly recommend a stroller, good walking shoes, and snacks. Because of the timing of the shows and activities we kind of had to rush from one place to another while carrying our children. It ultimately ended up being a hot and tiring day but a lot of fun and a great opportunity to see and interact with a lot of horses.
Thoroughbred Center
This facility ended up being a surprise hit. For me it was one of the best things we did on vacation and we almost didn't do it. The Thoroughbred Center only offers tours once a day a 9 am. They are kind of expensive for a family at $15/adult and $8/child. The Center takes advanced reservations but they weren't necessary for us on a Wednesday in August. Our original plan was to do this tour first and then go to the Horse Park, which is only a few miles away. It ended up being really hot that day so we thought the two outdoor activities would be too much and thought the girls would enjoy the Horse Park more since all they could talk about was going on pony rides. I also knew that to see anything at the Thoroughbred Center we would have to take another tour and I kind of thought the girls were done with tours. I was completely wrong and so glad we decided to drive back out to Lexington on our last day of vacation.
The Thoroughbred Center is a training facility for race horses. During racing season, which I guess is basically all year in Kentucky, the Center can house up to 1,000 horses. The horses live and train there and then travel to their races as they come up. The tour that is offered here is very laid back. You get in a bus and are driven to the track (it is right there - really you could walk there) where you get to stand up at the fence for a while and watch the horses exercise. The exercise track is open from about 5 am until 11 am. Each horse only exercises for about 15 minutes a day, which I guess is enough time to keep them in shape for their races. They are also able to practice with the starting gate. While watching the horses exercise the tour guide provides lots of interesting information about how the facility is run and answers any questions but if you want to tune here out completely and watch the horses (which is what the girls did) it's not a big deal. You basically move on when everyone is ready to go. The horses were pretty amazing to watch (and the girls loved that some came over to say hi). Then our guide drove us over to one of the barns where they keep horses and we had the opportunity to talk to a trainer. He only had one horse stabled there at the time and said he had plenty of time to answer any questions that our group had. The tour was very informal and laid back but very informative. It was really interesting to be able to get so close to race horses and see what is involved in their training.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Mammoth Cave
On one of the days of our vacation we decided to drive down to Mammoth Cave National Park. Mammoth Cave is just over 90 miles south of Louisville and is the longest known cave in the world. There is camping and hotels near the Park and some other attractions in the area (we heard Dinosaur World was good) if you wanted to take a trip just to that area. Plus plenty of above ground hiking, as well.
At Mammoth Cave there are a wide variety of tours offered based on difficulty level, distance, and for some a minimum age. Each tour is priced differently. Advanced reservations can be made for only a few tours and the rest are first come first serve. We were led to believe that the tours sell out quickly (there is a fixed number of people that can go on each tour) and you need to be there when it opens at 8 a.m. That was fine for us since the tour we wanted to go on started at 8:45. If you are doing a trip similar to ours one thing to keep in mind is that Mammoth Cave is on Central Time while Louisville is on Eastern Standard Time. This benefited us because it gave us a little extra time to sleep in since it was a decent drive and we were worried about crowds. We arrived at the park about 20 minutes before it opened and there were maybe 5 people/families ahead of us. By the time it opened there was a decent line behind us but not the mad rush we had been afraid of. Our tour group was pretty large (our tour took up to 40 people) but I don't know that it sold out or if it did, it happened right before the tour left. After out tour, when we were leaving, the Visitor's Center was much busier so it may be harder to get on the later tours. While we were waiting for our tour we noticed most people carrying sweatshirts or jackets. I guess it had never crossed our mind that it would be that cold in the cave and we were all dressed in T-shirts and shorts. We found out that it is generally around 50 degrees inside the cave so we actually tried to buy sweatshirts for the girls in the gift shop but they only sold adult sizes. For us, it ended up not being a big deal maybe because we went on a relatively short tour but it didn't really feel that cold. In all honesty, by the end I was sweating after carrying my 30 lb daughter up and down 45 stairs.
We wanted to choose a tour that would allow for us to bring our small children. When choosing a tour and before we went on the tour we heard a lot of "you need to know your children and yourself" and lectures about how you need to be sure that you can go on the tour because if you have a panic attack or other health issue it is difficult for them to get anyone in to help you because it is such a remote location. I was starting to have a panic attack just listening. Since neither my kids or I had never been in a cave before I wasn't really sure how anyone would react so really all the lectures did was increase the anxiety level. We chose probably the most basic tours - the Frozen Niagara Tour. The tour was 1 hr. 15 minutes but we were only in the cave for about 45 minutes because it took 15 minutes to get to the entrance by bus. I thought the tour was pretty cool and very good for small children. Most of what we walked through had decently high ceilings and you didn't have to walk through anything too tight. Although I'm only 5'4 so some people may have had a different experience. Even though it was a short tour we supposedly were able to see the majority of the different kind of formations you would see throughout the cave. My older daughter did kind of freak out inside the cave. She kept saying she was scared and she wanted to leave but we kind of pushed her through the whole thing because we thought it was a great experience and wanted her to overcome her fear in a situation when nothing bad was going to happen. At the beginning of our tour, our guide turned out all of the lights for a couple of minutes so we could see what it was like down there and see total darkness. She actually didn't freak out during this period but I don't think it helped. She made it through, though, and while I wish we could have done one of the longer, more in depth tours I think the tour we went on was perfect for small kids. My younger daughter wasn't scared at all but I think she just had no understanding of where we were. We were never that far from the entrance/exit so it would have been possible to leave at anytime if we had to. Since we've been back from our vacation my daughter has been telling everyone how super cool it was in the cave so I think the experience, freaking out included, turned out to be a good one. And I have to agree with her - Mammoth Cave is a super cool place to visit.
At Mammoth Cave there are a wide variety of tours offered based on difficulty level, distance, and for some a minimum age. Each tour is priced differently. Advanced reservations can be made for only a few tours and the rest are first come first serve. We were led to believe that the tours sell out quickly (there is a fixed number of people that can go on each tour) and you need to be there when it opens at 8 a.m. That was fine for us since the tour we wanted to go on started at 8:45. If you are doing a trip similar to ours one thing to keep in mind is that Mammoth Cave is on Central Time while Louisville is on Eastern Standard Time. This benefited us because it gave us a little extra time to sleep in since it was a decent drive and we were worried about crowds. We arrived at the park about 20 minutes before it opened and there were maybe 5 people/families ahead of us. By the time it opened there was a decent line behind us but not the mad rush we had been afraid of. Our tour group was pretty large (our tour took up to 40 people) but I don't know that it sold out or if it did, it happened right before the tour left. After out tour, when we were leaving, the Visitor's Center was much busier so it may be harder to get on the later tours. While we were waiting for our tour we noticed most people carrying sweatshirts or jackets. I guess it had never crossed our mind that it would be that cold in the cave and we were all dressed in T-shirts and shorts. We found out that it is generally around 50 degrees inside the cave so we actually tried to buy sweatshirts for the girls in the gift shop but they only sold adult sizes. For us, it ended up not being a big deal maybe because we went on a relatively short tour but it didn't really feel that cold. In all honesty, by the end I was sweating after carrying my 30 lb daughter up and down 45 stairs.
We wanted to choose a tour that would allow for us to bring our small children. When choosing a tour and before we went on the tour we heard a lot of "you need to know your children and yourself" and lectures about how you need to be sure that you can go on the tour because if you have a panic attack or other health issue it is difficult for them to get anyone in to help you because it is such a remote location. I was starting to have a panic attack just listening. Since neither my kids or I had never been in a cave before I wasn't really sure how anyone would react so really all the lectures did was increase the anxiety level. We chose probably the most basic tours - the Frozen Niagara Tour. The tour was 1 hr. 15 minutes but we were only in the cave for about 45 minutes because it took 15 minutes to get to the entrance by bus. I thought the tour was pretty cool and very good for small children. Most of what we walked through had decently high ceilings and you didn't have to walk through anything too tight. Although I'm only 5'4 so some people may have had a different experience. Even though it was a short tour we supposedly were able to see the majority of the different kind of formations you would see throughout the cave. My older daughter did kind of freak out inside the cave. She kept saying she was scared and she wanted to leave but we kind of pushed her through the whole thing because we thought it was a great experience and wanted her to overcome her fear in a situation when nothing bad was going to happen. At the beginning of our tour, our guide turned out all of the lights for a couple of minutes so we could see what it was like down there and see total darkness. She actually didn't freak out during this period but I don't think it helped. She made it through, though, and while I wish we could have done one of the longer, more in depth tours I think the tour we went on was perfect for small kids. My younger daughter wasn't scared at all but I think she just had no understanding of where we were. We were never that far from the entrance/exit so it would have been possible to leave at anytime if we had to. Since we've been back from our vacation my daughter has been telling everyone how super cool it was in the cave so I think the experience, freaking out included, turned out to be a good one. And I have to agree with her - Mammoth Cave is a super cool place to visit.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Louisville
We decided to choose a hotel in downtown Louisville for our vacation. The location made it really easy to access most of what we were doing in Louisville and be able to walk to a wide selection of restaurants for lunch and dinner. Plus our hotel was right off the highway, which was great when we were spending the day out of town. However, I must say that downtown Louisville is just not a happening place on the weekends and at night. Sunday night we were looking for something, anything that was open for a quick snack and the only place our hotel could suggest was the gas station across the street. Other parts of the City that we went to for dinner or dessert did seem a bit more happening in the evening. Overall, though, it was a nice location to stay and worked out well for us.
The first day we were in Louisville we went to the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, what I think are probably two of the first things you think of when it comes to Louisville. Both I thought were really interesting things to see. The Kentucky Derby Museum (704 Central Ave.) is located at Churchill Downs so included in the admission price is a quick tour of the general admissions areas of the race track. Admission is $13/adult, $5/kids, age 5 and under free. They also offer additional behind the scenes type tours for an additional price. The basic tour is pretty good because it allows you to get into Churchill Downs and see it since when we were there racing season was over for that park. Our tour guide seemed to have his dream job, telling us that he had been going to the track since he was five and he considers the Kentucky Derby the best day of the year. I'll give him points for enthusiasm but there was just altogether too much talking for the girls out in the hot sun. The only thing that made them perk up was to see the regular horse and miniature horse that are kept at the track. They spent much more time there than anyone else on our tour and they may have actually been the only kids on the tour. The museum was a completely different story. They loved all of the exhibits since many of them are interactive. There was a betting area where you could wager on horses (just pretend) and then watch the race on a TV screen to see how you do, which my gambling addict daughter just loved and had to do twice. They also loved a horse riding video game type thing and dressing up like a jockey to pose for a picture on top of a horse. A 15 minute movie is also shown at the museum. Usually those are the kinds of things I would skip with the girls but it was well done and actually held their interest. Definitely worth the trip for the amazing history of Churchill Downs and fun interactive museum.
The Louisville Slugger Museum (800 W. Main St.) was kind of a surprise hit. The girls were really not looking forward to going but once there actually kind of enjoyed themselves. Admission was $10/adult, $5/kid, kids 5 and under free. There is not a whole lot to the museum - there are a few historical bats used by famous players that you can touch while wearing gloves and being supervised. Then there are some displays showing how bats are made. What kept the girls attention while we waited for our factory tour was an exhibit that threw a baseball at a stuffed catcher at the speed of a professional pitcher. They watched that over, and over, and over... The tour I thought was pretty interesting. I kind of enjoy learning how things are made. As would be expected, most of the manufacturing of a baseball bat is now done by machine but there are still a few things that they do by hand. Again the tour was really just too much talking for the girls but they did perk up when they got a free mini bat at the end. There is a kids area but really only has some coloring pages and a small batting cage to hit a plastic ball off a tee - certainly not something you can't miss. There is also a section with real batting cages for adults. I can't believe I almost forgot the giant bat. In front of the Museum is the giant baseball bat that you often see associated with the city of Louisville. Most things in life are not as big as you expect them to be but this was actually larger than I thought it would be - very fun for pictures.
Louisville also has a relatively nice waterfront area on the Ohio River. We had planned to go on a riverboat cruise down the river during our trip but the boat only operates over the weekend. The only weekend day we were there was Sunday and heat indexes were over 100 degrees so decided sitting outside for a few hours that day wasn't a good idea. Maybe next time. There is also a big waterfront park that was only a few blocks from our hotel. We didn't end up spending that much time there because of how hot it was and the girls always preferred swimming in the hotel pool over going to the park. However, the park is very large and a good convenient place to let your kids run around.
There were a few dining highlights for us. We went to a restaurant called Lily's (1147 Bardstown Rd.) basically on the advice of every guidebook and newspaper/magazine article we read about Louisville. I would highly recommend it as well. The restaurant is sort of fancy but not that fancy. It's not really the kind of place I would normally take my kids if the restaurant was in Chicago but we didn't have anyone to watch them and really wanted to try it. Our waiter was really great about the kid thing (although we may have been getting dirty looks from the rest of the staff) bringing my daughter plate after plate of bread. We were there at 5 right when the restaurant opened and were the only customers for awhile so I really don't think there was much for them to be annoyed about. There wasn't a whole lot on the menu that would appeal to the average kid. Even though we've been taking our daughters to quality restaurants since birth they still don't have an appreciation for much more than chicken fingers and pizza. We were kind of lucky because on Tuesday, the day we went, they have an additional Tapas menu and we were able to order the girls fish and chips (which was very good). The restaurant focuses on local, organic, free range food. My husband had the burger, which he though was awesome and I had the farmer's plate, which was the vegetarian option. I am by no means a vegetarian but I thought everything was very good. I spent the whole time trying to figure out what I could do to make vegetables taste so good when I make them at home.
Just before we left for vacation I saw a small blurb in Food and Wine magazine about a restaurant called Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse (127 W. Main St.). It was located only a couple of blocks from our hotel so we had to try it. This also ended up being the kind of place I normally wouldn't take my kids and they were less nice about it even though we were there at 5 on a Wednesday night. Anyway, the food was good - we had ribs and the girls had a bunch of sides- and we had an enjoyable time. I would recommend this place but it's definitely not as good as Smoque (although you can order alcohol here).
When traveling with the girls we almost always have to go out for ice cream at least once. We tried two places that were both pretty good: The Comfy Cow (1301 Herr Lane) and Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen (they have about 10 locations in Louisville). Both great places to grab dessert, good selection, plenty of seating, delicious goodies.
The first day we were in Louisville we went to the Kentucky Derby Museum and the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, what I think are probably two of the first things you think of when it comes to Louisville. Both I thought were really interesting things to see. The Kentucky Derby Museum (704 Central Ave.) is located at Churchill Downs so included in the admission price is a quick tour of the general admissions areas of the race track. Admission is $13/adult, $5/kids, age 5 and under free. They also offer additional behind the scenes type tours for an additional price. The basic tour is pretty good because it allows you to get into Churchill Downs and see it since when we were there racing season was over for that park. Our tour guide seemed to have his dream job, telling us that he had been going to the track since he was five and he considers the Kentucky Derby the best day of the year. I'll give him points for enthusiasm but there was just altogether too much talking for the girls out in the hot sun. The only thing that made them perk up was to see the regular horse and miniature horse that are kept at the track. They spent much more time there than anyone else on our tour and they may have actually been the only kids on the tour. The museum was a completely different story. They loved all of the exhibits since many of them are interactive. There was a betting area where you could wager on horses (just pretend) and then watch the race on a TV screen to see how you do, which my gambling addict daughter just loved and had to do twice. They also loved a horse riding video game type thing and dressing up like a jockey to pose for a picture on top of a horse. A 15 minute movie is also shown at the museum. Usually those are the kinds of things I would skip with the girls but it was well done and actually held their interest. Definitely worth the trip for the amazing history of Churchill Downs and fun interactive museum.
The Louisville Slugger Museum (800 W. Main St.) was kind of a surprise hit. The girls were really not looking forward to going but once there actually kind of enjoyed themselves. Admission was $10/adult, $5/kid, kids 5 and under free. There is not a whole lot to the museum - there are a few historical bats used by famous players that you can touch while wearing gloves and being supervised. Then there are some displays showing how bats are made. What kept the girls attention while we waited for our factory tour was an exhibit that threw a baseball at a stuffed catcher at the speed of a professional pitcher. They watched that over, and over, and over... The tour I thought was pretty interesting. I kind of enjoy learning how things are made. As would be expected, most of the manufacturing of a baseball bat is now done by machine but there are still a few things that they do by hand. Again the tour was really just too much talking for the girls but they did perk up when they got a free mini bat at the end. There is a kids area but really only has some coloring pages and a small batting cage to hit a plastic ball off a tee - certainly not something you can't miss. There is also a section with real batting cages for adults. I can't believe I almost forgot the giant bat. In front of the Museum is the giant baseball bat that you often see associated with the city of Louisville. Most things in life are not as big as you expect them to be but this was actually larger than I thought it would be - very fun for pictures.
Louisville also has a relatively nice waterfront area on the Ohio River. We had planned to go on a riverboat cruise down the river during our trip but the boat only operates over the weekend. The only weekend day we were there was Sunday and heat indexes were over 100 degrees so decided sitting outside for a few hours that day wasn't a good idea. Maybe next time. There is also a big waterfront park that was only a few blocks from our hotel. We didn't end up spending that much time there because of how hot it was and the girls always preferred swimming in the hotel pool over going to the park. However, the park is very large and a good convenient place to let your kids run around.
There were a few dining highlights for us. We went to a restaurant called Lily's (1147 Bardstown Rd.) basically on the advice of every guidebook and newspaper/magazine article we read about Louisville. I would highly recommend it as well. The restaurant is sort of fancy but not that fancy. It's not really the kind of place I would normally take my kids if the restaurant was in Chicago but we didn't have anyone to watch them and really wanted to try it. Our waiter was really great about the kid thing (although we may have been getting dirty looks from the rest of the staff) bringing my daughter plate after plate of bread. We were there at 5 right when the restaurant opened and were the only customers for awhile so I really don't think there was much for them to be annoyed about. There wasn't a whole lot on the menu that would appeal to the average kid. Even though we've been taking our daughters to quality restaurants since birth they still don't have an appreciation for much more than chicken fingers and pizza. We were kind of lucky because on Tuesday, the day we went, they have an additional Tapas menu and we were able to order the girls fish and chips (which was very good). The restaurant focuses on local, organic, free range food. My husband had the burger, which he though was awesome and I had the farmer's plate, which was the vegetarian option. I am by no means a vegetarian but I thought everything was very good. I spent the whole time trying to figure out what I could do to make vegetables taste so good when I make them at home.
Just before we left for vacation I saw a small blurb in Food and Wine magazine about a restaurant called Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse (127 W. Main St.). It was located only a couple of blocks from our hotel so we had to try it. This also ended up being the kind of place I normally wouldn't take my kids and they were less nice about it even though we were there at 5 on a Wednesday night. Anyway, the food was good - we had ribs and the girls had a bunch of sides- and we had an enjoyable time. I would recommend this place but it's definitely not as good as Smoque (although you can order alcohol here).
When traveling with the girls we almost always have to go out for ice cream at least once. We tried two places that were both pretty good: The Comfy Cow (1301 Herr Lane) and Homemade Ice Cream and Pie Kitchen (they have about 10 locations in Louisville). Both great places to grab dessert, good selection, plenty of seating, delicious goodies.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Indianapolis
As I've mentioned before my two daughters are obsessed with horses. We decided to plan our summer vacation this year around their common interest so we drove down to Kentucky horse country. We made Louisville, which is about a five and a half hour drive, our home base for exploring the area. On the way there and the way home we decided to stop in Indianapolis because we've never really spent any time there and to allow the girls to get out of the car and stretch their legs a bit before finishing the drive. On the way to Louisville we stopped at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park (13400 Allisonville Rd., Fishers, IN) and on the way back home we stopped at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis (3000 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis). Both were big hits with the girls.
Conner Prairie
This is one of those interactive historical villages where employees dress up in period costumes and act as though they actually live at the park during that time period (In this case the mid-1800s). The park is set up to be an all day affair for your family but due to travel time constraints and short attention spans we spent about 2.5 hours there so of course we didn't see and experience everything the park has to offer. Really my girls are probably a couple of years too young to get the full enjoyment from the activities but they still were able to have a really good time (also it was really hot the day that we went). It is $14/ adult, $9 for kids 12 and under and kids 2 and under are free.
The outdoor portion of Conner Prairie is divided into four different areas - 1863 Civil War Journey, 1836 Prairietown, Conner Homestead, and Lenape Indian Camp. They also have a hot air balloon that you can ride in but it was not in operation the day we were there. There is a schedule of activities throughout the day that include story times, arts and crafts, a period appropriate party, and even a Tomahawk throwing contest. When you look at the map it looks like you're going to have to do a lot of walking but everything is actually not that far away. That being said, bring a stroller for the little ones. We didn't make it over to the Civil War area but the highlights for my kids were as follows:
I've always thought these kind of historical villages are neat (love Greenfield Village in Detroit) and I thought Conner Prairie was a lot of fun. As I mentioned above, it would probably be better for a slightly older family but there is lots to enjoy for a younger group as well. I wouldn't drive all the way to Indianapolis just to go to this park but if you're there or passing through I definitely recommend it. There is a Cafe inside the park where you can buy basic food and drinks and you are also allowed to bring a picnic lunch and eat in the designated areas. Also there is a large, free parking lot. The Park was pretty busy on the day we were there (it was a Saturday) but we didn't really feel it and didn't have to stand in line or felt crowded at any of the locations in the Park. I think because the size of the Park a lot of people can be there and it still is comfortable.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
One the way back from Louisville we hit this ENORMOUS children's museum (www.childrensmuseum.org). It claims to be the largest children's museum in the world and I would totally believe it. There is a parking garage located across the street with free parking and a bridge over the road to the museum entrance. The outside of the museum is very cool. It looks like there are giant dinosaurs crawling in and out of the building. In the main room where you buy your tickets there is an enormous transformer that talks. I don't know if we even saw half of the exhibits here because not only is it very big but everyone was a bit tired from our vacation and eager to get home. This place is not cheap. It's $16.50/adult and $11.50/child two and older.
On the day we visited the museum there were three featured attractions. We enjoyed all three of them. I particularly liked the Treasures of the Earth exhibit. The exhibit was about the work done to uncover a shipwreck, an Egyptian tomb, and the Terra Cotta Warriors in China. What I liked about the way this exhibit was presented was that nothing was actually real so the kids could touch and interact with everything. I though it was a great way to present the material to small kids. Older kids (and adults) want to see real artifacts but kids just want to play and touch - that's how they learn. There was also a Dora and Diego exhibit, which was mostly just a fun play area for the kids. The third temporary exhibit was all about Barbie. This area seemed to appeal to girls as well as their moms with lots of retro babies on display. In addition there was a huge dress up area, which was very popular, wigs you could style, and Barbies to play with. My girls each only own one Barbie (old ones that used to be mine) but they both really enjoyed the activities included in this exhibit.
By far, for us, the biggest attraction was the carousel on the fourth floor. For some reason you have to pay to ride including adults (only $1 but come on - wasn't admission enough?). The girls both rode twice and the carousel is big enough that they didn't have to stand in line. Adjacent to the carousel were three play houses - one was a tree house, one a cottage, and the other an ice cream store. The girls played here forever. I was trying to encourage them to move onto the more unique exhibits since any basic play area in Chicago has playhouses like these but they like what they like I guess. Ultimately I think we saw enough to get our money's worth.
The museum map has a suggested age for each exhibit so mostly what we saw was targeted at kids 5 and under. That's not to say that this museum is only for little kids. The big dinosaur exhibit that we just didn't have the energy to see is for ages 5+ and there are several exhibits that are for ages 8+ and ages 6-12. This museum really has a good mix of stuff for all age groups, which is unusual. Museums are usually more for little kids like Kohls or big kids like the Museum of Science and Industry and don't appeal to kids of all ages.
There is a food court located on the first level of the museum. We didn't eat there but it looked big and seemed to offer some decent choices. This museum gets crazy busy even during the week so if you go I would suggest getting there right when it opens. It is open from 10 AM - 5 PM. Also bring a stroller if you've got a small child. As with Conner Prairie, I don't know if I would suggest driving three hours one way to see anything with your child, but if you're in the area it is a very cool thing to do with your children. I think it would be hard for them not to love it.
Conner Prairie
This is one of those interactive historical villages where employees dress up in period costumes and act as though they actually live at the park during that time period (In this case the mid-1800s). The park is set up to be an all day affair for your family but due to travel time constraints and short attention spans we spent about 2.5 hours there so of course we didn't see and experience everything the park has to offer. Really my girls are probably a couple of years too young to get the full enjoyment from the activities but they still were able to have a really good time (also it was really hot the day that we went). It is $14/ adult, $9 for kids 12 and under and kids 2 and under are free.
The outdoor portion of Conner Prairie is divided into four different areas - 1863 Civil War Journey, 1836 Prairietown, Conner Homestead, and Lenape Indian Camp. They also have a hot air balloon that you can ride in but it was not in operation the day we were there. There is a schedule of activities throughout the day that include story times, arts and crafts, a period appropriate party, and even a Tomahawk throwing contest. When you look at the map it looks like you're going to have to do a lot of walking but everything is actually not that far away. That being said, bring a stroller for the little ones. We didn't make it over to the Civil War area but the highlights for my kids were as follows:
- In the Indian Camp there is a fake full size horse whose saddle you can pack up with supplies from the Trading Post. My older daughter packed and unpacked the horse at least five times. I didn't really get why she was so into it but she really was.
- At the Conner Homestead there is a barn full of baby farm animals. The calves, lambs, goats, and roosters roam completely free for you to pet or brush as you wish. Every once in a while an animal would wander out of the barn and eventually someone would go out after it. Very rare for our City girls to get such an up close experience with farm animals. My two year old threw an all out temper tantrum when we left after being in there for at least a half hour and for the rest of the day kept asking what we did with her brush that she was using on the animals.
- Prarietown is set up like an 1830's village with lots of costumed interpreters and the girls especially loved the school house and villagers' homes where interpreters were baking, weaving, and doing other period appropriate things. They were also allowed to play with the old fashioned toys and practice walking around on stilts.
- In the main building, where you pay for admission, is the Discovery Station, which is a cute little room with theme appropriate toys for kids to play with. I thought the stuff outside was much more interesting and that this room would be something to skip because of our time constraints but we had to drag the girls out when it was time to go.
I've always thought these kind of historical villages are neat (love Greenfield Village in Detroit) and I thought Conner Prairie was a lot of fun. As I mentioned above, it would probably be better for a slightly older family but there is lots to enjoy for a younger group as well. I wouldn't drive all the way to Indianapolis just to go to this park but if you're there or passing through I definitely recommend it. There is a Cafe inside the park where you can buy basic food and drinks and you are also allowed to bring a picnic lunch and eat in the designated areas. Also there is a large, free parking lot. The Park was pretty busy on the day we were there (it was a Saturday) but we didn't really feel it and didn't have to stand in line or felt crowded at any of the locations in the Park. I think because the size of the Park a lot of people can be there and it still is comfortable.
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
One the way back from Louisville we hit this ENORMOUS children's museum (www.childrensmuseum.org). It claims to be the largest children's museum in the world and I would totally believe it. There is a parking garage located across the street with free parking and a bridge over the road to the museum entrance. The outside of the museum is very cool. It looks like there are giant dinosaurs crawling in and out of the building. In the main room where you buy your tickets there is an enormous transformer that talks. I don't know if we even saw half of the exhibits here because not only is it very big but everyone was a bit tired from our vacation and eager to get home. This place is not cheap. It's $16.50/adult and $11.50/child two and older.
On the day we visited the museum there were three featured attractions. We enjoyed all three of them. I particularly liked the Treasures of the Earth exhibit. The exhibit was about the work done to uncover a shipwreck, an Egyptian tomb, and the Terra Cotta Warriors in China. What I liked about the way this exhibit was presented was that nothing was actually real so the kids could touch and interact with everything. I though it was a great way to present the material to small kids. Older kids (and adults) want to see real artifacts but kids just want to play and touch - that's how they learn. There was also a Dora and Diego exhibit, which was mostly just a fun play area for the kids. The third temporary exhibit was all about Barbie. This area seemed to appeal to girls as well as their moms with lots of retro babies on display. In addition there was a huge dress up area, which was very popular, wigs you could style, and Barbies to play with. My girls each only own one Barbie (old ones that used to be mine) but they both really enjoyed the activities included in this exhibit.
By far, for us, the biggest attraction was the carousel on the fourth floor. For some reason you have to pay to ride including adults (only $1 but come on - wasn't admission enough?). The girls both rode twice and the carousel is big enough that they didn't have to stand in line. Adjacent to the carousel were three play houses - one was a tree house, one a cottage, and the other an ice cream store. The girls played here forever. I was trying to encourage them to move onto the more unique exhibits since any basic play area in Chicago has playhouses like these but they like what they like I guess. Ultimately I think we saw enough to get our money's worth.
The museum map has a suggested age for each exhibit so mostly what we saw was targeted at kids 5 and under. That's not to say that this museum is only for little kids. The big dinosaur exhibit that we just didn't have the energy to see is for ages 5+ and there are several exhibits that are for ages 8+ and ages 6-12. This museum really has a good mix of stuff for all age groups, which is unusual. Museums are usually more for little kids like Kohls or big kids like the Museum of Science and Industry and don't appeal to kids of all ages.
There is a food court located on the first level of the museum. We didn't eat there but it looked big and seemed to offer some decent choices. This museum gets crazy busy even during the week so if you go I would suggest getting there right when it opens. It is open from 10 AM - 5 PM. Also bring a stroller if you've got a small child. As with Conner Prairie, I don't know if I would suggest driving three hours one way to see anything with your child, but if you're in the area it is a very cool thing to do with your children. I think it would be hard for them not to love it.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Scooter's Frozen Custard
This ice cream or excuse me "frozen custard" shop has to be one of the best in the city. It's just so good. Located at 1658 W. Belmont they have only chocolate, vanilla, the flavor of the day plus an Italian ice flavor of the day, but that's fine with me. I think just a plain vanilla cone is one of the best things you can get there although the peanut butter sundae is beyond amazing. The girls really love going here too - chocolate cones with sprinkles! The website (scootersfrozencustard.com) provides a calendar with the flavor of the day and they take suggestions. They also have an extensive list of what they call concretes and a concrete of the month. Concretes are basically ice cream with a bunch of toppings blended in kind of like a blizzard. Scooter's also serves the most adorable toddler cone. It is free with the purchase of something else and is super small but perfect for a 1 or 2 year old.
There is a decent amount of seating inside but it can get VERY crowded. There are also some chairs outside and a walk up window where you can order outside. It is generally pretty easy to find parking on Belmont right by the store. Scooter's is open in the afternoon every day during the summer. After Labor Day I think they are closed on Mondays. The store completely closes down at the beginning of December and then reopens sometime in March. Right now, however, Scooter's is perfect for these hot summer days we've been having.
There is a decent amount of seating inside but it can get VERY crowded. There are also some chairs outside and a walk up window where you can order outside. It is generally pretty easy to find parking on Belmont right by the store. Scooter's is open in the afternoon every day during the summer. After Labor Day I think they are closed on Mondays. The store completely closes down at the beginning of December and then reopens sometime in March. Right now, however, Scooter's is perfect for these hot summer days we've been having.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Jump Zone
We have taken our daughters to Jump Zone (6374 W. Howard, Niles) a bunch of times. They always have fun and it seems worth the admission price ($8/kid on weekdays, $10/kid on weekends, parents always free). There are several places like this - giant inflatable bounce houses with slides - all over the City and Suburbs and I'm assuming they are all relatively similar. We've never had a bad time here. It's great for really cold days or really hot days. The kids can run around like crazy and bounce until they collapse. Remember to bring socks for everyone! Kids from probably age 2-10 have the most fun here. It's really one of those rare places where you can take your kids of different ages and everyone has fun. The slides range from really gentle to quite steep and the bounce houses have different themes to appeal to a wide range of kids. The workers are completely fine with parents going in the bounce houses and down the slides if your children need some help or reassurance. They might, however, get annoyed if you are pushing other kids out of the way so that you can bounce. It's one big room so you can generally keep an eye on your kid but it can get crowded especially on Saturdays. Kids two and under are free. They have a small play area for babies with some mats on the floor and toys for that age group. Jump Zone is located way in the back of a strip mall/office complex so it can be a little difficult to find. There's plenty of parking but you may have to walk a little ways and there is no sidewalk to walk from the parking lot to the entrance so you have to be careful.
The schedule here could be better. If you have small kids the perfect time to take them would be during the week while older kids are in school but unfortunately Jump Zone isn't usually open in the morning during the week. Even in the summer it doesn't open until noon on most days (I think it opens before noon on Mon., Tues., and Sat.). And I will say it can be a little difficult for your 2 year old to play when there are a bunch of older kids running around. During the week we like to go do things in the morning when everyone has the most energy and that's not really possible here.
Jump Zone does birthday parties - A LOT of birthday parties. Saturdays get really busy because there are so many kids there for parties. We have been there for a couple of birthday parties (and my daughter has asked on several occasions when she will get to have her party here so the parties at least get a kid endorsement). The way parties seem to work is that your friends show up at a specified time and have about an hour to play and bounce. This is a shared space, though, not just for your party. Then the kids get called into their party room for pizza (which is included) and cake (which you supply). You only get 30 minutes in the party room, though, and with a group of small children it can take 30 minutes just to get them all seated and ready to eat. That is my major complaint with these type of places that do lots of birthday parties and have a very precise schedule - at the end of the party you feel like you are being pushed out the door (not just at Jump Zone but a lot of places). I know they need to get those party rooms cleaned up and turned over but part of the enjoyment of a birthday party is sitting down and talking to friends. All kids love birthday cake but putting it at the very end of the party means you generally rush right through it. Instead of having the opportunity to say a personal good bye to all of their guests the hosts feel like they have to herd them out the door to prevent getting yelled at. I know people need to leave at some point but the transition becomes awkward. Overall, though, Jump Zone is a good place to burn off some energy and a fun place for birthday guests.
The schedule here could be better. If you have small kids the perfect time to take them would be during the week while older kids are in school but unfortunately Jump Zone isn't usually open in the morning during the week. Even in the summer it doesn't open until noon on most days (I think it opens before noon on Mon., Tues., and Sat.). And I will say it can be a little difficult for your 2 year old to play when there are a bunch of older kids running around. During the week we like to go do things in the morning when everyone has the most energy and that's not really possible here.
Jump Zone does birthday parties - A LOT of birthday parties. Saturdays get really busy because there are so many kids there for parties. We have been there for a couple of birthday parties (and my daughter has asked on several occasions when she will get to have her party here so the parties at least get a kid endorsement). The way parties seem to work is that your friends show up at a specified time and have about an hour to play and bounce. This is a shared space, though, not just for your party. Then the kids get called into their party room for pizza (which is included) and cake (which you supply). You only get 30 minutes in the party room, though, and with a group of small children it can take 30 minutes just to get them all seated and ready to eat. That is my major complaint with these type of places that do lots of birthday parties and have a very precise schedule - at the end of the party you feel like you are being pushed out the door (not just at Jump Zone but a lot of places). I know they need to get those party rooms cleaned up and turned over but part of the enjoyment of a birthday party is sitting down and talking to friends. All kids love birthday cake but putting it at the very end of the party means you generally rush right through it. Instead of having the opportunity to say a personal good bye to all of their guests the hosts feel like they have to herd them out the door to prevent getting yelled at. I know people need to leave at some point but the transition becomes awkward. Overall, though, Jump Zone is a good place to burn off some energy and a fun place for birthday guests.
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