A three-acre play garden downtown with rope nets, a play ship and a seasonal splash pad, next to two rock-climbing walls and a looping ice-skating ribbon that turns into a scooter path in summer.
A free lakefront pier with a classic carousel and a 200-foot Ferris wheel as its paid rides, plus an entrance fountain that turns into a splash pad on warm days.
A riverside park in Chinatown with a children's playground, a fieldhouse with an indoor pool, and paved paths along the Chicago River, with a pagoda-style pavilion overlooking the water.
Tacos and quesadillas for kids, a horchata milkshake they love, and a big heated patio that works all year.
A free downtown park with Cloud Gate ("the Bean") and Crown Fountain, whose two towers spray water over a shallow plaza made for wading.
A free Lake Michigan beach in Lincoln Park with an ocean-liner-shaped beach house, restrooms and showers, and lifeguards in summer.
A free zoo where a toddler can pet a goat in the barn one minute and climb a play treehouse the next, with no ticket line to manage in between.
Chef Stephanie Izard's all-day diner on the Southport Corridor, with a dedicated kids' menu and a kids-eat-free Tuesday promotion.
A long-running, family-owned Mexican restaurant in Little Village with a kids' menu and lively weekend entertainment, open over 30 years.
A nature museum with a walk-through butterfly haven of more than a thousand live butterflies and a separate nature-play space built for kids eight and under.
The observation deck on the 94th floor of the former John Hancock Center, now branded 360 Chicago, with a fully accessible entrance and family restrooms.
A planetarium with a whole room, Planet Explorers, scaled down for toddlers, and a dome show upstairs that can hold a school-age kid's attention in the dark.
A two-level doll store and cafe inside Water Tower Place where kids can shop, get a doll's hair styled, and eat lunch alongside their doll at a reserved table.
A major art museum where kids under 14 get in free, with a family learning center, tiny miniature rooms and stained glass kids recognize.
An indoor museum on the pier with a whole room set aside just for babies and toddlers.
A paved promenade along the Chicago River downtown, with the PlayCubes climbing structure for kids alongside boat tours and riverside dining.
Kids stand nose to nose with SUE the T. rex, and a hands-on PlayLab built for small children means the day does not end at the first meltdown.
A museum big enough to swallow a whole submarine, with a huge model railroad for train lovers and a water-and-air play zone for under-10s.
A free indoor greenhouse next to Lincoln Park Zoo, with stroller-friendly paths through most rooms.
An aquarium built around a touch pool where small hands are actually welcome, plus a dolphin show big enough to hold a kid's attention for a whole hour.
A Chicago River and lake architecture cruise departing at the Michigan Avenue Bridge, with stroller storage and restrooms on board, run by the same family company since 1935.
An observation deck atop Willis Tower with glass "Ledge" balconies that jut out over the street, fully stroller- and wheelchair-accessible with family restrooms on site.
Home of the Chicago Cubs since 1914, with games and, on non-game days from March, guided ballpark tours that include the dugout and field.
One of the world's largest fountains, in the middle of Grant Park, with a light-and-music display after dusk. Free to visit.
A large, family-friendly Portage Park gelateria with dozens of rotating flavors and an outdoor patio, an easy dessert stop after the park.
Comfort food with grilled cheese, buttered noodles and chicken fingers for kids, plus vanilla ice cream with the kids' meal and skillet cookies.
A ticketed, multi-room interactive attraction near the Tribune Tower built around ice-cream-themed installations, including a room filled with plastic sprinkles. Strollers must be left outside that room.
