Kid Friendly Restaurants

The introduction of children to your life is usually the exit of flexible eating choices. Once the children have arrived you have to schedule eating around naps, their diets, and dealing with the scowls of the waitresses and other patrons. So finding good, kid friendly restaurants in the city is like getting a new best friend or finding $5 in your jeans (a free gallon of gas). A good kid restaurant has to have at least two of the following attributes:

* There has to be a good kid’s menu. Peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, french fries, and great desserts make a great meal.
* Great kids restaurants understand the meaning of speed. The food must come quickly (and it can come before the adult meal if it need be) and the check must not be tardy. Restaurants that don’t comply could find them in the midst of a meltdown.
* Waiters and waitresses must be with the program. If they are going to be annoyed with kids and or not even try to be entertaining (our favorite waitress always asks our kid how many big onion rings he wants and how many little onion rings) it hurts the experience.

* Exceptional kids restaurants have a gimmick or other activity. It could be as simple as crayons and a paper table cloth or as complicated as a play area or toys. Of course we talked about Nibbles Cafe in an earlier blog that built the restaurant around a play area.

During this week’s blog we provide examples of our favorite kid friendly restaurants. Later this summer we will ask you to vote for your favorite restaurants.

This week we had dinner plans with our friends and the kids. It was a beautiful night and we just new the kids were not going to sit quietly at a restaurant, yet the adults didn’t want to cook. So we decided to sacrifice a bit on food quality and go somewhere that is all about the fun and atmosphere - Oak Street Beachstro (right at the corner of Michigan and Oak Street). It was great for everyone; the kids had a blast playing in the sand and we scored a front row table in the restaurant where we were able to see everything the kids were doing and have some food and drinks. Granted your children need to be older and good listeners to be able to enjoy this set up, but if your kids need a bit more supervision the parents can take turns sitting on the beach with them. If you have babies this is a good place to take them as well because it is completely outside so they can be noisy without bothering other diners. The Beachstro offers a nice kid’s menu with the standard entree choices (hot dog, grilled cheese, chicken tenders, ect.) fruit and milk are options as a side dish and beverage. For the adults the food is pretty mediocre, but there are many choices from salads and quesadillas, to panini and fish. The mixed drinks are pre-made and sweet, so depending on your taste beer and wine may be better choices. Bottom line: Make a reservation and let them know you need a front row seat with a clear view of the beach. Don’t expect too much from the food and enjoy the gorgeous view from this summer-only experience.

Great kid-friendly food that parents can enjoy too is a surefire success. Minnie’s (Halsted and Armitage) is one of my son’s favorites and I love it too. Everything in the place is mini: beverages, sandwiches, glassware, desserts - all tiny. They offer a children’s meal with your choice of mini PB&J, grilled cheese or pizza, fries and a mini butterscotch shake. Adults can choose any combination of the mini sandwiches (Cuban, chicken, burger, veggie) in varying quantities of three depending on your hunger level, as well as soups and salads. Plenty of child-free adults enjoy Minnie’s, but I never feel that children aren’t welcome. The sound level is very high so any tantrums get lost in the noise. Bottom line: Clever concept, very loud, full bar, don’t miss the crisp skinny fries they are awesome. Did we mention the milkshakes?

It is nice when the restaurant actually welcomes your children. And nowhere is this harder to find then with fine dining restaurants. When my kid is in a chill mood and I want a great meal for both of us, I head to Sola (Lincoln and Byron). Sola offers a delicious kid’s menu (fish and chips, grilled cheese, noodles, ice cream sundaes with sprinkles) and provides crayons so the kids can draw on the paper tablecloths. They are open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays which is a great time to enjoy this great spot. In the summer the patio is a great option as well. Bottom Line: Outstanding food for kids and parents alike. Only go if your kids can sit for the whole meal with a minimum amount of entertainment.

Piece in Bucktown is one of the best pizza places in the city. Partially owned by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick, Piece’s  thin pizza is great for adults and kids (don’t forget to order double meat if you are a meat lover). The portions are huge and this place is ultra kid friendly. The waitstaff adores kids, they have a bowling video game that is fun for kids to play without ever actually turning it on, and with all of the balconies and the stairs, kids can wander everywhere. Almost a playground within the restaurant, there is a downstairs with cushioned benches and footstools that are great to climb on. Piece doesn’t really encourage this, but they don’t really discourage it either. Lunch or early dinner is the best time for kids, otherwise it’s too crowded to let the kids roam. Bottom line: phenomenal pizza and micro-brews, fun playtime with kids, lots of places to roam.

Donna and Larry

Mom Says: Having a kid doesn’t stop me from eating out. I just think it’s important to judge your kid’s mood before you choose a restaurant. If your kid doesn’t want to be at a restaurant, no one is happy. And always respect the other diners’ right to not have your child interfering with their meal. A child’s presence can’t ruin a meal, but their loud crabby voices can.

Dad Says: You won’t find a more sandy kid than coming out of Beachstro. Sit back, have a mojito and a margarita and enjoy the splashing and rolling. It will cost you a few minutes at home to spray them down, but it is worth hanging out the beach for dinner.

Posted in Food | 1 Comment »

Water Park Extravaganza

I travel for work every single week, typically going to more than two cities a week. It always reminds me how great Chicago is. You can see any show, get any kind of food, do anything. But one thing you can’t do, is go to a water park. For that, you need to venture out to the suburbs. For this week, we suggest a few great outdoor water parks sponsored by local park districts: Elk Grove Village’s Rainbow Falls, Buffalo Grove’s Spray N’ Play, Geneva’s Sunset Pool, and Vernon Hills Family Aquatic Center.

First of all, hats off to Elk Grove Park District. This city seems to have some of the newest, most complete facilities around. They have a brand new fitness center, the Pirate Cove mini-amusement park, and of course Rainbow Falls ($14 for non residents, $8 for residents, and free for 2 and under). Rainbow Falls is a huge water complex with everything you would want to do in water from really young kids to about 12 years old. There is a toddler pool with a small slide and water jets coming out of the floor. There is a regular sized pool that has water jets coming out of the floor and water cannons on the side of the pool that the kids can shoot each other (and you) with. The regular size pool is a 0 depth walk in so its easy to get smaller kids acclimated. There is a a river that goes around the complex that you can ride an innertube on, a huge bucket of water that is about 20 feet in the air that dumps water on eagerly awaiting kids every 15 minutes, and 4 water slides of varying speed and depth. Rainbow also has a slide that ends in a circular bowl (the Pelican Plunge) that drops you into a pool, There is something for everyone, but get there early as parking is not the best.

If you have an hour to spare in Elk Grove, you might want to stop by Pirates Cove. Pirates Cove is free for adults and $9 for kids on the weekends. There is a rock climbing exhibit (4 year olds and up), a playground, carousel, train ride where the kids propel the train themselves, paddle boats, and a slide where kids go down on mats.

Buffalo Grove’s (submitted by Bubbie&Pa) Spray ‘N Play is set up for younger kids to interact with each other (probably 5 and under). Bring with a pail as the kids there like to fill up their pails with water and dump it on someone else, especially their parents or grandparents. The key attraction at this venue is the sprayers, fountains, floor jets, and cannons. It is pretty much an all out, non-stop water fight with little or no rules. There is no shade in the play area so make sure to bring with plenty of sunscreen and maybe a shirt to put on the kids after a while. The venue does not have any food but does have a picnic area for food you bring yourself.  If you get tired of water, this is a playground right next door.  Spray N’ Play is extremely affordable at $3 per person, $1 for seniors and people with Buffalo Grove Park District passes get $1 off.

Sunset Pool in Geneva (submitted by Tim Perry) is fun for everybody in the family. No matter what ages your kids are, there is something to keep them entertained. In addition to being a heated outdoor pool, it offers zero-depth areas for the young kids to play in. The bubblers and sprinklers make it a playground in the water. There are several slides, including toddler slides, body slides, and tube slides. The slides are fantastic and really make this water park stand-out. The facility is clean, shaded by sunbrellas and offers a typical concession area. There are plenty of areas to picnic, 2 sand volleyball coursts and the pool is located next to another park with swings, slides, picnic tables, and basketball courts for more entertainment. 2 years and younger are free, up to 17 is $6 for residents and $10 for non-residents, adults pay $7, $12 for non residents, and seniors pay $6, $10 for non-residents. After 6:00, it is half price.

Vernon Hills Family Aquatic Center (submitted by Brian) also focuses on all ages. There is a zero depth pool attached to a deeper pool with two separate lanes set up for swimming. A second zero depth pool has spray gadgets to run under and a deeper end too (Maybe 4.5 feet deep). Then there is a back area with 3 water slides attached to a lazy river. Two of the slides allow water tubes provided by the pool (one person and two person slides available). A family pass is worth it for the summer as it is especially fun to go after work on the weekdays, though the weekends are not too crowded. The Family Aquatic Center is $8 for residents, $12 for non-residents, and kids 3 and under are free. After 5:00 on weekends and 6:30 on weekdays, the park is half price.

Click on the links within this blog to review any of the parks.

Larry and Donna with special thanks to our guest contributors, Tim, Brian, and Bubbie&Pa.

Mom Says: A couple times a summer I make the trip out to Rainbow Falls in Elk Grove Village. It is super-clean and great for young children to teenagers. They have a concession stand and picnic area so plan on spending the day.

Dad Says: The Park Districts around the area have done a great job putting together some really fun water parks. None of these will compare to the bigger, private parks in the area like CoCo Key or Key Lime Cove, but if you are looking for some wet fun at the last minute, these are great, cheaper alternatives.

Posted in Water | 2 Comments »

Morton Arboretum

If you like learning about grass, trees, insects, and small animals; if your kid is interested in wading in a small lake and holding a tadpole in their hand; if you like examining the furs of raccoons and skunks; then the Morton Aboretum is exactly where you want to be. The Morton Arboretum is a beautiful place that shows off nature at its best. The Arboretum is in Lisle off Interstate 88 in the west suburbs. If you are traveling there from Chicago, do not get in the express lanes on 88 because there is not an exit until what feels like Iowa. You’ll miss the Arboretum by about 8 miles. On the weekends, it is $9 for parents and $6 for kids. Wednesday seems to be the day of the deals if you are available during the week.

The special exhibit running now through July 20th is David Rogers’ Big Bugs, extremely large bugs carved out of wood — you can actually see them from the highway. At the entrance, your kids will get a Bug Detective book which provides pictures and information on each of the insects. Our kid ran around the place looking for big bugs and trying to match it to a picture in a book. It didn’t hurt that the book comes with a big Bug Detective sticker that he could wear on his shirt.

Once in the Arboretum, there is a 4-acre Children’s Garden. The play area has all sorts of exhibits that will teach you about nature. At the entrance of the children’s area are all sorts of pun-like jokes about nature inscribed on child height signs. You have to pick up the lid to get to the punch line (What is a tree’s favorite television program? Elm-o). There are two mini-lakes for catching tad poles (The Secret Stream and the Wonder Pond), there are several water pumps to learn about irrigation, farming, and water (Windmill Garden), and there is an arts and crafts area where you can make your own bugs out of egg cartons.

Besides hiking around the grounds, there is some physical activity at the Arboretum. There are a couple of different tree houses to climb. The first house (Under The Trees) has a rope walk that the kids have to balance on to get across and then you have to climb up and down ropes to get through the tree house maze. The other tree house (Evergreen Lookout) has lots of wobbly bridges and this is where some of the sample furs of different animals like skunks and raccoons were laid out. They had little telescopes so kids can look for animals that the Arboretum has hid in the nearby trees. There is also a big set of ropes made to look like spider webs that the kids can try to crawl across called Grassy Meadow.

The Arboretum is a beautiful outdoor museum, and with the new emphasis on everything “green” it is not a bad start to helping your kid appreciate the environment. It is definitely an educational venue first and foremost and tries to mix in some fun activities to help your kids learn about nature. In the end, you will get out of it, what you put into it. When our kid goes with his grandparents, they read every sign on insects, they quiz him, and he gets excited about the next bug. He comes back talking about daddy long legs, beetles, and grasshoppers. If you just walk around and expect to be entertained, you’ll probably come away disappointed. The food is good and healthy, but they also encourage picnics and the Arboretum is a stunning place to eat outside.

Review this blog and Morton Arboretum

Larry and Donna

Mom Says: The Big Bugs exhibit is definitely worth seeing, but know in advance that the kids can’t climb on the sculptures (this was a big disappointment to our son). There are also several concerts this summer including Ralph’s World (July 12 & 13), Paula Cole (July 12), and Chris Isaak (August 16). Bring plenty of sunscreen and a big water bottle!

Dad Says: The Italian sausage at the outdoor grill was pretty good and you should try the smokehouse potato chips. This is a beautiful, quiet place for a conference call, and if you put just a little effort in, your kid might just learn something about nature (and so might you).

Posted in Parks | 1 Comment »

Day Frog

I like to support local businesses, and I especially like it when those businesses are doing something really well, where you feel the personal touch of an owner who really cares about quality and details. Last week I told you about Art & Soul, before that I told you about The Kid’s Table, and this week I am going to talk about Day Frog. Day Frog is a playspace for young children located in Streeterville, 1 1/2 blocks east of Michigan Avenue on Erie. The cost is $15 dollars per child. Families pay $15 for the first child, $11 for siblings over one year old, babies under one are free. Parents/caregivers are free and must accompany and supervise their children.

Day Frog is in a non-descript office building with no exterior signage, so you could be walking past it every day and not know it’s there. When you arrive at 233 East Erie, enter the building and Day Frog is located on the right side of the lobby. Once inside, the space is very bright and open with one large, high ceiling play area with ride on cars, balancing toys, a pretend kitchen, and two fun tube slides. That space also incorporates a large dedicated area for babies and a kitchen/arts and crafts space. Past the large area you will find smaller rooms with train tables (one with traditional wooden trains another with remote controlled GeoTrax trains) and a dress-up area. Beyond that is a reading area with cushions and two dollhouses.

When I arrived at Day Frog the owner was at the front desk. I asked him what was different about his business then other playspaces. “Have I been to many playspaces,” he asked. I’d been to quite a few. He told me to go in and see for myself. I thought this was a pretty cocky attitude, but he felt that the place would speak for itself. And it really does. The place revealed itself slowly. It doesn’t yell out its uniqueness. But after spending many hours there I can tell you that it is very different from the rest. And I’ll tell you why. An owner who is making sure everything is done just right. He is going above, and beyond, and over the top. One example: Why is the place so clean? He has figured out the best way to clean each toy. Some with a steamer, some with a “green” cleaner, some with a bleach solution, some in a lingerie bag in the washing machine. I kid you not.

Another standout feature is the kitchen. It’s fully stocked with kid friendly plates, cups, tables and chairs. There is a kid-sized sink for washing up, a refrigerator and a microwave. (Of course it’s spotless.) All snacks and meals are done in the kitchen. The space is also used for arts and crafts. That day there was a wonderful woman, Tiffany, working there. At one point I was chatting with another mom. A few minutes later I looked up and our kids were in the kitchen, wearing adorable smocks, finger painting. Tiffany had gathered them up and was teaching a mini art class. I was impressed.

My son had a great time playing. The variety of activities is fantastic. Of course the slides caught his eye first. He then moved of to the trains, scooters, balancing toys, more slides, building blocks, slowed it down with some books, more trains. Then came the art projects and a snack. Every toy is brand new and pristine. My son never uses the costumes at these places, but Day Frog’s fireman costume was too realistic to resist. The quality of all the dress-up clothes was very high. At the end of the day when I was sure he had used every toy, he discovered a fun toy he had never seen before. It had lots of cool buttons, lit up, made sounds, vibrated. Turned out the owner created this fun gadget for his son.

For those of us who live out of the area I suggest public transportation. The parking is super expensive. This is also a great place to suggest to friends or family staying at a downtown hotel, or visiting Northwestern Hospital. Folks who live near Day Frog are really lucky. I highly recommend it. This is a great place to take your young children.

Day Frog

Larry and Donna

Mom Says: I’m thinking that most children 4 and under will have a great time at Day Frog. The website suggests 6 and under, I think that may be a stretch. If they want to entertain the older kids, I think they need to add a more complex large motor skill area. Overall this is the best playplace I’ve seen in the city. It’s too bad parking is so expensive, but if you’re in the area shopping or at an appointment, give the kids a treat and spend some time at Day Frog.

Dad Says: I didn’t think my kid could get more excited than riding on the El (subway train as he calls it), but then he hit Day Frog for several hours — and he got to ride the El again. What a great day.

Posted in Venues | 133 Comments »

Art & Soul

This weekend was the grand opening of Art & Soul, a children’s art studio in Andersonville, so my 3 1/2 year old son and I went to check it out. The studio is owned and run by two women who are educators with over 25 years of experience in art education, art therapy, counseling and child development. It was clear that they are following a passion and are committed to their belief that art plays an enormous role in the cognitive, physical, and emotional development of our children. Classes will be offered this summer in two 3 week sessions for all age groups and cost $55-60. For children aged 7-9 they are offering a summer camp Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10am-12pm. You can register on a weekly basis, each week has a different theme, for $75 per week. Additionally Art & Soul offers art therapy and counseling services.

Our experience on Saturday was fantastic. The space is charming, very bright with tons of natural light. It’s on the second floor of the building and has a homey feel with several smallish rooms (including one with a kiln for the pottery classes) and one larger room that serves as the art studio. They had many materials for the children to explore (wood with glue, finger crayons, markers, rubber stamps to name just a few), so the kids just moved from one table to another creating their projects. The scale of the space is perfect for the kids who obviously felt really comfortable, it was hard to pull them away to leave. The teachers were warm and encouraging with the children, instilling a lot of confidence that my son would have a very positive experience with them. We made a collage that was a combination of wood, gems, buttons, toothpicks and beads.

From a parents point of view Art & Soul is a great combination of fun, funk and brains. This is not a sterile, cookie cutter class, where the instructor is following some rote curriculum. It is a place for artists and creativity. I met a few of the owner’s graduate students from the Art Institute who were there supporting the Grand Opening. How cool is that? Our kids are going to be getting instruction from the same women who teach these GRADUTE STUDENTS. I’m in. Sign me up. I want to hang out here. And there are magazines, tea, and books for your younger kids in the lobby if you’d like to do just that.

Art & Soul

Donna And Larry

Mom Says: I will be signing up for one of the summer sessions. My son loved it and can’t wait to go back to create another “masterpiece.”

Posted in Venues | 7172 Comments »