Chicago With Kids: Notebaert Nature Museum

Do you ever have one of those days when you just don't want to get out of your pajamas? My 3 1/2 year old E did today. Perhaps he is a little out-of-sorts with his dad gone for two weeks, maybe he's tired after last night's bedtime marathon or maybe it's just because he's wearing his favorite pajamas. I can tell pretty early on in a discussion when E has his mind truly set on something, so rather than risk a having our first meltdown before we even left the hotel, I let E explore Chicago in his PJ's today. It makes for some cute pictures, don't you think?

The Lincoln Park neighborhood seemed like a lovely place to spend the day exploring with the kids. Not only is the zoo located there, but there is also the conservation-minded Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and the quiet and kid-friendly Lincoln Park neighborhood.

We started our day at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The Nature Museum is all about getting kids engaged with nature at their level. We started in the enclosed rooftop butterfly habitat, were I imagine the tropical warmth would feel wonderful on a cold winter day. We're lucky to have a butterfly habitat back home at the Pacific Science Center, so this wasn't novel for the kids, but they enjoy seeing the butterflies up close, watching them fly, and learning how they eat. For the first time E seemed to really respond to a kid-focused exhibit about how butterflies go from being an egg, to a caterpillar, to a cocoon and a butterfly. We also stopped in a huge and light-filled craft room that must be a great way for local kids to pass a wintery afternoon. What I really loved about this museum, though, were the frequent opportunities for the kids to get close to the animals. On a busy Monday morning, even with school already started for the fall, it seemed like there was a new activity every 30 minutes. We didn't join all of them, but the frequency made it easy to mix in activities with free-play. The kids got to touch a turtle, watch a frog being fed, and listen to stories in a very intimate group.

Just as I was starting to think about moving on to the zoo, it started pouring. As with our first day this was serious rain, not a Seattle style drizzle so we stayed on, and on, and on, visiting the water play area, an indoor playground, and every fish tank or reptile tank you could possibly imagine. Somehow we managed to pass most of the day here, and though I was stir crazy, the kids still didn't want to leave when it was finally time for dinner.

5 comments | Posted on October 3, 2008 | Save to del.icio.us

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