Taking Kids To Chicago. Why Is That So Special?

So, Laura had to go see her parents in Homewood on Saturday to take care of elder-care business. I said that the kids and I would tag along. I've been threatening to take them to the Art Institute for months. Also, each kid gets a weekend in Chicago with daddy for their birthday, and everyone was sick during Jo and Liam's recent anniversaries, so they were owed a trip.

I know people here in Clinton who think nothing of a four hour trip to Adventureland or to some other small town in Iowa to see friends or family but would no more contemplate a weekend in Chicago than a weekend on the moon. Which is quite sad really. As so many people are sick of hearing me say, Clinton is the closest city in Iowa to Chicago. It is a bit less than three hours from my front door to the Grant Park parking garage.

Now, being from Iowa I well remember the first time I had to drive in Chicago and I sympathize with anyone who feels like they couldn't handle it. Four lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic going 80 miles-an-hour, people dodging in an out and not really knowing where you are going... NASCAR ain't in it. It is scary.

But still, that shouldn't be a barrier to all the benefits that Chicago can offer to children. The look on your kid's face when you walk out of the train station and she is staring straight up at the side of the Sears Tower is priceless. There are tons and tons of free or dead cheap children's programs at all the museums and cultural institutions. Even the most modest budget can take advantage of the things Chicago has to offer.

But try this on for size. Drive a mere two hours into the suburbs, say Naperville or somewhere along I-88, and take the train. METRA trains run on the hour. A round trip ticket downtown for a single adult is $7.50 (from Homewood) and kids under 12 are free. Or a weekend pass is $5.00.

You get to see this look on your kids' face as they get to ride in the upper deck or a "real train," and no traffic to deal with and you get dropped off in the heart of the loop. If one comes in from the South Side one gets dropped off right at Grant Park.

At the Art Institute weekend admission is $12 for an adult and kids under 12 are free. The Art Institute has something for everyone. Rowdy Young Boys? Check out the Arms and Armor room. Young girls will dig the historically accurate dollhouse Minature Rooms.

And of course everyone loves to go see the Impressionist exhibits on the second floor. But it isn't just wandering around looking at art. Heck, even the most precocious kids aren't going to stand for more than an hour of that. We hadn't been in more than two of the Impressionist galleries (we were still looking for the Seurat) when Jo was begging to "go ride the elevators."

Down in the basement is the Children's section. Touchable sculptures and a crafts room staffed by current and former School of the Art Institute students. Plus, if you do a little looking ahead of time they have guided tours and lectures just for kids. All free.

We happened to drop by on Youngest Chicago Designs afternoon. But there are always things going on and it is easy to plan a trip by going to the Art Institute web site.

Although the museum was very busy the Kraft Center was not crowded at all. There were no more than eight or so children participating in the activities at any one time. Molly and Jo both spent almost an hour designing their "dream homes," with lots of help and attention from the staff. The young staff were great, asking lots of questions about why the kids were putting this or that there and questioning their design decisions. Great stuff. Did I say it was free?

Afterwards, there are the pleasures of the new Millennium Park just across the street from the Art Institute and Randolph Street train station. A new skating rink, an insanely great new auditorium by Frank Gehry, the "jellybean" and the Crown Fountain shown above. There are also bicycle rentals for the summertime.

Our total expenses:

• $40.00 in gas for the van Clinton - Homewood - Clinton (plus some errands for the Grandparents).


• $7.50 round trip train ticket for one adult and three kids Homewood to Randlolph St.


• $12.00 one adult and three kids admission to the Art Institute


• $20.00 on Art Institute swag for the kids (optional)


• Total: $79.00.

Of course we ate at Grandma and Grandpa's and left the wife behind. But a family of four could still do the day for under $100.00.

And of course, it isn't just the Art Institute. This kid of stuff is available everywhere:
The Field Museum
The Shedd Aquarium (check out Tots on Tuesdays)
All the way to the Old Town School of Folk Music

And really, the first time you take them you will all remember it forever. Of course they may go on school trips but nothing compares to going with mom and dad. Clintonites really should take more advantage of the proximity to Chicago than they do. Take advantage of the fact that a world-class city is closer to your doorstep than Waterloo. Just one or two trips a year can have a lasting effect on the children. My kids certainly haven't stopped talking about it. They bugged us all the way home to set a date for our next "vacation" in Chicago.