Need Suggestions on Places to Visit with an Infant

The children's museum at Navy Pier is free for children under 1 yr - so you'd only have to pay admission for the adults.

Lincoln Park Zoo is great if the weather is nice. Wednesday mornings they have a sing-a-long in the yellow barn at the farm in the zoo. There are 2 shows - 9am and 10:15 (I think). It is loads of fun. $1 donations are suggested.

Lincoln Park Conservatory or Garfield Park Conservatory are free and beautiful. LP has a great holiday train display. I used to take my daughter to both conservatories all the time when she was an infant. She loved the colors and smells and its always warm and tropical in there.

Check the Chicago Cultural Center - they usually have something interesting going on, and call Borders to see when they have storytime.

The Field Museum just opened a new kid's section. I havent' been, so can't rate it. The Museum of Science and Industry is fantastic! There is an area called the Imagaination Factory (or something similar) that is great. They have a sectioned off area for non-walkers. If you check the museum websites, you can find when they have free or discount days.

Chicago has so much to offer children and their parents! And it doesn't have to be expensive!

Have fun!

A word of caution...I work at the Shedd and the week of Christmas is one of our busiest times of year. If you decide to come that week, we open at 9am and you will want to come as early as you can. Avoid the day after Christmas at all costs. There is also a great play lab at the Field Museum for babes and kids. I take my 15 mth. old there and she has a blast! Try the Garfield Park conservatory too: indoors and they have a chidren's wing.

Don't worry about entertaining your little girl, she will be happy going whereever you go. If you feel like shopping, she will happily tag along and enjoy looking at all the people. Be sure to let her check out the lights on Michigan Ave if it's not too cold. We love going to the Shedd but don't feel like you need to go there for her sake. Some of the downtown hotels have live music (piano usually) in the lobby that might be interesting for her. Most of the classes (e.g. baby and me) are not running the week of Christmas because of the holiday). Have a great time in Chicago!

I agree with the other Moms; at her age anything downtown would be interesting without paying for admission to a museum. You could spend a lot of time at Macy's looking at decorations and shopping, letting her touch, smell and see different things (nice place you to have lunch.... lot of food options. http://www.visitmacyschicago.com/visitors/dining.cfm

The architecture at the Cultural Center is amazing... be sure to see the main auditorium which has amazing stained glass (similar in grandeur to the central tank area at the Shedd).

IF THE WEATHER IS WARM you could explore the sculptures and watch ice skaters at Millennium Park.

A ride on the El would be exciting too, if she is not too startled by loud noises.

If you want to hang with other moms, gymboree has a location in the south loop which would be a quick cab ride. Or one on North ave which is a little farther... both are in very commercial areas which aren't great places to stroll around.

Harold Washington Library would be a nice big place to explore. Here is a link to kids programs and contact info:
http://www.chipublib.org/003cpl/calendar/cplcalendar.html

Enjoy the city!

Shedd is great except for the cost. If you go, plan on being there a good while to make it economically worthwhile. They do have lots of fun things. My 5 month old went there and she loved to look at the fish close up. I think she was a little young for the dolphin show. The children's museum at Navy Pier might also be a good spot. There is a children's museum in Oak park as well that has a great crawling area for little ones. Nikki in the Garden at the Conservatory is also fun and the Conservatory has a variety of fun activities for little ones.

I may have a different view on this than others, I don't know, but I would not waste your money going to these places at 5 1/2 months - I would just spend the time with a young infant playing games and hanging out having fun at home, taking walks indoors etc. Museums are expensive and they are just as easily and eagerly happy being entertained by their mommy and bonding with you rather than spending the day looking at exhibits that are not developmentally appropriate anyway. As for classes you could check out gymboree - that is a worthwhile thing to spend your money on because its indoors, very much age appropriate and you spend the time together bonding. Just my take as an early childhood educator and a mother. Take it for what its worth!

Hello -

I agree with many other responders that at 5 1/2 months your daughter may be happy just looking at Christmas lights or playing at home. But if you decide to make your way down to the Museum Campus, you really should check out The Field Museum's Crown Family Playlab. It is one of the only spots for infants and toddlers in any of Chicago's major Museums - - the areas are designed to let the Museum's youngest visitors explore what the Museum has to offer in a child friendly, hands-on area. It is also less than the Shedd!! If your daughter naps then you have one of the World's preminent Museums to wonder - - and the exhibits are amazing. Their web site is: http://www.fieldmuseum.org/