26 Best Things to Do for Kids this Spring - Featuring Many Sloops Spots!

Maps.  We love maps.  We love maps by Curbed Chicago.  Two maps for you today featuring Sloop spots.

First up - lots of us in the Sloop have kids...so here are The 26 best things to do in Chicago with kids (link): 

19. Harold Washington Library

The main branch of the Chicago Public Library, the postmodern Harold Washington building boasts an entire second floor of children’s books, games, hands-on activities, and multimedia tools that are perfect when inclement weather strikes. Head to the ninth floor to see a gorgeous winter garden with stunning glass ceilings.

20. Shedd Aquarium
Parents will love this Beaux-Arts building situated on Lake Michigan, but kids will have a ball exploring one of the world’s largest indoor aquariums.

21. Adler Planetarium

Even young kids will like checking out the eye-popping Amazon river tanks and the colorful coral and fish of the reef exhibits, and don’t miss watching swimming beluga whales, dolphins, and sea otters in the Polar Play Zone.

22. The Field Museum
This Grant Park natural history museum offers dinosaurs like Maximo the titanosaur and SUE, the world’s largest, best-preserved, and most complete Tyrannosaurus rex (returning to a new exhibition space on December 21). You can also see a real mummy, experience an array of hands-on activities in the Crown Family Play Lab, and watch a rotating schedule of 3D movies.

Second - and since it's the season - here are 26 things to do in Chicago this spring (link):

18. Harold Washington LibraryThe enormous red brick structure with bright turquoise colored aluminum acroterion is the central location for Chicago’s Public Library system. It’s a wonderful place to explore, but make sure you travel up to the ninth floor. That’s where you’ll find the Winter Garden where you can steal a quiet moment in a beautiful room. It houses study spaces and a special collections hall—all under a gorgeous glass roof.

19. Auditorium TheatreThe Auditorium Theatre is one of a kind and built in 1889 by architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler (who were mentoring a young Frank Lloyd Wright at the time). The building is remarkable for its construction, elaborate detail, and acoustic perfection. Currently, the theater is working to restore the meticulous, gold stencil work that was unfortunately painted over in previous decades. If you can’t see a performance in the dramatic space, there are a few tours throughout the week where you can learn more about the 24-karat gold leaf ceiling arches, intricate floor and wall mosaics, and murals by Charles Holloway and Albert Fleury.

20. Adler Planetarium Explore the stars, planets, and solar systems at the country’s first planetarium. The Doane Observatory has one of the largest aperture telescope available to the public and after-hours events where visitors can see the Moon, Jupiter, or Saturn. The view from the Adler isn’t just about the sky—looking back at the city from this far out is pretty spectacular too.

22. Glessner HouseNear South Side’s historic Prairie District, the Glessner House is an important commission—influencing the works of architects such as Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mies van der Rohe. Built in 1887, when Victorian homes were popular, the Henry Hobson Richardson design featured a courtyard and a strong visual emphasis on the horizontal. This National Historic Landmark now operates as a non-profit museum.