Kids Korner

Visit Chicago! Chicago Skyline Chicago Children's Museum Pritzker Family Children's Zoo It doesn’t matter if you live for sports or shopping; exist on burgers and pizza, or prefer more exotic fare (Greek? Vietnamese?); love poking around museums, or prefer the outdoors. Chicago is one city that’s got it all – from lakefront beaches within walking distance of downtown to world-class museums and zoos. Start your tour at the top of the Sears Tower. On a clear day, you can see the entire city and beyond from 1,343 feet up. (Print out a scavenger hunt to take with you at www.skydeck.com) Wow! Where’s your camera?

Did You Know?

• Sue, the world’s most famous – and most complete – skeleton of Tyrannosaurus Rex, not only lives in Chicago but has become one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. She’s huge – 13 feet high and 42 feet long – and since she was brought to the Field Museum five years ago, more than two million people have come to meet her. All summer you can join a “dig” at the museum and help unearth a full-size replica of Sue. She’s got her own website – www.fieldmuseum.org/sue.

• The famous “L” – short for elevated trains – were built for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition to provide transportation to the fair. The system circles the city’s business district, which is called “The Loop.” City dwellers hop the “L” to work. You can take it to go to a museum, shopping at Marshall Field (try some of the yummy chocolate Frango Mints), or to a ball game.

• The Great Chicago Fire really did start in Mrs. O’Leary’s barn on an October Sunday in 1871. By the time it was over, 300 people had died and more than 90,000 Chicagoans were homeless. The entire city was rebuilt afterward. Visit the Chicago Historical Society while you’re in Chicago or go to www.chicagohs.org for a lot more Chicago history.

• The Chicago Cubs are the only original National League franchise to have played every season in its original city. They’ve been around since the 1870s. Unfortunately, they haven’t won a pennant race since 1945, or a World Series since 1908, but that doesn’t stop the fans from loving their Cubbies. Go watch them play at historic Wrigley Field, one of the oldest ballparks in baseball (www.cubs.com). You’ve got plenty of other sports teams to cheer on, too – the American League White Sox (www.whitesox.com); the Bulls of Michael Jordan fame (www.chicagobulls.com ); the Blackhawks hockey team (www.chicagoblackhawks.com), and the Chicago Bears football team (www.chicagobears.com).

• Chicago’s nickname is the Windy City because it is between the Great Plains and the Great Lakes. But it’s not really among the windiest in the world. Some historians think the name first came from Chicago politicians talking a lot, being long-winded and boastful.

• The John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is the largest indoor aquarium in the world. More than 20,000 aquatic animals live here – from snails to whales. www.shedd.org

• Chicago has the only river in the world that flows backward. Engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900 for sanitary reasons – to keep it from polluting the Lake Michigan shoreline. Since then it has flowed into the Illinois River, which flows into the Mississippi River. A not-so-large boat or barge can actually cross from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico through Chicago. Chicago is also the first and perhaps only city to dye its river green in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

What Other Kids Say You Should Do While In Chicago . . .

Kristin Bragiel (age 17), Nikki Bragiel (age 15), and Shannon Bragiel (age 12) They live in Palos Hills, Illinois, just south of Chicago and Midway Airport. Their mom, Colleen Bragiel, is a Customer Service Manager for Southwest at Midway Airport. Don't Miss: Navy Pier, located in downtown Chicago. With its giant Ferris wheel, carousel, wave swings, mini golf, Imax Theater and the Children’s Museum. There are fireworks at night, too, and lots of performances (www.navypier.com). Also, Chicago has lots of museums. Besides the field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium, there’s the Museum of Science and Industry (www.msichicago.org ); the Adler Planetarium (www.adlerplanitarium.org); Chicago Children's Museum (www.chichildrensmuseum.org); and the Art Institute of Chicago (www.artic.edu), which have many special programs for kids. We also have two great zoos. The Lincoln Park Zoo is located near downtown Chicago (www.lpzoo.com), and the Brookfield Zoo is located just west of Chicago (www.brookfieldzoo.org). Six Flags Great America is about a 45-minute drive from the city and is a great place to spend the day. They have a new awesome water park (www.sixflags.com). Eat: Lot's of wonderful restaurant choices in Chicago but always make time for Chicago pizza. Pizzeria Uno is where Chicago Pizza was invented (29 E Ohio Street). Due opened a few years later a block away (www.unos.com). Giordano’s has won awards for having the best deep-dish pizza. They have a lot of restaurants (www.giordanos.com). Don't Go Home Without: Catching a baseball game with the Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox. You can get great souvenirs at the game. Best Thing To Do With Mom and/or Dad: Take a cruise through the downtown area and out along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Try Wendella Boats at www.wendellaboats.com.

Tell Your Parents . . .

• Chicago is a great city to visit with kids. There are so many museums, zoos, playgrounds, parks, stores, kid-friendly neighborhoods, and places to eat that you can’t possibly see it all! Visit www.877Chicago.com to book a discount hotel and find out what’s going on in the city when you visit. If you expect to take in a lot of sites, get a CityPass that not only lets you skip the lines but provides cheaper admission to six of the city’s top attractions (www.citypass.com).

• The little girls in the house will want to visit the American Girl Place, a giant store and entertainment complex designed just for girls and their dolls. Bring yours to tea – they’ve got doll-sized chairs and china. (www.americangirl.com).

• Be sure to try deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs!

See Past Editions of Kids Korner.

By: Eileen Ogintz, Author of Taking the Kids™