I have a soon to be 3 year old that I am now home with. I do not have the money to sign him up for expensive park district or YMCA classes. Do you have any suggestions on inexpensive things we can do (classes, activities, etc) to help keep him entertained? He will be attending preschool 2 mornings a week - but on the other mornings, I'd like to get him out, meeting other kids and enjoying himself rather than cooped up in the house.
I know there are always parks to go to - but it seems we did that a lot this summer. I'm hoping for some free (or very inexpensive) classes, lessons etc.
Thanks for your help!
You can always try the library. They usually have music or stories for the little ones. They are all free! You can also try to join a Moms Club or M.O.P.S. Just look up Moms Club or M.O.P.S...google it. See what comes up. Have fun! The time goes by so fast!
B.
in wheaton there is a small free zoo called cosley.......join a mops group....or a playgroup....philips park & zoo in aurora is free & fun & they have a train thats free too.....library has programs.......the vaughn center in north aurora has a real nice kids pool with lots to do for about $3.........mcdonalds playland........naperville riverwalk......book store, the one in plainfield has a fun train table........my kids love oakbrook mall because of all the water fountains..........we go to the pet store often too........oh & another great one is blackberry farm in aurora, pack a lunch or buy food its a lot of fun, its super cheap & you can spend a whole day there..........hope this helps....enjoy
Maybe you could use this board to start a playgroup. While the weather is nice you could meet at parks, have picnic lunches, etc.
There are alot of meet-up groups that you can join. I'd see if there is a stay at home mom's group in your area. I had joined one for awhile, it was great. We did walks, library, etc. I'm back to work full time now, so I can't do the group anymore.
One other thing I'd mention is I put my son in 3 vacation bible schools this summer. They are super cheap ($20-$35 for the whole week!) I know summer is over, but keep it in mind for next year. He had a blast doing art projects, singing, snacking, etc.
Hello,
I am not sure where you live but Villa Park library has a free really nice toddler time starting Sept. 21st. Also I have joined some meetup groups that always have fun things to do. If you need any more suggestions just let me know because I have a 3 year old also.
My kids are big, but I had the same situation and I started my own Play Group. We had 5 families and 6 children.We would switch homes. We rotated locations and activities. The roles changed every time.
We met everyother week on a Wednesday AM.
The person who's home we conviened provided a healthy snack. The week before you hosted, you came up with an activity. Color, pasting, finger painting, there are so many clever things for them to do, and inexpensively.
You can make your own playdough with salt, make horns out of papertowel rolls......
Try organizing play dates or play groups with parents and kids from preschool. This is how my kids and I met some of our best friends! In fact my older son is 7 and I am still very good friends with moms I met in the beginning of his 3 year old preschool! Try looking for Family Time magazine or an Oaklee's Guide (they are usually at Park Districts and/or libraries- they are free). They usually have some free stuff to do with kids. Good Luck!
You've gotten some great suggestions. The library, the free zoos, and playdates are great. I just wanted to add that my kids love to go to IKEA once in a while. If you live close to one, the kids section is fun to play in, and if your son is 37in tall and potty trained, there is a drop off playground he can play in (for free) while you shop or have some coffee for an hour. Have fun with him!
I used to do weekly field trips with my toddlers... trips to the fire department, police department, quick train rides (just a couple stops down to a neighboring suburb, my kids thought that was a "BIG DEAL". They'd bring a friend and would ride free!!!), going to an animal shelter, to feed the "pets". We have a nice (free) nature center by us (Pilcher Park/Joliet) and they have turtles and other kinds of reptiles, birds and small animals.
In your neighborhood, look around at your smaller business, that carries kidstuff. Many book stores or smaller toy stores may host some free activities (someone mentioned "Barnes & Noble" - they are good for storytime activities and special events), Even places like a sports store (Dick's sporting goods) has a climbing wall for a nominal fee. The Bolingbrook Promenade (outdoor mall) has some outdoor activities planned, this Fall.
Have a picnic and go to a place that you haven't seen before - perhaps like Cantigny, in Wheaton, which boasts some of the most beautiful gardens and they have some kid activities ($5.00 per carload, for parking). http://www.cantigny.org/kids/
Some pumpkin patches can be expensive but Johansen's, in Bolingbrook, is fun and most of the activities are free. http://www.johansenfarms.com/fall.html
Tuesdays are free days at Brookfield Zoo.
Or find a place to pick apples.
Someone mentioned VBS and that is a great & cheap Summer idea for kids as there are so many Churches who host them, each having different themes (Your religious affiliation with their Church is not necessary)
Also, make sure you check with your local Library for free "Mommy & Me" classes. That was always a great resource.
Enjoy!
Check out your library for story time. Also some churches have programs... Blanchard Church in Wheaton/Warrenville, has a music class for the kids once a week. You could even start a co-op of some sort. This summer 5 of us from our neighborhood had an art co-op. The moms rotated teaching, and it was great.
Kline Creek Farm, Cosley Zoo, and nature centers are fun too!
I second the Cosley Zoo in Wheaton and Phillips Park Zoo in Aurora. Both are free and not too big so they are perfect for the young ones. The library story hour is also free and most libraries have them.
Take him to the library they usually have programs for toddlers during the day! C.
your library will have a free story time which is like a mini preschool, they also have frequent classes that are also free
Other than that there are lots of other options. If you buy a membership to your local children's museum, you can use it at about 7 others in the area, rotating those will keep you busy for a year. We did this and when we went on vacation we also went to 5 more in other states for free. http://www.childrensmuseums.org/visit/us_members.htm#illi... is the list of the ones that participate.
Here are some other things that will help you out:
http://www.kidwinks.com/
http://www.heritagecorridorcvb.com/will-county/will-count...
http://www.chicagofun.com/
http://www.chicagotraveler.com/kids-things-to-do.htm
http://www.chicagokids.com/
http://chicagoparent.com/
http://dnr.state.il.us/LANDS/LANDMGT/PARKS/R3/Clinton.htm
http://www.oakleesguide.com/
http://dennisobrien.net/chicago/museums.html
http://www.2havefun.com/illinois/Counties/
http://homepage.mac.com/darylmonge/indianprairie/thingsto...
http://www.three-rivers-library.org/threerivers/fieldtrip...
http://www.fpdwc.org/
http://www.lakekatherine.org/
http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismsites/lockport/
It has been awhile since I had a toddler but one of the things we used to do was go to the library. They had groups specifically for pre-schoolers that were on a drop-in basis and free. There were usually 2-3 times to choose from each week so hopefully there will be one that doesn't conflict with pre-school. They would read stories to the kids, do some type of activity that got them moving (Simon Says, etc.), do a craft and sometimes have a snack. It usually lasted about an hour. Barnes & Noble also has storytime for pre-schoolers that is free. Good Luck & Have fun!!
One thing that I loved to do with my daughter is take her to the storytimes at Barnes & Noble on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She appreciated it more the older she got. They also do a "craft" afterward (drawing on paper w/crayons). And it's all free!
