As a stay-at-home mom, I am perpetually bored. I am in constant search of things to do. I know it seems like it would be nice to just be home all the time, but I PROMISE you, it can make a girl go crazy. I can only hear the Mickey Mouse “Hot Diggity Dog” song so many times before I am tempted to run for the high hills. As a result, I began taking the kids out for numerous “adventures.”
We all benefit from some time out of the house, but I quickly learned how freaking expensive it is to keep up with these outings. Paying admission for 1 adult and 2 kids can add up fast, and I know darn well that I am not getting my money’s worth dragging a 4-year-old and 2-year-old around. Nothing is more aggravating to me than taking the kids somewhere and ending up $75 in the hole before we even get through the door! Not to mention the minute my 2-year-old has a meltdown, I am evacuating the place like it is on fire and I can kiss my $75 of fun goodbye! I decided during one of these episodes that we needed to start heading out to some low-budget entertainment.
It was so frustrating trying to find some of these hidden gems! The free stuff is rarely advertised, and I found a lot of these places through word-of-mouth. I was like an undercover mom spy last year, getting the scoop from random women I had never met at the playground. They probably thought I was a lunatic. It really shouldn’t have been that hard. So now….I will bestow this magical knowledge upon you!
This is my summer list! Everything on my list is cheap – $5 or less per person – if you follow my instructions. Most of it is even FREE! I am well aware of the fantastic attractions available to us in Chicagoland, but you won’t find them on this list. They are just too pricey! I live in the southwest burbs, so the things listed are within a reasonable distance of me. I categorized the list by activity. With each place I have included the address, summer hours, admission, parking and a link to the website. (If they have one, the link is highlighted in blue – some don’t have a website) I also provided some other random info that I love knowing ahead of time before heading out for a day with the kids. (Such as – if there is a picnic area, the bathroom situation, if it is stroller-friendly, etc.) I hope you can enjoy going on some of these adventures as much as we do! Happy exploring, my fellow adventurers!
Zoos:
FREE!
1000 Ray Moses Dr., Aurora, IL
Open daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
A small zoo located in Philips Park. Philips Park also has playgrounds, a free splash pad, a sunken garden and picnic area with tables. There are restrooms inside the visitor center. There is plenty of free parking, and most of the zoo is stroller-friendly. No concessions, but you can bring your own food/drink and eat in the picnic area. The zoo has a lot of decent exhibits for being free. They do ask for donations, but it is not required. There are donation boxes inside the visitor center and at the zoo entry.
$5 or less per person
1356 North Gary Ave., Wheaton, IL
Open daily from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
A very cute, clean little zoo! $4 per adult and all kids 17 and under are free! The whole zoo is stroller-friendly. There is a concession stand, but you can bring in your own food and drink. There is a picnic area with tables. Restrooms are on-site. Parking is free. You can feed the ducks and chickens daily. They also have a very cute “Backpack Explorer” self guided tour that my 4-year-old loves! You can rent a pack for $2 from the gift shop. (You only need 1 pack per family per visit.) The pack is full of little activities and items to help guide you through the zoo. Once you complete your tour of the zoo, you can return your completed pack to the gift shop and receive an Eco-Explorer button. There are 8 different themes to the packs, so you can get 8 buttons total throughout the summer! It makes for a new zoo experience every time you visit! We LOVE this zoo!
Gardens/Nature:
FREE!
500 N Chicago Avenue, Elwood, Illinois
Open daily from dawn to dusk
My favorite hidden gem to date! Totally free, beautiful children’s garden full of toys, musical instruments, art supplies and paths to explore. This garden has an evergreen maze, sunflower tunnel, mud kitchen, butterfly garden and so much more! My kids stay busy here for hours. Plenty of free parking. Huge playgrounds and working bathrooms across the parking lot. There are two picnic pavilions to choose from. One is inside the children’s garden and the other is by the bathrooms and playgrounds. Bring your own food and drink because there are no concessions available. Stroller-friendly. Be prepared with a change of clothes – Your kids WILL get dirty.
$5.00 or less per person
14158 W. 159th Street, Homer Glen, IL
Open weekdays and Sunday from 9:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturdays from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.
The cutest local farm that allows you to pick your own produce! My kids LOVE this place! So far we have picked our own strawberries, rhubarb, blackberries, cherries and apples here. They have tons of other stuff you can pick listed on their website. $5 per person to enter the field, and then you pay for what you pick by weight. (If you want to pick your produce all season, buy a Pick Pass for $25 per person. This gets you unlimited access to the field, plus 10% off your produce price for the entire year.) ALWAYS check the website before you head to the farm! They update it every morning with what is available for picking that day. The paths are all gravel and dirt, so I wouldn’t call this place stroller-friendly. We usually bring our red wagon with to help pull the produce. The farm supplies containers and bags if you need them. Since they sell everything you pick by weight, you can also bring your own produce bags or cardboard boxes if you want to be Earth friendly. (I do recommend using their supplied quart containers for berries.) I also recommend wearing closed toe shoes that you don’t mind getting muddy, a hat that keeps the sun out of your eyes, sunscreen, bug spray and old clothes. If you have little kids, I can promise your whole family WILL leave this place covered in fruit juice, mashed berries and dirt. They have port-a-potties by the farm stand, but nothing out in the field! Plan your potty checks ahead of time if you have little kids!
FREE!
2501 Highland Park Dr., Joliet, IL
Open daily from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Visit the Pilcher Park Nature Center to see exhibits of local wildlife, walk a few hiking trails, go fishing in Hickory Creek, take a walk through the Bird Haven Greenhouse, play on the playground and stop at one of the picnic tables for lunch. No concessions available, so bring your own food/drink. There is plenty of shade. Some of the trails are stroller-friendly. There are bathrooms available in the Nature Center and by the playground. Plenty of parking available throughout the park.
Little Red School House Nature Center – Willow Springs, IL
FREE!
9800 Willow Springs Rd., Willow Springs, IL
Open 9:00 am – 6:00 pm Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday-Sunday, CLOSED Friday
An adorable nature center full of educational fun for kids. Inside the new Green Schoolhouse and the same Little Red Schoolhouse from our childhood, you will find live animal exhibits and interactive exhibits about local wildlife and their habitats. It has a children’s museum feel to it. There are bathrooms inside, and stroller friendly paths around the nature center. There are some good benches on the grounds to stop and have a picnic. You can take a short hike around the nature trail to see some gardens, plants and wildlife – some of the trails may not be stroller-friendly if there was recent rain. We saw bullfrogs by the lily pads last year! Plenty of parking. Check their schedule of events on the website if you are looking for something extra, because they have a bunch of free, family-friendly, nature-based events throughout the summer.
Splash Pads:
- Brent Hassert Park – Crest Hill, IL
FREE!
19623 Renwick Rd., Crest Hill, IL
Open 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Plenty of free parking. A decent-sized, enclosed splash pad. It is attached to 2 different playgrounds with rubberized surfacing. It can get busy in the mornings, but lunchtime and afternoons are not as bad. There are bathrooms, a drinking fountain, concession machines and a picnic shelter attached to the splash pad area. Bring sunscreen and hats because there is very little shade here! We usually pack a picnic lunch and a change of clothes so that the girls can play on the playgrounds once they are done splashing. Stroller-friendly.
- The Promenade Mall – Children’s Play Area – Bolingbrook, IL
FREE!
631 E Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL
Open during mall hours
Plenty of free parking. It is inside the open-air mall. Park on the side near Bass Pro Shops. This splash pad is little underwhelming, but fun for a quick little outing. It has a few interactive water fountains on a rubberized surface. It is usually not too crowded, and sometimes we even have it all to ourselves. Plenty of family-friendly restaurants in the area, and lots of shopping if you want to run errands before you play! (We also usually walk across the street to Bass Pro Shop because Emmy is obsessed with looking at the fish tank – whatever keeps the kid’s entertained!) It is stroller-friendly with plenty of benches to sit and keep and eye on the kids. Bathrooms are available inside the mall.
- Hobson Corner Park – Woodridge, IL
FREE!
2910 Hobson Rd., Woodridge, IL
Open 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Free parking. Very basic with interactive fountains shooting up from the ground, but my kids still love it. I usually bring a couple small buckets for them to play with. Small area with a few tables to sit at, or bring a blanket to spread on the surrounding grass. Stroller-friendly. No restrooms, but a port-a-potty is there for emergencies!
$5 or less per person!
Open daily from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
If I am going to pay for a splash pad, it better be good! When we do go here, the kids always freak out – It is by far their favorite splash pad! You pay $5 per non-resident child and adults are free. Plan to get wet with your little kids, because this splash pad is huge! (If your kids are older you might be able to get away with supervision from the side.) NO food is allowed inside the splash pad area. You can get your hand stamped and exit the splash pad to have snacks and such. There is a nice picnic pavilion, but come early to claim a table! There is also plenty of grassy area to claim with a picnic blanket, which is what we usually do. You can bring your own food and drinks for a picnic, but they also have a concession stand that offers snacks and drinks.There are bathrooms, but they are a little bit of a walk from the splash pad. There is a nice playground and a huge sand pit, so bring some sand toys to keep the kids busy. This park is stroller-friendly and has plenty of free parking.
Pools:
$5 or less per person – specific instructions below
500 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville, IL
Open Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 8:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Zero-depth entry, sand-bottom pool with a couple of fountains for little ones to play in and a small slide. Also has platforms and diving boards in the deep water for older kids who can pass a swim test. Large sandy “beach” area for building sand castles and digging. My kids LOVE it here! It is pricey for normal admission and usually VERY crowded. This place makes my list because from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm you can get in for only $3 per non-resident on weekdays and Saturdays! Bonus: It is not as crowded at this time too.
Extra Details: Lifeguards on duty. There is free parking, but sometimes it fills up and you have to use the street parking on Jackson Street. Coast Guard approved floatation devices (such as puddle jumpers and life vests) are allowed. Somewhat stroller-friendly – There are paved sidewalks connecting the parking lot, pool area and concessions. Once you are in the pool area it is mostly sand and grass. Bathrooms and locker rooms are on-site. You can bring in your own food/drink. (I pack a small cooler.) They do have a concession stand/restaurant offering sandwiches, treats and drinks. There are plenty of picnic tables and lounge chairs to choose from, or bring a blanket to spread out on the grassy area. There are some shady spots too.
$5.00 or less per person – specific instructions below
16028 127th St., Lemont, IL
Open weekdays 12:00 – 7:00 pm and weekends 12:00 – 6:00 pm
A nice pool for little kids. Zero-depth entry with a few fountains to play in. A large water slide and diving board keep the older kids occupied. Normal admission is a little high, but this pool makes my list because on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays they open early for families with kids under 11 years old! You pay a discounted admission for this time slot. FREE for 2 and under, $6 per non-resident adult, $4 per non-resident child – OR – a non-resident family of 4 for $11. Not bad for a morning swim when you consider the cost of normal non-resident admission, plus less crowds!
Extra Details: Lifeguards on duty. Free parking and stroller-friendly. You can bring in your own food/drink. (I pack a small cooler.) They do have a small concession stand offering snacks and drinks. There are plenty of picnic tables and lounge chairs to choose from. Bathrooms and locker rooms are attached to pool area. Bring your own towels, hats and lots of sunscreen! Shade is hard to come by here unless you can grab one of the tables with an umbrella.
Sports:
$5.00 or less per person – specific instructions below
1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive, Joliet, IL
Click the link above for game schedule.
An affordable way to take your family out to the ballpark! A very family-friendly minor league team. They make my list because they have $2 Tuesdays – seats are $2 apiece! They have promotional theme nights such as Superhero night, Princess night, Lego night, Harry Potter night, etc. On Fridays there are post-game fireworks. On Sundays there are post-game meet and greets, so the kids can get autographs from their favorite players. After most games, they let the kids on the field to run the bases. My favorite way to go with little kids is buying $7 lawn seats. It is an open grassy area, and the kids have some freedom to run around if the game gets a little boring. Bring a blanket to sit on, and your glove to catch foul balls! If you want a regular seat it is still only $12, or you can get a club seat for $14. Parking for Slammers games is free, and you can also get to the game an hour early to enjoy discounted “early bird special” ballpark food and drink!
Music/Movies:
FREE!
Every Monday night from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Central Square. (Corner of 9th St and Hamilton.) Click link for concert schedule.
Shop a farmer’s market, buy dinner off a food cart, let the kids jump in the free bouncy house, grab free treats (This past Monday had all you can eat ice cream, and last year we had snow cones every night), walk through the car show and enjoy a live music concert! The event is totally FREE, unless you choose to buy food/drink! Bring a blanket and some lawn chairs to claim a spot on the grass. You can also bring your own food/drink. Park in one of the downtown lots and walk over. Bathrooms inside Central Square building.
FREE!
New Lenox Commons, 1 Veterans Pkwy, New Lenox, IL
10 free movie nights total – click link above for schedule.
Starts at dusk, approx 8:00 pm. Bring a blanket and lawn chairs to claim your spot on the green and enjoy a movie outside. Concession stand available, but you can bring your own food/drink. (We have actually never gone to this, but I hear good things from a lot of people. I have no idea what the bathroom situation is. I will update this when I find out!)
FREE!
“Ratatouille” – June 3, “Tower Heist” – July 8, “The Lego Movie” – August 5 (Click link for more info.)
Movie starts at dusk (approx 8:00) on Breidert Green. (The big grassy area with a small stage in the middle of downtown.)
Bring a blanket, snacks and lawn chairs and enjoy a movie outside. Get there early to claim a good spot, and walk across the street to Kernel Sweet Tooth to grab popcorn and ice cream! (No bathrooms were on site that I could find, but I was able to use Kernel Sweet Tooth’s with one of my daughters last year after we purchased a snack.)
So there you have it. My list of local, cheap fun. Now go have a family adventure on me!
Just kidding….it will probably be free!
You. Are. Welcome.
🙂 Kaitlyn
P.S. If you liked this post, you may also like Good Cheap Getaway for some easy and quick family vacation ideas!
