Free Kids & Family Events in Chicago & Suburbs

KiddoChicago tracks 7,960 upcoming kids and family events across the Chicago suburbs — 6,974 of them free — in 144 towns. Everything here is pulled straight from the organisers themselves: public library calendars, park district programme guides, forest preserves, museums and community centres. Nothing is submitted or paid for, and the whole list is rebuilt every morning, so an event that was cancelled or filled up yesterday is gone today.

Most of it is free. Weekday mornings are storytime, baby lapsit and toddler play; after school runs to LEGO clubs, craft sessions and STEM workshops; weekends bring festivals, outdoor movies, concerts in the park and nature walks. You can browse by town below, jump to what is on this weekend, or use the interactive map to filter by your children's ages and how far you are willing to drive.

Happening this weekend in the Chicago suburbs

Trick or Treat Trail🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM📍 RecPlexPrice not listed
Hispanic Heritage Month Seek & Find🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 12 datesFree
Community Ofrenda | Ofrenda Comunitaria🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 16 datesFree
Word of the Week🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 30 datesFree
Messy Play🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 2 datesFree · Registration required
LEGO Club🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 4:15 PM - 5:00 PM📍 Elk Grove Village Public LibraryFree · Registration required
Gaming Group🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM📍 Elk Grove Village Public LibraryFree · Registration required
Hispanic Heritage Month Seek & Find🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 12 datesFree
Community Ofrenda | Ofrenda Comunitaria🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 16 datesFree
Word of the Week🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · All day📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 30 datesFree
TinkerCAD Basics🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM📍 Elk Grove Village Public LibraryFree · Registration required
Spanish Storytime - Tiempo De Cuento🕒 Sat, Oct 3 · 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM📍 Elk Grove Village Public Library🔁 2 datesFree
Baby Play🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM📍 Hanover Park Branch🔁 5 datesFree
Family Storytime🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM📍 Central Library🔁 4 datesFree · Registration required
CSI: Library Edition🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM📍 Central LibraryFree · Registration required
World Language Storytime: Filipino🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM📍 Mount Prospect Public LibraryFree
Teen Book Café🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM📍 Khepri Kitchen + CoffeeFree · Registration required
LEGO Mania🕒 Fri, Oct 2 · 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM📍 South BranchFree · Registration required

See everything on this weekend →

Browse by what you feel like doing

Festivals, Fairs & Town Days · LEGO Clubs & Building · Storytime & Early Literacy · Movie Nights & Outdoor Films · Concerts & Live Music · Crafts & Making · Science & STEM · Art Workshops · Nature Walks & Outdoors · Sports & Games · Toddler & Baby Play · Animals, Farms & Zoos · Splash Pads & Water Play · Teen & Tween Events · Bilingual & World Language · Open Play & Drop-In Playtime · Board Games & Tabletop · Sensory-Friendly & Inclusive · Book Clubs · Video Games & Esports · Music & Movement

Seasonal guides

Free Chicago Festivals & Events · Apple Picking Near Chicago · Pumpkin Patches Near Chicago · Berry Picking Near Chicago · Halloween Events Near Chicago

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