Activities for Kids

6 Local Children’s Museums You Haven’t Visited Yet

Lesser-known children's museums hide out of sight but are well worth discovering. Read about our favorite secret places for hands-on play. We promise you haven't played them out ... yet.

By Taryn Bickley February 19, 2014

If you’ve already conquered Chicago Children’s Museum and Kohl Children’s Museum, then it’s time to find kiddie fun further afield. Head to lesser-known children’s museums that hide just out of sight but are well worth discovering. Click through our gallery for the 411 on secret places for imaginative play, interactive games and engaging exhibits. We promise you haven’t played them out … yet.

The Children’s Museum in Oak Lawn

This small but mighty museum has several centers that kids can toggle between. The focus of them is pretend play, so expect your kiddo's imagination to soar. The Dream a Dream Theatre has costumes and puppets, plus a stage on which budding thespians can perform in front of an audience. The Friendly Market invites young and old to rediscover the grocery store by acting as shoppers, check-out clerks, deli managers and produce shelvers. For more active play, the Treemendous Tunes Treehouse has a tunnel, steps and a rock ramp leading to musical instruments.

5100 Museum Dr., Oak Lawn (708-423-6709 or cmoaklawn.org). Open Tues.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; Fri., 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $7 for kids and adults; children under 1 are free.

Have you visited any of these museums? Let us know about it in the Comments section below.

— Taryn Bickley