It’s the spookiest time of the year! Our list of things to do with kids this weekend is jam-packed with family-friendly fun. Put on your costumes and get ready for a Halloween weekend filled with festive celebrations. Check out a residential driving route, creep through a haunted house, or stock up on candy at one of the many trunk-or-treat events. (Pro tip: keep this indoor Halloween list handy if the weather starts to get scary.) To keep the fun going, Sunday starts Día de los Muertos celebrations to welcome back and honor the souls of deceased family and friends. We can’t wait for all the eerie or not-so-scary fun in store in the roundup below.
This weekend planner is sponsored by Pixels by Emily and Chicago Wolves.
Go Trick-or-Treating with the Chicago Wolves this Saturday at Allstate Arena!
It’s going to be Spooktacular fun this Saturday at Allstate Arena when the Chicago Wolves play their annual HOWL-o-ween night game against the Texas Stars!
Make sure to dress up in your favorite Halloween costume and arrive early when the doors open at 6pm because there will be trick-or-treating on the Allstate Arena concourse featuring Nerds, Brachs and Trolli! Get your Chicago Wolves tickets for this Saturday’s Chicago Wolves games at Ticketmaster.com. THIS is Wolves hockey.
Magical Santa Experience with Pixels by Emily
Magical Santa Experience
Pixels by Emily
704 E Franklin Street
Mahomet, IL 61853
(217) 730-3050
October 18, 24, 25
November 7, 8, 14, 15, 28, 29
December 5, 6, 19
One day, they’ll stop believing. Until then, make the magic real.
Give your child a Christmas experience that feels as magical as they imagine it to be. The Magical Santa Experience is an unforgettable 60-minute private experience designed to capture the wonder and excitement of Christmas through your child’s eyes.
Step inside Santa’s Magical Workshop, where twinkling lights, toys, treats, Christmas music, and authentic details bring the North Pole to life. Your child will spend meaningful one-on-one time with Santa, explore his workshop, gather around the cozy fireside, and discover special traditions including Santa’s Reindeer Calling Sleigh Bells and the story behind them.
And while they’re experiencing the magic, we’ll capture timeless, Norman Rockwell-inspired portraits that preserve more than a beautiful photograph, they preserve this season of childhood.
Cherish this Christmas memory for years to come, because they’re only this little once, and one day, Christmas will feel different. Until then, make the magic real. Secure your spot for the Magical Santa Experience and give them a Christmas they’ll never forget.
Table of Contents
Things to Do with Kids This Weekend: Western Suburbs
Please check the details before you go to these events to ensure you know about registration requirements and additional info to maximize your family’s fun. While we do our best to keep the most up-to-date information in our calendar, last minute location or time changes do happen. Want to find “weekend events near me”? We have you covered!
Friday
Celebrate Wonderween with Wonder Works in Oak Park or Trunk or Treat at the Children’s Farm in Palos Park. It’s a great night for jump scares at one of the many Haunted Houses throughout the suburbs.
Saturday
We hope you have a happy Halloween exploring all the family-friendly fun before trick-or-treating begins!
Sunday
Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at one of the many community offerings happening on Sunday, or enjoy the final night of The Forge: Lemont Quarries Enchanted Adventure before spooky season is over. Pro tip: Geneva French Market is one of the last farmers markets open for the season!
Things to Do with Kids This Weekend: Northwest Suburbs
We strive to answer the question “Where can I find weekend events near me?” Our team takes care to stock the calendar full of kid-friendly fun, but please keep in mind that last minute changes to events do happen. We recommend clicking through to the event details to double check if there has been a change in registration requirements and to get additional information before you go. Have fun!
Friday
Celebrate at Schaumburg Township District Library’s Halloween Hoopla, Park Ridge’s Kooky Spooky Skate, or one of the many trunk-or-treat options on Friday night.
Saturday
We hope you have a happy Halloween exploring all the family-friendly fun before trick-or-treating begins!
Sunday
Enjoy Kids Free Day at Chicago Children’s Museum and Dia de los Muertos at Navy Pier. Round out a weekend of fun with a visit to Poplar Creek Public Library’s Diwali Festival.
Want to look ahead to next week?
Check out all the family-friendly events happening in your neighborhood and beyond on our events calendar. You can filter the calendar by day by clicking the date on top, so if you are looking for things to do on a specific day, it’s easy to find!
You might also be interested in…
- All the Best Family-Friendly Fall Activities in Chicagoland
- The Ultimate 2026 Halloween Chicago Suburbs Family Guide
- 2026-27 Guide to Kids Classes and Teams
- Where to Have the Best Kids Birthday Party + Entertainers, Rentals, Decor, Food and More
- Find the Right Preschool and Daycare for Your Family
- Your Local Guide to Kids Eat Free
We hope you found some family-friendly fun in our list of things to do with kids this weekend in the west and northwest suburbs of Chicago! This list is updated every week and sent out in the Kidlist emails. (Click here to sign up if you haven’t already.)
We love local businesses, libraries, park districts, villages, and organizations — they plan great events for all of us to enjoy. If you are hosting an event or know of an event that should be on our list, click here to submit it to the Kidlist calendar!
We strive to be the most comprehensive source for family fun, which is why you’ll always see so many weekend events listed. It would definitely be easier to just list the details for a few events and call them “the best weekend events for families”, but we recognize that everyone has different interests. Not to mention, sometimes I’m in the mood to go to a huge festival, and sometimes I’d rather go to a low-key storytime at the library. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. That’s why we work hard and spend a lot of time to find everything going on in our area so you don’t have to!
We hope you find it helpful and we are open to suggestions. The Kidlist Team always talks about how we can improve and evolve to meet your needs, so let us know!
3 Comments. Leave new
This is a wonderful site. Thank you.
Love this Katie! Good job! Always looking for different healthy activities for the kiddos!
Awesome job, we struggle each week to find things to do with our grandchildren. Thank you so much.