It’s another smaller list of things to do with kids this weekend, but we are grateful for a quieter weekend before the holiday chaos officially begins. If you’re already eager to start Thanksgiving preparations, our list, Family-Friendly Thanksgiving Traditions and Events, has ideas for Thanksgiving week camps, Kidlist team traditions, and much more. Thanks to a reader’s suggestion, we’ve added a section including spots to order Thanksgiving food this year.
Did you know that local libraries and museums love to celebrate DINO-vember, filling their November calendar with family-friendly fun for your littlest dinosaur lovers? This weekend, you’ll find dinosaur stomping, t-rex roaring and plenty of dinosaur crafts and games throughout the west and northwest suburbs.
This weekend planner is sponsored by Marmion Academy.
Marmion Academy Open House
Marmion Academy Open House
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 | 6:30pm
1000 Butterfield Rd
Aurora, IL 60502
Don’t miss Marmion Academy’s Open House on November 20th at 6:30pm! This Open House will focus on Marmion’s Brotherhood, Spirituality, Academics and Leadership and will be approximately two hours in length. There will be time to speak with teachers, moderators, and current students about Marmion’s programs and activities before and after the Open House.
All present at the Open House will be entered into a drawing to win a $500 tuition voucher*! Save time in line and RSVP today.
*Tuition voucher is valid for new students only; must be present to win.
Learn more and RSVP here: https://www.marmion.org/openhouse
Doors open at 6:00 PM; Enter through Door #7. If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions Office at (630) 897-6936 or email admissions@marmion.org.
Marmion Academy, founded in 1933, is a not-for-profit high school for young men, situated on a scenic 325-acre campus in Aurora, is owned and operated by the Benedictine Monks of Marmion Abbey.
Things to Do with Kids This Weekend: Western and Northwest 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
We love our local libraries! Stretch it out at Brookfield Public Library’s Ninja Storytime or cozy up with a good book at Warrenville Public Library’s Family Reading Night.
Dinosaur Party (Helen Plum Library, Lombard)
November 15, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:30am
Bilingual Story Times: Italian (DuPage Children’s Museum, Naperville)
November 15, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:30am
Included in general admission.
Ninja Storytime (Brookfield Public Library)
November 15, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:30am
Register in advance.
Scales-N-Tales Storytime (Franklin Park Public Library)
November 15, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:30am
Register in advance.
Favorite Character’s Club: Owl Diaries (St. Charles Public Library)
November 15, 2024 | 4:00pm – 6:00pm
Build and Watch: Encanto (Mount Prospect Public Library – South Branch)
November 15, 2024 | 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Register in advance.
Family Reading Night (Warrenville Public Library)
November 15, 2024 | 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Chi-Town Skygazers (Navy Pier, Chicago)
November 15, 2024 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Saturday
Enjoy a Free Family Holiday Movies: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at the Glen Art Theatre in Glen Ellyn or the Super Saturday: Macaroni Soup with Miss Carole at Indian Trails Public Library – Main Branch in Wheeling. We spy some Christmas festivities popping into our calendar, like Holiday Magic in Motion at Promenade Bolingbrook on Saturday night.
Friends Holiday Book Sale (Mount Prospect Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 9:00am – 3:00pm
Noon Lions Club Free Vision Screening (Santori Library, Aurora)
November 16, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:30am
Lowe’s Kids’ Workshops (Check your local store)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 1:00pm
Bookmobile at Target (Bolingbrook)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Hosted by the Fountaindale Public Library.
Saturday Morning Cartoon Party: The Goofy Movie (Lisle Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 12:00pm
Family Yoga Storytime (Park Ridge Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:45am
Family Explorers: Trees at Crabtree Nature Center (Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:45am
T-Rexplorers (Woodridge Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:00am
Register in advance.
Saturday with Santa (Oak Park Arts District)
November 16, 2024 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
Free Family Holiday Movies: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Glen Art Theatre, Glen Ellyn)
November 16, 2024 | 10:30am – 12:30pm
Dudes and Donuts (Lemont Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:00am
Registration is required.
Meet Daisy From Nature Cat (Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago)
November 16, 2024 | 10:30am – 1:30pm
Included in general admission.
Storytime with RABBITS (Downers Grove Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:25am
Register in advance for one of two sessions.
Tiny Great Performances: Suzuki School (DuPage Children’s Museum, Naperville)
November 16, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:30pm
Included in general admission.
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 16, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Super Saturday: Macaroni Soup with Miss Carole (Indian Trails Public Library – Main Branch, Wheeling)
November 16, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:40am
Tickets are distributed before the program.
Library Birthday Party (Berwyn Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Santa Arrives by Helicopter (Winston Plaza, Melrose Park)
November 16, 2024 | 12:00pm – 3:00pm
Tractor-Drawn Wagon Ride (Danada Equestrian Center, Wheaton)
November 16, 2024 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Family Day: Mini Murals (Elmhurst Art Museum)
November 16, 2024 | 1:00pm – 4:00pm
Included in general admission.
We Dig Dinos (Santori Library, Aurora)
November 16, 2024 | 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Di-November Party (Elmwood Park Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Train Saturdays (DuPage County Historical Museum, Wheaton)
November 16, 2024 | 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Dinosaur Discoveries (Glen Ellyn Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Register in advance.
What’s On The Menu? (River Trails Nature Center, Northbrook)
November 16, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Pokemon Fun (Downers Grove Public Library)
November 16, 2024 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Santa’s Arrival and Fireworks (Deer Park Town Center, Deer Park)
November 16, 2024 | 6:00pm – 8:30pm
Holiday Magic in Motion (Promenade Bolingbrook)
November 16, 2024 | 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Chi-Town Skygazers (Navy Pier, Chicago)
November 16, 2024 | 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Sunday
Head outside to Danada Equestrian’s Center Tractor-Drawn Wagon Ride in Wheaton, or inside to St. Charles Public Library’s Pretend Pizza Party. Register in advance for Adaptive Play Time at DuPage Children’s Museum in Naperville for a sensory-friendly play experience.
Light The Tree With Santa (North Riverside Park Mall)
November 17, 2024 | 11:00am – 1:00pm
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 17, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Family Sensory Hour (Elmhurst Public Library)
November 17, 2024 | 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Pretend Pizza Party (St. Charles Public Library)
November 17, 2024 | 12:00pm – 4:00pm
Tractor-Drawn Wagon Ride (Danada Equestrian Center, Wheaton)
November 17, 2024 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm
Adaptive Play Time (DuPage Children’s Museum, Naperville)
November 17, 2024 | 5:30pm – 7:00pm
Registration is required.
Nocturnal Hunters: Owls (River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook)
November 17, 2024 | 1:30pm – 2:30pm
What’s On The Menu? (River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook)
November 17, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Looking for indoor fun?
As we transition to colder days, you may be looking for indoor fun. Here are a handful of our favorite lists to keep handy:
- Indoor Play Places and Playgrounds Guide
- 30 Arcades and Entertainment Centers with Laser Tag, Go-Karts, and More
- 45 Nature Centers in Chicagoland
- 31 Alleys to Take Kids Bowling And Strike Out Boredom
- 24 of the Coolest Indoor and Outdoor Courses in Chicagoland
- 12 Play Cafe Destinations in Chicago’s Suburbs to Sip and Play
- Chicagoland Ice Skating Arenas
- Jump Places: Trampoline Parks and Inflatables
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…
- Kidlist’s 2024 Holiday Family Fun Guide
- 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!
