For many of our readers, schools will be closed the next week. Our list of things to do with kids this weekend, as well as our Thanksgiving guide, is filled with opportunities to make memories with your little turkeys. Test out a new recipe, read a new book, or start a new tradition to celebrate Thanksgiving. We’ve highlighted a range of events including special storytimes and nature programming.
Now’s the time to bookmark our Holiday Guide which is filled with separate guides for holiday lights, free photos with Santa, and so much more. Pro tip: Polar Express Train Rides, Holiday Express, Santa Train, and Santa Trolley as well as Breakfast with Santa and Other Chances to Eat with Santa are the first events to sell out every year. If these are on your holiday bucket list, we recommend looking into reservations as soon as possible. Many have already closed registration, but we still see plenty of spots open.
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
Enjoy A Morning on Sesame Street with the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook, Deck the Green festivities at the Burr Ridge Village Center, or Winter Lights in Downtown Aurora.
Community Partner Playdate (Wheaton Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:30am
Pop-in Play (Helen Plum Library, Lombard)
November 22, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:30am
A Morning on Sesame Street (Fountaindale Public Library, Bolingbrook)
November 22, 2024 | 10:00am – 11:00am
Exploration Station (Geneva Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:15am
Sensory Playtime (Batavia Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:30am
Baby Playdate (Warrenville Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:30am
Hejsan: Story and Craft (Swedish American Museum, Chicago)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Included in general admission.
Free Admission for Illinois Residents (The Art Institute of Chicago)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 5:00pm
Miss Molly and her Ukelele (Wonder Works Childrens Museum, Oak Park)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:30am
Included in general admission.
Reptile Rodeo (North Riverside Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 4:00pm – 5:00pm
RSVP in advance.
Deck the Green (Burr Ridge Village Center)
November 22, 2024 | 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Family Fun Friday Nights (DuPage Children’s Museum, Naperville)
November 22, 2024 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Winter Lights (Downtown Aurora)
November 22, 2024 | 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Saturday
There’s a Tiny Great Performances included in general admission at the DuPage Children’s Museum. You’ll find holiday festivities at Willow Springs’ Winter Festival or Woodridge Winterfest. Not ready for the holidays quite yet? Make a splash at Splish Splash Family Night at Vaughan Athletic Center in Aurora.
Wheaton French Market (Downtown Wheaton)
November 23, 2024 | 9:00am – 1:00pm
Saturday Stay and Play (Geneva Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 9:00am – 2:00pm
Nature Discovery Days (Knoch Knolls Nature Center, Naperville)
November 23, 2024 | 9:00am – 2:30pm
Dinovember LEGO Play (St. Charles Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 9:30am – 4:00pm
Supported Storytime (Geneva Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:30am
Commemorative Day: Native American Heritage Month (Chicago History Museum, Chicago)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sand Ridge: Calumet Heritage Day (Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sea Scout Ship 1926 Holiday Bazaar (Northwestern Medicine Field, Geneva)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Free Family Holiday Movies: The Grinch (Glen Art Theatre, Glen Ellyn)
November 23, 2024 | 10:30am – 12:30pm
Tiny Great Performances (DuPage Children’s Museum, Naperville)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:30pm
Included in general admission.
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (Downtown Chicago)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 7:00pm
Lego Club (Santori Library, Aurora)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Paws and Claus (Downtown Batavia)
November 23, 2024 | 12:00pm – 2:00pm
T-Rexplorers: Dinosaur Discovery (St. Charles Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Super Saturday Storytime (Warrenville Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 2:00pm – 2:45pm
Winter Festival (Willow Springs)
November 23, 2024 | 3:00pm – 7:00pm
Sensory-friendly from 3:00pm – 4:00pm, General admission begins at 4:00pm.
Bone Appétit (Trailside Museum of Natural History, River Forest)
November 23, 2024 | 3:00pm – 4:00pm
Woodridge Winterfest (Woodridge Village Hall)
November 23, 2024 | 4:30pm – 9:30pm
Woodridge Winterfest at the Woodridge Public Library
November 23, 2024 | 4:30pm – 9:00pm
Splish Splash Family Night (Vaughan Athletic Center, Aurora)
November 23, 2024 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Anna and Elsa Meet-and-Greet (Woodridge Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Sunday
Visit the Sea Scout Ship 1926 Holiday Bazaar at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva or enjoy more festive fun at Hodgkins Park District’s Holiday Happening.
Wonder Works for Everyone (Wonder Works Children’s Museum, Oak Park)
November 24, 2024 | 9:00am – 10:00am
Advance registration is required.
Fantastical Fall Forest (Chicago Children’s Museum, Navy Pier)
November 24, 2024 | 10:00am – 3:00pm
Sea Scout Ship 1926 Holiday Bazaar (Northwestern Medicine Field, Geneva)
November 24, 2024 | 10:00am – 5:00pm
Nature’s Art Box (Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs)
November 24, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:00am
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 24, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Trading Card Club (Helen Plum Library, Lombard)
November 24, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Sunday Crafternoons (Brookfield Public Library)
November 24, 2024 | 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Family Fun Time (Bethany of Fox Valley UMC, Aurora)
November 24, 2024 | 4:00pm – 6:30pm
Holiday Happening (Hodgkins Park District)
November 24, 2024 | 5:00pm – 7:00pm
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
It’s a Free Admission for Illinois Residents at the Art Institute of Chicago. Watch Des Plaines Public Library’s Movies in the Corner: Moana before Moana 2 comes out next weekend!
Supported Storytime and Craft with Little Steps (Park Ridge Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 10:00am – 10:45am
Hejsan: Story and Craft (Swedish American Museum, Chicago)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm
Included in general admission.
Scales-N-Tales Storytime (Franklin Park Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 11:30am
Registration is required.
Free Admission for Illinois Residents (Art Institute of Chicago)
November 22, 2024 | 11:00am – 5:00pm
Medinah Shriners Feztival of Trees (Addison)
November 22, 2024 | 12:00pm – 8:00pm
Visits with Santa (Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Rosemont)
November 22, 2024 | 2:00pm – 7:00pm
Bargello Bookmarks (Prospect Heights Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 4:00pm – 5:30pm
Registration is required.
Movies in the Corner: Moana (Des Plaines Public Library)
November 22, 2024 | 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Saturday
Ready for holiday festivities? Enjoy Fashion Outlets of Chicago’s Visits with Santa, the Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony in Hoffman Estates or head to the city for The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival in Downtown Chicago.
Commemorative Day: Native American Heritage Month (Chicago History Museum)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Visits with Santa (Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Rosemont)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 8:00pm
Medinah Shriners Feztival of Trees (Addison)
November 23, 2024 | 10:00am – 8:00pm
Family Storytime and Craft (Park Ridge Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 10:30am – 11:15am
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Skating in the Park (Parkway Bank Park, Rosemont)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 10:00pm
The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival (Downtown Chicago)
November 23, 2024 | 11:00am – 7:00pm
Sensory Saturday (Wood Dale Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 11:30am – 12:30pm
Register in advance.
Movie Afternoon (Schiller Park Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 1:00pm – 3:00pm
CheckMates Meetup (Mount Prospect Public Library)
November 23, 2024 | 2:00pm – 3:30pm
Light Up The Park (Parkway Bank Park, Rosemont)
November 23, 2024 | 2:00pm – 6:00pm
What’s On The Menu? (River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook)
November 23, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Friendship Tree Lighting Ceremony (Hoffman Estates Village Hall)
November 23, 2024 | 5:30pm – 6:30pm
Sunday
It should be a warmer afternoon for Skating in the Park at Parkway Bank Park in Rosemont and a beautiful night for Bensenville’s Holiday Magic and Tree Lighting.
Bloomingdale Maker’s Market (Old Town Bloomingdale)
November 24, 2024 | 10:00am – 2:00pm
Fantastical Fall Forest (Chicago Children’s Museum, Navy Pier)
November 24, 2024 | 10:00am – 3:00pm
Medinah Shriners Feztival of Trees (Addison)
November 24, 2024 | 10:00pm – 8:00pm
Budding Botanists (Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago)
November 24, 2024 | 11:00am – 3:00pm
Skating in the Park (Parkway Bank Park, Rosemont)
November 24, 2024 | 11:00am – 9:00pm
Visits with Santa (Fashion Outlets of Chicago, Rosemont)
November 24, 2024 | 12:00pm – 6:00pm
What’s On The Menu? (River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook)
November 24, 2024 | 3:00pm – 3:30pm
Holiday Magic and Tree Lighting (Downtown Bensenville)
November 24, 2024 | 4:45pm – 7:00pm
Pet Photos with Santa (Woodfield Mall, Schaumburg)
November 24, 2024 | 6:30pm – 8:00pm
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!
