We’re looking at a beautiful forecast for the weekend ahead, with countless opportunities for summertime fun. Local museums, zoos, and libraries are hosting family-friendly programming, while pools and water parks provide a refreshing escape from the heat. If you’re looking for a unique way to spend time near water, we’ve rounded up a boating guide filled with kayaking, canoeing and other boat rental options. Grab your sunscreen, pack a lunch, and keep checking items off your summer bucket list before it’s officially back-to-school time.
This weekend planner is sponsored by The Game Show Arcade.
Reptile Takeover at The Game Show Arcade
The Game Show Arcade is hosting their fourth Reptile Takeover on August 1! Enjoy free-play arcade, live exotic animals, and a crowd that's always a great time.
🕹️ FREE PLAY ARCADE : 50+ games
Classics, modern, pinball, skee ball, basketball, and air hockey. All included.
🦎 LIVE EXOTIC ANIMAL SHOW at 6pm
See AND touch live reptiles and bugs, brought to you by The Reptile Den.
📅 Saturday, August 1 | 5–8 pm
📍 The Game Show Arcade, 340 Yorktown Shopping Center, Lombard
🎟️ $20 per person
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 the final day of Winter in July fun at DuPage Children’s Museum, Family Fun Day at Cypress Cove in Woodridge, or one of the many outdoor concerts on Friday night.
Saturday
Options feel endless on Saturday! Check out Downers Grove’s Fishing Derby, Archery: Open House at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville, and Storytime at the Illinois Aviation Museum in Bolingbrook.
Sunday
Where are you heading for fun on Sunday? Morton Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival, Sawyer Sunday Fun Day at The Forge: Lemont Quarries or Fullersburg Days in Oak Brook are all great options.
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
There’s so much variety on Friday! Dance along at Hoffman Estates’ Fun Day In The Park, learn about Nature in Your Neighborhood at Lords Park Zoo in Elgin, or make a splash at Bartlett’s Family Movie Night and Twilight Pool Party.
Saturday
There’s so much to explore on Saturday. Join Elk Grove Village’s Archeology Day, STEAM Saturday at Wood Dale Public Library, or Addison’s Touch a Truck.
Sunday
Enjoy summertime fun at the Taste of Roselle or stroll through one of the farmer’s markets happening on Sunday morning.
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…
- Ultimate Summer Guide for Local Family Fun in Chicagoland
- 2025-26 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.