So glad to have this space back open! I rented it out for my son's 2nd birthday party. We had a…read moregreat experience and would highly recommend. The kids loved racing around the open space and exploring all of the toys. The toddlers loved climbing through the tunnels. The adults enjoyed the space to gather in the party room. As the host, I had a terrific experience! The owner allowed me to drop in early to store some of my supplies in the fridge. She was very helpful during the party supplying me with things I'd forgotten and checking in to ensure all was well. I look forward to dropping in for classes in the future. As I was dropping things off, there was a cute baby sign language class taking place. The environment is so fresh, clean, and calm! Welcome to the neighborhood, Southport Fundamentals!

We recently attended a birthday party and the kids (and adults) had a great time! The space is set…read moreup to allow children to be active, creative, and engaged. We would highly recommend this space for birthday parties, as the party room is perfect for decorating, storing food/drinks, and mingling. Fun aside, the space is exceptionally clean and the owner was on site to help with the flow of the party. This space would also be ideal for hosting adult gatherings (classes, parties, meetings, etc.). Welcome to the neighborhood!

Okay I have to share this gem of a play space we found in Logan Square…read more It's a small, locally-owned spot and you can feel the care in every detail the second you walk in. The whole space is beautifully done--like truly thoughtfully designed, not just thrown together. The colors, the textures, the little house setups... everything just works. What I loved most though is how culturally rooted it feels without being overdone. The play food, the kitchen setup, the art on the walls--it all reflects a Latino-owned space in a way that feels natural, warm, and intentional. It actually made the whole environment feel more alive and meaningful. It's also just... calm. Which, if you have kids, you know is rare I could actually sit, breathe, watch them play, even get a little work done without feeling overstimulated. It's such a good alternative if you're trying to avoid the chaos of the bigger play places. There's a sweet little baby area, a building station, and the cutest play houses that my kids were completely locked into. I really, really hope this place sticks around because spaces like this matter. You can tell it was built with heart.

Luna y Cielo is a nice space. I've been curious about it for months but haven't been able to get…read morehere. It's one of the larger play cafes I've been to in the city--perhaps the only one that's bigger is in part because it's a co-working space. But Luna y Cielo has more play stations than that place. There's a couple play kitchens, various stations and tables for kids to play at or things to play with. There is an infant section in the front of the store that is for the littlest ones, aged 0-11 months. There's a nice library that holds books in both English and Spanish, in accordance with their business model. And they have a really nice, solid, incredibly well built little house for kids play in, with a little cot and some clothing for children to play with, as well as a small slide attached. I like that the house is built directly into the walls and of the building because that makes it sturdy and strong enough for parents to climb in after their littles if need be. There's a party room in the back, and they do rent the space out for parties. You have to take your shoes off upon entering so that the place can remain clean but you also need to bring socks, though they have socks here for purchase if you forget. There are a couple of bathrooms and also a couple changing stations outside the bathroom as well. If there might be improvements made, it could potentially be useful to have a quiet room in case some kiddos need to take a break from the play. I also wouldn't mind there being some places for caregivers to sit; they have a long bench along one side of the room, but some of it was covered with pillows which I felt bad removing and also it was not super duper comfy. I came for their Halloween party, so the price was different than the everyday price but I remember glancing at their rates and it wasn't bad, not out of line with other play places in the area. I do remember that siblings under six months can come for free. There is parking along Armitage on this stretch and though we were here on Halloween, I don't think it impacted the parking all that much--there was plenty, which I have been worried about when I've considered going. They have classes, programs, and other special activities so it is certainly worth following their instagram to keep informed about what's going on. I love that they have mommy and me Spanish classes; I really want to join these but I work during the Wednesday time and have a standing appointment during the Saturday time. But I love that they are here as a resource for families that are already bilingual and those that want to be. The place has had some struggles, and it doesn't help during the warm months I don't think when there are so many places to go and things to do. They have some snacks for purchase, and drinks as well. If you care for little ones, I'd suggest giving Luna y Cielo a visit and I believe they have memberships/packages/gift certificates, too.

A true 10/10 experience! My two year old had a BLAST at the one hour tots class. He was able to…read morechop veggies, mix Rangoon filling, wash dishes and... EAT! It was a fast paced class to keep kids' interest, but everything was clear and perfectly tailored to toddlers. As a former early childhood teacher myself, I was highly impressed! I'm sad to know their brick and mortar is closing at the beginning of next month because I want to sign my son up for a thousand more classes! If you can squeeze in a class while they're still open, it's absolutely worth the money!

My brother and sister in law sweetly got me a gift certificate for classes here for my birthday…read more Their thought was I could use it for virtual cooking classes with my 10 year old son. I reached out initially to them via email and Kallie replied since they hadn't posted their fall schedule mid summer but she promised to email me as soon as they released. A month later she sweetly sent me an email notifying me (I was impressed she remembered!). Unfortunately being west coast based, the live class times were too early for us on weekends and my son wasn't keen on an on demand class. I wasn't too sure what to do with the gift certificate and Kallie explained that although their focus isn't on retail sales there were some items they stock and she sweetly took pictures and my gift certificate was able to cover some lovely items (including recipe cards for my son's gluten free diet). I was so impressed how Kallie went so above and beyond that if we were living in Chicago would be frequenting this spot often given their exemplary level of customer service.

The owner is incredibly kind and interactive with the kids. You can tell she understands how they…read moreplay and she provides a space where they can be kids. Really grateful I found this location and got to meet the owner. It's refreshing to meet someone who truly enjoys kids and puts their all into their work.

This was great spot for kids in the Lakeview area. $30 day pass but you can shop and come back and…read moreeven bring food here. This is a spot that's great for families wanting a break or play dates. The place is calming and friendly staff.

Talk about igniting my child's desire to learn, explore, and grow in STEM! You absolutely see what…read moreyou are paying for each day when your child comes home full of new ideas and doesn't stop talking about them until you put her to bed. We have been going to KSL on and off for about two years and this summer we enrolled our daughter in a 3 week camp. Each week a new topic was covered: dinosaurs v. animals, engineering, and astronauts/space. I can attest that each day was packed with experiments and builds that made science accessible. 1. Teachers and staff are kind, attentive, and educated. KSL is creative about learning and definitely provides a hands on experience. The teachers & staff show patience with the children and a passion for what they are exploring/teaching each day. This is definitely a differentiator from other camps we've attended/researched. Every person I encountered at KSL knew my child by name and was by my standards professional & helpful. 2. The quality of the subject matter & builds is unlike any other place we've taken our daughter. It feels like the curriculum is designed to allow kids to ask questions and learn through hands on projects, reading, and experiments - (these are the things your child will not stop talking about for days...) 3. The materials used in these projects is so inventive. This year my daughter built a Mars Rover model that is truly better than anything I could have constructed... and she's 5! Each day I was impressed with the magnitude of engineering and creativity used in the projects that came home... yes there's still goo and snake venom but the fact that my daughter could talk about what snake venom does to blood blew me away... she took an understanding away from the cool experiments - it's wasn't just about making something slimy or gooey. 4. Location: KSL has parking in the Whole Foods North Ave. parking garage. This is an awesome thing for anyone toting around a second child (like me.) It's truly an easy in and out and their building is very secure. I never left my daughter feeling concerned or worried about her safety. Honestly, if you child has any spark for creativity (which I think they all do) try out a Saturday drop-in class. I think they sell packs so that you don't have to commit to being there every weekend if your schedule is nuts. It's an experience you won't find anywhere else. Last, but not least, here's the true testament to how great this place is: We commuted from Jefferson Park (Foster Ave.) to KSL on I-90 during rush hour for 3 weeks... yeah, it's that good.

Mr Shegan is AWESOME! His way of handling stressed parent minutes before the big show, his way of…read moreengaging kids VIRTUALLY during the shows, my kid and her friends had a great time celebrating my daughter's birthday virtually. Mr Shegan called the day before to walk me through what would happened, so I appreciated the walk-through and gave me a level of comfort despite the backoffice chaos i experienced the last couple weeks. What's really dampening the supposingly-stress-free experience is the back-office arrangement. Some of the highlights below - So the zoom info was given to me when I booked the party back in May. I called a few times to confirm the zoom info a couple weeks prior to the party to make sure what I had on the invite was still correct. What really caused me a bit anxiety is that when they did "confirm" the zoom info with me over on email, the info sent over contains a couple other kids names and one of their party information. Granted nothing really personal was shared, but this made me wonder how they handles guest information in general. The day of the party, apparently, the guests and I were in a different zoom room from Mr Shegan's, the "registration" page we were sent to had a different party date/time options to pick from, which confused a lot of us. Many parents were texting me just few mins before the party while I was confused myself, and not sure what happened since it was slightly different from what Mr Shegan told me the day before. I think there's a change of personnel post-sales coz I couldn't reach the person who I contacted during the sales to confirm all the logistics. Everytime I contacted KSL, I reached the voicemail, emails were unanswered. Granted they did call you back rather quickly. But that's kinda annoying and added extra layer of stress to a planner like me. And suburb buyers be aware - if you want virtual party, kits pick up time is 9-4 in LP. During sales time, the lady told me that they could arrange weekend pickup given I live in the burbs and DO work regular 9-5. But obviously, this didn't happen. We had to make an arrangement for a quick trip to the city. All in all, the experience was 5+ star DURING the party time, but it was less than desired during the planning phase post-sales. Mr Shegan is def. the saving grace.

This is a review of the gift shop considering the museum was closed when we visited…read more But overall, it was such an enjoyable experience that I wanted to go ahead and write about this great spot -- with hopes of coming back to see the museum some day as well. My family and I made the trip to see the St. Lucia celebration that the Swedish American Museum puts on. My husband's family is part-Swedish, and it's been something we've always wanted to attend. Unfortunately, a snow storm on our way from Kentucky to Chicago added a few hours to our road trip, so we missed the processional. But we did get to check out the gift shop and ended up spending a lot of money there. We got my daughter, who is also named Lucia, a St. Lucia crown -- though with fake candles, not real ones. We also got my son a Star Boy hat and star scepter. This shop had a great selection of books and housewares, and we picked up some as gifts. It also had some lovely ornaments and food. We got some delicious bread, cheese and crackers. The clerks were very nice and patient as we browsed. We want to make attending the St. Lucia celebration and visiting family in the area an annual tradition. Next time, we'll check out the museum too!

I decided to visit the Swedish American Museum with my toddler one afternoon when we were looking…read moreto get out of the house. I've heard so many great things about Brunk's Children Museum and we were excited to check it out! We live down the street so it's been on our list to check out for a while now. When got there on a Saturday afternoon and it was really quiet inside. We paid $6 for admissions and I can confirm it was totally worth the 6 bucks! The children's museum is located on the third floor. We were the only ones there for the first 30 minutes or so, and had fun exploring the space. The museum focuses on the journey of immigration from Sweden to the United States. It starts in a farmhouse in Sweden compete with a cow, hens, and lots of fun old-timey home items like a butter churner. That leads you to the ticket booth to board the large steam boat, which takes you to a log cabin in the US! There was a pretend garden, fishing rods, and lots of interactive fun for the kiddos. My son is only one and a half, but still had so much fun! Some older kids (around 6-7) came and also had a blast. It's the perfect place to come on a rainy day and you want to get out of the house.

I love this place! Kids, and especially girls, thrive in the arial arts program here. Kids seem to…read moreput their whole selves into this program. There's a lot of joy here. My daughter has grown stronger and more confident in trusting that she can do whatever her kind, caring teachers lead her to do. The work is playful and exhilarating. Students learn at their own pace. She seems to love the exercises that open & close each class, the camaraderie, and the vibe of the school.

MSA Circus Arts hosted my daughters 4th Birthday Party. It was so much fun for all the kiddos;…read morethey got to play various games, jump on the trampoline and play with the silks. We also got a little show by one of their performers. Highly recommend it.

Best place in Chicago (and maybe the world) to learn weaving! Natalie is not only an accomplished…read moreartist but she's an amazing teacher and human. I highly recommend this school!

Very cool! I took the WeaveSpa class, a sort of 'taster' or short-form class. I got a chance to…read morepractice some basics (honestly, just moving a shuttle from left to right and right to left sounds easy but you might be surprised) and experiment with texture and color. The vibe at the school is terrific. Natalie is a wonderful instructor, warm and friendly, and able to demonstrate complicated techniques without making it seem overwhelming. I really enjoyed my experience at the Chicago Weaving School.