Indoor Activities in Winter: Chicago Suburbs

It’s the time of year in Illinois where the weather is either manageable or too cold to function. Don’t underestimate this Illinoisian ability to navigate winter weather; I love winter. Whether it is winter festivals, winter hiking and bird watching, downhill skiing , snowshoeing…I love it all! I used to love traveling in the winter, but with kids and older family members, it’s harder to pick up and go. That’s why I’ve spent more time looking for indoor activities in winter.

What parenting tells us is that no matter how bundled or prepared you think you are for winter weather, sometimes it’s just too cold or burdensome to get outside. Thankfully, we have so many wonderful indoor options for kids in our area. I don’t feel cooped up indoors every winter, even if it is brutally cold or snowy.

Of course, there are a plethora of local libraries and indoor bounce houses not included on this list. You may already frequent or know about those places. The sites included in this round up may not be familiar to you. While this is a mostly kid friendly list, there are also a few locations that may be geared toward older kids and adults. As such, I’ll designate that in the description.

Chicagoland Raceway (Westmont, IL)	Slot Car Racing (by Appt only)
Gail Borden Library (Elgin)	Enormous Library With Rotating Exhibitions
X Pop Art Craft (Lisle)	Makery and Craft Space for Kids
Bird Haven Greenhouse (Joliet)	Beautiful and Warm Multiroomed Greenhouse
Elmhurst Art Museum + Wilder Park Conservatory	Warm with Rotating Exhibitions of Local Artists
Volo Museum (Volo)	Three Permanent Exhibits at One Location
The Wade Center (Wheaton)	For Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis Fans
Cernan Earth and Space Center at Triton College (River Grove)	For Outer Space Enthusiasts or Dome Theatre
Four Rivers Nature Centers (Chanahon)	For Young Explorers and Nature Lovers
Fullersburg Nature Center (Hinsdale)	For Young Explorers and Nature Lovers
Hidden Oaks Nature Center (Bolingbrook)	For Young Explorers and Nature Lovers
Knoch Knolls Nature Center (Naperville)	For Young Explorers and Nature Lovers
Red Oak Nature Center (Batavia)	For Young Explorers and Nature Lovers
Lizzadro Museum (Oak Brook)	Best for older children and emerging artists
Rainbow Playset Showroom (Naperville)	Indoor Jungle Gym Bonanza
Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum (Lisle)	A Bug and Taxidermy Paradise
The Billy Graham Museum (Wheaton)	For Older Crowds and Religious Individuals
St. Therese Shrine (Naperville)	Mass every M-F at 11:30 and museum

Chicagoland Raceway

This independently owned slot car speedway is by reservation only. It is a great way to get kids away from their screens and out in front of real live racing. They’ll have the opportunity to race other kids and try out both the powered and mechanical tracks. It’s more fun if you bring a couple of kids with you, and a good birthday party option! Make sure to call at least a day in advance to reserve available openings when you want to visit.

The Largest Free Indoor Activities in Winter: Gail Borden Library

Gail Borden Library-Indoor Activities in Winter-Elgin — The largest library in the area, it features incredible rotating exhibitions, like this dinosaur featured exhibition.

This is by far the largest and most spectacular library in the suburbs. I’d go as far to say that this rivals mid-size cities for how many activity offerings it has. As a non-resident, it is free to visit but you cannot check out any books or videos. Instead, you’ll find there are numerous spaces for children’s activities across the multifloored complex.

In addition to incredible permanent play areas, the rotating exhibitions are spectacular. From enormous installations of rockets, to the history of Barbie and large scale animatronic dinosaurs, these are unmatched by even the Chicago Public Library. These exhibits are much more on par with a paid museum, but are offered for free by the town of Elgin.

Some safety tips: It gets crowded later in the day and on the weekends. If you have an easily overstimulated child, you may want to try visiting during the week. Additionally, because this is a publicly accessible building with amenities more like that of a large city, there are a number of homeless people who may be within the building using the bathroom or lounging facilities. I recommend keeping close to your kids and not letting them use the restrooms unaccompanied.

Xpop Art Craft

I love a craft activity for the kids, but don’t always have the supplies or capacity to handle the clutter. This local makery and crafting space is a fun way to keep the clutter out of the house and the kids fully engaged.

Bird Haven Greenhouse

I always enjoy taking my kids here. Whether it is during the holidays when it is fully appointed for the season or on a rainy spring day, it is just a lovely spot to soak in the beauty of God’s design without having to battle the outdoors. It is really well maintained and a larger conservatory than that in Elmhurst. There’s no fee to enter, but that permits are required if you intend on taking any professional photos.

Elmhurst Art Museum and Wilder Park Conservatory

Located within the same swath of green space in Elmhurst, these two Elmhurst institutions are lovely to visit in the same afternoon. As the only museum to have a Mies Van Der Rohe residential home, Elmhurst Art Museum is a powerhouse in the suburbs. With rotating exhibitions and specialty kids, teen, and adults classes, this is a delightful way to spend an hour. After spending an hour at the Honorable Judge Kenneth J. Moy Pavillion, cross the esplanade (or you could drive) to the Wilder Park Conservatory. Much like Birdhaven above, it is beautiful with florals and a water feature, albeit at 1/3rd the size of the Joliet greenhouse.

If Mid-Century Modern architecture appeals to you, check out the Schweiker Home and Studio in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Indoor Activities in Winter: Volo Museum

The Volo Museum is the priciest activity on this list with three museums under one roof. But, since kids four and under free, it is certainly worth the nearly $40/ticket price tag. With no nearby publicly accessible permanent car collections like it, car lovers will be in heaven. The Jurassic Gardens will get dinosaur enthusiasts begging to stay. While the Titanic exhibition is geared toward older kids and adults, there is truly something for everyone at this vibrant offering of indoor activity in winter.

The Wade Center

If you have a lover of fantasy novels or a burgeoning writer, the Wade Center at Wheaton College is a fun and free space full of artifacts of importance for some of the most influential fantasy writers of history. The wardrobe that inspired C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, and personal objects of J.R.R. Tolkien are highlights, but other lesser known to pop culture authors like Dorothy Sayers and Owen Barfield. There are also rotating exhibits on display that can feature other authors. Usually one of these additional exhibits is geared toward Lewis or Tolkien fans.

indoor acitvities in winter Chicagoland — Pin Me for Later!

Planetarium Theatre Indoor Activities in Winter: Cernan Earth and Space Center

On the campus of Triton College is a full scale planetarium theatre with accompanying museum. The Cernan Earth and Space center is open to the public Monday through Saturday. Separately, the planetarium theatre has shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays at specified times as posted on the center’s website. Tickets for shows range between $3-$10 a person at the time of publication although the museum entry remains free. I am of the mindset to be outside when the weather is cooperative, so I think these shows are a great indoor activity in winter. Plus, they’re more affordable than a trip to the local cinema or Adler Planetarium!

Cleve Carney Museum of Art at College of DuPage

Located on the College of DuPage’s main campus in Glen Ellyn, the rotating exhibits of Cleve Carney Museum are small but mighty. Entry fees vary between $10-$20 depending on age and day of the week. This is certainly worth a stop if you are looking to enjoy a day in Glen Ellyn. Make sure to stop by Marché if you are looking for a glass of wine with light bites or Chocolaterie Stam if you are looking for the most delectable sweets in the county.

Visiting Nature Centers as Indoor Activities in Winter

Fullersburg Nature Center — Nature centers like this one at Fullersburg Woods in Hinsdale, often have woodland creatures in tanks. They’re full of various play and creativity spaces for kids to enjoy.

Four Rivers

This nature center on the I&M Canal is small but well appointed with an enormous fish tank and a couple rooms dedicated to the animals and nature of its area. With its location along the water, this is also a destination for eagle watching throughout the winter so while it is on the list of indoor activities in winter, it is also a remarkable outdoor destination in the winter as well.

Fullersburg

A small but well appointed nature center that features a replica eagles nest for children to climb in and life sze wooly mammoth fossil. Along the Salt Creek estuary of the DuPage River, there are snowshoe and cross country ski rentals available at the nature center when conditions support it.

Hidden Oaks Nature Center

After over a year closure for renovations, Hidden Oaks now offers a spacious area for kids to enjoy in interactive play amongst the Bolingbrook forest. Live animals are on display, and there are numerous themed rooms for play for all ages.

Indoor Activities in Winter: Knoch Knolls

A nicely interactive nature center with admittedly weird hours for public access; I’d recommend calling to check their public hours.

Red Oak

With several rooms for exploration, plentiful live animal exhibits, and a large light brite, it is a good way to spend an hour. The parking is limited however, so be aware that you may be waiting for a bit if there is nothing available when you arrive. Alternatively, if you are dressed for the weather, you can park down the road by the Wilds at Red Oak facility and playground, but you’ll need to walk about half a mile to get to the nature center.

Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art

A gem collector and jewelry lovers paradise. Specializing in Chinese Jade, this local museum is just a four-minute drive from Fullersburg Nature Center and less than ten minutes from Oak Brook Center. This museum features large gemstones that will awe your miniature spelunkers and also has extremely intricately carved stone sculptures whose very existence will leave you beguiled.

The Most Physical Indoor Activities in Winter: Rainbow Playset Showroom

Indoor activties in winter-Rainbow Playset Showroom — The indoor playgrounds at Rainbow Playset Showrooms are the best way to get out wiggles with indoor activities in winter.

This is certainly be the number one preferred destination if I polled my four and two year old. The indoor showroom for the highly coverted Rainbow paysets, there are upwards of twenty different playsets available for use. You’ll need to take off shoes to play around on the equipment, and you are not allowed to bring outside food other than water. This is also a spot that is available for rental for indoor birthday parties!

Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum

A free museum located on the Benedictine University Campus, this museum gives a glimpse into the taxidermy wonders that you see at the Chicago stalwart Field Museum of Natural History. Perfect for young families, the preserved insects are what really get my young explorers buzzing. As one of the free offerings on this list, this is one of the best indoor activities in winter that won’t break the bank.

The final offerings on this list are indoor activities in winter more focused for adults, but as they are family friendly in terms of theme, I’ve included them in this list. I think a quick writeup or posterboard on either of these spots could be a great extra credit assignment for local attractions or notable figures.

The Billy Graham Museum

One of the most influential figures in modern day Christianity, this museum on the Wheaton College campus provides insight on the man himself and what his time was like before, during, and after his time as a student. Geared more for folks with an interest in Christianity, this provides a local perspective on a national figure and his role in todays evangelism. You can tack a visit here with your stop at the Wade Center and then head over to Moveable Feast for a delicious meal from a restaurant with a focus on regenerative meats and sustainability.

National Shrine and Museum of St. Therese

I’ve not yet had the pleasure to visit, but I’ve heard rave reviews from the Catholics and spiritual people in my life. With a daily mass at 11:30AM, Monday through Friday, you can choose to attend or simply explore the museum. Originally located at St. Cyril’s Church in Chicago, and dedicated in 1923, as the museum has expanded, they’ve moved and rebuilt to their current location in Darien today. The museum provides insight on St. Therese, her life and accomplishments, and also offers a grounding space for reflective meditation.