Giveaway - $20 Cold Stone Creamery Gift Cards

In honor of  the 10th Annual World's Largest Free Ice Cream Social at Cold Stone Creamery we are giving away 2 - $20 Cold Stone Creamery Gift Cards.

A visit to Game Pazzo in Downers Grove

I took my 2 boys and 1 of their friends to Game Pazzo in Downers Grove last weekend. They thought that they were in heaven. Game Pazzo is a huge video game faciltiy that has all of the home gaming systems avalible for play. You can bring in your own games or rent one of theirs. It is not often that I give my kids the okay to play video games for hours and in fact even to encourage it. When we walked to Game Pazzo we, like all other newcomers, were shown around the facility. The space is very large and clean. There are tons of huge screen tvs ready for play. There is a pc area where visitors can play pc games and if you have an account to an online game such as World of Warcraft you can login. I used the computers to get a bit of work done while the boys enjoyed themselves trying out new games and diffrent game systems. There was a young boy's birthday party going on and they seemed to be having a great time. In the back there is a full bar and a restaurant area. They recently added kids meal options to their menu. The prices are decent which is unusual when a business knows that they have you captured.

As a mom of Chicago area kids and one half of kidwinks.com, I will keep Game Pazzo in mind as great way to try new games and game systems before buying; nice for larger groups who want to play together; a great opportunity for parents to hangout, have a few drinks, and some food while the kids play; a nice place for the dads to get away; another rainy day option and as a cool place for a kids birthday party. For more information about Game Pazzo click here. ~ Nina

Biking with Kids along Chicago Lakefront

August 30, 2011
An update from our Chicago with Kids Activities Guide.
Monday August 29 - Monday September 5, 2011
Labor Day weekend is bittersweet for me: Love the long holiday weekend; hate to see another summer come to an end.
Sunday we loaded up the kids and put the bikes on the car and headed to the Chicago lakefront to enjoy the gorgeous morning. It was great, but don't make our mistake! We parked at Chicago's Leone Beach, and headed south on the trail, only to find it ended several blocks later. We had to ride the sidewalks for about a mile before picking up the actual trailhead. The best places to park near the north end of the trail are at Foster or Lawrence Avenue beaches - nice big parking lots. We need to do this again because we only had time to bike to Lawrence Avenue before we needed to head home for a birthday party my daughter was attending. Check out more pics from our bike ride on the kid winks facebook page .



CONTEST: Hurry! There's not much time to enter to win 4 free tickets to Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey! Contest ends this evening (Monday)!
COUPONS: Ready to save some money? Visit our Coupon Section below to find new coupons for Santa's Village, People's Choice Fun Center, StageCoach Theatre Arts School and Academic Associates Reading Clinic.
July 18, 2011
Here is a little info from our Weekly Chicago for Kids Activities Guide:
We made our first trek to the beach this season, and tried out a new beach. Evanston's South Boulevard Beach is a nice, uncrowded and well-maintained beach. My daughters and their friends had an excellent time jumping in the waves and digging in the sand. Here's a link to Evanston's beaches and the beach status report; always remember to check the status report before you go. One or more of the beaches may be closed due to bacteria levels, and the beach report is updated each morning.



Don't forget to visit our Events Calendar to find much, much more going on this week and throughout the summer. I also post pics and favorites on ourkidwinks facebook page, so "like" us there to stay in the loop. If you're interested in FREE events, "like" our Free Things To Do In Chicago With Kidsfacebook page.

NEW COUPONS: We've added more savings opportunities for you!! Visit our Coupon Section below, where you'll find more new coupons this week including Cirque Shanghai (discount code) and Hesston Steam Museum.

Chicago with Kids Weekly Activity Guide June 13 - Sunday June 19, 201

Kidwinks - Chicago with Kids - Blog

June 13, 2011

Here is a little info from our Weekly Activities Guide. If you would like to view the whole guide with a great selection of hand picked events and activities for kids in Chicago and the suburbs click here.

Ummm...Is it June or October? Hard to say judging by recent temps! On the bright side, at least I haven't had to don my bathing suit yet this year!

Dads, it's all about you this Sunday! Kidwinks is proud to have many dads as members. They subscribe to our emails, write moving bios about how much they love their kids, write reviews and participate in our contests. Cheers to you, Dads! Find area Father's Day Events.

WGN: If you missed it, here's the link to our appearance on WGN Midday News last week. If your kids like biking, check it out - there are some activities on there you probably haven't heard about.

NEW COUPONS: Check our Coupon Section below for two new coupons. Make-A-Messterpiece, a fun & messy creative studio for kids, is offering savings on their Messiest Package and their birthday parties.

June 7: Focus on Family - Biking With Kids in Chicago

June 7: Focus on Family - Biking With Kids in Chicago

Biking With Kids in ChicagoAs the weather turns warmer, parents begin looking for outdoor activities to share with their children. Biking is a popular activity that can be enjoyed (often for free) in many different ways and places throughout Chicagoland, and today Jean Lemke and Nina Taluc, co-founders of kidwinks.com, are here to share some of them with us. All of these bike activities and more may be found in their online Guide to Biking With Kids in Chicago which is published on their free website, www.kidwinks.com.

For many more ideas on year-round and seasonal kid-friendly events and activities, restaurants where kids eat free, birthday party places, summer camps and more, visit www.kidwinks.com, their terrific website that gathers the best of Chicago area family fun into one easily searchable site.Busse Woods Bike Trail (Cook County Forest Preserves)There are many bike trails in Chicago and the suburbs, and you can find them easily in kidwinks' Guide to Biking With Kids in Chicago.

The trail we are highlighting today is the Busse Woods Bike Trail, part of the Cook County Forest Preserves. This trail is particularly well-suited to families. The trail winds through forest, past a lake, and even past Elk Grove Village's resident elk herd. The terrain is mostly flat so it is easier for small children to navigate. The trail is also shorter in distance, so it is not a particular favorite of die-hard bike enthusiasts who often travel at high rates of speed and may pose a bit of a safety concern for younger riders just learning the rules of the road.Where: Schaumburg / Elk Grove Village When: Open daily Cost: Free Ages: All ages

Safety Town Open Road Times (Elmhurst)Looking for an opportunity to teach your child safe biking skills in a fun environment? Safety Town Elmhurst is a miniature representation of the Elmhurst community, and is designed to teach children the importance of safety. Safety Town includes miniature buildings, street signs and lights, sidewalks, railroad crossing, and a distinctive residential and downtown area. On Thursdays from June 9-August 11, children ages 4-7 with tricycles and helmets can ride through Safety Town Village free of charge. Qualified Safety Town staff is on hand to help children walk, bike, and practice being "safety smart." All ages are welcome, but no two-wheeled bikes (with or without training wheels), roller blades, roller shoes or skateboards are allowed. There is a $5 fee if you would like to rent a bike and/or helmet. Bicycling safety classes are also offered throughout the year for kids 6-10 years old. For more safety towns in the Chicago area, visit kidwinks' Guide to Biking With Kids in Chicago.

Where: 511 S. York, Elmhurst When: Thursdays 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. June 9 – August 11 weather permitting. Cost: Free; three-wheel bikes and/or helmets are available for rental for $5. Ages: 4 – 7 years

Kidical MassKidical Mass is a takeoff of the term, Critical Mass -- the monthly bicycle ride that happens here in Chicago and around the world. Whereas Critical Mass is a ride for everyone, Kidical Mass is a ride for kids! The rides are chaperoned by parents and generally stick to residential streets. Rides depart regardless of weather: rain, snow, or shine! Where: Palmer Square, 3064 W Palmer Blvd, Chicago When: The second Saturday of every month; gather at 10:30AM for 11:00AM departure. Cost: Free Ages: All ages – babies and younger children may ride in trailers or bike carriers with their parents.

Plainfield Bike ParkThe Plainfield Bike Park is a free to the public, two acre bicycle skills park which includes dirt jumps, a pump track, and a skills section. The park was designed with progression and safety to allow boys, girls, young children and adults to learn bicycle handling skills in the safest environment. There are different areas designated for different skill levels, from beginner to expert. This is an extreme sports facility and is a high risk area. The park is ride at your own risk, and an appropriate bike, helmet and safety gear is strongly recommended.Where: Approximately one mile south of the Rt. 30 and I-55 interchange in Plainfield, IL. When: Open daily Cost: Free Ages: Anyone who can ride a two-wheel bike

ABOUT KIDWINKS.COM Kidwinks.com is a boutique website that caters to today's generation of parents who are time-crunched, socially conscious and internet reliant. Kidwinks provides one-stop access to information about kid-friendly events, activities, restaurants, shops and services in the Chicago area. There is no charge to use kidwinks and membership is also free. Members enjoy additional benefits including the ability to enter contests for great prizes, email reminders and the ability to sort search results by distance from their home. Developed by two Park Ridge, IL moms, kidwinks has grown to thousands of members. For more information, please visit www.kidwinks.com.

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Educational & Free in Chicago with Kids

School is out for many kids in Chicago and the suburbs. If you are looking for a fun educational experience check out the Free Admission - Museum of Science and Industry June 19th and Free Admission - Adler Planetarium.

Chicago with Kids - May 24th, 2011

What else is going on this week? Well, here are a few sugestions:Now doesn't this look totally cool? - Calving Kline Creek Farm what kid doesn't want to see calves being born? Here another that may also apeal to Chicago kids - Chicago Turkish Festival at Daley Plaza. This is such a great program that I just have to post it. They fit the helmet to YOUR child's head (I think this is the hardest thing to do) and the helmets only costs $10. They have many helmets to choose from. It is best to call before you go. Bike Helmet Program - Advocate Lutheran General Hospital - Chicago with Kids - Blog