Safari Land a great place to spend the day

Safari Land - You can call it many things such as and indoor play area, indoor amusement park, entrainment area, and even a kids birthday party place.  Safari Land is huge, boasting a whopping 62,000 square feet and offers entertainment options for a wide range of ages which is not always easy to find.

Safari Land in Villa Park

 Safari Land located in Villa Park is a great place to spend the afternoon or if you have just an hour or two to kill.  It also makes a nice place to have a kid’s birthday party.  You will know you have found Safari Land when you see the large giraffes and elephants flanking the outside of the building. 

Bumper Cars

Once inside you will see just how huge the space is. They have indoor amusement rides, close to 200 video arcade games, many with redemption tickets.  There is no admission fee but obviously the rides and games do cost money.  There are two different options to pay to play.  We chose to go with the wristband for the rides and a swipe card for tha arcade games.   

Farris Wheel for the younger kids

The wristband cost us $15 each ($20 on Fri. & Sat.) and includes unlimited rides on the tilt-a-whirl, small Farris wheel, and a few other rides for the younger kids, and 2 rides each on the roller coaster, bumper cars, kid sized go carts, and the roller coaster simulator.  There are rides that older kids will not be able to ride because they may be too tall.  Before you buy the wristband find out how many rides your child will be able to actually ride.

 The other option is to pay for each ride individually by using a swipe card that you load money onto.  The cards are good for the arcade games and the rides.  If you plan on trying out all of the rides then the wristband is definitely the way to go.  The arcade games range in price from $0.50 to $2.00.   

They also have skeet ball, a personal favorite, and other game that take tokens.  The tokens can also be purchased using the swipe card.   

Pinball Machines

Mini-go Karts

On the day that we visited we played for a while and then, of course, the kids started to get hungry so we headed over to the restaurant area and ordered a pizza.  The pizza was surprisingly good and reasonably priced.  In fact, all of their menu items are reasonably prices.  They have kids meals that range from $2.50 to $3.50 for a hamburger and fries.  You may also be surprised to know that they also have a full bar.   

 

 

Soft play area and tunnels for the younger kids

After our quite tasty lunch we decided to go bowling.  Yes, they even have bowling, cosmic bowling which makes it a bit more fun.  Shoe rental is $2 and each game is $3 per person.  The prices go up a bit on weekends so check the website or call before going.   

After bowling it was back to the rides and arcade games.   

Roller Coaster

All in all the kids and I spent about 4 hours playing and eating the day away at Safari Land an indoor amusement park / entertainment area in Villa Park.

Safari Land is a great place for kids birthday parties too. They have at least half a dozen party rooms and a selection of party packages to choose from which you can find by following this link: http://www.kidwinks.com/ForKids/6/KidsBirthdayPartiesSafariLand/16817/ 

Wacky Walk'r Dog Leash

So we finally took the plunge and got the dog that everyone in our house has been begging for for so long.    We promise we'll walk him, we promise we'll feed him, we promise, we promise......     And we believed it all.

Now that reality has set in, we have managed to get the kids a little more involved in the dog walking with our cool new leash, the Wacky Walk'r.    Its a rubber leash that looks a bit like a bungy cord.   The idea is that it absorbs much of the pulling that the dog will do on his walks.   And it really works!    Our dog, Duke, is only about 25 pounds, but much stronger than he looks!     This dog can pull you so hard you feel like your shoulder may be dislocated.   The stretchy Wacky Walk'r eliminates that tugging feeling.   Its not stretchy in the sense that he can extend the leash, it just absorbs the shock of being yanked around by your dog!  When we first got Duke, we bought the regular nylon leash from the pet shop.  The Wacky Walk'r is so much better.  

The leash is extremely durable also.   We have been using it for a while and it is in great condition.

It has a strong nylon handle and a very sturdy metal clasp to attach to the dog's collar.    Duke decided that the rubber was very tasty and chewed on the leash pretty frequently for some time.   The Wacky Walk'r stood up to all Duke could put out.... no holes, no tears, not a sign of chewing.    If I could only say the same for my leather chair!!

If you are are looking for a new leash for your furry companion, I highly recommend the Wacky Walk'r.   Ours is 3 feet long, but it comes in other lengths as well.     Its a highly functional leash that looks cool on your dog!   You can find out other great items for your pets on Kidwinks in the Pet shopping area.    

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

If you're looking for some indoor fun for your family this summer, check out the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago in Schaumburg, IL.   We recently visited and all my kids had a great time!    Legoland Disovery Center Chicago has over 3 million LEGO bricks and nine attractions, including Model Builder Workshop, Jungle Expedition, LEGO rides, LEGO City Construction and Site Play Zone, LEGO 4D Cinema, Build and Test, LEGO Factory Tour and MINILAND featuring Chicago landmarks.

The facility is much larger than it appears from outside.   It is two stories and filled with so many different areas.  You need to take your time and make sure you hit everything.  We started our visit by walking through the Miniland area to see the Chicago landmarks.   The kids love to identify different buildings and try to figure out how the structures are all made.     When you pass through the Miniland area you enter Jungle Expedition.   Lots of cool LEGO animals here!

So realistic!

We headed upstairs where the kids played in the free build area.   During our visit there was a contest to create a new animal that doesn't actually exist in nature.   This was such a great example of why everyone loves LEGOS so much..... they really bring out your creativity.    The kids were excited to show off their new creatures and one of the LEGOLAND employees took a lot of time with each kid to ask details about their animal and what they decided to name it.    I've always thought the LEGO employees at the regular LEGO stores are so friendly and genuinely excited to talk LEGOs with my kids...... we experienced the same thing here at the Discovery Center.  

For a more structured building experience, we were able to make a model in the Model Builder Workshop.   You get a kit for a specific build on your way in, then follow along with the LEGO Master Builder to create it.   In the Build and Test area, you can also make a vehicle and race it down the test track to see if it is superfast, or even survives the track without a crash!

  

You can sit and take a break in the 4D theater which shows Bob the Builder 4D and LEGO City movies.   If you're looking to burn off some energy, you could instead let your kids race through the LEGO City Construction Site Play Zone, a mid-size climbing area.   I'm always amazed that even with so many other things to do, my kids are always drawn to the climbing area.  There is also a Technicycle Ride, which goes round and round as you pedal your way up and down.

The newest addition to LEGOLAND Discovery Center is the Kingdom Quest Laser Ride.   This is a very slow-moving ride, but my kids really liked it a lot.   You sit in a roller coaster-type car and ride very slowly through the ancient land of magic and dragons!    The car includes 4 laser guns that allow you to shoot down objects as you pass through.   You get the feeling that you are inside a video game, scoring points along the way.   Your picture is taken during the ride and you have the opportunity to purchase it at the end.   We got our picture back and had some very serious game faces on ........ there was a bit of a competition on who could score the most points!   I wasn't sure if my kids would like this ride because it is relatively slow, but they really loved it.    

You can grab a bite to eat at the LEGO Cafe and there are plenty of tables set up to take a break from the day.   LEGOLAND would be an ideal spot to host a children's birthday party...... there is a big party room for just that reason.   

LEGOLAND holds different special events throughout the year, such as Star Wars weekend, LEGO City Club Weekend, Brick-or-Treat throughout October and Holly Jolly Holidays in December.   You can check out their website for more information and an updated calendar.    

There is so much to do at the LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago that you can definitely make a whole day adventure out of it.    I knew my kids would enjoy the outing, but was actually a bit surprised at how much fun they had there.    Adult admission is $19 and Child admission is $15.   The cost is a bit steep, but you can go to www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com for ticket discounts.   Parking is free and very available as well.   You can find more information about LEGOLAND Disovery Center on the Kidwinks site as well as many other fun summer things to do with your family on the Kidwinks Summer Fun Guide.

Chicago Children's Museum

My family and I recently visited The Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier.   What a fun day!   I have been there many times several years ago with my older kids, but haven't visited lately.   There are so many exhibits in the museum that there is something to please everyone.  

My older boys were a bit concerned that they may be "bored" during our visit  .....  and that surely is the first time I've heard that concern from them :)    They found many things to occupy themselves throughout the day.   We stayed until the museum closed!

The new and temporary exhibit is called Circus Zirkus: Where You're the Star of the Show.    The kids can walk a tight rope, try on clown clothes, swing on the trapeze and ride the spinning hoop.   We had a ton of fun in this exhibit.

A Trapeze Act

Flipped Over!

There is a small stage to put on a show after you have tried on all those fun clothes and huge clown shoes.   Our favorite was the big clown pants!

Skyline Building Area

Another great exhibit is the Skyline Building Area with the Skyscraper Challenge.   In the Skyscraper Challenge, you get to build a tall structure while you are creating your own story, all in front of a computer screen.    You are asked various questions throughout your build and your picture is taken at different points as well.   The pictures and verbal responses are used to create a book that tells the story of your building.   You are given an access number and website to view your book from home.    The kids loved to hear their own voices online to go along with the pictures of their building.   It was very cool!

Skyscraper Challenge

The Waterways area is also great fun for various ages.   My older boys paired up with another group to find ways to divert the water using the removable walls throughout the canals.    We were lucky that the exhibit was relatively empty while this was going on as they were getting pretty excited and kind of taking the whole thing over!   One of the museum employees got involved in the action and suggested different ways to get the water moving.    He was incredibly nice and I think just as excited as my boys!  My daughter loved the area where you can "paint" the walls with water.   While the boys were figuring out how to crash objects into the raging water, my daughter was painting flowers, rainbows and hearts on the stone wall!

Some of the other classic exhibits are just as much fun for the younger kids as we remembered.   In Kidstown you can drive a CTA bus, work in gas station, or shop for groceries and make  a meal in the kitchen.    In the Treehouse Trails, you can play in the log cabin,  go "fishing", or pretend to camp out.    In Dinosaur Expedition you can dig for lost dinosaur bones!  

In the middle of the museum, kids aged 5 and over can climb from floor to floor through the ropes in the Family Climbing Schooner.   This was another big hit with our group!

So much more fun than taking the stairs!

The Chicago Children's Museum is a great place to take the whole family.  Our group ranged from age five through eleven, and everyone found something to have fun with.   Navy Pier has lots of options for lunch while you are there.    We parked right in Navy Pier which made it very convenient for access to the museum.   You can make the day very affordable if you check out the Kidwinks Free Museum Days link!   Get all the info you need for your visit to the museum on Kidwinks link to the Chicago Children's Museum, and look for other great places to visit with your family in the Summer Fun Guide.