Unique family-friendly events offer spooky fun
Halloween may still be more than a week away, but there are plenty of opportunities to get into the spirit early. Let your kids show off their costumes at these events featuring trick-or-treating, crafts, performances and more.
Brick-or-Treat at Legoland Discovery Center Chicago
601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg, (847) 592-9700, legolanddiscoverycenter.com/chicago/en/index.htm
Times: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 23 and 30; noon to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31
Price: Free with regular admission: $19; $15 for kids
Visitors get 25 percent off their admission price by bringing a fresh, uncarved pumpkin to help decorate Legoland. Kids can build Halloween-themed models for the chance to win prizes and help the model builders work on a 10-foot-tall scarecrow. A special ghost model will be for sale with half the proceeds donated to Merlin's Magic Wand. Kids are encouraged to wear their costumes and stop at stations throughout Legoland to pick up pieces and instructions to put a model together.
“You can trick-or-treat for Lego bricks rather than candies or sweets,” said master model builder Dan Morey.
Halloween on the Riverwalk at Riverwalk Amphitheatre
320 W. Jackson Ave., Naperville, (630) 961-4100, ext. 6128, naperville-lib.info
Time: 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28
Price: Free
Families with kids in preschool and early elementary school can dress up and bring blankets to watch the annual show, which presents funny and silly stories about witches, monsters, goblins and other Halloween creatures. Library staff create materials to help them tell stories, including a puppet play finale, and kids are encouraged to participate, performing along to recorded music or new songs set to popular tunes.
“The kids really love dancing and singing,” children's librarian Celeste Giles said.
Trick or Trees at Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, (630) 968-0074, mortonarb.org
Times: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 31
Price: Free with regular admission: $11; $10 for seniors; $8 for kids ages 2 to 17; free for kids younger than 2
Part of the Morton Arboretum's annual AutumnFest, kids can participate in a variety of fall and Halloween-themed activities at the Children's Garden. They can plant a seed to take home; guess how many seeds come out of small, medium and large pumpkins; make bat finger puppets; and learn how nocturnal animals use their senses by using their own sense of smell and touch to guess what's in containers. For $3, they can also paint small pumpkins to take home.
“It's just a fun way for the family to celebrate AutumnFest,” said Lesley Kolaya, Children's Garden supervisor.
Halloween Spooktacular at Langendorf Park & Gym
235 Lions Drive, Barrington, (847) 381-0687, barringtonparkdistrict.org
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29
Price: $8 residents; $10 nonresidents
Buy your tickets early for this annual event, which typically brings in 120 kids ages 1 through 10. Children can play glow-in-the-dark mini golf, with each hole having a different Halloween-focused theme like cats, ghosts and pumpkins. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their Halloween costumes and will receive trick-or-treat bags to decorate. The event also includes face painting, carnival games, cookie decorating, an inflatable haunted house with an obstacle course and mini slides and a hayride that the whole family can take together.
“It's fun for all ages,” said recreation supervisor Kim Sweeney. “It's not scary, it's all kid-friendly.”
Creatures of the Night at Brookfield Zoo
3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, (708) 688-8000, czs.org/events
Times: 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, and Friday to Sunday, Oct 28-30
Price: $12; $8 for kids ages 3 to 11 and seniors; free for kids younger than 3
The annual Halloween party offers frights for older guests, but there are also plenty of activities for younger visitors. A DJ plays Halloween-themed music all night at the Pavilion, and kids can carve pumpkins and try to navigate a 7,000-square-foot maze. Until 9 p.m., the Hamill Family Play Zoo offers children the chance to create paper bats and decorate trick-or-treat bags.
Spooky Pooch Parade at Chicago Botanic Garden
1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe, (847) 835-5440, chicagobotanic.org
Time: 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29
Price: $14-$20; free to watch
The one day of the year when visitors can bring their dogs to the Chicago Botanic Garden, dogs and their owners will be showing off their Halloween costumes for spectators. You can also pick up pet supplies or information from local dog-focused not-for-profit groups.