Spend the day at one of the area water parks.
Hickory Hills, Illinois is a bustling community with a small-town feel, but it's located less than 30 minutes from Chicago. As its name suggests, towering hickory trees and rolling green hills surround the area. While there are a small number of entertaining and educational activities for kids right in Hickory Hills, there are even more opportunities to have fun in the outlying areas around the small city.
Museums and Educational Attractions
If you have curious children who like to explore everything around them, look no further than the Children's Museum in Oak Lawn (cmoaklawn.org), which is in the city of Oak Lawn about 10 minutes from Hickory Hills. Here, your kids can whip up tasty treats in the Moo Cafe, steal the show in the Dream Theatre, pretend to work in a grocery store, climb through the tree house, become a hero at the fire station and get creative in the art corner. About 30 minutes from Hickory Hills in Chicago is the Museum of Science and Industry (msichicago.org). Your children will become immersed in the world of weather as they learn about natural disasters like tornadoes and avalanches. They'll also get to dissect owl pellets and participate in hands-on science experiments. Also in Chicago is the Field Museum (fieldmuseum.org), which is a trip back to the past. In addition to exhibits that showcase the history of the world, your children can do science experiments in the PlayLab, listen to stories and do art projects.
Amusement and Water Attractions
If it's pure entertainment you're seeking, Fun Time Square Family Center (funtimesquare.com) is a thrilling option -- and it's only about 15 minutes away in Alsip. Here, your children can play a competitive game of paintball, challenge each other on the miniature golf course, take a spin in the go-karts, bump around in the bumper boats and play arcade games. Children who adore swimming and splashing will enjoy the Mayan Adventure Indoor Waterpark (mayanwaterparkchicago.com) in Chicago. At the park, the kids can zip down water slides, enjoy the play structure that's in the middle of a pool, plunge into the deeper water and ride along the lazy river. About a half hour away from Hickory Hills in Wheaton is Kids Town (kidstownplayandparty.com), which is exactly as it sounds. It's a kid-sized town set up for pretend play. Your children can fight fires, put on a badge and become sheriff of the town, care for animals at the pet clinic, have tea at the princess palace and shop at the corner grocery store.
Outdoor Venues
Pack a picnic and spend an afternoon at one of the many parks (hhparkdistrict.org) in Hickory Hills. Most of the parks, such as Krueger Park and Memorial Park, have play structures and picnic areas. At the Children's Farm (thecenterpalos.org), which is about 15 minutes away in Palos Park, your children will get a taste of what it's like to be a farmer. The farmers will take the kids on a tour of the farm where they'll get to see a variety of barnyard animals including pigs, goats and chickens. Seasonal activities at the farm include hayrides, pumpkin picking and live reenactments of the nativity. About 30 minutes away in Chicago is the Lincoln Park Zoo (lpzoo.org), an outdoor zoo that houses hundreds of intriguing animals including birds, reptiles, lions, bears, giraffes, camels, monkeys, hyenas and deer. Take your children on the zoo train, too.
Additional Activities
Right inside Hickory Hills is PGN Fun (hickoryhillsresortinfo.com), a place that has entertainment for children of all ages. Play a round of miniature golf, challenge each other to skill games in the arcade, go down curly slides and explore the many hideaways and towers. The UP Comedy Club (upcomedyclub.com) in Chicago, about 30 minutes away, features kid and teen-friendly comedy shows that are likely to cause peals of laughter and uncontrollable giggling. The club serves lunch and dinner during some of its shows, too. Also about a half hour away in Chicago is the Navy Pier (navypier.com), which is situated on Lake Michigan. While at the pier, your children can enjoy thrilling amusement park rides, play in the park and stop for a snack at one of the many kid-friendly food stands and restaurants.
Tags: Hickory Hills, minutes away, your children, about minutes, about minutes away, from Hickory
