New Chicago guidebook showcases children’s fun things to do, see

Amy Bizzarri’s “111 Places for Kids in Chicago You Must Not Miss” is a guide to fun things for the whole family to enjoy. | Susie Inverso

Chicagoan, teacher, author and mother Amy Bizzarri said she was shocked by statistics about children and screen time.

Children spend about six hours a day looking at electronic devices; parents spend more than nine hours a day on average in front of a screen, she wrote in the introduction to her new guidebook, “111 Places for Kids in Chicago You Must Not Miss.”

The book, released last month, is a kid-oriented version of her 2017 bestseller “111 Places in Chicago You Must Not Miss.” It details a range of activities and places people can experience with their kids, and includes tips on how to get there and what to expect once you arrive.

The book spans all corners of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs — something Bizzarri said was a priority as she compiled the list.

“I worked really hard to branch out from the North Side, and I think that’s one thing that sets this guidebook apart from most other guidebooks,” she said. “You’re not going to find the standard typical tourist stops or places where everybody takes their kids in Chicago.”

Some of the attractions, such the Viking Longship (528 East Side Drive, Geneva), stem from Bizzarri’s own unique interests.

The Viking Longship in Geneva, Illinois.

“I love reading about Viking history,” Bizzari said. “I’m a huge fan of Viking television shows and documentaries and that is why I included the Viking ship.”

The replica ship is 76.5 feet long and one of the few remaining artifacts from the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition.

She also pulled inspiration from her childhood memories. The Graue Mill & Museum in Oak Brook (3800 York Rd.) is a historic site/living history museum that re-creates daily life scenes from the late 1800s, when running water was the area’s main power source. It was also a stop on the Underground Railroad.

The historical Graue Mill & Museum offers a unique look at life in the Midwest during the late 19th century.

Bizzarri said she’s been visiting the mill ever since she was a girl, and she’s brought her own children, now 18 and 10, to the site.

A Logan Square resident, Bizzarri said she likes to bike in the city and often finds interesting things to do while pedaling around Chicago.

“I tend to discover things a little bit easier from [the] point of view of my bicycle,” she said. “I’m just always keeping my eyes peeled for cool, fun educational things.”

One of the educational spots she suggests is The Oracle of Bronzeville (Gwendolyn Brooks Park, 4542 S. Greenwood Ave.), featuring a bust of author Gwendolyn Brooks and an “outdoor office” modeled after her childhood writing spot.

The Oracle of Bronzeville in Gwendolyn Brooks Park features a bust of the author and an “outdoor office” modeled after her childhood writing spot.

“I think that’s a great place to take a child and bring along some books by Gwendolyn Brooks,” she said. “Make it a learning activity and a fun outdoor activity that involves reading.”

Among other outdoor spots Bizzarri recommends are the Rainbow Beach Dunes, 10 acres of dune habitat within Rainbow Beach Park, (2873 E. 75th St). It gives a glimpse of what Chicago looked like before people settled the area and variety of plant you might not expect, she said.

The Rainbow Beach Dunes are a great place for kids of all ages to discover a wide variety of plants and flowers.

“Rainbow Beach Dunes is also one of the few places that is home to cacti,” she said. ”Take your kids and see if they can spot the cacti along the dunes.”

Kilbourn Park (3501 N. Kilbourn Ave.) was included as a “hidden gem” where kids can learn outdoors.

“If you ask many Chicagoans, ‘Hey have you been to Kilbourn Park?’ they may not have heard of it,” she said. “But there’s an amazing garden and greenhouse, and it’s a teaching greenhouse.”

The Kilbourn Park Greenhouse is a “hidden gem,” says Chicago guidebook author Amy Bizzari.

Families interested in what Bizzarri calls “foodie adventures” will also find several options. One stop she includes is Don Churro (1626 S. Blue Island) in Pilsen.

“Don Churro is a wonderful place to take your kids for churros and also take a moment to explore the really vibrant Latino neighborhood that surrounds [it].”

Other culinary recommendations in the book include the Japanese grocery store Mitsuwa Marketplace (100 E. Algonquin Road, Arlington Heights), and San Soo Gab San Korean BBQ (5247 N. Western Ave.).

“Kids have the opportunity to grill their own food, sit on the floor, and just enjoy a totally different eating style than what they might be commonly used to,” Bizzarri said of San Soo Gab San.

Another place she suggests is Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings (2002 S. Wentworth Ave.) in Chinatown, where children can participate in dumpling-making classes.

While many of the places in her book are rooted in education and culture, Bizzarri said she also included purely fun experiences such as the Chicago Helicopter Experience (2420 S. Halsted St.).

“I did the helicopter experience with my son, and I’m actually deathly scared of helicopters,” she said. “These are adventures, and I truly believe that we need to foster a spirit of curiosity in children and foster a spirit of adventure … especially in this day and age where kids are just consuming information and not really reflecting on their experiences or experiencing life outside of a screen.”