Pirates Cove, located in Chicago's northeastern suburbs, is referred to as Elk Grove's "hidden treasure." This is a local theme park, though non-resident families often make the trip to uncover what the pirates have in store! Kids love the playful pirate ship, paddle boats, slides, carousel, train and daily performances. All attractions are themed and aimed to please the youngest buccaneers.

Kohl Children’s Museum offers more than a dozen interactive, hands-on exhibits including a play cafe to transact food orders and dine in, a pretend grocery store, a hands-on water play area, pretend veterinarian's office and more! The Adventures in Art room provides more than enough art supplies to create your own masterpieces. There is an outdoor playground area, as well as an in-house cafe restaurant.

The Brownsburg Lions Club's annual July 4th Extravaganza offers fireworks, rides and games.

The Sassy Wonder Wheel is a suction-cup toy with spinning, colorful beads and different textures. This is a good baby plane activity because it suctions securely to tray tables, preventing it from falling on the floor, and its captivating features can keep a baby occupied for extended periods during flights.

Peeling and sticking gel window clings on the window and tray table is a fun and quiet airplane activity for kids, and a good way to pass time in a confined space.

Imagine Ink Coloring Books are mess-free activity books that use a special clear marker to reveal a rainbow of colors and hidden images on the pages, without staining other surfaces. They often feature popular characters and include various games and puzzles, making them ideal for travel and clean fun for kids.

The triangular shape of these super-sturdy crayons from Melissa & Doug promotes a proper writing grasp, and they're also not going to roll away. This makes them especially nice to take along for a restaurant or airplane activity for kids!

These preschooler-friendly Melissa & Doug puffy sticker activity books come in a variety of cute themes, and the durable reusable stickers will last for a while.

One of the best playgrounds in Metro Detroit, Macomb Corners Park has a large and whimsical treehouse-inspired play structure with slides, a rock wall, climbing equipment and swings.

There's a fun beachfront playground at Lake St. Clair with modern play equipment and rubber flooring. The large playscape has slides, swings, a bridge, net climbers, a spinning dome, and separate areas for toddlers and older kids.

 While the playground at Barnum Park is smaller, it has lots of unique features for climbing, spinning and sliding. There's also a teeter-totter and a sand play area.

The accessible playground at Catalpa Oaks has monkey bars, slides, a merry-go-round and swings designed for all abilities. There are two distinct age-appropriate play structures.

Jaycee playground is a vibrant, ADA-accessible play area located along the Riverwalk near Centennial Beach. Renovated in 2019, it features modern play structures, swings, and cushioned surfacing.

Sunset Woods Park is renowned for its recently renovated Rocket Ship playground and nature-themed tot lot, offering inclusive play experiences for children of all ages and abilities.

The ingenious design of these foldable buckets means they'll take up less space in your beach bag (and your garage).

Grab a picnic blanket and join the Elmhurst Park District at Wilder Park for a movie under the stars.

June 13: Wreck-It Ralph

July 11: Moana 2

August 8: Wicked

If you have a dog or another trainable family pet, have the kids to choose a new trick to spend the summer teaching it.

The Geneva Park District is presenting its Movies in the Park series. Please bring blankets and lawn chairs. Concessions will be available for purchase.

June 12: Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (PG)

July 10: Wonka (PG)

August 7: Little Giants (PG)

Once they're old enough, kids can learn to mow the lawn over the summer. It's a good life skill, and a good first job if they find some neighbors who want to pay for the service.