Summer Guide 2013: Kids Bowl Free in Suburban Chicago

Last week, my 4-year-old daughter and I visited Lombard's Lilacia Park to check out the lilacs. Within five minutes of being there, she was complaining about being hot and hopscotching from one shady patch to the next. 

Granted, the sun was unforgiving that day, but unless we're going to spend every day at a pool, it made me realize I might need to plan some indoor activities this summer during the hottest parts of the day.

One I am considering is the Kids Bowl Free program. It's a nationwide program through which registered children can receive two free games of bowling every day all summer long. 

Here's a list of participating bowling alleys in suburban Chicago:

• Fox Bowl in Wheaton
• Bowlway Lanes in Elgin
• Arlington Lanes in Arlington Heights
• Wood Dale Bowl in Wood Dale
• Tivoli Bowl in Downers Grove

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Free Spring Kids Movies in Oswego and Batavia

The weekend "Kids Dream" $2 film series at Marcus Theatres' Elgin Cinema has been on the Go West Calendar for several weeks now. And the "Kidtoons" series, also $2 a seat on Saturdays and Sundays, at Studio Movie Grill in Wheaton is a constant calendar presence. But now we have another family-friendly movie series to add, and this one is entirely free! (Well, that is if you can avoid the concession stand.)

Goodrich Quality Theatres sponsors a "Free Spring Movies" series each year at its participating theaters, including the Kendall 10 in Oswego and the Randall 15 IMAX in Batavia.

The series gets underway this weekend, March 2-3, and runs through April 27-28. Each movie will be shown at both 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is first come, first served. 

For reviews and the age-appropriateness of the following movies, Common Sense Media is always a great resource.

Here's the schedule:

March 2-3: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days
March 9-10: Ice Age 4
March 16-17: Three Stooges
March 23-24: Rise of the Guardians
March 30-31: Madagascar 3
April 6-7: Hotel Transylvania
April 13-14: Pirates! Band of Misfits
April 20-21: ParaNorman
April 27-28: The Lorax

See you at the movies!

Winter Guide 2013: Visiting a Chicago-Area Museum or Zoo for Free

We are all so appreciative of all the amazing museums in the Chicago area, but sometimes visiting -- especially with a few kids in tow -- can get pricey.

The Shedd Aquarium has a number of free days coming up in January and February. Photo by rendomthoughts on Flickr.Checking out a Museum Adventure Pass from your local library is one option. Sometimes it makes the most sense to become a member, especially if it's a place you'll visit more than once in a year. And if you plan to visit a couple of museums in a short time span, you'll want to look into purchasing the CityPass or the Go Chicago Card.

But many Chicago museums also offer community free days or regular days during a month when visitors get in free. Note that these days are often quite popular, so you might be fighting some crowds. And also make sure to check the museum’s website, or give the museum a call, before your visit to make sure nothing has changed since this guide was compiled. 

Here's a list of the published discount dates for Chicago sites in winter and spring of 2013:

* The Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. 312-922-7827. Free general admission for Illinois residents: Jan. 17, 28-31. 

* Museum of Science & Industry, 57^th Street and Lake Shore Drive. 773-684-1414. Free general admission for Illinois residents on: Jan. 16-18, Jan. 21-25, Jan. 28-31; Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, Feb. 27; March 4; April 22; May 6: June 3-7, June 10.

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Visiting a Suburban Museum or Zoo for Free: Fall & Winter 2012

Last week, we brought you an updated "Visiting a Chicago Museum for Free in Fall & Winter 2012” post. But we can't forget the suburbs! While nearly every major Chicago museum offers “community free days,” that is more rare among suburban institutions, so the list below is a bit less definitive than the Chicago one.

Please make sure to check the museum’s website, or give the museum a call, before your visit to make sure nothing has changed since this list was compiled. And if you know of a spot that should be on here, please let us know!

* Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31^st Street, Brookfield. 708-688-8000. Information for the 2012-13 season has yet to be posted. During the 2011-12 year, admission to the Hamill Family Play Zoo, as well as the Children’s Zoo, were free from Nov. 1 to March 1, but you still had to pay pay general admission and a $9 parking fee at the zoo. In early 2012, the Brookfield Zoo had free admission on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays in from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28, but again, that has not been confirmed for 2013 yet. 

* Midwest Museum of Natural History, 425 W. State Street, Sycamore. 815-895-9777. Free admission on Wednesdays. Fees still apply for special events or programs.

Admission is always free at the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg. Photo by Prairie Woods Audubon on Flickr.

* Kline Creek Farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. 630-876-5900. Admission is always free at this DuPage County Forest Preserve property that seeks to show visitors what life was like on a northern Illinois farm in in the 1890s.

* Lederman Science Center at Fermilab, Kirk Road and Pine Street, Batavia. 630-840-8258. The museum was designed for middle school field trips, but the hands-on exhibits are available to the general public on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. On holidays, call to check if the center is open. 

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Free Offers and Deals for Tax Day 2012

As I'm sure you are aware, tomorrow is Tax Day. Here are some deals and freebies offered by restaurants and businesses hoping to perhaps lure you into their establishments on your last-minute trip to the post office. Oh wait, maybe I'm the only person who still hasn't filed her taxes. Know of more deals? Share them in the comments section!

Photo by kenteegardin on Flickr.* Arby's is offering a coupon for free curly fries, printable from its Facebook page. Arby's has locations in Batavia, St. Charles, Aurora, Naperville, Oswego and more.

* Boston Market's "Tax Relief Plan" involves a coupon also printable from its Facebook page. Buy one individual meal and a fountain drink and get the second individual meal free. Good only on April 17. Boston Market has locations in Geneva, Wheaton, Elgin, Naperville, Aurora and more.

* Chili's Grill & Bar Restaurant has a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert with an entree purchase, good from April 16 through April 18. Chili's has restaurants in Batavia, St. Charles, South Elgin, Aurora, Naperville, Wheaton and more.

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