On The Go Chicago

Father & Daughters Dare to Dream!

Posted in go play - inside | January 25, 2012

While I am taking some time away with a girlfriend, my hubby took the girls to see Disney on Ice Dare to Dream. I asked my husband, Kerry, to provide a short review of the show and his experience with the girls at the show. I thought it would be fun to give a dad’s perspective for a change. Take it away Kerry…

I never would have dared to dream that the girls and I could make it out to Allstate Arena for ‘Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream’ in 25 minutes at 5:30, but we did…and this was just the start of a great night.

There was a tense moment early on when the girls noticed a ‘mad guy’ (AKA The Princess & the Frog’s Shadow Man) in the program…Clare hid under my coat, but soon everyone was smiles as our hosts for the evening, Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy, skated onto the ice. Frogs, mice and horses were to follow as The Princess & the Frog, Cinderella and Tangled came to life…on ice.

Grace really enjoyed Cinderella, especially when her Fairy Godmother changed the pumpkin into a carriage and transformed Cinderella for the Ball. Tangled also stood out, from the Snuggly Ducking thugs rendition of ‘I’ve Got a Dream’ to the acrobats which made it seem like Flynn Rider and Rapunzel were flying.

Maybe if you’re really, really lucky and really, really close to the ice, Cinderella’s prince might choose you to try on the glass slipper or have a chance to help Flynn & Rapunzel with their floating lantern…if not, you’ll still have a great time, we did.

Inside scoop:

What – Disney On Ice Dare to Dream
Where – Allstate Arena (Rosemont, IL) & United Center (Chicago, IL)
When – Allstate Arena – January 25-29 and United Center – February 1-12
Cost – Tickets start at $15
Insider Tip – Click here to get discounted tickets. Get 4 tickets for $44 on Weekday Shows or Save $4 on weekend shows with code MOM.

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Win a Complete Set of Urba Winter Essentials!

Posted in go play - outside, go shop | January 23, 2012

On the go has partnered with one of our favorite kid-sized stores in the city, Urba Baby, to hand pick a fabulous list of Winter Essentials every urban family needs to survive a Chicago winter! Even better, one lucky on the go reader will win the entire list of Urba Essentials (worth more than $200)!

Each season, we’ll be working with Urba Baby to create a list of our favorite places to have fun with the kiddos that season and what products you need to enjoy them in style! Plus, on the go readers can get 15% off all of the highlighted Urba Essentials. Simply bring in the attached coupon below, and look for the “on the go urba essentials” signs in the store.

Five best products to keep your wee ones cozy & chic this winter!

Keep your little urban explorer warm with the BabbaCo Snuggle Fleece car seat cover ($63.99).
Your little fashionista will be cozy and stylish in our Zutano hats, mittens and booties (starting at $13.99).
Protect your hands from the dryer and colder weather with Episencial Better Body Butter ($9.99).
Bundle up your bundle of joy in a Rain or Shine Kids (ROSK) Woobee Pouches ($69.00).
Protect Urba Mama and Urba Dada’s hands with the warm Nomie “Strittens” Stroller Mittens ($30.99).

WIN all of these fabulous wintertime essentials!

To be entered into our random drawing, simply share one of your favorite wintertime activities below or on our Facebook Page or Urba Baby’s Facebook Page by 5pm Monday, January 30th. Leave a comment on all three for THREE chances to win!

The weather outside might be frightful, but you don’t have to hibernate! Here are five ideas for wintertime fun in Chicago.

Enjoy story time with Nili Yelin, The Storybook Mom, at 10:30 every second and fourth Thursday at Urba Baby.
Explore the warm and beautiful Butterfly Haven at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. Thursdays are free!
Grab a cup of coffee with a friend, while the little ones play at a café/indoor play space. A few of our favorites are Little Beans Café, Family Grounds, Pickles Playroom and Kookaburra.
Visit one of Chicago’s amazing museums for FREE. Family passes can be checked out at your local library.
Get you pre-baby body back at a mom and baby exercise class. Try Stroller Strides or Active Mom’s Club.

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NPN’s Developmental Differences Resource Fair

Posted in inside scoop | January 20, 2012

I am so proud to be on the board of the Neighborhood Parents Network (NPN). NPN truly strives to provide valuable and FREE resources to Chicago parents. In addition to providing amazing discussion forums, new moms groups (where I met some of my closes friends), fab free events and the uber useful School Fairs and School Directory; NPN is presenting its first-ever Developmental Differences Resource Fair.

The fair is dedicated to providing Chicago families with information on school programs, service providers, and nonprofits that focus on serving parents of children with developmental differences. More than 40 exhibitors from throughout the Chicagoland area will be attending. Categories of needs include, but are not limited to, sensory processing disorder,autism, ADD/ADHD, PDD-NOS, mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, Down Syndrome, and physical disabilities.

Plus, there will be free event workshops held throughout the day (space is limited to the first 50 attendees per session)

10:30 am – Understanding & dealing with Health Insurance/Gail Borgerd, MedicClaim
11:30 am – Setting your child up for Success/Lorell Marin, Leep Forward
12:30 pm – Navigating the IEP Process/Susan R. Singerman, MA

Inside scoop:

What – NPN Developmental Differences Resource Fair
Where – Gordon Tech High School, 3633 N California Ave, Chicago, IL
When – Sat. Feb. 4th 10am – 2pm
Cost – Open to the public. Free admission. RSVP is not required.

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Win 4 tickets to Disney on Ice Dare to Dream!

Posted in go play - inside | January 14, 2012

Get all tangled up with the Disney on Ice’s performance of Dare to Dream! You and your little princes and princesses can watch your favorite Disney movies come to life including Tangled, Princess and the Frog and Cinderella!

One lucky on the go reader will be going to opening night (January 25th) for FREE! Simply comment below or email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by 5pm Wednesday, January 18th. We’ll also be giving one second place winner a $40 gift card to Hair Cuttery good for the Ultimate Princess Package (see below for details)!

Show Description:

Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss. And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime! Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to your hometown!

Hair Cuttery Ultimate Princess Package:

Disney On Ice and Hair Cuttery have teamed up to bring you an enchanting offer in Chicago. The Disney On Ice Princess Package includes a shampoo, blowdry, updo and special princess finish with a tiara at your local Hair Cuttery salon. Also receive a savings coupon for Disney On Ice merchandise ($5 value). You can add the Princess Package to your order on Ticketmaster.

What – Disney On Ice Dare to Dream
Where – Allstate Arena (Rosemont, IL) & United Center (Chicago, IL)
When – Allstate Arena – January 25-29 and United Center – February 1-12
Cost – Tickets start at $15
Insider Tip – Click here to get discounted tickets. Get 4 tickets for $44 on Weekday Shows or Save $4 on weekend shows with code MOM. See the flyer below for more details!

Flynn Rider_Mom1_D32_Chicago 2012

Your little princess can build and color her own crown for the show too - The Gift of Memories – A Special Princess Day

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Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

Posted in go play - outside | January 13, 2012

I woke up this morning to yippees and woo hoos, as my kids saw the plethora of fluffy white stuff on the ground. Finally, enough snow to build a snowman, have a snowball fight and go sledding. Everyone rushed through breakfast, so that they could don their snow pants and snow boots.

If you are looking to indulge your kids love of snow this weekend, here are some of Chicago’s best sledding hills.

Chicago

Soldier Field’s Sledding Hill (425 E. McFetridge Dr., hill is southeast of the field) – A snow making machine keeps it snowy all winter long.
Museum Campus by Field Museum (Campus Dr. entrance before the road curves north) - not designated by the city for sledding, but has been used that way for years.
Cricket Hill at Montrose Harbor (east of Lake Shore Dr.) – not designated by the city for sledding, but has been used that way for years.
Parks with Sledding Hills
- Warren Park (6601 N. Western Ave.)
- Cornell Park (5473 S. Cornell Ave.)
- Stout Park (5446 S. Greenwood Ave.)
- Robichaux Park (9247 S. Eggleston Ave.)
- Gompers Park (4222 W. Foster Ave.)
- Horner Park (2741 W. Montrose Ave.)
- Indian Boundary Park (2500 W. Lunt Ave.)
- Rainey Park (4350 W. 79th St.)
Dan Ryan Woods (87th & Western Ave.) – Lighted
Caldwell Woods (Devon & Milwaukee) – Lighted
Indian Road Woods (Central Ave., 1/2 mile south of Caldwell Ave.)

Suburbs

Swallow Cliff (Route 83 & Mannheim Rd) – Lighted
Deer Grove #5 (Quentin Rd., north of Dundee Rd., Palentine) – Lighted
Westchester Woods (Cermak Rd., east of LaGrange Rd., Westchester) – Lighted
Indian Hill Woods (16th St. & Edgewood Ave., Chicago Heights)
Pioneer Woods (107th St., 1/2 mile west of LaGrange Rd., Willow Springs)
Schiller Woods (Irving Park & Cumberland Ave., Schiller Park)
Deer Grove #4 (Quentin Rd., north of Dundee Rd., Palentine)
Old School Forest Preserve (Saint Mary’s Road just south of Route 176, and north of Route 60)
Lakewood Winter Sports Arena (Ivanhoe and Fairfield Roads, the sledding hill is to the east of the parking lot) – Lighted
Glacial Park (6316 Harts Rd., Ringwood)
Riverwalk Sled Hill (Aurora Ave., west of Eagle, Naperville) – Lighted
Arrowhead Park (711 E. Iroquois Ave.)
Danny Cunniff Park (3100 Trailway St., Highland Park)
Flick Park (3600 Glenview Rd., Glenview)
Four Seasons (Finley Rd. & 16th St., Lombard)
Sunset Knoll (820 S. Finley Rd., Lombard)
Techny Prairie Park & Fields (3535 Dundee Rd., Northbrook)

If you are looking for a little something more than your average sledding hill, then check out Blackwell Forest Preserve (Butterfield Rd. & Main Dr., Warrenville). There is an 800-foot tubing run, and tube rentals are only $4 per day.

On the go is launching a new membership website soon. This article will run on the new site too, and we would love to include some great photos of Chicago kids at some of these local sledding hills. Email me (cindymccarthy@onthegochicago.com) a photo of your kids sledding along with which hill it is at and what you love about that hill. If we use your photo, we’ll give you a free one year membership to the site.

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Rock out to Chicago’s newest kindie CD!

Posted in go rock out | January 11, 2012

Little Miss Ann is releasing her third CD, Walk With Me, this Sunday at the Beat Kitchen. Woo Hoo! My kids are serious Little Miss Ann fans. Not only do they proudly wear their Little Miss Ann shirts, but they know every word to every song of her previous CDs. I too am a huge Little Miss Ann fan, but I would be lying if I did not admit that I am happy to be adding a NEW CD to the rotation!

When asked what she loved most about recording her new CD, Little Miss Ann said, ”I love that while “Walk with Me” was recorded in a Chicago bungalow, some incredible Kindie music luminaries, added back-up vocals including multi-award winning, Brooklyn-based Suzi Shelton and Independent Music Award winner, Seattle-based, Charlie Hope.”

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak/listen to “Walk With Me”. Like her last two CDs, Ann sticks to her Folk/Rock/Bluegrass kindie style. It truly is a CD that parents will enjoy as much as their kids. I especially love the inspirational and uplifting lyrics of Take Me For Who I Am and Fly, Shine, Soar. Put Out Your Hand and Waltzing Matilda are great tunes for your next living room dance party. Click here to listen to her new songs, and download a copy for yourself.

Be among the first to rock out to Little Miss Ann’s newest songs at the CD release party this Sunday!

What – Little Miss Ann CD Release Concert
Where – Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont
When – Sunday, January 15 12pm
Cost – $6

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Time to clean out the toy bins!

Posted in go give back | January 6, 2012

Well now that Santa has come and gone, I am now faced with the dilemma of where to put all of the new lovely toys he delivered. Earlier this week I spent some quality time at the Container Store getting new plastic shoe boxes to keep all of the little pieces in. Now that my kids are past the typical choking hazard age, it seems like every gift they got had eight million little pieces.

With every toy in it’s proper container, now I have to find a place to put them. City living does not equal lots of space, so for every new toy in at least one must go! This weekend’s project is purging.

Many of these soon to be evicted toys are in great shape, so I plan to donate them to one of the many local charities that accept gently used toys.

If you too are looking to purge your toy room and need to find those toys a good home, here is a list of a few of my favorite local charities that accept use toys. Also, if you got duplicates or simply got more presents from friends and family then you have room for, I’ve included two that accept new toys. Please share any you know of that I’ve missed too!

New & Used Toys:

Marillac House at 212 S. Francisco Ave.
Open Books at 213 W. Institute Pl. (Used Books)
Cornerstone Community Outreach at 4628 N. Clifton Ave.
Blackstone Bicycle Works at 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. (Used Bikes)
Jadonal E. Ford Center at 11255 S. Michigan Ave.
House of Good Shepard at 1114 W. Grace St.
Salvation Army at 2270 N. Clybourn Ave.
Brown Elephant at 3651 N. Halsted St. and 5404 N. Clark St.

New Toys Only

New Moms Inc at 2845 W. McLean Ave in Logan Square
Children’s Memorial Hospital at 2300 Children’s Memorial Plaza in Lincoln Park

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Feel the rhythm at the next Old Town School Playdate!

Posted in go rock out | January 5, 2012

Isn’t it amazing how even the youngest babies naturally respond to music. It’s something about the rythm and beat that we all respond to on some instinctual level. Well next Saturday, Rick Neuhaus and John Yost will be exploring the resonant rhythms, world vibrations, Asia, Africa, our common beat, and a wild drumming parade at the Old Town School Playdate.

On the go is proud to sponsor the monthly Old Town School Playdates in Lincoln Square. If you haven’t been to one yet, come check it out. Not only is it a bargain ($5), but it is truly a hands on experience. Each month the featured muscicians engage the audience in an educational and fun exploration of music. Audience participation is part of the show. Plus, kids can get up on stage after the show and play drums and other rythm instruments.

January’s concert, The Pulse of Rhythm with John Yost & Rick Neuhaus, will focus on how our world vibrates in resonant rhythms. We all sing and dance to one pulse from many traditions.

One lucky on the go reader will get to find their common rhythm for free. Simply leave a comment below or on Facebook by 5pm Sunday, January 8th to be entered into our drawing for FOUR free tickets to the show.

Inside scoop:

What -The Pulse of Rhythm with John Yost & Rick Neuhaus
Where – Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 N. Lincoln Ave.)
When – Saturday, January 14th, 10am
Cost – $5

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Shake your sillies out with Mr. Singer!

Posted in go rock out | January 2, 2012

On the go is thrilled to sponsor the Little Beans Winter Concert Series. Last month we rocked out to holiday classics with Little Miss Ann. We’re kicking the new year off with Mr. Singer, Kerry Appleberry & Marius Mustard on January 13th.

Mr. Singer is one of my families favorite local kindie musicians. We’ve seen Mr. Singer perform countless times in concert, at story time at the Zoo and even at my youngest first birthday party. Mr. Singer is amazing at getting the kids to participate in his shows. There is generally quite a large kiddie mosh pit going by the end of his performances! My kids particularly love Rathputin the Rattlesnake and King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki Me O. Click here to sample a few of his original songs.

You can check out Mr. Singer in person, Friday, January 13th. Tickets are on sale now. Along with the rockin’ live concert, your family will also enjoy playtime in Little Beans amazing play space and dinner. On the go will be there with tips on where kid-sized fun is hiding in your neighborhood and free maracas for the kiddies!

One lucky on the go reader will win a family four pack of tickets. Simply comment below or send me an email at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by 5pm Thursday, January 5th.

Inside scoop:

What – Little Beans Winter Concert Series: Mr. Singer
Where – LIttle Beans Cafe, 1809 W. Webster
When – Friday, January 13th at 6pm
Cost – Tickets include play time, concert and dinner! 1 Person – $30, 2 People – $60, 3 People – $80, 4 People – $100

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Trojan horse, karaoke and one eyed monsters!

Posted in go play - inside | December 23, 2011

The National Hellenic Museum opened earlier this month in Chicago, and the girls and I went for our inaugural visit last week. It truly is amazing the rich cultural life that Chicago has to offer local families, and the National Hellenic Museum is a great addition. Although the entire museum is not completed yet, the first floor exhibit, Gods, Myths and Mortals, as well as the museum store is open.

Chicago has one of the world’s largest Greek populations, and the museum is located in the heart of Greektown. Our government, language, architecture and theater all have their roots in ancient Greece. This new museum provides an excellent platform to learn about ancient Greece, and about the immigration of Greeks to America and subsequent impact Greek culture has had on Chicago.

The current exhibit, Gods, Myths and Mortals, is a wonderfully hands-on experience. From the giant Trojan Horse that your kids can climb in and Greek Siren inspired karaoke to the more serious exhibit about the epic poem The Odyssey, the entire family will have fun learning about ancient Greece and Greek Mythology.

My girls loved the Siren Karaoke, although they ended up taking over the microphone for some non-Greek Myth inspired solos. They also loved the cool pinball like exhibit.

Although the museum doesn’t plan to have a dedicated children’s section, they plan to incorporate hands-on components and gear their exhibits towards the whole family. Gods, Myths and Mortals is a great example of this philosophy. This exhibit was actually created by the Children’s Museum of Manhattan, and will be at the National Hellenic Museum through August 2012..

We look forward to returning to the museum this coming summer when the permanent exhibit on the second floor and the rooftop terrace will be completed.

One word of warning, the parking is a bit challenging. They have a very small lot behind the museum, but there is a public lot nearby that only charges $6 after 2pm and on weekends. They are also accessible via the CTA.

Inside scoop:

What – National Hellenic Museum
Where – 333 S. Halsted St.
Cost – $10 adults, $7 children 3-7 yrs
Insider tip – The museum is located in the heart of Greektown, and surrounded by some of the city’s best Greek restaurants. Add to your experience at the museum by taking a culinary trip to Greece before or after your visit.

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Ring in the New Year with the kiddos!

Posted in holiday/seasonal | December 21, 2011

Are you looking for a fun way to ring in the new year with your kiddos? We’ve scoured the Chicago for the best parties for the under 10 crowd.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks – Families can ring in the New Year a little early with this spectacular fireworks display to end the New Year’s Eve Family Bash at Winter WonderFest.

Where – Navy Pier
When – 12/31 8:15pm
Cost – FREE

Noon Year’s Eve at the Chicago Children’s Museum – The event will feature many traditional elements—party favors, confetti and the singing of Auld Lang Syne—all set in the family-friendly atmosphere of the museum. And because no museum event would be complete without an opportunity for collaborative family fun, visitors who choose to come early can make hats, crowns and other party favors.

Where – Chicago Children’s Museum
When – 12/31 11am
Cost – free with museum admission

Pump It Up New Years Eve Party – Bring in the New Year at this family friendly celebration. Early afternoon event features play time, pizza, sparkling beverages, gifts and a countdown with balloon drop.

Where – Pump It Up Chicago
When – 12/31 1-4pm
Cost – $5 adults, $15 kids

Berghoff Family Friendly New Year’s Eve Party – Grab the kids and ring in 2012 at the Berghoff with food, fun & festivities at the most family friendly New Year’s Eve party in Chicago!

Where – Berghoff Restaurant
When – 12/31 5pm & 7pm
Cost – $59.95 adults, $16.95 kids

ComedySportz New Year’s Eve Family Show – ComedySportz is the longest running short-form improv show in Chicago. Now in our 24th year! It’s not stand-up comedy about sports…it’s improv comedy played as a sport! Appropriate for all ages so bring the whole brood

Where – ComedySportz
When – 12/31 5pm & 7pm
Cost – $22

Blue Man Group New Year’s Eve Performance – Blue Man Group is wishing Chicago a Happy 2012 with three performances on New Year’s Eve with toasts and party favors.

Where – Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre
When – 12/31 4pm & 7pm
Cost – tickets start at $55

My Corner Playroom New Year’s Eve Party -Ring in 2012 family style! Healthy snacks and refreshments, hats and favors, noise makers, lights, dance music, balloon drop at “midnight”!

Where – My Corner Playroom
When – 12/31 3-6pm
Cost – adults free, $19 children, $14 siblings

Dave and Buster’s Family New Year’s Eve Party – Party includes buffet, desert, $10 Power Card, magic show, balloon artist and more.

Where – Dave & Busters
When – 12/31 5-8pm
Cost – $29.99

Ring in the New Year at Scoozi - Kids 12 and under can make their own pizza, create their own ice cream sundae and ring in the New Year with sparkling grape juice.

Where – Scoozi
When – 12/31 4-6pm
Cost – $4.95 kids

Further Afield:

DuPage Children’s Museum Bubbles Bash – Musical performances by The Boogers, art activities, refreshments and three floors of Museum fun! Museum-wide countdown to noon led by Naperville Mayor A. George Pradel

Where – Dupage Children’s Museum
When – 12/31 9am-noon
Cost – $20 members, $25 non-members

LEGOLAND New Year’s Celebration -This kid-friendly countdown has multiple balloon drops, confetti, sparkling grape juice, and party music.

Where -LEGOLAND Discovery Center
When – 12/31 & 1/1, doors open at 10am
Cost – Free with paid admission

Zoo Year’s Eve - Rock in the “Zoo Year 2012″ with your friends at Brookfield Zoo! There will be music, games, party favors, and an early countdown at 8:00 p.m.

Where -Brookfield Zoo
When – 12/31 6-8pm
Cost – Free with paid zoo admission

Discovery Center Museum Coutdown to Fun – Crafts, games, music and art come together as they count down to midnight—somewhere in the world! Ring in the New Year with music from Kantorei, the singing boys of Rockford. Join in the fun with party hats, confetti, favors and more!

Where -Discovery Center Museum
When – 12/31 12:30-4:30
Cost – Free with paid admission

On the go will be at the Neighborhood Parent’s Network Pre-New Year’s Eve Bash on 12/30, which is unfortunately already sold out. So if you want to celebrate the New Year with the little ones, make your reservations at one of these great events ASAP!

No matter how you celebrate, I hope you have a great time ushering in the New Year with your family. May the upcoming year be full of fun, laughter, love and new adventures.

Happy New Year!

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Somersaults, balance beams, trampolines and fun!

Posted in go learn | December 19, 2011

It will officially be winter this Wednesday! For those of us who live in Chicago, that means finding ways to entertain our kiddos, and, lets face it, burn off some of their non-stop energy indoors. Although we love going to the museums, story times and indoor play spaces, one of my favorite things to do each winter is introduce my kids to a new activity/class.

As if their PR team was reading my mind, I recently received an invitation for my girls to take a trial gymnastics class at the brand new IK Gymnastics facility that opened last month. Now that my girls are almost three and just turned four, I had been considering a more formal gymnastics class. My kids LOVE trampolines, and are regularly showing off their somersault skills, so a more structured gymnastics class seemed like the perfect way to have fun indoors and teach the girls some new skills!

Since I have never been to any other gymnastics facilities in Chicago, it is hard for me to compare IK to the other facilities available. What I can tell you is that the facility is HUGE, brand new, clean, has plenty of parking and that our instructor was amazing.

The instructor did a great job of quickly befriending them and winning their trust. She also did a surprsingly good job getting the 15 or so toddlers to follow her instructions. We started with a little obstacle course of things to climb over, slither under, walk across, somersault down and crawl through. We then moved on to the balance beam. Next was my kids FAVORITE part of the class, the long trampoline (I am sure there is a real name for this piece of equipment, but it was essentially a 25 yard long trampoline). My kids LOVED it! Then we went to a big square trampoline for more jumping fun. We ended the class with some climbing and swinging on the rings.

What I liked most is that the class was action packed. We quickly transitioned from one activity to the next. They were truly moving and smiling the entire class. On the way home, my girls were already asking me if they could go back.

Plus, they both took nice long naps…my ultimate litmus test for any new class. If it tires them out, and we avoid crying and whining during the class, it gets an A in my book!

Inside scoop:

What – IK Gymnastics
Where – 2630 W. Bradley Place
Cost – Mom and Tot/Preschool classes start at $100. They do not offer free trial classes.
Insider Tip – 10% sibling discount. They also offer birthday parties and camps.

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ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids 2011

Posted in go shop | December 9, 2011

Looking for some fresh ideas for toys this holiday season? I don’t know about you, but I can only buy so many “Cars” toys and Barbie Dolls. One of the reasons I love shopping at my local specialty toy stores instead of the big boxes is because they always have a plethora of great specialty toys to recommend.

Not only are these toys a breath of fresh air from the over commercialized toys my kids seem to be bombarded with on TV and at school, but most of them focus on being creative, building, inventing, imagination and other developmental skills. ASTRA, the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, puts out an annual list of their top toys. Here are 10 of the toys that made their list for 2011.

ASTRA Best Toys For Kids 2011

Big Bag of Science by Be Amazing (8+) – This giant kit whets the appetites of budding young scientists with more than 70 hands-on science activities.
Teaching Cash Register by Learning Resources (3+) – Cha-ching! Playing store comes to life with this talking, interactive cash register.
Shrinky Dinks Fairy Garden by Creativity for Kids (7+, but my 3-year old did it with their 5-year old cousin) – Color and bake these Shrinky Dinks, and transform a pop-up garden into a fun fairy hide-away.
Nanoblock by Ohio Art/Kawada (8+) – You don’t have to be an engineer to create 3-D buildings with Nanoblok.
Healthy Gourmet Salad for Green Eaters by Hape (3+) – Imaginative play gets nourished when children create a tasty salad with these wood vegetables.
Happily Ever After Jewelry Box by Orb Factory (5+) – Bring a little Happily Ever After to any girls’ room with this beautiful new decorate yourself jewelry box.
Fast Track by Blue Orange Games (3-7 years) – Ready, aim, score! With the Fast Track game the action is non-stop and fun is plentiful.
Safety Pin Bracelets by Klutz (8+) – Super-simple, fully illustrated step-by-step directions shows how anyone can craft an entire collection of sparkly jewelry out of garden-variety safety pins.
Potholder Kid by Harrisville Designs (6+) – Encourage life-long skills with this educational and fun toy.
Pathwords by Thinkfun Inc (12+) – Exercise your brain with PathWords, the exciting new game that combines the best of Tetris and Word Search!

All of these toys can be found at Building Blocks Toy Store (Lakeview or Wicker Park locations). We love Building Blocks for their AMAZING customer service, generous return policy and free gift wrap (one less thing to do this season).

Plus, one lucky on the go reader can pick two of these toys to add under their tree this year for FREE. Simply leave a comment below or email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by end of day Tuesday, December 13th. The remaining seven will be donated to New Moms Inc, one of my favorite charities here in Chicago serving at risk and homeless teen moms.

If you are wondering why seven instead of eight, no my math skills are not on the fritz, my daughters had their cousin over and begged me to let them try out the Shrinky Dink Fairy Garden. I CAVED, and let them play with it. The good news is, I can personally recommend this toy. The girls had hours of fun creating the fairies and hours of fun playing with them after. GREAT activity for a cold winter day!

Disclosure – On the go was provided with all ten of these toys by ASTRA and the manufacturers as part of an event at Building Blocks Toys Store. We were not paid to nor required to write a post about them. All of the opinions in this blog are my own honest opinions!

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Goodnight Moon is a good time for all!

Posted in go play - inside | December 5, 2011

One of the things I love most about Chicago is the rich cultural life available. It is truly amazing the quantity and quality of family theatre here in Chicago. One of the best examples of family theatre here in the city is the Chicago Children’s Theatre. Their mission is to enrich our community through diverse and significant theatrical programming that engages and inspires the child in all of us.

The Chicago Children’s Theatre invited the girls and I to their latest production of Goodnight Moon at the Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre last week, and the show definitely inspired me. The actors and sets were enchanting. Goodnight Moon is one of our favorite books, and the Chicago Children’s Theatre brought the book to life.

From the moment Little Bunny, Alex Goodrich, stepped out on stage, my girls were enthralled. His energy was infectious. I especially loved Sara Sevigny’s portrayal of the Old Lady Whispering Hush. Any mother who has tried to get her kids to GO TO SLEEP will relate to her frustration and her inability not to get sucked into playing and laughing for just a few more minutes…

We saw the show on a weekday morning, and there were a number of school groups there. I have to admit, it got pretty loud at times. The cast encourages audience participation, which is part of the fun. Plus, as a mom of two toddlers, it was nice not to have to worry about them staying quiet during the entire performance.

Goodnight Moon is the perfect way to introduce your little ones to live theatre. I highly recommend seeing the show, and can’t wait to see Chicago Children’s Theatre’s next production.

If you can make their Friday night performances on December 9th or 16th, dawn your favorite PJs and enjoy a pajama party complete with FREE cookies and milk after the show. Even if you can’t make one of their pajama parties, bring a pair of fabulous PJs for Goodnight Moon’s Pajama Drive benefiting the pajamaprogram.org. Plus,for every pair of new pajamas donated during the run of Goodnight Moon, Scholastic Books will donate an equal number of early learning books for disadvantaged youth.

Inside Scoop:

What – Goodnight Moon
Where – Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre (2433 N. Lincoln)
When – Now through December 23rd
Cost – adults $36, kids $26. Click here to purchase tickets.
Insider Tip – On the go readers can get $5 off with special discount code REDBALLOON (all one word).

Disclosure – On the go was provided tickets to the show for free, but was not paid to or required to write a review of the performance. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own.

1 Comment »

Jingle all the way to some serious holiday fun with Little Miss Ann!

Posted in go rock out, holiday/seasonal | December 4, 2011

My girls might be Little Miss Ann’s biggest fans! We have both of her CDs in our car, and the three of us know EVERY word to EVERY song! We also try to catch her live shows whenever possible.

Little Miss Ann is playing a special holiday show at Little Beans Cafe on Friday, December 16th, and on the go has a family four pack of tickets to giveaway!

We are so excited to announce that on the go will be partnering with Little Beans Cafe on their Winter Concert Series. Little Beans will be hosting concerts with some of Chicago’s best kindie musicians once a month all winter long. On the go will be giving away a family four pack of tickets to each show, and we will be at each event handing out maracas to all kiddos so they can rock out with the band!

The first concert will be LIttle Beans Holiday Party. Little Miss Ann will be playing some rockin’ holiday songs to get everyone in the spirit and dinner will be provided for the whole family. You’ll enjoy a little music, dinner and some festive and cozy holiday decorations. Plus, the big guy in the red suit will be making an appearance to say Ho Ho Ho to all the little rock stars!

To be entered into our family four pack of tickets giveaway, simply leave a comment below or email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by end of day Thursday, December 8th.

We hope to see you there! We’ll be the groupies in the front rocking out and singing-along. Make your reservations today by clicking here!

Inside Scoop:

What – Little Beans Holiday Party
Where – Little Beans Cafe (1809 W. Webster)
When – Friday, December 16th 5-7:30pm
Cost – 1 Person – $30/2 People – $60/3 people – $80/4 people – $100. Price includes playspace admission, concert, dinner and holiday cheer!

Upcoming Shows:

Mr. Singer on January 13th
Joanie Leeds on February 17th
Laura Doherty on March 9th

11 Comments »

Gifts that give TWICE!

Posted in go give back, go shop | December 2, 2011

I married into a HUGE family, who loves to give Christmas presents. We buy for our 21 nieces and nephews and for more than 15 adults. It’s absolutely crazy, but in a good way. I love to shop, and I actually like to wrap too. The one thing I hate to do is ship. Since NONE of our family even lives in the same state as us, we ship everything. Unfortunately, standing in line at the Post Office seems to suck the holiday spirit right out of me!

So outside of my “Bah Humbug” attitude about shipping, I love checking gifts off my Christmas list. Especially when I can find something that is not only a great gift, but benefits a charity or non-profit too. What better way to get into the holiday spirit, than buying gifts that actually give something back too!

Here are some local and national options for gifts that give twice. If you know of any other great holiday gifts that give back, please share them via the comment section below.

Bright Endeavors is a Chicago non-profit social enterprise, manufacturing and marketing eco-friendly home and bath products, helping adolescent parents (aged 17-24) transition into economic stability. Bright Endeavors is part of New Moms Inc., an amazing organization truly changing the lives of young mothers here in Chicago.

Blackstone Bicycle Works is a bustling community bike shop, offering repairs and sales of refurbished bikes on the South Side of Chicago. It is also the only bike shop in Chicago that offers over 150 youth the opportunity to work in a retail setting, learn the art and science of bicycle mechanics, to learn about how a business works, to discover the satisfaction of a job well done, to be safe and free of the pressures of the streets, and to have fun.

Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe offers tasty treats perfect to bring as a hostess gift or to serve at your next holiday party. Not only are their baked goods delicious, but they are a non-profit. The Blue Sky Employment Program provides homeless and at-risk youth with employment at the bakery. Youth gain valuable experience in cooking, baking, customer service and cash-handling.

Ten Th ousand Villages offers handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor, art and more. All are handmade from artisans in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. They are one of the world’s largest fair trade organizations. The company strives to improve the livelihood of tens of thousands of disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. They have stores in Evanston, Oak Park and Glen Ellyn. I shop the Evanston store each year. They have great Christmas ornaments and jewelry.

Neighborhood Parents Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Chicago families with the resources they need to navigate parenting in the city. I have been a member for almost four years, and on the board for close to a year. It’s a great organization, and membership to NPN makes a great gift for urban families or those expecting their first child.

finger puppets Gifts that give TWICE!

Unicef’s Gifts that Give Back – From finger puppets to jewelry, they have a wide range of gifts to choose from. All money raised through UNICEF’s holiday “Gifts That Give Back” program will help in its mission of reducing the number of daily, preventable deaths of children under five from 21,000 to zero.

Toms Shoes operates on a one-for-one business model. For every pair of shoes purchased, founder Blake Mycoskie donates a pair to a child who would otherwise be barefoot. They even make adorable kids shoes now, including these glittery ones I saw recently at Nordstroms.

The Rainforest Site preserves at least 1,145 sq. ft. of rainforest land for each item you buy. Your purchases help great charities: The Nature Conservancy, Rainforest Conservation Fund, & World Land Trust-US. They offer a huge variety of gifts for everyone on your list. I especially love this adorable bumblebee hat and mittens.

World Wildlife Federation offers these great adoption buckets. For $50 you get a wooden bucket with a plush tiger, panda and polar bear, adoption certificate and information about the animals. Its a great gift, the proceeds go to saving those animals, and you can teach your children or nieces and nephews about conservation.

Our amazing museums here in Chicago also have wonderful gift shops. The proceeds from the gift shops help to support the museum and its programs. Plus, if you are a member, most of the stores give you a discount.

Museum Shop at the Art Institute of Chicago offers everything from Christmas ornaments and Christmas cards to jewelry and home decor.

Museum of Science and Industry has a great selection of gifts for the inquisitive ones on your list. From models to games, your sure to find something for science lovers of all ages.

Bring Sue home for the holidays at The Field Store . The Field Museum has a huge selection of dinosaur related and other out of the ordinary gifts.

Chicago Children’s Museum offers a nice selection of creative and educational toys. I especially like their dress-up selection. They offer more than the standard princess and policeman.

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Santa, where are you?

Posted in holiday/seasonal | November 30, 2011

Have you been naughty or nice? Well, if you are on the nice list this year, and want to tell the big guy in the red suit what you want for Christmas, here is a list of some of the best places to visit Santa this year in Chicago.

Santa House at Daley Plaza – Jolly Old St. Nick will again grace the plaza with his holiday cheer in his Midwest satellite workshop on Daley Plaza! Children can experience the wonder of the North Pole and have their picture taken with Santa Claus throughout the holiday season.

Where – Daley Plaza
When – 11/23-12/24 from 11-8pm
Cost – FREE

Zoo Lights at Lincoln Park Zoo – Take a stroll through the Zoo one evening this December, and enjoy ice carving demonstrations, visits with Santa, warm drinks and cool crafts along with more than one million beautiful lights.

Where – Lincoln Park Zoo
When – December 2-4, 9-11 and every night after December 16
Cost – FREE

Lincoln Square Christkindl Market - Lincoln Square will be transformed into a small German Village. The “Kids Korner” will feature cookie decorating, arts and crafts (create wreaths and ornaments) and of course St. Nicholas will also make an appearance at the market everyday. Tree lighting with carolers will be on Saturday at 4:30pm

Where – Lincoln Square
When – Friday, December 2nd noon-10pm, Saturday, December 3rd 9am-10pm and Sunday, Decemer 4th 10am-7pm
Cost – FREE

Santa Comes to Flourish Studios – Enjoy a special Christmas Story Time, holiday treats and pictures with Santa.

Where – Flourish (3020 Lincoln Ave.)
When – December 3rd 10:30-11am story time, 11am-3pm Santa
Cost – FREE

Roscoe Village Winterfest - Kick off the holiday season by gathering with friends and family at the annual tree lighting on Saturday. On Sunday afternoon, bring the family for children’s actvities, choirs, trolley and of course Santa!

Where – Roscoe Village
When – Tree Lighting December 3 at 5pm, Kids Fest December 4th 1-5pm
Cost – FREE

Where – Daley Plaza
When – 11/24-12/24 from 11-8pm
Cost – FREE

Holidays on the Square - Participating businesses will be celebrating the season with sweets, treats, tastings, delicious pop up shops, trunk shows, cupcake food truck, Santa, a tree lighting and more!

Where – Logan Square
When – December 3
Cost – FREE

Do Division Holiday – The annual Do-Division Holiday is when the popular destination street comes alive with seasonal cheer, with horse-drawn carriage rides, trolleys and Santas and Elves helping weary shoppers find their way to the next deal!

Where – Division between Milwaukee and Leavitt
When – December 3 & 4 starting at 11am
Cost – FREE

Little Beans Santa Visit – Santa visits Little Beans to listen to what your little beans want for Christmas. Pre-registration is required for pictures with Santa.

Where – Little Beans Cafe
When – December 6th from 4-6pm
Cost – Admission plus $15 for pictures and digital prints

Little Beans Holiday Party – Little Miss Ann will be here playing some rocking holiday songs to get everyone in the spirit and dinner will be provided for the whole family. Come over to enjoy a little music, dining, and some festive and cozy holiday decorations. Santa will also be making an appearance to say HO HO HO.

Where – Little Beans Cafe
When – December 16th from 5-7:30pm
Cost – 1 Person – $30/2 People – $60/3 people – $80/4 people – $100

Breakfast with Santa or Hancock Observatory - Experience a magical holiday high more than 1,000 feet in the air as you enjoy breakfast. And, make sure to get your picture taken with Santa while you are there.

Where – Hancock Observatory
When – December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18 (call for reservations)
Cost -Adult $39, Youth $29

Breakfast with Santa at Macy’s on State Street – Have yourself a merry little breakfast! Join Jolly Old St. Nick for a delicious meal of french toast,bacon,fruit, juice and more. Afterwards stay and play-we’ll have fun and games for the whole family. Don’t forget your camera so you can capture every moment.

Where – Macy’s State St.
When – December 3, 4, 12, 13, 17 & 18 at 9am (call for reservations)
Cost -Adult $16.95, Children under 10 $12.95

Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier – Visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their elves. Plus, enjoy Monday holiday movies, live entertainment and more.

Where – Family Pavilion Stage at Navy Pier
When - Friday, December 2 — Saturday, December 24 starting at 10am
Cost – FREE (rides and attractions are an additional cost)

Christmas Bazaar and Bake Sale – The annual event includes mass, a breakfast, bake sale and visit from Santa Claus. The Fifth Province Pub will be transformed into a Winter Wonderland and will be decorated for the season.

Where – Irish American Heritage Center
When – Sunday, December 4, from 9am to 3pm
Cost – Breakfast is $8 adults, $4 children

FURTHER AFIELD

Christmas on the Farm - Behold a Victorian Christmas, and learn the origins of several holiday traditions. Visit with an old-fashioned Santa, and take your picture in a sleigh. Stop by a warming fire for caroling, and sample homemade spice cookies.

Where – Kline Creek Farm
When – December 3 & 4 1:30-3:30
Cost – FREE

Breakfast with Santa at the Morton Arboretum

Where – Morton Arboretum
When – December 22nd from 9:30-11:00am
Cost – Adults $28, Children $24

Chicago Botanic Garden

Hot Chocolate with Ms. Claus

When – December 19 at 11am or 2pm
Cost – Adults $17, Children 2 and under Free

Dinner with Santa

When – December 19 from 6:30-8:30pm
Cost – Adults $43, Children 3-12 $37, 2 and under Free

Brookfield Zoo

Breakfast with Santa

When – December 4, 10, 11, 17 & 18 at 9am and 11am
Cost – Adults $39, Chidlren $27.50, under 3 Free

Brunch with Santa

When – December 4, 11 & 18 at 11am and 1:30pm
Cost – Adults $49, Chidlren $35, under 3 Free

Breakfast with Santa at Lambs Farm – Enjoy a delicious brunch with the one and only Santa Claus! After brunch, kids will enjoy a variety of crafts and activities, and a visit and photo with Santa.

When – December 10, 11, 17 & 18 at 9am, 10:30am and Noon
Cost $15.95

4 Comments »

Win 4 Tickets to See Super Stolie!

Posted in go rock out | November 27, 2011

It’s no secret that my family loves to see live music. We are so lucky to live in a city that has so many amazing kindie artist, and fabulous places to enjoy live music with the under 7 crowd. Every Sunday, the Beat Kitchen hosts a different kids band at 12pm. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning. Plus, they have a delicious breakfast burrito!

This Sunday, December 4^th, Super Stolie will be rockin’ the house! I had the pleasure of interviewing Rebecca Stoelinga, Super Stolie, over lunch recently. She is as bubbly and energetic in person, as she comes across in her songs. My kids and I love her upbeat songs and playful lyrics.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that she was in a successful girl band, Tres Femmes, prior to starting her career as a kindie musician. There is a decidedly Pop quality to her original songs. After only listening to her CD a couple times, my girls and I had most of the lyrics memorized. When we get in the car, the two most requested songs this week were “Look Up High” and “I Love Kitties and Dogs”, or as my kids call them the sky song and animal song!

Super Stolie has been playing the piano and guitar since she was a child, and says writing songs has always come naturally to her. Her lyrics reference the world around her, including many references to life here in Chicago.

When I asked Super Stolie what she likes best about performing, she said interacting with the kids. She loves to play freeze dance and involve the kids in the show. This Sunday, she will be performing with a full band including back up dancers. She is also debuting a few new songs from her soon to be released second album.

The Beat Kitchen has provided on the go with a family four pack of tickets to this Sunday’s show. Plus, Super Stolie has offered to give two additional on the go readers a free copy of her CD, When I Grow Up. To be entered into our drawing for the tickets and CDs, simply comment below or email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by end of day Wednesday, November 30^th.

Inside Scoop:

What – Super Stolie & The Rockstars
Where – Beat Kitchen (2100 W. Belmont)
When – Sunday, December 4^th at noon
Cost – $6
Insider Tip – One of our favorite kid-sized businesses, Wishcraft, will be hosting fun crafts for your little rock star after the show. Kids will design their own guitars and create their own band name.

If you can’t make Sunday’s show, you can check out Super Stolie every Tuesday morning at 10:30 at Fantasy Kingdom. Super Stolie also performs private shows including birthday parties! Check her out on Facebook for all the details on her upcoming shows.

5 Comments »

Tips For Keeping the Skies & the Roads “Friendly” While Traveling With Kids

Posted in inside scoop | November 19, 2011

One of my favorite stores, Urba Baby (1117 Armitage), asked me to come speak to a group of parents about traveling with kids last week. I had a great time sharing my crazy stories and tips from my more than 50 trips with my two toddlers. I figured with so many families traveling next week for the holiday, I would share the tips with my readers too.

My husband and I can be described as “travelaholics.” Prior to starting a family, we proudly displayed our 1K frequent flyer cards like trophies! Although our destinations have gotten a bit less exotic and trips less frequent (at least for me) since we’ve had kids, we still fly several times a year with our little travelers and have gone on several 2,500 + mile family road trips too.

Traveling with children can be a daunting task, but with a little extra prep, it can be a fun adventure. You are bound to run into a few bumps in the road (leaking diapers, tired children, etc.), but being prepared helps keep the ride smooth.

Plane Travel Tips

Booking Tickets

Take off about an hour and a half before naptime.
Picking Seats – If you have a seat kicker in your family, I recommend sitting in the bulkhead, or that a family of four sit two and two (e.g., row 7 A & B, row 6 A & B).
Children cannot sit in the emergency exit row. Car seats are also not allowed in the row in front of the emergency exit row.

Airport Security – www.tsa.gov has an entire section dedicated to traveling with children. It is, surprisingly, helpful .

You can bring baby food, formula and breast milk, in reasonable quantities, exceeding the 3 oz limit.
Prior to arriving at the x-ray machine, prepare your child for the fact that they are going to have to part with their belongings.

Terminal/Gate

Change diapers just prior to getting on the plane. With delays and possible turbulence, it may be a long time before you can change it again.
Buy water to mix with formula, drinks and meals/snacks. Once you are on the plane, it will probably be more than 30 minutes before the drink cart comes by.
American Airlines has changed their gate check weight restrictions for strollers to 20lbs. Check with your airline for their restrictions.

Once You Are On The Plane

Car seats have to go next to the window.
Diversions
- Eating is a great diversion.
- Airplane rides are a good opportunity to let your kids indulge in their favorite pastimes, even if this means letting them play their DS or watch DVDs for hours.
- Don’t forget to pack special treats! You know what works best for your kids. Whatever it is, bring it for when they get fussy or bored.
- Bring LOTS of diapers and a change of clothes.

Car Travel Tips

Joie De Vivre; find the joy in the journey. Research fun roadside stops between destinations.
Bring lots of snacks and drinks for the whole family.
Kids can get carsick, so be prepared with wipes, towels and water.
Bring a basket of toys, books and coloring pads, etc. You can also play lots of fun car games like Eye Spy and Road Trip Bingo.
Save the DVD player as a last resort.
Get gas before they fall asleep. You don’t want to wake up your little ones because you are running out of gas.

Hotel Tips

Ask for a handicap accessible room. The bathrooms are big enough to put a pack-n-play in, which essentially turns your room into a two-room suite. Make sure your toddler cannot reach the shower curtain or anything else from his crib.
Make instant oatmeal with coffee pot hot water for a cheap and easy breakfast.
Baby proofing
- Most hotels offer cribs at no charge, but you may want to bring your own crib sheet. Hotels will often simply wrap a queen size sheet around the mattress.
- Walk around the house/room to check the furniture to see if any of it can easily be tipped over if your child pulls up on it.
- A strange environment just invites danger. Babies want to explore their new surroundings. One way to solve this problem is to put you little one back in his pack-n-play with some toys while you get ready.
- Bring a small container or plastic bag of disinfectant wipes with you. This way you can wipe down the surfaces your baby is most likely to touch.
- Check all drapes to make sure your child cannot get tangled up in them.

Urba Baby’s top picks for traveling families:

Like all the great products at Urba Baby, they’ve hand-picked some of the best products available to make your trips easy and stylish. Following are some of their top picks:

Quicksmart Backpack Stroller ($199.99). No need to worry about airline gate check weight restrictions, this awesome stroller fits into its very own back pack. It is AMAZING!
Quicksmart 3 in 1 Basinet/Diaper Bag ($69.99). The demoed this at the event too. It goes from a diaper bag into a basinet/chaning station.
Okkatots Back Back ($131.99). This diaper bag has compartments for EVERYTHING, and big enough to hold all your stuff for a newborn and a toddler.
Rain or Shine Kids Woobee Pouch ($69). I love that your kiddo is cozy, and so are your hands!
Rain or Shine Kids Woobee Plush Blanket ($59)

Do you have any great travel tips or favorite travel products. I would love to hear about them!

4 Comments »

Are you wondering about WONDER?

Posted in go shop | November 17, 2011

Have you heard about the new SUPER store for families in Deerfield called WONDER? It is a one-stop shop for kids birth to seven. From diapers to complete nursuries, they’ve got you and your little ones covered!

I took a tour of the store, and had a chance to chat with a couple of the founders the week after they opened. Their goal was to bring best-in-class products at every price point (Graco to Bugaboo) from the boutique and specialty world all under one roof.

The store is HUGE, open, modern, but most of all fun! From the family lounge with a TV and books to entertain toddlers while you nurse, to the awesome arts & crafts classroom designed by Courtney Watkins; the store founders have seemingly thought of everything.

A few of my favorite features include:

Tricycle Race Track – Yes, they actually have a mini-racetrack setup, where your little Mario Andretti can try out that scooter or new tricycle before you buy it.
Toy Displays – TONS of Dollhouses, train tables, kitchens, tables and chairs and more are all setup so that your toy testers can play with and you can actually see the larger toys out of their box.
Baby Registry – Instead of being handed a printed out list of items and sent on your merry little way with a registry gun, they actually do a one-on-one consultations with each expectant family.
Classes – They offer everything from music classes to Zoology. Lincoln Park Zoo will be brining live animals to the store.
Nursery Design Center – They have 10+ nurseries setup, so you can touch and feel the furniture, and get inspired by the amazing decor and bedding paired with it.
Indoor parking and kid-sized shopping carts.

I was really impressed, and thought it was well worth the drive to the burbs. Especially if you have a lot of shopping to do, and want to combine it with some fun for the kiddos. Between the tricycle race track and the indoor play area ($10 per child), your kids will never want to leave.

Want to check out WONDER for yourself? Head on over this Saturday, November 19th, Steve Songs will be playing at 11am.

Plus, WONDER generously offered up a $50 gift certificate to on the go to give to one lucky reader. To be entered into the sweepstakes, simply leave a comment below or email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com by end of day Tuesday, November 22nd.

Inside Scoop:

What – WONDER
Where – 250 S. Waukegan Rd. (23 miles from Chicago)
Insider Tip – Free gift wrap, and keep on the look out for their loyalty program schedule to launch early next year.

21 Comments »

We won!

Posted in inside scoop | November 17, 2011

I am so excited to share with my readers that on the go Chicago was the Editor’s Pick for Best Local Blog in the nation by Parents Magazine and Parents.com.

Thanks for your support and readership of on the go Chicago. I really enjoy writing it, and sharing my urban adventures with other on-the-go families!

3 Comments »

Wait…don’t put away that sunscreen!

Posted in go play - outside, inside scoop | November 15, 2011

As you know, I love to be out and about with my kiddos. Even during Fall and Winter, we try to get outdoors as much as possible. To be honest, it never occurred to me to put sunscreen on me or my kiddos in the winter. My litpmus test was whether or not we got burned. Even in the summer, I figured as long as my little fair skinned girls weren’t getting burned, I was doing a good job protecting them from harmful sun damage.

On a recent visit to my new fabulous dermatologist, Dr. Neha Robinson, I learned that could not be further from the truth. Not only was I not using the right sunscreen, but I wasn’t applying it correctly either. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but kiss your spray sunscreens goodbye unless you want to spray and pat, spray and pat several times to get proper coverage.

I asked Dr. Robinson from Dermatology & Aesthetics of Wicker Park to share with my readers some tips for properly protecting ourselves and our little ones.

Take it away Dr. Robinson…

Sunscreen isn’t just for sunny days! We all need to remember the importance of wearing sunscreen daily, all year round, even during the fall and winter months. Though some days we begin to wonder if the sun will ever appear again, it’s important to remember the harmful effects that UVA and UVB rays can have on our skin. Even on the cloudiest day up to 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet rays can still pass through the clouds! When indoors or driving in a car, UVA rays can penetrate window glass, leaving you prone to their damaging effects if you are unprotected.

What to look for in a suncreen:

A broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 (SPF of 30 during summer months or greater sun exposure) should be applied daily to exposed skin 30 minutes prior to sun exposure. Sunscreens that offer broad-spectrum protection from both UVA and UVB rays contain physical blockers, such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, or chemical sunscreens, such as avobenzone or Mexoryl (ecamsule). A sunscreen with avobenzone must also contain a stabilizing agent to prevent its degradation in sunlight. Mexoryl is a stable chemical sunscreen, but with only partial UVA protection. Check out the graph with sunscreen ingredients below.

Application:

Re-apply your sunscreen to all exposed areas every 2 hours. Water- and sweat-resistant sunscreens offer only 40 minutes of optimal protection so re-apply more frequently while swimming or sweating. Don’t wait to see the sunburn! Damaging effects to the skin from ultraviolet rays can take place well before you develop a sunburn.

Spray sunscreens may not provide adequate coverage or protection so look for a lotion, cream or stick instead and apply liberally. Sun-protective clothing (such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a 4” wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses) provides an additional means of protection. There are now many options of clothing and swimwear made of UPF 30+ fabric available online (www.sunprecautions.com,www.coolibar.com, www.wallaroohats.com) and in stores.

If you are starting to feel a little pale this winter, don’t be tempted to visit a tanning booth which also exposes you to harmful ultraviolet rays. Consider using a self-tanning product instead! If you are planning a vacation this winter, use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect UV rays, increasing your chance of a sunburn.

Sun protection is the principal means of preventing premature aging and skin cancer. It’s never too late to protect yourself from the sun and minimize your future risk of skin cancer!

Graph_Sunscreen_ingredients07

Dr. Neha Robinson is a board-certified Dermatologists at Dermatology & Aesthetics of Wicker Park. Dermatology & Aesthetics of Wicker Park offers general, cosmetic, pediatric and procedural dermatology.

1 Comment »

Free Family Fun This Saturday!

Posted in go play - inside, go rock out | November 10, 2011

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? On the go Chicago along with Elmo and Dora will be at Building Blocks Toy Store to help them celebrate Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Both locations will have food, fun and entertainment….all for FREE. Plus, if you visit Building Blocks, Cat & Mouse Game Store and Play on November 12th or 13th you’ll receive a $30 gift certificate ($10 from each store).

On the go will be at both locations handing out balloons and tips on the best places to have fun with the kiddos this Fall! The weatherman is predicting fabulous Fall weather on Saturday (58 degrees), perfect for busting a move with Mr. Singer and Dora in Wicker Park and cupcakes and high fiving Elmo in Lakeview.

Lakeview Location (3306 N. Lincoln)

10-11:30am – Come meet everyone’s favorite furry friend in person, Elmo!
11:30am-1pm – Continue the local theme, and meet Chicago’s own New York Times Best Selling author, Sherri Rinker. She will be signing copies of her book, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. My kids love this book! Plus, anyone who buys a copy of
the book at Building Blocks between now and November 12th will be entered into a drawing for a free Chicago Children’s Museum Family Membership!
11:30am-1pm Sweet Ride will be there handing out FREE mini-cupcakes.
12:45-2pm – More hugs, high fives and photo ops with Elmo.
10am-2pm – Balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, prize wheel, goody bags (while supplies last), snacks and more!

Wicker Park Location (2130 W. Division)

10am-1pm – Get moving with KID-FIT CHICAGO and Dora the Explorer. KID-FIT and Dora will be showing families how to have fun while staying active.
12pm-1pm -Pizza Party hosted by Armand’s Pizza Wicker Park
1pm-2pm: Sweets Treats from Letizia’s Natural Bakery
1:15-2pm – Get your groove on with one of our favorite kindie rock stars, Mr. Singer brought to you by The Bump Club & Beyond.
10am-2pm – Balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, prize wheel, goody bags (while supplies last) and more!

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Boogie your way into the holiday spirit!

Posted in go play - inside, go rock out | November 9, 2011

On December 4th, Families in the Loop is hosting another one of their fabulous Brunch and Boogie parties at Lincoln Hall. You and your kiddos will grub on tasty treats and bust a move with local stars jamming to music from around the world. Together you’ll dance your way into the holiday season with a splash of lights, mistletoe and menorahs thrown in.

My little party animals had a blast last time we attended. They danced their sillies out, while us adults mingled, munched and enjoyed an adult beverage.

One lucky on the go reader and their family will be going for FREE ! Simply email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com or leave a comment below by end of day Friday, November 11th to be entered into our drawing for a family four pack of tickets.

Inside Scoop:

What – FITL Wonderland: Chicago’s Biggest Holiday Bash
Where – Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln
When – December 4, 10:30- 12pm
Cost – $12

11 Comments »

Win a free ticket to NPN’s Pre-Holiday Pop-up Mixer

Posted in go play - inside, holiday/seasonal | November 7, 2011

Looking to get some of your holiday shopping done early, all while enjoying a few cocktails with your friends? Well look no further than NPN’s Pre-Holiday Pop-up Mixer at Flirty Girl Fitness. There will be an assortment of unique & fun gifts available from locally owned busineses, great food by The Drawing Room, cocktail tasting with Koval Distillery, mini-manicures, cash bar, demo classes by Flirty Girl Fitness, mini putt-putt from General Cigar Company, professional head shots by Bum Bul Bee Photography and awesome raffle prizes.

This event is open to the public and is free for general admission. Get VIP access for only $25! VIP tickets will help raise funds for Bundle of Joy Diaper Bank, and VIP guest will go home with AWESOME goodie bags ($25 gift certificate to The Drawing Room, $10 gift certificate for Building Blocks Toy Store, $15 of Eco-friendly beauty products courtesy of Head 2 Toe Mobile Spa, Flirty Girl Fitness class certificate and more!)

One luck on the go reader will get a VIP ticket for FREE. Simply email me by end of day Wednesday, November 9th at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com or comment below. Winner will be pulled using random.org.

Inside Scoop:

What – NPN’s Pre-Holiday Pop-up Mixer
When – Friday, November 18th, 7-10pm
Where – Flirty Girl Fitness, 1325 W. Randolph
Cost – General admission s free. VIP tickets are $25.

6 Comments »

Donate your Halloween candy to the troops!

Posted in go give back | November 7, 2011

With Veterans Day this Friday, November 11th, its a great time to teach your kiddos about honoring and giving back to the men and women who serve and protect our country. One small token of appreciation that little ones can do is ship all of their excess candy to the troops through Operation Gratitude’s Halloween Candy Give Back.

We participated last year, and it was a great way for me to introduce my children to the idea of giving back. Plus, an added benefit was that I got all of the temptation out of my house. I have ZERO self control when it comes to Skittles and M&Ms. The two GIANT bags of candy in our kitchen is truly more than I can resist!

Here is how we do it in my house. After a week of indulgence, we each pick out three more pieces of candy to enjoy. Then we pack the rest up along with some homemade thank you cards and mail it to Operation Gratitude. This year, Operation Gratitude is also collecting toothbrushes and toothpaste for the toops, so we are going to toss a few of those in too.

Operation Gratitude has a great Facebook Page with pictures of the troops sharing the Halloween candy with children they meet. They also have a fun You Tube video you can share with your kids to show them where their candy is going.

Inside Scoop:

What – Operation Gratitude’s Halloween Candy Give Back
What to send – Letters, candy, toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss
Where to send it –
Operation Gratitude/California Army National Guard
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Attn: Rich Hernandez: 262-674-7281 (262-OPGRAT-1)
Shipping instructions – Please print out this form: Donation Form, complete it and include a completed form in EVERY carton you send to Operation Gratitude. This form is required in order to receive an acknowledgment of receipt from them. Please separate chocolate from non-chocolate candy and send in separate cartons, labeled accordingly.

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The circus came to town!

Posted in go play - inside | November 4, 2011

The girls and I were lucky enough to be invited to the media night at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus last night. It was their first time at the circus, and my first time since I was a kid. We had a great time.

My two year old started off a bit leary. She was not quite sure what to make of the dark room, loud noises and flashing lights. As soon as the elephant came out to help sing the national anthem, she was fully enthralled and smiling from ear to ear!

From the acrobats and aerialist to dancing elephants and the guy on fire being shot across the arena’s floor, there was non-stop excited. My girls were especially enamored with the gymnast at the end of the show and the elephants. I was mystified by the man in the small ring with 15 tigers. It was thrilling to watch him work with them to lay down, roll over, and jump on to pedestals. There was definitely a sense of suspense, especially when they would roar so loud it was picked up by the trainer’s microphone.

I was a bit worried my kids would fade given that the performance started about the time we usually start our bedtime routine, but the girls were on the edge of their seat the entire time. As we were walking to the car, both of them were begging to come back again. They’ve spent the morning recounting all of their favorite parts, as they take turns stomping around the house in the clown shoes we took home from the show!

On the go readers can get a special discount on tickets – 4 tickets for $44 on weekday shows or save $4 on weekend shows with promotion code MOM. Simply click here to get your discounted tickets.

Inside Scoop:

What – Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Fully Charged
Where – Allstate Arena & United Center
When – The Circus will be at Allstate November 3rd though the 13th, and at the United Center from November 16th through the 27th.
Cost – Tickets start at $13
Insider Tip – Use promotion code MOM to get a special discount on your tickets. You can also print out this Coloring Sheet for your little ones.

Disclosure: On the go was given free tickets to last night’s performance, but we were not asked to or required to write about our experience. The review above is my honest review of our experience.

4 Comments »

Support your neighborhood store, and you are supporting your community!

Posted in go play - outside, go rock out, go shop | October 31, 2011

I am a huge proponent of shopping local. One of the reasons we’ve chosen to raise our family in Chicago is the diverse neighborhoods and friendly, locally owned businesses within them. Besides the personal service and more unique selection of products, I also choose to shop local because local stores give more back to their community.

According to Local First Chicago:

Locally owned, independent businesses put 70% more money back into the local community than chain stores per square foot occupied.
Small businesses are the biggest employers nationally and create the most job growth.
Nonprofits receive an average of 350% more support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses.

There is no better example of how a locally owned business gives back than Building Blocks Toy Store. Katherine McHenry has been the proud owner of Building Blocks Toy Store for more than 15-years, and is truly a contributing member of her community. She has donated over $40K in toys, books, musical instruments and cash to local public and private schools, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Association House, Jumpstart, Chicago Public Libraries and more! When the community is in need, Building Blocks Toy Store responds. From providing toys to a family whose home recently burned down, to helping out local libraries with shrinking budgets; Building Blocks Toy Store is a vital member of our community.

On the go is proud to be partnering with Katherine and Building Blocks Toy Stores for Neighborhood Toy Store Day. On Saturday, November 12th, toy stores across the country will be celebrating the joy of play during Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Building Blocks has an entire day of fun planned at both stores. From working out with Dora and hugging Elmo, to meeting a New York Times Best Selling children’s book author and shaking your sillies out with Mr. Singer; there will be lots of fun to be had for kids of all ages.

Lakeview Location (3306 N. Lincoln)

10-11:30am – Come meet everyone’s favorite furry friend in person, Elmo!
11:30am-1pm – Continue the local theme, and meet Chicago’s own New York Times Best Selling author, Sherri Rinker. She will be signing copies of her book, Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site. My kids love this book! Plus, anyone who buys a copy of the book at Building Blocks between now and November 12th will be entered into a drawing for a free Chicago Children’s Museum Family Membership!
11:30am-1pm Sweet Ride will be there handing out FREE mini-cupcakes.
12:45-2pm – More hugs, high fives and photo ops with Elmo.
10am-2pm – Balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, prize wheel, goody bags (while supplies last), snacks and more!

Wicker Park Location (2130 W. Division)

10am-1pm – Get moving with KID-FIT CHICAGO and Dora the Explorer. KID-FIT and Dora will be showing families how to have fun while staying active.
12pm-1pm -Pizza Party hosted by Armand’s Pizza Wicker Park
1pm-2pm: Sweets Treats from Letizia’s Natural Bakery
1:15-2pm – Get your groove on with one of our favorite kindie rock stars, Mr. Singer brought to you by The Bump Club & Beyond.
10am-2pm – Balloons, face painting, temporary tattoos, prize wheel, goody bags (while supplies last) and more!

1 Comment »

Calling all expectant parents…

Posted in go play - inside, inside scoop | October 31, 2011

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is hosting a Community Baby Shower on Saturday, November 5th. The Northwestern Memorial Hospital’s experts as well as some of the best local baby-sized businesses will be on hand to answer questions and share tips on pregnancy, birth and beyond. From information on childbirth and prenatal fitness to finding reliable sitters and where to shop for those must have baby toys; this event is packed with information. Plus, attendees will receive a goodie bag filled with amazing freebies and discounts. There will also be some great giveaways.

On the go will be there providing tips on rediscovering the city with a newborn (where to eat, shop, learn and play) and handing out a diaper bag first aid check list. Stop by our table and enter to win 100 custom birth announcements from our favorite stationary store, Village Paperie (2217 W. Roscoe).

Inside Scoop:

What – Northwestern Memorial Hospital Community Baby Shower
Where – Prentice Women’s Hospital, 250 E. Superior St., 3rd Floor Atrium
When – Saturday, November 5, 10am-2pm
Cost – FREE

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EWW! What’s Eating You?

Posted in go play - inside | October 27, 2011

Well after seeing The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum’s new exhibit, I have to say…a lot of things! Eww! What’s Eating you?, opened this past weekend, and the girls and I got a sneak peak last Thursday. I have to admit that I was a bit leary about this new exhibit. I wan’t sure I really wanted to know what’s eating me? Plus, I wasn’t sure if my girls were too young for the concept.

I can assure you that kids of all ages and parents will be fascinated by the exhibit’s imaginative and fun way of showcasing parasites. The entire exhibit is done in a carnival theme. Comedian Carrot Top is the MC, and the interactive exhibits will teach you about everything from mosquitos to head lice. Although there are plenty of “eww” moments, like watching the video of the guinea worm coming out of someone’s foot, the exhibit is more fun then gross. Kids can play with a pinball machine to learn about the life cycle of specific parasites, spin the “Wheel of Misfortune”, see if they can jump as high as a flea and walk through “hair” to see how head lice live.

Dr. M Lee Goff, world -renowned forensic entomologist and technical consultant for CSI, is the exhibits curator. During my walk through the exhibit, Dr. Goff shared with me that he hopes the exhibit demystifies the world of parasites, and educates parents and kids alike that parasites are everywhere, not just in developing countries…so wash your hands!

Inside Scoop:

What – Eww! What’s Eating You
Where – The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon
When – October 22nd through January 29th
Cost – Free with museum admission ($9 adults, $6 children 3-12, 2 and under are FREE)
Insider Tip – The museum is free on Thursdays. Plus, during the winter you can park for free in the lot across the street if there is no street parking left.

1 Comment »

Tips for carving the perfect pumpkin!

Posted in inside scoop | October 26, 2011

Now that you’ve found the “Pick of the Patch”, it’s time to carve it up. Here are a few tips for carving and preserving your pumpkin.

Good carving starts with the right pumpkin. Choose one that is fresh (with a sturdy stem and no bruises) and that has a flat bottom (so it won’t roll).
Plan on carving no earlier than a day or two before Halloween. And remember to bring your pumpkin indoors on nights when the temperature is expected to drop below freezing.
Serrated metal saws (like the ones found in carving kits) are a safer alternative to knives.
Carve away from yourself, and keep a portion of the knife blade in the pumpkin and use slow, steady saw strokes.
Cut the lid at an angle so the outside diameter is larger than the inside.This prevents the top from falling into the pumpkin when it shrinks.
Many experts say you should not cut off the top, but the back instead. Pumpkins can continue to get nutrients from the stem long after they are picked, and cutting off the top can shorten the life of your pumpkin.
If you make a mistake, you can reattach a section that was accidentally removed by using a toothpick to pin it back in place.
To prolong the life of your pumpkin, soak the cleaned pumpkin for a couple of hours in a bleach water solution of 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 gallon of water. The pumpkin soaks up the water and it makes it firmer and the bleach kills the bacteria that causes mold. Dry thoroughly, then rub inside and out, including all cut edges, with vegetable oil or petroleum jelly to prevent shriveling.
If the pumpkin begins to shrivel, give it another bleach bath. The soaking time will depend upon how dried out the pumpkin has become. If it is REALLY shriveled, you can shock it back to life by adding ice to the bleach bath.
If you plan to use a candle and like to leave the lid on, create a chimney. First, leave the lid on for a few minutes while the candle burns, then make a small hole where the lid has blackened.
Sprinkle a little cinnamon inside the lid. When you light the candle, your jack-o’-lantern will smell like a pumpkin pie.
For a safer, but less fragrant option, try a battery-operated flameless candle.

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Win tickets to the “Greatest Show on Earth!”

Posted in go play - inside | October 23, 2011

The Big Top is coming to Chicagoland! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus newest show, Fully Charged, opens on November 3rd at the Allstate Arena. The show features exciting acts like Tabayara, an animal trainer who can ride a rearing stallion at a full gallop, orchestrate four-ton elephants in a symphony dance and get eye to eye with tweleve tigers. They also have The Human Fuse, Brian Miser, who will rocket through the air from his self-made human crossbow, the juggling Fusco Brothers, the Negrey Troupe of acrobats, clowns and much more.

We will be going on opening night. It will be my girls first time at the circus, and I can’t wait to see their faces light up, eat cotton candy and marvel at the acts.

On the go has been offered a family four pack of tickets to give away to one luck reader. To be entered to win, simply email cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com or leave a comment below by end of day Wednesday, October 26th. Winner can pick from one of five performances (see below).

Plus, on the go readers can get a special discount on tickets – 4 tickets for $44 on weekday shows or save $4 on weekend shows with promotion code MOM. Simply click here to get your discounted tickets.

Inside Scoop:

What – Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus Fully Charged
Where – Allstate Arena & United Center
When – The Circus will be at Allstate November 3rd though the 13th, and at the United Center from November 16th through the 27th.
Cost – Tickets start at $13
Insider Tip – Use promotion code MOM to get a special discount on your tickets. You can also print out this Coloring Sheet for your little ones.

Performances available for the family four pack of tickets giveaway:

Thurs. Nov. 3 @ 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 9 @ 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 10 @ 7:00 pm
Wed. Nov. 16 @ 7:00 pm
Thurs Nov. 17 @ 7:00 pm

19 Comments »

Win a free pedicure & playtime for your kiddos!

Posted in go shop | October 20, 2011

I always love when I can multitask and get chores done, while still letting my kids have a good time. That’s why I was especially thrilled to receive an invitation to try out the new Urban Mom Salon in Bucktown. They offer manicures, pedicures, waxing and a full service hair salon coupled with an onsite supervised play space. Genius!

The Salon side has an urban, loft feel to it, but when you walk through the connecting doors to the play oasis, the vibe changes to something closer to your dream play room. They have dress-up, play kitchen, train table, arts and crafts and even snacks!

Not only did I have a nice, relaxing pedicure,but my kids were having so much fun they did not want to leave. The childcare is provided by Chicago Nannies, and is surprisingly affordable too. For only $7 for the first child and $4 for siblings, your kids can play for as long as you are there getting services done.

There is FREE street parking, plus they have two secret spots around back. Add stroller parking, a super friendly staff; and you have one decidedly mom friendly salon!

I will definitely be going back. I love the idea of meeting a couple of my friends with kids for pedicures, while the kids play next door.

If you would like to try out Urban Mom Salon for yourself, send an email to cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com or comment below by end of day Tuesday, October 25th. One lucky on the go reader will be chosen to receive free childcare and your choice of a free manicure, pedicure or blowout. Prize must be redeemed prior to December 31, 2011.

Inside Scoop:

What – Urban Mom Salon
Where – 2143 N. Damen
Cost – Pretty standard pricing for services (mani/pedi-$48, hair cuts-$60, brow wax-$20). Childcare is $7 for first child and $4 for siblings.
Inside Tip – You can book online at www.urbanmomsalon.com

Disclosure – I was invited to try Urban Mom Salon for free. Although I did not pay for my pedicure or childcare, I was not required to or compensated for writing this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

29 Comments »

The inside scoop on Dr. Seuss!

Posted in go learn, go play - outside | October 19, 2011

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and Green Eggs and Ham are two of our favorite books. Not only do my kids love them, but I love them too. I remember reading them as a kid, and their is something warm and fuzzy about reading the same books to your kids!

If you are a fan of everything Dr. Seuss, you are going to LOVE the new Museum of Science and Industry exhibit, Dr. Seuss & The Art of Invention. Not only will you enjoy learning a bit more about the genius behind your favorite characters, but, in true Museum of Science and Industry fashion, the exhibit is very hands-on. From hourly science experiments where you can create gooey ooblek to writing your own Seuss-inspired rhyme, your kids will be having so much fun they won’t realize they are learning something too.

My toddlers particularly liked the microscopes at the Horton Sees a Who area and Lorax invention station where they built some cool creations. I have to warn you that the microscopes were a bit challenging to operate, but there were plenty of staff on hand to help out when my two year old pressed too many buttons and messed them up. My two year old was also a bit leary of the last room. It was a bit dark for her, but we just turned around and went out the entrance.

My favorite part was learning so many new fun facts, like that Theodor Seuss Geisel, Dr. Seuss, bet his publisher $50 bucks that he could write Green Eggs and Ham in 50 words. A bet he won by useing 49 one syllable words and one two syllable word, anywhere. Apparently, he never actually collected on that bet though! Green Eggs and Ham was first published in 1960, and is the 4th best selling English language book of all time.

There are going to be plenty of cold winter days coming soon, so head to the Museum of Science and Industry and check it out. Don’t forget, you can get a family pass to the museum at you local Chicago Public Library as part of their Kraft Great Kids Museum Pass program.

Inside Scoop:

What – Dr. Seuss & The Art of Invention
Where – Museum of Science and Industry, 57th St. and Lake Shore Dr.
When – Thursday, October 13th through Sunday, January 8, 2012
Cost – The exhibit is not included in general admission and requires an additional ticket. $5 adults and $2 children (3-11)

Disclosure – I was invited to the media preview of this exhibit for free, but I was not compensated to reviewing the exhibit and all of the opinions in this post are my own

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Go green with the Nature Museum!

Posted in go play - outside | October 17, 2011

On the go is thrilled to be part of the 4th Annual Go Go Green 5K Run/Walk this weekend. Not only can you get a bit of exercise and enjoy this wonderful Fall weather we’ve been having (Saturday’s high is predicted to be 58 degrees), but you can bring the family and enjoy some kid-sized fun after the race!

Best of all, the proceeds will benefit the Museum’s vision to be the urban gateway to nature and science. During the race, the Lincoln Park footpath will be transformed into a sea of green, as all participants are asked to dress in green. The fun continues when the Nature Museum opens its doors, for a morning filled with “green” events and activities. From science experiments, to hanging out with some of the Museum’s reptile species, to cooking demonstrations in Nature’s Lunch Box and learning about recycling (bring old batteries and gym shoes), the after-race will feature fun activities and learning opportunities to help connect all of us with nature and science – right in the heart of Lincoln Park.

On the go will be there with our Diaper Changing and Family Aid Station. In addition to a clean and safe place to change your little one’s diaper, band-aids, wipes and hand sanitizer; we’ll also be handing out balloons, Halloween stickers and tips on the best places to find kid-sized fun this Fall. We are thrilled to be partnering with Square One Organics. They will be handing out samples of their delicious frozen organic mango puree. Plus, the first 150 people who visit our tent will get a reusable shopping bag! Just look for the BIG orange tent near registration and packet pick-up.

Hope to see you there!

Inside Scoop:

What – go go Green 5K
Where – Lincoln Park directly across from the Nature Museum (2430 N. Canon Dr.)
When, Saturday, October 22nd, registration opens at 7am and the race starts at 9am.
Cost – $40 adults, $15 children (under 6 are FREE)
Insider Tip – All participants are encouraged to wear green. Stop buy the on the go Diaper Changing/Family Aid Station for Square One Organic samples, stickers, balloons and more!

1 Comment »

Spooktastic Halloween Events 2011

Posted in holiday/seasonal | October 15, 2011

Now that your little ghosts and gobblins have picked out their costumes, its time to find some family-fun to wear them too. From spooky concerts to dog parades and trick-or-treating to scarecrow making, Chicago has something this season for everyone!

Following are some of the most creeptastic Halloween events happening this October in Chicago. I’ve listed them by date. Happy Haunting!

Brick-or-Treat – From Frankensteins to LEGO jack-o-lanterns, the not-so-haunted festivities are perfect for all ages. During Brick-Or-Treat, guests can dress up and trick-or-treat for LEGO bricks that when completed, create a LEGO Frankenstein model, bring in a fresh, uncarved pumpkin and recieve 25% off admission, build a LEGO Ghost in the Model Builder Workshop, participate in our 8ft tall Scarecrow group build, see MINILAND taken over by hundreds of skeletons, search for pumpkins on the Dragon Ride and more.

Where – Legoland Discovery Center, 601 N. Martingale Rd.
When – October 7th-9th, 14th-16th, 21st-23rd & 28th-31st.
Cost – Free with admission

Harvest Festival – Activities during our 20th annual Harvest Festival include a scarecrow building contest, storytelling, live music, farmer’s market, tours, and seasonal food and refreshments for sale. Event held on both Saturday and Sunday.

Where – North Park Village Nature Center, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
When – Sunday, October 15th, 10am-3pm
Cost – FREE

Halloween Haunted Ghost Story Train – Jump on our Ghost Story Trolley and take a ride into the John Duerr Forest Preserve. Gather around the roaring fire and listen to spooky stories and sign campfire songs while eating scrumptious s’mores. Costumes are welcomed! Suitable for all ages. Reservations are required.

Where – Fox River Trolley Museum, 361 S. LaFox St., South Elgin, IL
When – October 22, 23, 29, and 30 at 5, 6:15, and 7:30 p.m.
Cost – $10

Spooky Zoo Spectacular – Spooky Zoo Spectacular! Spooky Zoo Spectacular, hosted by the Auxiliary Board, is an opportunity for children to celebrate Halloween in a free, safe and family-friendly environment. Guests are invited to learn fun facts about the animals in the Spooky Zoo Education Zone, stimulate their minds while making crafts, collect treats and enjoy entertainment throughout the zoo while dressed in their best or spookiest costume.

Where – Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St.
When – Saturday, October 22nd, 11am-1pm
Cost – Free

Boo at the Zoo – From a crazy costume parade to pumpkin-carving demonstrations, Brookfield Zoo’s annual Boo! at the Zoo festival is the perfect way to celebrate Halloween, and everyone is invited to attend! The not-so-scary event will include frightfully fun activities for the entire family!

Where – Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St.
When -Saturdays and Sundays, October 22-23 and 29-30
Cost – Free with Zoo admission

1st Annual Bump Club & Beyond Halloween Party - Halloween pumpkin project, costume contest, entertainment, open play, photography from TK Photography, gift bags, giveaways + a FULL brunch!

Where – Bubbles Academy, 1504 N. Freemont St.
When – Sunday, October 23rd, 10am-12pm
Cost -$50 Family Ticket (includes 1 child), $30 Single Ticket (includes 1 child), $10 Additional Child

Jeremy Plays Guitar Halloween Concert - Come join the award winning, dance partying, super spook-ifying Jeremy Plays Guitar for their Halloween BOO Show! Sing along to the hit songs from the album “Use Your Words” and laugh along to a spooky classic or two. Special halloween ‘trick-or-treats’ at the door for the first 40 people. Missing this Halloween Show would be terrifying!

Where – Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave.
When – Sunday, October 23rd, 4pm
Cost -$7

Pumpkin Carving Workshop

Where – Gethsemane Gardens & More, 5739 N. Clark St.
When – Sunday, October 23rd, 1pm
Cost – FREE

Decorate a Halloween Haunted House - Learn how to turn chocolate gingerbread into a “boo-tiful” haunted house! This festive activity includes everything your girl needs to make a delightfully frightful centerpiece, complete with colorful candies and other tasty treats. Appropriate for girls 8 and up. Reservations required.

Where – American Girl Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave.
When -Wednesday, October 26th, 5-7pm
Cost -$45

Mummies Night: Tales and Treats for Halloween – Get up close and personal with a mummy, discover painted coffins and a Book of the Dead, and view “Mummies Made in Egypt,” an award-winning children’s film from the Reading Rainbow series. Browse the latest children’s books on ancient Egypt, try on an outfit from King Tut’s closet, and enter their “Guess the Mummy Lollipops” contest. Recommended for children ages 5 and up accompanied by an adult.

Where – The Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, 1155 E. 58th St.
When – Thursday, October 27th, 6pm-8pm
Cost – $3

Halloween Holiday Highlight: Night Life – Get to know some creatures of the night this Halloween. Join us in learning about nocturnal animals such as owls, bats and rats.

Where – Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr.
When – Thursday, October 27th, Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th from 11:30am-1:30pm
Cost – Free with museum admission (Thursday are free day)

River North Moms Meet up group’s 6th annual Halloween Party – Enjoy a Mr. Singer concert, snacks, treats, costume contests, crafts a play area and free giveaways from their sponsor Building Block Toy store. Event is open to the public.

When – Thursday, October 27th, 4pm-7pm
Where – 900 Kingsbury (playroom)
Cost – $15

Trunk or Treat is a fun, safe way to pass out Halloween treats from the trunk of participating cars. Your child will have the opportunity to dress up in their costumes and “trunk” or treat in this fun and safe environment. Plus, there will be games, bobbing for suspended apples, crafts, face painting and more.

When- Friday, October 28th, 6-8pm
Where – Immanuel Lutheran Church, 300 S. Pathway, Crystal Lake, IL
Cost – FREE to trick-or-treat, but a $2 per family charge for inside activities or a donation of 2 canned goods.

Franken Plaza – This Halloween, Daley Plaza becomes Franken Plaza for three days, October 28-30, with special performances, a Monster Bash – complete with prize give-aways, hayrides and trick-or-treating! Entertainment from Midnight Circus, Magic Matt, Dave Herzog’s Marionettes, Storyteller Oba King, the Batbuck$ game show, the Mad Science Show and fcbc educational theatre performing Thriller. Plus Arts & Crafts.

Where – Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.
When – Friday, October 28th, Saturday, October 29th and Sunday, October 30th from 11am-8pm
Cost – FREE

Haunted Indoor Drive-in Movie – The annual Wicker Park Halloween 3-day mini movie festival featuring the Mummy and the Mummy Returns and Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy matinee.

Where – Wicker Park, 1425 N. Damen
When – Friday, October 28th at 6:30, Saturday, October 29th at 2pm & 6:30pm and Sunday, October 30th at 2pm & 6:30pm
Cost – $2

Halloween Spooktacular - Monstrous amounts of goodies for all bats & ghouls, eerie entertainment & spooky music, freaky face painting & photo opportunity, creepy costume contest, trick out a treat bag! A batty good time for ALL! Admission is good all day

Where – My Corner Playroom, 2121 N. Clybourn Ave.
When – Friday, October 28th, 9am-5pm
Cost – $19 (siblings $12), adults are free

Family Haunted Drive-in Movie: Monster House – Haunted Drive-In (in Gymnasium), includes hotdog dinner, drink, popcorn, and candy, costumes welcomed!

Where – Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine, Dr.
When – Friday, October 28th, 6:30-8:30pm
Cost – $5

Kids Movie Night Out: Halloween Special – No need to find a sitter – drop the kids off at Smarty Party! They will enjoy pizza, watch a movie, snack on popcorn and have fun, more importantly parents have a few hours to themselves! Kids are welcome to bring a pillow or wear pj’s. Appropriate for kids 4+, must be potty trained. Registration required.

Where – Smarty Party, 1846 W. Belmont
When – Friday, October 28th, 5:30-8pm
Cost – $25 per child (includes dinner)

Fairy Tale Trail – Mermaids, wizards, princesses and safari guides will welcome children to the Fairy Tale Trail’s popular lineup of interactive rooms, which feature costumed storybook characters and sensory-stimulating activities that will engage and enchant children with and without special needs. The fully accessible, fantasy-filled labyrinth is a fun, non-frightening alternative to the typical Halloween open house. Children are encouraged to join in the fun by coming in costume. Attendees also can buy light snack items and refreshments at the Trail’s Pumpkin Patch Café.

Where – 1702 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL
When – Friday, October 28th from 4-7pm and Saturday, October 29th from 10am-2pm
Cost – $5

Boo HAHA! – Raven Theatre invites the community to BOO HAHA!, their first Annual Fall Family Festival! The event features bounce houses, games, trick or treating, face painting, prizes and a costume parade.

Where – Raven Theatre, 6157 N. Clark St.
When – Saturday, October 29th, 2-5pm
Cost – FREE

Supper with the Snakes -The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum will once again open its doors for a spooky costume dinner party where the guests of honor will be slithery, wriggly reptiles! This will be one spook-tacular evening that snake-lovers won’t want to miss!

Where – Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr.
When – Saturday, October 29th 5-7pm
Cost – $15 members, $20 non-members, $10 children

Halloween Fest

Where – Gethsemane Gardens & More, 5739 N. Clark St.
When – Saturday, October 29th, 11am-4pm
Cost – FREE

7th Annual Happy Howl-o-ween Dog Parade

Where – 1744 W. Winona
When – Saturday, October 29th, 1:30-2:30
Cost – FREE

Creatures of the Night - Families can meet live nocturnal animals like fruit bats, spiders, owls and more, as they make a rare daytime appearance at the Conservatory. Visitors will learn about the creatures’ ability to learn adaptation tricks and get a very special treat at special critter stations and other fun activities.

Where – Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave.
When – Saturday, October 29th, 12-3pm
Cost – $3

Colorful Halloween Silhouettes – Artist Bernadette Foch conducts a kid-friendly Halloween craft program. Using color diffusing paper, markers and a splash of water, Bernadette teaches attendees how to turn Halloween patterns into colorful, spook-tacular scenes. For children of all ages. This program takes place in the Children’s Program Room of the Thomas Hughes Children’s Library. Space is limited. Please call (312) 747-4200 to register.

Where -Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.
When – Saturday, October 29th, 1-3pm
Cost – FREE

Bubbleween – Treat yourself to Bubbles most popular event of the year! Bubbleween will be tricked out with a real hayride, live music jams, open play and a music + motion activity for your little ghouls. Create some boo-tiful pumpkin crafts, haunt our face painting station, and be sure to creep by the Burger Bar and Suckers Candy table for a tasty bit. Registration required.

Where – Bubbles Academy, 1504 N. Freemont St.
When – October 29th from 2-4pm & 5-7pm, October 30th from 10am-12pm
Cost – $25

Trains, Tricks & Treats – Families are invited to come in costume and trick-or-treat throughout the Model Railroad Garden to celebrate Halloween and the end of the railroad’s season. An array of small treats and treasures can be picked up throughout the Model Railroad Garden. Children will have the opportunity to pot up a Halloween plant.

Where – Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, IL
When – Saturday, October 29th & Sunday, October 30, 10am-5pm
Cost – $5 adults, $3 children (3-12 years), plus standard parking fee

Halloween Trick-or-Treating and Costume Contest - This annual event kicks off in Northcenter Town Square. Get your special bag, then set off with map in hand to trick-or-treat at local merchants. The fun continues in Town Square with refreshments and a costume contest for age groups 3 and under, 4 – 8, and 9 and older. Please help by making a generous food donation, benefiting the Common Pantry.

Where – North Center Town Square, 4054 N. Lincoln Ave.
When – Saturday, October 29th, 11am-1pm
Cost – FREE

Halloween @ WONDER! – Come in costume and trick or treat throughout the store. Enjoy pumpkin decorating, story time, ballon artist, face painters and more.

Where – WONDER!, 250 S. Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, IL
When – Sunday, October 30th during store hours
Cost – FREE

Halloween Happenings – Trick or Treat at participating Lincoln Square businesses and participate in lots of other fun, free ghoulish activities!

Where – Lincoln Square, Giddings Ave. & Lincoln Ave.
When – Sunday, October 30th, 10am-4pm
Cost – FREE

Trick or Treat on Southport – It’s time again for the Annual Trick or Treat on Southport and the Pumpkin Party featuring Smarty Pants! Trick or treat from 1:00 – 3:00 on Southport from Belmont to Irving, and stay for the Pumpkin Party featuring Smarty Pants from 1:00 – 4:00 on Southport at Grace. The pumpkin party features, games, activities and pumpkin decorating. Smarty Pants and the Lovely Miss Dena will be on hand creating amazing balloon creations and spooky face painting designs. On the go will be there handing out special Halloween stickers too!

Where – Southport between Belmont & Irving Park
When – Sunday, October 30th, 1pm
Cost – There is no charge to enter the Pumpkin Party, but some activities have a charge. You can purchase an all access wrist band for $5.

Halloween Magic – Come witness the brilliant wizardry and hilarious antics of magician-illusionist Mark Kaschube and his ensemble of Mischievous Tricksters. Their characters generate a fun-filled energetic Halloween experience for the entire family.

Where – Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Rd., Rosemont, IL
When – Sunday, October 30th, 2pm
Cost – $20-$30 adults, $10 kids

Spooky Singalong – Calling all ghouls! Bring the whole family to this spooky, but not scary, sing-a-long featuring our Wiggleworms faculty. Be sure to wear your Halloween costume!

Where – Old Town School of Folk Music, 909 W. Armitage Ave.
When – Sunday, October 30th, 10am & 3pm
Cost – $9

Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies Halloween Show

Where – Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont
When – Sunday, October 30th, 12pm
Cost – $6

Space Park Spooktacular – Nestled inside the Northalsted Neighborhood is a secret garden called Space Park. Built and maintained by the Triangle Neighbors Association, this community park gets transformed into none other than a Halloween Spooktacular filled with childrens’ activities, including cookie decorating, contests, games and storytelling.

Where – Space Park, 815 W. Roscoe St.
When – Sunday, October 30th, 3-6pm
Cost – FREE

Roscoe Village Halloween Parade - The parade will kick off at Leavitt and Roscoe, and follow the Lane Tech Marching Band down the street. Afterward, there will be trick or treating at the local merchants, and a pizza party at Audubon School.

Where – Leavitt & Roscoe
When – Sunday, October 30th, 1-5pm
Cost – FREE

Halloween Bash – Annual Halloween dance party, including costume judging and prizes.

Where – Indian Boundary Park & Cultural Center, 2500 W. Lunt Ave.
When – Sunday, October 30th, 2-3:30pm
Cost – FREE

Halloween Stop – Before you head out to go trick-or-treating, stop by Building Blocks Toy Store. They’ll fill your belly with some warm treats from Wishbone (Lakeview) & Letizia’s (Wicker Park) and stock your bag with some fun!

Where – Building Blocks Toy Store, 2130 W. Division and 3306 N. Lincoln Ave.
When – Monday, October 31st 3:30-5pm
Cost – FREE

Gompers Park Halloween Party – Kids will play games, create an artcraft project, receive a small goody bag.

Where – Gompers Park, 4222 W. Foster Ave.
When – Monday, October 31st, 3:30-4:30pm
Cost – FREE

Family Halloween Costume Party

Where – Kid City, 1837 W. Grand Ave.
When – Monday, October 31st, 9:30am-1:30pm
Cost – $10 per child in costume

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Getting into preschool….does it have to be this much work?

Posted in inside scoop | October 6, 2011

It’s that time of year again. Time to go on school tours, fill out countless applications and start praying to the school gods that your little bundle of joy will get into at least ONE of the schools on your list! I went through the process last year, and am happy to say I survived!

One of the best tools available to us urban parents trying to navigate CPS and private school options is the Neighborhood Parents Network. Not only did they dedicate their entire Fall Newsletter to helping you navigate pre-school and elementary school selection, but they also have an online directory and the best tool of all, their annual Preschool and Elementary School Fair next Saturday.

There will be over 120 public and private schools exhibiting. The event is free for members. It is a very popular event, so you must register for a one-hour time slot. Many of the slots are already full, but there are still some 12pm and 1pm spots available.

Please note: NPN will be collecting gently used and new books for Open Books at the fair. Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that operates a bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago.

Inside Scoop:

What – NPN Annual Preschool & Elementary School Fair
Where – Gossinger City Autoplex, 1530 N. Dayton St. (limited free valet parking)
When – Saturday, October 15th from 10am-2pm. You must register for a one-hour time slot. Space is limited for this VERY popular event.
Cost – FREE for NPN members

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Lets party island style!

Posted in go rock out | October 6, 2011

Old Town School of Folk Music has started their monthly playdates again! Each month, you and your little rocker can enjoy a hands-on and interactive concert at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. Best of all, tickets are only $5!

This week’s concert, Oceans Apart with Lanialoha Lee and Shana Harvey, will whisk you away on a voyage across the ocean to where island styles from Hawaii, New Zealand, Cuba, Puerto Rico and others meet. In the musical harbor, discover ipus and tamborres, kala’au and claves, castanets and `ili`ili. It all begins with the sounding of the conch shell!

On the go will be there handing out tips on where to find family fun this Fall and stickers for the under 7 crowd. We hope to see you there.

Inside Scoop:

What – Oceans Apart with Lanialoha Leaa and Shana Harvey
Where – Old Town School of Folk Music (4544 N. Lincoln)
When – Saturday, October 8th at 10am
Cost – $5

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Deck out your little fashionistas for less!

Posted in go shop | October 4, 2011

Its that time of year again…Babies Tots n’ More’s semi-annual consignment sale is back in town! Twice a year, Babies, Tots n’ More sets up a huge consignment store packed with everything from strollers and bouncy seats to clothes and shoes. They stock clothes for infants through tweens, and even have a nice selection of maternity clothes.

They are still accepting restocking consigners. So if you have some gently used clothes, toys, gear, books or furniture you want to sell, Click hereto learn more. The Best part is you earn 65-70% of the profit, and you don’t even have to be there.

This year they are offering shoppers the chance to purchase a “Sneak Peek” ticket. This allows you to get early access to the best stuff before the general public. Sneak Peek tickets are $10, but one lucky on the go reader will get two for free. Simply email me at cindymccarthy@onthegoChicago.com or comment below before 5pm on Friday, October 7th. The Sneak Peek pre-sale begins at 6:15 pm on Thursday, October 13th.

On the go will be at the sale on Friday, October 14th from 10am to 1pm handing out stickers, coloring pages and tips on the best places to find kid-sized fun this Fall.

Inside Scoop:

What – Babies, Tots n’ More Fall Consignment Sale
Where – 1505 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL
When – October 13th 6:15 presale, open to the public on October 14th from 10am to 7pm & 15th from 9am-4pm
Insider Tip – Most items are half off on the 15th after 1pm.

A mom and two kids on the go in Chicago!