What is there to do in Chicago with a toddler?|191519

I am going to Chicago for Thanksgiving and I am taking my 22 month old daughter. I am looking for things to do that is not extremely expenisve but fun and interesting for her. Please someone help me figure this out.

There_s the Thanksgiving Day parade down State Street, which is free (once you get downtown) and has big balloons and everything else you_d expect from a big parade.

http://www.chicagofestivals.org/


There_s Navy Pier, home of the Chicago Children_s museum, among other attractions. The Pier is expensive to park at, but not expensive to get to by bus or better yet the city_s free trolleys.

http://kid-friendly-travel-destinations.��


http://www.chicagochildrensmuseum.org/


The three best museums to consider are (and all are free for your daughter)
1) The Notebaert Nature Museum, in Lincoln Park, which has a year round butterfly haven with hatchings every day, that may interest a toddler; it_ll certainly interest you, which may generate interest in your child. $9 for you.

http://www.naturemuseum.org/


2) The Shedd Aquarium: Look! colorful fish! Now the Shedd is very pricey, but if you decide you don_t care about seeing whales and dolphins, then you can substantially cut the cost of the Shedd. The cheapest admit, to the older building only, costs just $8 for you. The full pass costs $27.50 for you.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/index.html


3) The Museum of Science and Industry, which has a baby chick hatchery that appeals to kids of all ages. The Jollyball machine also may catch your child_s attention (It_s a huge wild homemade _pinball_ machine...in which a ball travels through Switzerland...much cooler in person than the description. There_s also lots of stuff (trains, airplanes, farm equipment) that kids can climb in and on. $11 for you, plus $12 for the car (there is CTA service from downtown).

http://www.msichicago.org


And then there are the Macy_s (Formerly Field_s) holiday windows at the massive store on State at Washington, which this year have a nutcracker theme. Free, unless you obey the siren song of the department store and walk in. :)

I_d recommend some children_s theater if you child were a year older, but a 22-month old won_t likely get much out of that.