Best Birthday Party Ideas for Kids in Chicago

Best Birthday Party Ideas for Kids in Chicago

Planning a memorable birthday party for your child in Chicago is an exciting endeavor, especially with the variety of kids birthday party venues available. Here's a comprehensive guide to four popular options: Dave & Buster's, WhirlyBall, Chuck E. Cheese, and Kids Science Labs. Each offers unique amenities, party packages, and themes to ensure an unforgettable celebration.

Dave & Busters is a great birthday party idea

Dave & Buster's combines dining with a vast arcade, making it a fun birthday party for kids who love games and interactive entertainment. One of the most popular birthday party venues for sports kids, its a good choice for tweens and teens in Chicago looking for a fun birthday party idea.

• ●  Location: 1030 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60610

• ●  Party Packages:

  • Ranging from $28.99 - $38.99 for food packages, this birthday party venue definitely knows how to provide both food and interactive entertainment

• ●  Amenities:

  • ○  Over 200 arcade games.

  • ○  Multiple TV screens for sports and entertainment.

  • ○  Various room types to accommodate different group sizes.

• ●  Add-Ons:

  • ○  Dessert options.

  • ○  Appetizer upgrades.
    

2. Kids Science Labs has been on every best kids birthday party venue list since 2011

For a hands-on, educational experience, Kids Science Labs offers science-themed birthday parties that inspire creativity and curiosity. Known for having the best private birthday party venue in Chicago, where you and your guests have full access to the facility for the duration of your party.

Unlike other kid’s birthday party venues, Kids Science Labs parties are hands-on and fully customizable by parents in their beautiful locations near Lakeview, South Loop and for Northshore Families looking to arrange a special kid’s birthday party experience.

Kids Science Labs is one of the few birthday party venues in Chicago that offers 100% private birthday parties from start to finish.

• Convenient Birthday Party Locations in Roscoe Village, South Loop, and Northbrook

• ●  Party Packages:

• ○ Standard Package: Full Private Venue for starts at $575. Includes a 90-minute private party with interactive science experiments led by experienced instructors.

○ Additional Children: $30 per child for extra kids allows parents flexibility if siblings, cousins, or extra fiends show up that were unplanned.

● Birthday Party Amenities:

○  3,000 sq ft private lab space.

○  Customized science experiments tailored to the birthday child's interests.

○  All necessary materials and safety equipment provided.

● Kids Birthday Party Add-Ons:

○  Customized slime kits including safety googles

○  Additional time or specialized experiments upon request

3. WhirlyBall is a Chicago Favorite Birthday Destination

WhirlyBall offers a unique blend of lacrosse, basketball, and bumper cars, providing an active and engaging experience for older children and teenagers.

●  Location: 1825 W. Webster Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614

●  Party Packages:

Customized based on group size and activities.

○  Options include WhirlyBall, laser tag, and bowling.

○  Contact the venue for specific pricing and package details.

● Amenities:

○  Multiple activity options (WhirlyBall, laser tag, bowling).

○  Private event spaces

○  On-site dining with customizable menus.

● Add-Ons:

○  Event planning assistance.

○  Themed decorations upon request.

4. Chuck E Cheese is still a fun arcade themed birthday party for kids

A super classic choice for younger children, Chuck E. Cheese offers a fun-filled environment with games, pizza, and live entertainment. For decades, parents and kids have appreciated the open arcade and animatronics, integrated with live entertainment and food.

• ●  Location: 1770 W. Fullerton Avenue, Chicago, IL 60614

• ●  Party Packages:

  • ○  Fun Package: $99.99 for 6 kids. Includes 2 hours of unlimited gameplay, unlimited soft drinks, decorated table, and the Chuck E. Cheese birthday show. Additional kids can be added for $19.99 each.

  • ○  Mega Fun Package: Per child pricing varies. Offers 2 slices of pizza per child, a dedicated party host, collectible cups, and upgraded prizes (250 bonus E-Tickets).

  • ○  Ultimate Fun Package: Per child pricing varies. Includes additional large pizzas, Dippin’ Dots ice cream, and the highest prize upgrades (500 bonus E-Tickets).

  ●  Amenities:

  • ○  Live Chuck E. Cheese birthday show.

    ○  Exclusive Birthday Ticket Blaster experience.

    ○  Variety of arcade games suitable for all ages.

  ●  Add-Ons:

  • ○  Dippin’ Dots ice cream.

    ○  Collectible cups with free lifetime refills.

    ○  Themed decorations and party favors.

If you are interested in some other kids birthday party ideas, you can find additional birthday party ideas here:

Elementary Students Learn Heat Transfer in preparation for Mid-Winter Break Seattle

Our Seattle Summer Camps are special, and as we prepare for the upcoming Mid-Winter Break in Seattle, Heat Transfer is on the agenda at Kids Science labs

Anyone who has stayed outside during cold or warm weather, especially, if you were at the top of Mt. Rainier, understands that hot things make adjacent items hot (sit closer to camp fire to warm up), and similar with cold temperatures (don’t put your hands on the ice if you want them to be warm).

How can you explain Heat Transfer in a Seattle Summer Camp for Kids?

Kids are brilliant and a simple experiment and experience can teach them what they need to know for true conceptual understanding. For nearly 15 years, oru Seattle Summer Camps have taken this approach to asking kids interesting questions, that present real problems, where a simple experiment is the answer to learn in a fun way.

Without getting too much into the science, the basic question is “Why does it burn my hand when i touch a pot, but the pot handle is not nearly as hot”? Well, the basic answer, as our students at Kids Science Labs learned today on a Middle School Field Trip, is Heat Transfer. Cold temperatures and hot temperatures can “transfer” the heat through any conductive materials (i.e. metals).

A Pot Handle is designed with either a hollow core or specialty materials and shapes to dissipate heat. In our Seattle Summer Camps and our STEM Programs for Kids, we are focused on teaching heat transfer to our students using real science and real hands-on experiments.

Seattle Summer Camps that teach kids heat transfer at Kids Science Labs

At home, run some warm water over plastic vs. a stick and ask kids which of the materials got “warmer” and how long did it take. Now do the same experiment over a spoon…and you will have insights into the type of basic science that is powerful for kids.

Our Summer Camps are powerful opportunities to engage elementary kids outside of field trips, and give Seattle Summer Camps something special to build kids Science Facts to outperform long-term in life.

Kids Science Labs unlocks the curiosity and creativity in every child, through the joys of hands-on science

Kids Science Labs is for all students.  We love it when kids are passionately interested in science, engineering, and medicine, but our program is very successful in engaging  our target kids 2-12 that love learning how things work, fixing problems, being creative, and understanding the world around them.  We know from years of teaching and curriculum development, that kids, and especially early learners, have a natural curiosity that is well suited for learning science.  They live it everyday at the breakfast table, building in the playroom, and using their imagination. 

Field Museum Summer Camps Offer Fossil Building Adventures for Future Paleontologists

Field Museum Summer Camp

The Field Museum in Chicago is more than just a place to see exhibits—it’s also where kids can take part in summer camp programs that blend fun and learning. These Summer camps are perfect for younger children who enjoy exploring, along with interactive play. Often our students at Kids Science Labs spent 1/3 of the summer at KSL, a few weeks at a summer camps liek the Field Museum Summer Camps or at MSI, and then enjoy outdoors with the rest of their Chicago summer camp experience.

What Activities Field Museum Summer Camp Participants Do?

Field Museum summer camps offer a variety of hands-on activities to keep young learners engaged. Here are some examples of what campers can expect:

• Camp Themes: Kids enjoy Animal Explorers, Creature Features, and Natural Word, Planet Protectors

• Exploring Exhibits: Campers get to walk through the museum’s exhibits, like the Hall of Dinosaurs. They learn by seeing and touching real artifacts and displays.

• Interactive Workshops: Kids participate in craft projects, small experiments, and storytelling sessions that make science and history come alive in a fun way.

• Behind-the-Scenes Experiences: Campers can go behind the scenes to see how museum collections are cared for and learn from scientists about the work they do.

You can find more information here: https://www.fieldmuseum.org/summer-camps-programs Every day offers something different, making these camps a great environment for learning and discovery. If you have a child that is 4+ that is really interested in the hands-on science, you can also learn about the best Chicago Summer Camps that boost academic performance by clicking here:

PlayLab @ Field Museum Summer Camp

For younger children, accompanied by an 18+ adult, the Crown Family PlayLab at the Field Museum runs camps designed to spark curiosity in a playful way. These camps cater to early learners, focusing on exploration and creativity. Some highlights include:

• Tailored Activities: Designed for kids ages 3 to 6, the activities emphasize sensory experiences, hands-on exploration, and imaginative play.

• Creative Projects: Young campers can create art inspired by nature, pretend to be scientists, and engage in simple experiments that encourage curiosity.

• Interactive Play: The PlayLab’s kid-friendly exhibits allow children to dig for fossils, dress up in costumes, and explore cultures through hands-on activities.

Field Museum summer camps provide a chance for future paleotonogists to learn, create, and explore in an environment designed to nurture their natural curiosity. If your child is 4+ and they are interested in a hands-on science summer camp in Chicago that offers both real experiments and discovery, you can also check out Kids Science Labs, which is less than 1 mile from the Field Museum, nestled in Museum Campus in the South Loop. Call 773-798-2012 for more info.