This is number 11 in my series of articles about places you can go when you are parenting alone with your kids in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago is famous for sports, restaurants and architecture but Chicago is not a very kid friendly city. I hope this series can be a resource for parents going through the transition of divorce, separation or just spending the day alone with their kids. When I’m not busy being a lawyer, I’m busy being a dad.
Indoor playgrounds are a must when parenting through the cold Chicago winters.
Little Beans Café is an indoor playground that offers all the fun of a park with protection from the cold and unpredictable Chicago weather. There are two locations in the Chicago land area. One in Evanston, a short drive from the city, and in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. Little Beans Café offers a great environment to interact with your children through fun activities. The menu includes a variety of drinks and sandwiches, as well as snacks, soups, and pastries. During the spring and summer seasons, everyone can enjoy ice cream treats.
Little Beans Café’s hours are as follows:
Monday through Friday: 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Sunday: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Like all play places, this is a socks only environment so bring socks for your child and yourself.
Little Beans café has plenty of places for parents to sit, log on to free wifi and maybe even get a bit of work done while the children play. So many people work from home now (or have the option to). You’ll find that indoor play places are filled with parents letting their kids burn energy while they catch up on emails.
Parents can purchase daily, monthly, or annual passes for themselves and their children. There are several special discounted rates on certain special days that are outlined on the calendar of the Little Beans website.
Day pass pricing is as follows:
• First Child: $14
• First Sibling: $12
• Each Additional Sibling: $8
Passes can be purchased in bulk at 50 or 100 units at a time. 50 passes are $ 1 discount per pass. 100 passes are a $ 2 discount per pass.
Memberships can be purchased for $ 85 a month.
If a child is mobile (crawling) they will have to pay admission. A baby who is being held the entire time will not have to pay admission.
Little Beans Café also hosts several special events throughout the year for the children to enjoy. From National Caramel Apple Day to a weekly character visit day. If your children are super hero or princess fans, they will be sure to have a great time at Little Beans Café.
If you are interested, Little Beans Café hosts several 6 to 8-week classes and workshops for the children to enjoy. Each class is conveniently divided by age group. This is also a great opportunity for children to socialize with children their age while you enjoy a cup of coffee.
Little Beans Café has two locations. The Evanston location is massive (it used to be the former Evanston Library) but a trip to Evanston is a little far for most Chicago residents. The Chicago location is at 1809 W. Webster, Chicago, IL 60614 just six miles from my Chicago law office. Directions below:
