Sara Y-O is a Texan, wife, mom to an almost 3 year old son and the publisher/editor for Macaroni Kid Chicago, a free online newsletter of all the family friendly events in the Windy City. It also offers kid-friendly recipes, crafts, book and music reviews, info on local businesses, great giveaways and MORE! Her work with Macaroni Kid has introduced Sara and family to the kid side of Chicago and she loves sharing that info with other area fams!

With grandparents in Texas and North Carolina, my little guy has spent a lot of time on airplanes. When he was a baby, it was pretty simple. He’d nurse and sleep, nurse and sleep. Easy peasy. But as he got older and more mobile, I quickly discovered that he would require a little more entertainment!  So my best traveling with kids tip is this…

RELAX YOUR RULES! Like many parents we have definite rules on TV watching, snacking and eating sweets.  When we’re on a plane, that all goes out the window.  If my son wants to watch DVDs and snack the entire flight, more power to him.  Anything that keeps him entertained and seated works for me.  And it also keeps the other passengers from glaring at us the whole trip! When we’re not visiting family, we love getting out and about in Chicago!  The Windy City offers so many family friendly locations and events (shameless plug–read Macaroni Kid Chicago to learn all about them!) Sara’s Top 3 Family-Friendly Chicago Destinations

• Chicago Children’s Theatre: Being a former actor/director, I love the theatre and couldn’t wait to introduce my son to the arts.  With Chicago Children’s Theatre I was able to do that at a very young age.  Presenting shows for toddlers on up, Chicago Children’s Theatre offers families amazing entertainment that is often based on well-loved children’s stories (Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar and more!)

• Chicago Children’s Museum: This is a great place to spend a few hours especially during the long Chicago winters when you can’t get outside.  With their hands-on exhibits that allow kids to climb, splash, explore and learn, you and your family will have a great time.  And bonus!  You’re guaranteed a nice long nap from your kiddos after you leave, because they will have played HARD!

• Crown Fountain: Once the weather does warm up, we love to head out to Crown Fountain in Millennium Park and let my son splash around. These glass block towers project images of Chicagoans and spray water on anyone brave enough to get close.  The “face fountains” as my son calls them are a hit with kids of all ages!

With all of the museums, parks, family-friendly restaurants and more, Chicago is a great place for a vacation or a staycation!