Blog

EducationFeatured
Chicago Swim School
Bob Cushman

Children Who Swim Start Smarter

                  Guest post by Rob Jacobsen, Chicago Swim School, Arlington Heights, IL Talk to any parent that has had their child in swimming lessons at a very early age, and you’ll likely find a passionate parent who can quickly list examples of... Read More
EventsFeatured
Overshadowed Theatrical Productions
Bob Cushman

Summer Camps 2015

                      Sponsored by: Art Reach Educational Theater. Join us for a unique camp experience you won’t want to miss. Find our more information HERE! Do you remember your summers as a kid? The summers of my youth were perfect: Perfect... Read More
EventsFeatured
Skokie Festival of Cultures May 2015
Bob Cushman

May 2015 Festivals in Chicagoland

May 2 Go Fly A Kite! Wheaton. Come out and help us break our record of 843 kites in the air simultaneously! Bring your own kite or purchase a kite at the event. Concessions available. May 2-3 Midwest Morel Fest Ottawa. Learn, Hunt, Buy…Morel Mushrooms during Ottawa’s Annual Midwest... Read More
EventsFeaturedFun
Bob Cushman

Friday Fun Five APR 24 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events!   YMCA Healthy Kids Day! April 24-25 – Chicagoland... Read More

Friday Fun Five APR 17

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by BRITISH SWIM SCHOOL   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events!   Overshadowed presents”Snow White, The Queen’s Fair Daughter”... Read More

Spring Kite Flying and Festivals

Chicago’s windy springtime is perfect for kite flying! Join your local park district as they participate in the Illinois Park & Recreation Association’s “Flying 4 Kids” program, which promotes the sale of Park District license plates that feature a kite design. Here’s a list of some of our favorite kite... Read More
Parenting
Chicago family fun
Bob Cushman

5 Steps to Teach Gratitude to Children

Oaklee’s guest post by Monisha Vasa, M.D. My brain knows that gratitude is important.  I know when I am in a state of gratitude–aware of my blessings, small and big, I feel happier and less alone.  I feel more connected to the people around me, and my life experiences. I... Read More

Safety before savings- Yard Sale Checklist

Oaklee’s guest post by Laura Nikolovska, Program Director for Kids In Danger, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to improving children’s product safety. Spring is here and you know what that means; warmer weather, spring cleaning, and… yard sales! Generally speaking, garage sales are a great place to get a good... Read More

Summer Fun at Camp Commotion

                      Oaklee’s guest post by Todd Hertz, Christ Community Church communications director Last summer, Christ Community Church in St. Charles made a massive change to its normal summer programming for kids. Instead of the normal one-week, half-day program, Christ... Read More

Friday Fun Five APR 10 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by N ZONE SPORTS   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Rock and Roll Kidz with Wendy Morgan... Read More

Friday Fun Five APR 3 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by N ZONE SPORTS   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Underwater Egg Hunt April 3 in Oak... Read More

Teach Good Money Habits to your Kids

Do your kids get an allowance? Do they have a savings account? April is Financial Literacy Month and it’s a great time to teach your kids the basics of money. (Use these 30 steps to financial wellness for yourself, too!)   Here are some tips from Take Charge America, a... Read More
EventsFeatured
Family Fun Earth Day Events
Bob Cushman

Earth Day 2015

Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22nd, but don’t wait until then to get outdoors. Here are spring events that take us back to nature and help us protect and celebrate our beautiful planet. See our calendar of events for more Earth Day events and spring festivals throughout the Chicagoland area. ... Read More

Friday Fun Five MAR 27

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Putting Edge   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Breakfast with the Bunny March 28 at Golf Mill Center... Read More
CraftsFeaturedHolidayReviews
Easter Hoppy Paws stamp kit
Bob Cushman

Hoppy Paws Stamp Kits

Do your kids want “proof” that the Easter Bunny visited your house? Use this kit to leave his footprints along the path to the front door and throughout the house leading to their Easter Baskets. Hoppy Paws is a stamp kit that creates realistic Easter Bunny paw prints in a... Read More

Friday Fun Five MAR 20 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Putting Edge   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Chicagoland Family Pet Expo 2015 March 20-22 in Arlington... Read More
EventsFeaturedFun
North American Reptile Breeders Show
Bob Cushman

Friday Fun Five MAR 13 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Putting Edge   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Chicago Flower and Garden Show 2015 March 14 –... Read More
EventsFeaturedFun
Sock Monkey Madness Festival 2015
Bob Cushman

Friday Fun Five MAR 6 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Putting Edge   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Shen Yun March 6 through 8 in Chicago Embark... Read More
FunHoliday
St. Patrick's Day in Chicago
Bob Cushman

St. Patrick’s Day events 2015

                    Chicago is the 4th largest Irish city in America, and many more of us turn Irish for a day to celebrate the Feast of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Did you know that President Obama is himself... Read More

2015 Kia Sedona: The Modern Van for the Modern Parent

Oaklee’s guest post by Jasmine from SimplyRealMoms.com   Earlier this month I was invited by Kia Motors to attend their media introduction of the 2015 Kia Sedona and 2015 Kia Soul EV. If you have been following Simply Real Moms then you know what a huge fan I have... Read More
FeaturedFunGuides & Directories
maple syrup tapping sugaring festival
Bob Cushman

Maple Syrup Events March 2015

Spring is Maple Sugaring time! Here are Chicagoland’s top events to learn more about the harvesting and production of this sweet treat from maples trees right in our local forest preserves! Get out there and make some memories! For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of... Read More
FeaturedFun
Bright Horizons summer day camp group
Bob Cushman

Tips for Choosing a Summer Day Camp

Oaklee’s guest post by Bright Horizons Early Preschool and Childcare Before you know it, the school year will come to an end and you will be trading your snowsuits for swimsuits. If you are considering enrolling your child in summer camp, it’s never too early to begin learning about... Read More
Featured
Marriott Theater Princess and the Pea
Bob Cushman

Family-Friendly Performances in March 2015

There’s nothing like a live performance to stimulate your child’s imagination and transport them to another world. Check out these family-friendly shows. For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events!                         Ongoing... Read More
Safety
Chicago family doctor
Bob Cushman

Safety minded websites to bookmark today

Do you know what to do if your child swallows a household cleaner? Fortunately, there are resources, like the Illinois Poison Control, that can help. This Oaklee’s guest post by Laura Nikolovska, Program Director for Kids In Danger, lists a number of valuable resources and websites to help keep your children safe. ... Read More

Friday Fun Five Feb 27 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Chicago Children’s Theatre   For more great family events, see Oaklee’s Spring issue, or search our calendar of events! Championship Bullriders and Barrel Racing February 27-28 at... Read More
EducationParenting
Read Aloud Chicago babies
Bob Cushman

Why You Should Read to Babies Every Day

Guest Post from Read Aloud 15 MINUTES Before elementary school.  Before kindergarten.  Before preschool.  Your child is learning.  Not just learning – learning at lightning speed from the day he or she is born. Science has proven that birth to age 5 is perhaps the most important period of... Read More

Save on your Ski Clothing with GetOutfitted

Are you heading to the slopes during spring break? Here’s a great idea to equip the family on a budget. Rather than buying new clothing for your trip every year–especially with kids that grow two sizes per season–you can upgrade your clothing and gear through a rental company called... Read More

Friday Fun Five Feb 20 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Chicago Children’s Theatre   Spotlight’s SHREK: The Musical February 19-22 in Glen Ellyn Featuring a cast of comical characters, not to mention a collection of moving songs,... Read More

Chinese New Year – The Sheep

Get Ready! The Sheep are Coming Oaklee’s guest post by Eileen Wacker This is the year of the sheep, the artists of the zodiac. The sheep is kind, sweet and generous. One of the most popular signs of the zodiac, they like support of the group. They like peace.... Read More

Friday Fun Five Feb 13 2015

Here are our top five favorite events for you and your family to enjoy this weekend! Get out there and make some memories! Sponsored by Chicago Children’s Theatre   Snow Daze Festival February 14 in Kenosha WI Come CHILL with us in Downtown Kenosha at this free, family-friendly winter festival! Ice... Read More

Make Your Own Chinese New Year Dumplings!

Recipe provided by China Institute Dumplings, called jiaozi in Mandarin, have been popular in China for hundreds of years. They’re especially popular on Chinese New Year. This year, Chinese New Year starts on February 19. We will be moving from the Year of the Horse to the Year of... Read More