Blog

Safety
Baby Crib, product safety
Bob Cushman

Product Safety Trends for 2015

Oaklee’s guest post by Laura Nikolovska, Program Director for Kids In Danger, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to improving children’s product safety.   The New Year has arrived, and KID’s resolution is to continue protecting children from dangerous products. We are excited for all of the possibilities that 2015 brings for... Read More

Friday Fun Five Jan 30 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 Monster Jam   Winterfest 2015 January 30 in Oak Brook Lace up your skates and join us for the Oak Brook Park District’s Winterfest! There will be... Read More
ContestFeatured
Pelican Harbor
Bob Cushman

Family Fun Contests

We’ve got tons of great prizes to give away this summer, including contests for passes to your favorite water parks, so check back every week. Sign up for our newsletter  so you can enter our Subscribers-Only Contests throughout the year.  Congratulations to our recent winners! Adventure Realm passes: Paula in Carol Stream Emily... Read More
Events
winter family fun girl in snow
Bob Cushman

Celebrating Winter

                The snow is back and we’re ready to make a few more snowmen before the season is over. Here are a few February events, including ice sculpture festivals, to remind you that it’s still winter. Just be sure to call ahead... Read More

Help Your Toddler Thrive

Are you in the middle of the terrible twos, or threes or fours? The age when your toddler is learning about his own independence and challenging everything you say? Fortunately, there’s help to get you through this stage. Dr. Tovah Klein spends her days in “toddlerdom,” studying children from... Read More

Friday Fun Five Jan 23 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 Monster Jam   Winter Wonderland Ball 2015 January 25 in Chicago The ever popular Snow Queen and Ice Princess will be joined by Jack Frost, the... Read More

Oaklee’s Review: Make Your Own Chocolate Kit

Here’s a fun twist on Valentine’s Day Chocolate: a Make Your Own Chocolate Kit from Glee Gum. This kit comes with all the ingredients you need to make a few Valentine’s Day treats. The kit contains organic ingredients like cocoa butter, cocoa powder, confectioner’s sugar, starter crystals, a temperature... Read More

Marketing to Moms in 2015

What’s in your Digital Toolbox? Are you making the most of today’s digital tools to reach your audience? Our expert panel will bring you up-to-date on the current trends in marketing to moms and highlight the tools you need to generate response. Nancy Stevens Founder and owner of Oaklee’s... Read More
EventsFeatured
Bob Cushman

DuPage Children’s Museum Damaged by Flooding

We just learned about the extensive damage to the DuPage Children’s Museum due to last week’s flooding. We are heartbroken and know that everyone familiar with this great facility is too. For now, the Museum will be closed through February 8, 2015. We will keep you posted as have more information.... Read More

Friday Fun Five Jan 16 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 Disney on Ice Frozen   XOXO Exhibit leaves February 1st Through February 1 in Naperville DuPage Children’s Museum is introducing a new way for families to... Read More
EventsFeatured
Bob Cushman

Winter Wonderland Ball

                Meet your favorite frosty friends! The ever popular Snow Queen and Ice Princess will be joined by Jack Frost, the Ice Villain and a special mystery guest for a Winter Wonderland Ball this January! Enjoy a variety of games and activities,... Read More

Bright Horizons Grand Opening in Western Springs

            BRIGHT HORIZONS AT WESTERN SPRINGS TO HOST GRAND OPENING CELEBRATION (WESTERN SPRINGS, IL) – Bright Horizons opened a new early education and preschool center on November 24, 2014, in Western Springs. The new center’s opening allows parents the opportunity to balance their work... Read More

Friday Fun Five Jan 9 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 Disney on Ice Frozen   Meet the Authors January 10 in Highland Park Meet outstanding and award-winning children’s authors throughout the day as they talk about... Read More
EventsFeatured
Bob Cushman

Disney on Ice Frozen

It’s the hottest ticket in town! The Academy Award® winning tale will be told live for the first time in this production, capturing the dynamic between two royal sisters, Anna and Elsa. You’ll love the special effects and dazzling skating. The show is at the Allstate Arena from Jan. 21 –... Read More

Energy Shot Portable Backup Battery

The MyCharge Energy Shot Portable Backup Battery is a great little gadget that saves you when your phone battery is running low and you’re not close to an outlet. This handy charger fits in a purse, car or carry-on bag and charges your device very quickly. You can use... Read More

Oaklee’s Book Review: Maddi’s Fridge

When Lois Brandt was a young girl, she opened her best friend’s refrigerator and discovered that her family had no food. “I didn’t know what to do as a child facing this horrible issue,” she says. “I didn’t know how to help my friend.” As a children’s fiction writer,... Read More

KID Featured on 20/20 Special: #Recall Roulette

Recently, Kids in Danger’s founder, Linda Ginzel, and Executive Director, Nancy Cowles, were featured in an ABC 20/20 news special entitled Recall Roulette. In this piece of investigative journalism, 20/20 reporters examined the lack of oversight on children’s product safety and the limited steps being taken by many online... Read More

Friday Fun Five Jan 2 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 Medieval Times   Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier Through January 11 in Chicago Find thrills without the chills inside the 14th annual PNC Bank Winter WonderFest... Read More
ParentingSafety
Bob Cushman

Manage Your Child’s Online Privacy

Oaklee’s Guest Post by Amy Williams, former social worker specializing in teen behavioral health and parent of two teenagers.  At what age should you start considering setting digital boundaries for your child? While it may not seem necessary until the teenage years, you should be planning just how to monitor... Read More
EducationFeatured
Bob Cushman

Happy Feet!

                  Oaklee’s Family Guide Guest Post by Jamie Puffpaff, Director of Rock ‘n’ Kids www.rockitkids.com Children of all ages express themselves through music. In fact, we are all born with music inside of us already—our heart beats! Even while children are still... Read More
Education
Bob Cushman

Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Children

                    By Bright Horizons Early Education and Preschool Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Children Children are confronted daily with rich opportunities to solve problems and exercise their own independent judgment when they’re given the chance to safely explore the world. These... Read More

Guardian Angel Safety Outlet

Here’s a product from local Chicago entrepreneur Dan Masterson. The Guardian Angel Outlet is an easy-to-install shockproof power outlet that senses when a child’s hand is nearby and will shut down power in the outlet until the danger is gone. Dan hopes to make it the first of many smart safety... Read More
EducationFunHoliday
Bob Cushman

Winter Break Camps

                Looking for a winter break camp? Here’s a list of fabulous day camps for all kinds of activities. The YMCA Chicago even offers overnight camps. It’s not too late to sign up so register now! Specialty Camps The Actors Gymnasium offers... Read More
HealthHoliday
Chicago Mom doctor with daughter
Bob Cushman

Doctor’s Tips for Staying Healthy

Physician Shares Tips for Giving Your Body What It Needs to Fight Illness It’s a sad statistical fact: The holidays, from Christmas to New Year’s, are a treacherous time when it comes to our health. There’s a spike in heart attacks and pneumonia, and more people die of natural... Read More

Winter Swimming Safety Tips

Swimming is a great way to burn off energy and stay in shape over the winter. And no, despite what our moms told us, you can’t catch a cold from wet hair. According to Sara Batchelor, COO of Pro Swim Academy in Elk Grove Village, “Often times parents think... Read More

Go! Go! Sports Girl dolls

These dolls inspire girls to look beyond their image, and be active participants in their lives. The Go! Go! Sports Girl dolls were created by Jodi Norgaard in Glen Ellyn, IL, when she couldn’t find age appropriate dolls for her young daughter. She created the dolls to provide a... Read More
Parenting
Bob Cushman

Calm Baby, Confident Baby

Oaklee’s Guest Post by Jessica Fox, LCPC

 I had a plan for my daughter before she was even a twinkle in my eye. Not the kind of plan that many parents have for their children, like to be a doctor, a lawyer, or the first female President of the... Read More

Keeping Kids Safe this Holiday Season

Oaklee’s Guest Post by Laura Nikolovska, Program Director of Kids In Danger, a Chicago non-profit focused on improving children’s product safety.  The holidays are an exciting time for families. However, new toys and unfamiliar environments pose safety risks for young children that parents may not be aware of. Kids... Read More

Brick Loot box subscription

Is your child a LEGO® or NanoBlock® fanatic? This new company is ready to ship you a boxful of the latest brick-themed toys every month. Brick Loot is a new box subscription company created right here in Chicago by a 9-year-old Glenview youth, Parker Krex. His parents, Steve and Erin, helped... Read More

Retale Shopping App

Why spend your time racing all over town to find the best sale prices, when the Retale app does it all for you? This free app collects the flyers of in-store deals and promotions for 130 of the top retail brands in the U.S., such as Kohl’s, Toys “R” Us,... Read More