Summer Fun Activities for Kids in Arlington Heights, IL

Arlington Heights might be a village but don’t underestimate its potential. This friendly Cook County locale offers plenty of opportunities for family-friendly fun over the summer. There’s no need to make the drive into Chicago when there are so many great things to do in and around this northwestern suburb.

Explore Lake Arlington

You don’t need to go far for fun in the great outdoors. Lake Arlington is a beautiful park built around a man-made 50-acre lake in Arlington Heights. While swimming isn’t permitted, boating, paddle boarding, and catch-and-release fishing are three great ways to have fun on the lake. Bring your own boat or rent a paddleboat, kayak, sailboat, peddle boat, or paddleboard on site. If you prefer fun on dry land, you can enjoy a family picnic or a leisurely stroll or cycle around the water’s edge. Lake Arlington also has a playground, table games, and a beautiful sensory garden.

Take a Bike Ride

Smiles and….less of a smile…. by Joseph Gage is licensed with CC BY-SA 2.0

Lake Arlington is just one of the places you can ride bikes around Arlington Heights. A family bike ride is a great way to stay fit while you’re having fun. The Fox River Bike Trail, a 40-mile path accessible from The Depot in East Dundee and downtown Elgin, is one of the easiest and prettiest local cycling tracks. A little closer to home, you and your family could cycle around Wildwood Park in Arlington Heights or the Palatine Bike Trail, which cuts through the Palatine Park District.

Check Out a Children’s Museum

Museums have a reputation for being stuffy institutions, but children’s museums buck the trend. The Arlington Heights area has a couple of these cool museums kids actually want to visit. My Museum in Palatine was created by kids, for kids, so you know it has exhibitions your children will want to see. They can interact with the exhibits, making it even more fun. Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago in Glenview also has interactive exhibits that provide opportunities for learning through play. Both these museums are best suited to young children up to around the age of eight.

Visit an Indoor Play Center

Indoor play centers are playgrounds that small children can enjoy even when summer showers strike. There are several awesome indoor play centers close to Arlington, including Yu Kids Island in Schaumburg and The TreeHouse Play Cafe in Lake Zurich. Your kids will love interacting with the indoor play equipment, and you’ll enjoy unwinding with a coffee as you watch them having fun.

Hit the Skate Park

When your kids get too old for indoor play centers, head to Audubon Skate Park, an independent skating facility in Elk Grove Village with indoor and outdoor skate parks right next door. Skateboarders and inline skaters of all ages can skate around both parks and test their skills on ride ramps, rails, and grind ledges. While you can’t take bikes inside, BMX riders can challenge themselves in the outdoor park. Newbies and anyone who wants to take their skills to the next level can sign up for private lessons or a skate camp.

Go to a Water Park

Visiting a water park is one of the most fun ways to beat the summer heat. The four water slides that make up the Calypso Twist are the centerpiece of Rainbow Falls Waterpark in Elk Grove Village. Pelican Peak fun house, Sunfish Bay pools, and Coqui Frog Pond for small visitors are all great fun. You could also check out The Water Works in Schaumburg, an indoor water park at the local community recreation center. Although it’s a little smaller, the kids will still have a great time zooming down the three water slides and swimming in the pools.

Attend a Minor League Baseball Game

The Cubs and the White Sox may be Illinois’ most famous baseball teams, but you don’t need to head to Chicago to watch an exciting ball game. The Schaumburg Boomers are a minor league team who play their home games at Wintrust Field, just 20 minutes from Arlington Heights. Tickets are a fraction of the price of major league games, so it’s an affordable choice for a family day out. Your kids will also love the post-game fireworks and theme night activities, including giveaways and opportunities to meet their favorite characters.

Play a Game of Mini Golf

Mini golf is an excellent family game that teaches hand-eye coordination and good sportsmanship. Billed as one of the country’s best miniature golf experiences, Par-King Skill Golf features two 18-hole courses with 19 moving obstacles and seven challenging water holes. The Lincolnshire attraction opened in 1977 and is twice as large as the original Par-King. With colorful clowns, clocks, and loop-the-loops, it’s a whole lot of fun. Children must be at least 48 inches to play, so get out the measuring tape before you go to avoid disappointment.

Head to the Arcade

Encourage your kids to leave their devices at home and experience gaming the old-school way at Northbrook’s Nickel City. Visiting an arcade is often expensive, but Nickel City offers families real value. As its name suggests, it only costs nickels to play most video and parlor games. Introduce the kids to your favorite retro games, such as Pac-Man and Contra, for free. You can enjoy the free play games for as long as you like, and it’ll never cost you a cent. Your kids can trade in tickets earned for awesome prizes, from stuffed toys to high-tech electronics.

Pay Attention to Your Kids to Help Them Have Fun

Engaging in fun activities will help most kids enjoy their summer. However, some children have issues that exploring Arlington Heights can’t fix. If your child is reluctant to engage in these activities or behaves unusually when you’re together, contact the friendly team at NeuroHealth Arlington Heights. Our pediatric neuropsychological assessments can help you understand your child better and develop strategies to help them live their best life and achieve their potential in the classroom and your community. Call us at 847-925-7630 or contact us online to learn more about what we can do for your child.