A Child at Art

The Family Room at The Art Institute

Address: 111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago

Hours: Monday - Wednesday: 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Thursday - Friday: 10:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday - Sunday: 10:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Admission: Free

YAY! YAY! YAY!

• Offers hands-on learning? Yes
• Engages an active toddler in play? Yes
• Provides interaction with other children? Yes
• Allows children room to play without long waits? Yes
• Is clean? Yes

If you have not checked out the Modern Wing of The Art Institute, it’s a must. And now there’s no reason to leave the kids at home because they will love the Family Room. After you stroller through one million square feet of truly amazing art, you sit a spell while your kids engage in their own imaginative play.

It is a fun (read: not boring) way to introduce your child to art. In addition to viewing the artwork on the walls and the flat screen tv, kids can play a variety of computer games & puzzles based on famous paintings. My son made a beeline for the computers. Since they are designed for little ones, he could navigate through the menu himself. He read through a story book and played a matching game, which integrated famous paintings. He did not know they were famous paintings, of course, but it provided a good introduction that he can perhaps draw on later.

The room is just a bright, open space. It’s not divided into sections or segregated in any way so kids can roam freely. Along one wall are 1,300 children’s picture books. And along the opposite wall is a soft, colorful sofa they can climb on (boys) or sit & read on (girls).

Kids can play with a variety of blocks, animals, and other toys. And crawlers can climb on soft, textured blocks. The kids had a great time playing, and maybe learned a little about art in the process. Maybe it will light a creative spark!

I also found it very easy to park in the Millennium Park Garage and walk across the street to the museum. It’s a short walk, which is a plus when it’s absolutely freezing outside!