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Parks & Recreation

Activities for Children

Arts

  • Logan Center for the Arts Family Saturdays are free thematic art workshops led by local artists, art organizations, and UChicago students. Families can sample a range of activities for children ages two to 12 through hour-long sessions led by local artists. 
  • The Hyde Park Art Center offers a wide variety of art classes and camps for children of all ages.
  • Arts Incubator offers arts education and community-based arts projects, as well as exhibitions, performances, and talks, many of which are open to children.

Music and Dance

  • The Hyde Park School of Dance offers dancers of all ages and skill levels training in ballet, modern, jazz, and hip-hop dance.
  • Marsha’s Music at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club offers music classes for babies and young children.

Play Areas

Reading and Story Time

Sports and Fitness

Swimming

  • The British Swim School at LA Fitness on 53rd Street offers a variety of swim lessons for children.
  • The Chicago Parks District offers many affordable classes for toddlers and children. Many Hyde Park families take their children to swimming lessons at the nearby Ellis Park indoor pool and Harris Park indoor pool. During the summer months, the Washington Park outdoor pool has a family swim time on weekday mornings and weekend afternoons. This pool has a zero entry that gives toddlers a large area where they can run, splash, and learn to be comfortable in the water. It also has an area for swimming laps and a water slide.
  • The University’s Community Swim & Diving School at Ratner offers classes for children (ages three and up) and adults during the academic year.
  • The Southside YMCA offers swimming classes for children (ages six months and up) and adults in their indoor swimming pool.

Miscellaneous

  • The Baby Ph.D. Childcare Network collaborates with the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club to sponsor a weekday Play-N-Learn program. The program consists of several daily play-based educational activities for children up to age four to attend together with their caregivers. Activities include creative art, musical storytime, sign language, Tot Lot, dramatic play, infant playgroup, and more. Nannies and Baby Ph.D. childcare providers located within walking distance of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club often utilize the Club’s Play-N-Learn program as part of their daily curriculum.
  • The Oriental Institute offers a series of family and child-oriented events throughout the year for children aged four and older. These include workshops on hieroglyphs, simulated archaeological digs, and Egyptian history.
  • Shake Day is held at the Reynolds Club every Wednesday, when $1 milkshakes are available.
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