As of yesterday, the Beans are officially members of the Chicago Children’s Museum. Exciting times, my friends!

I’d been scouring the internet looking for walkable baby music or gym classes (gotta maximize those between nap windows when we are still in three-nap-a-day jail) when I realized that I was forgetting about perhaps the city’s biggest resource for kids, right in my own backyard.

My mom used to take my sister and I to the Children’s Museum when it was farther north, and while I don’t exactly remember it, I do remember the smell of chlorine from the water room and a giant piano that you’d play on the floor. Even though it’s in a different location now at Navy Pier, I still love knowing that what was my playground as a baby is now my son’s.

I think most locals consider Navy Pier a slightly embarrassing bummer of a tourist trap. Not to sugar coat it or anything, haha. It has so much potential to be awesome with such primo waterfront real estate, allowing for rare eastward-facing city skyline views… and yet, it’s just not. I think it’s biggest sin has been the terrible food options—this is the city of GREAT eating! And it’s anchored by a BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP HOUSE. And a Margaritaville. Furthermore, a big stretch of it was taken up by a STAINED GLASS MUSEUM. Literally nothing could sound like a bigger snooze. So clearly, I’m not without criticism, but I have to admit that some of the recent renovations have been an improvement. Namely the food court bringing in local options, like the Goddess and the Baker, DMK, and Freshii. And there’s even one cute bar I’ve seen called the Tiny Tavern that I would totally check out with J sometime.

So while perhaps I was subconsciously blocking out the Museum for being associated with Navy Pier, I’m glad I put my snobbery aside to check out it. And not just because of the Oreo rice krispie treat from Goddess and the Baker.

The first time we went, the aide in the room introduced herself to me and when she found out we live pretty close, said, “Oh honey. Just go ahead and get that membership.” And so, after one visit, it was clear that she was right on the money and we did. As long as we live in the area, I can’t imagine us ever NOT being members—it’s a good deal, and it’s probably how a great many city moms survive being trapped indoors with toddlers in the winter. I get slightly scared thinking of a mobile Hudson with energy to burn in our 1400 square foot condo in winters to come 😃 But thankfully, this museum will totally grow with us—I never, ever want to wish away any of his baby stages, but I do get so excited imagining all the fun he’ll have on the ropes playground or with the fire truck exhibit in the future.

The Museum has a special room called the Pritzker Playhouse for the very littlest: infants to 2 years old. The Playhouse is only open for limited hours each day, and while it is fun to stroll Hudson through the rest of it so he can look around, most of the museum is designed for kids that are at least walking. Or you know, sitting 🙂

We’ve visited the Playhouse a few times now, which is basically sensory heaven for babies. Think bins of feathers, stuffed animal puppets, funhouse mirrors on the walls, different textured carpets, tubes to crawl through, etc. At 6 months, Hudson is still immobile, so most of the room is out of his grasp.

However, my little bud is not a huge fan of loud noises (as in, he sometimes cries when we sneeze) and also demonstrates a visible distrust of most strangers with an intense baby side-eye. While I find these traits endearing, I also think that it’s good to get him out of his little Streeterville bubble in the sky once in a while and expose him to new things. So for now, “going to the museum” means us sitting in a corner and him staring, open-mouthed at the “big kids.” He did get pretty interested in a bucket full of plastic buttons one time, but since then I’ve failed to entice him with any of the toys because he’s been too busy checking out his peers. Which is okay by me, because as he’s still in firmly in the toy-to-mouth stage, my new-mom germaphobia is in high gear and I want to die a little bit thinking about what must live deep inside the skunk puppet’s fur. (For the record, this is me being insane and the museum is totally clean and sanitary! They have a special sink where you drop toys if they go in your kid’s mouth and they clean it. It’s just the puppet fur that really gets me…)

There’s a definite crew of regulars in there, likely thanks to the limited hours, but I’ve found the vibe to be pretty welcoming and friendly. Since Hudson’s home with either me or grandma, I’m excited to see him start interacting with other kids as he gets more comfortable with the whole setup. Right now, he’ll occasionally look up at me to confirm that I’m still there and also give me this questioning look like, “what is this loud, bright place full of tiny, rambunctious people?!” But hey, we grow outside of our comfort zone, Hudson William!

So—all in all, the Children’s Museum has been a huge win and a great new activity for the Hudster. Three cheers for fun baby activities within walking distance! Nap jail’s got nothing on us 🙂