Green Parent Chicago™

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The Cure for Cabin Fever: Our Top Picks For Winter Family Activities

Chicago parents are no stranger to those restless winter days of few daylight hours filled with active kids eager to let some healthy energy out.

To take the stress out of planning what to do and where to go when you know you just have to get out of the house, we've compiled a list of great ways to play away the day. Some are indoors, most are outdoors (or both) and many are free or low cost. Take a look and have a blast!

There's plenty of outdoor winter fun going on at Morton Arboretum, where kids admission is free through January 4. Bundle up and enjoy nature in all its wintry glory at the arboretum.

Cross Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
Bring your own skis or snowshoes, or a limited amount of rental snowshoes are available onsite at $8 for up to three hours (Arboretum members get discounts).
Regular arboretum hours apply.

Cool Kids Nature Hikes  
Nov. 28 to Feb. Weekdays: 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Weekends: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., & 12:30 p.m. Children's Garden. Embark on a 20-minute hike followed by a warm cup of cocoa for kids. Hike themes change every two weeks and depends on weather conditions.

Going on a Gnome Hunt
December–February
Daily 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Children’s Garden The animals may be hibernating, but we still have gnomes. Can you find all of the gnomes hiding in the Children’s Garden?

Love nature, but just not into the cold? Stop indoor at the Garfield Park Conservatory where kids can play in the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children's Garden complete with tunnel slide, touchable plants, a baby crawler pit and weekend drop-in activities. While there, see Winter 2008 Holiday Traditions, the conservatory's annual holiday flower show featuring poinsettias and other plants in the colors of the season.
Winter 2008 Holiday Traditions runs now until January 11.
Hours: Conservatory hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, open Thursdays till 8 p.m.
Cost: Free  

Little train lovers will marvel at the miniature Holiday trains of Wonderland Express at Chicago Botanic Garden. Chicago’s most famous landmarks appear throughout this landscape and are constructed of all-natural materials collected in the wild, such as gourds, pine cones, bark and wooden logs, acorns, eucalyptus pods, grains and grasses, and more.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Jan. 4. (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 4 and 24 and all day Dec. 25).
Cost: $10 for adults and $8 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+). Members pay $8 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12) and seniors (62+).
Admission to Wonderland Express on Tuesdays through Dec. 23 is free. All ticket purchases are timed for entry. Parking is $15 per car; free for Garden members.

Also at Chicago Botanic Garden, you may want to catch the "Winter Wonders" family drop-in activities held in Burnstein Hall from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays from now through Dec. 21 and daily from Dec. 22 through Jan. 4 (closed at 3 p.m. on Dec. 24 and all day Dec. 25). Station-based, hands-on activities include exploring snowflakes, conifer branches and cones, making bird feeders with natural materials and more.

Take a ride on a real holiday train this month. The CTA Holiday Train is back again. Interiors of the CTA train cars are decked out with thousands of multi-colored lights, red bows, garland, and red and green overhead lighting. The hand poles are wrapped to look like candy canes. As the train pulls into each station, Santa waves to the boarding passengers from his sleigh on an open-air flatcar that carries his reindeer and decorated holiday trees. Santa and his elves will pass out candy canes and season's greetings to passengers.

Here's a schedule of remaining dates and train lines that feature the Holiday Train:

December 18 -- Purple Line Express
December 19 -- Red Line
December 20 -- Orange Line
December 22 -- Purple Line Express
December 23 -- Yellow Line

Hours: The train operates from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends, and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on select weekdays (schedules for each individual line will vary). The Holiday Train will make stops at all stations along the respective routes.
Cost: normal CTA fares apply.

After working up an appetite from all the fun, you can sample delicious German holiday treats like  brats, goulash, potato pancakes, cookies and, for grown-ups, Gluhwein (a warm spiced wine) at Christkindlmarket at Daley Plaza. Inspired by the famous Nuremburg Christmas market dating back to 1545, this outdoor market offers handmade gifts, unique ornaments, rare European fabrics and textiles and German delicacies. Children may also enjoy a view of the city's giant Christmas tree at Daley Plaza or a visit with Santa at the Santa House at Daley Plaza.

Hours for Santa visits now through Dec. 23:
Monday to Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
December 24: 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Santa takes a break each day from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
Cost: Free for Santa visits

Christkindlemarket dates: Nov 27, 2008 - Dec 24, 2008
Hours:  11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Lastly, don't forget the annual Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports Festival December 27 to 29 at McCormick Place. The annual indoor festival consists of demonstrations, sports tournaments, a chess tournament, interactive sports zones, a tots zone and more.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free

A Green and Frugal Holiday With Kids, Tips and Ideas for Families

This year, whether due to economic necessity or growing concern about sustainable actions, a green Christmas and holiday season is an ever more attractive option for many families.

At times, parents wonder how to bestow the lessons of generosity and thoughtfulness in their children's minds. A simpler Christmas and holiday is a wonderful start that can provide your family with new and exciting traditions.

Here are some ways to curb your spending this holiday season and still have a joyous and green celebration:

• Create handmade Christmas cards using scraps of wrapping paper and old decorative Christmas card fronts. 

• Shopping for gifts? Be sure to check out our Green Parent Chicago Alternative Gift Giving Guide for creative ideas, many of which parents and kids can make and do together.

• Wrap gifts using recycled paper, comics, dish towels, receiving blankets, "silk" scarves or make your own fabric gift bags. One new product on the market, The Bobo Wrap, is a luxury fabric wrap, made by an American manufacturer that offers a simple way to wrap gifts in reusable fabric. It easily ties and finishes with its own decorative bow. For homemade treats, use brown paper bags and have the kids help decorate them with decorative stamping, paint, stickers, etc.

• Decorate your home and Christmas tree using any suitable green and red items you already own: buttons, felt, decorative paper, cardboard, construction paper, scrap yarn, fabric, flowers and fruit (real or faux) and decorative dishware. One culinary minded host at a Christmas party I once attended decorated her tree with large red chili peppers. The effect against the deep green tree branches was striking and unique.You'll be surprised at how creative you can be with what you already own.

• Paper chains from scrap paper make beautiful tree decorations and garlands. Origami is easy to learn and can be made in miniature for ornaments. Instructions for many simple origami projects can be found online.

• In lieu of cooking for a large party, host a potluck. The key to keeping the event low cost is to make the gathering the focus rather than the getting by planning party activities like music, caroling, games and crafts or ask each guest to bring an ornament to trim the tree.

• Alternatives to a hosting a party include: attending a worship service, free concert or theater event or planning an outing as a family/group of families to go ice skating, sledding or visit a free winter festival. Everyone can gather after for hot cocoa, hot cider or other treats at a favorite cafe, bakery or someone's home.

• Volunteer as a family with a local charity, donate toys or other items on a charity's wish list or organize a group donation among friends and family. If you've never volunteered as a family before, doing so during the holidays is a great way to get started on making volunteering a regular activity throughout the year.

-Christine

Green Parent Chicago's Alternative Gift Giving Guide

There are many ways to give a meaningful gift to someone you love and many ways to spread the Christmas spirit to someone who needs extra help or support this season.

Here are just a few ideas to begin your list:

"Buy Green, Buy Fair, Buy Local,Buy Used, and Buy Less" is the mantra to mind when shopping, for a less commercialized holiday according to the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood.

Try that time tested frugal giving technique: hold a secret Santa exchange: select a price level or theme and draw name, each person gives one gift and gets one gift.

Create an alternative gift registry for your children's or family's wish lists online. In it, you could list museum memberships, class and activity fees, educational products, babysitting.

Plan a book exchange or magazine exchange. It's like getting a subscription for free.

Donate to a charity or plan a group donation among several families you know. Volunteer with your kids at a local charity. Idealist.org has a simple search feature that lets you search for family and youth volunteer opportunities in your area.

Give or buy only used and recycled or give only handmade items, like home baked goodies. For homemade and handmade gift ideas and instructions, like how to make a beanie, poncho and mittens from an old sweater, visit Threadbanger, the site that proves sewing rocks.

Donate your time and give experiences instead of stuff.

Purchase gifts from local social enterprises and nonprofit organizations that benefit Chicago area men, women and families. Some of the many in the area include:

The Enterprising Kitchen, which helps women work toward self-sufficiency and economic independence. Beeline helps men and women re-entering the community from prison establish a work history, learn good work habits, and gain skills to further employment and career advancement. Growing Home provides job training through a non-profit organic agriculture business.

WomanCraft, an eco-friendly and fair trade social enterprise in the North Lawndale neighborhood produces handmade, recycled paper products. The Heartland Alliance benefits the impoverished and those whose human rights are threatened.

Visit Chicago Fair Trade for a listing of other local businesses selling fair trade goods and services.

Melamine In Baby Formula, What U.S. Parents Should Know

Confusion has set in over the FDA's recent announcement it has set standards for safe melamine amounts in baby formula sold in the U.S. 

Just last week the FDA announced that levels of melamine alone or cyanuric acid alone, at or below 1 part per million (ppm) in infant formula do not raise public health concerns. The agency had previously stated in early October that no safe levels of the contaminants in formula could be determined. 

Unknown to the public, the FDA had been conducting tests over the past several months on U.S. made formula. The results came to light in a report by The Associated Press 6 days ago.

The tests found melamine and cyanuric acid, a related chemical, in samples of baby formula made by major U.S. manufacturers: Abbott Labs, maker of Similac; Mead Johnson, maker of Enfamil; and Nestle, maker of Good Start. The three brands comprise 90 percent of all formula sold in the United States.

Both chemicals have been linked to kidney and bladder stones, kidney failure and death most recently in China, where melamine was intentionally added to "watered down" formula sold in the country to increase protein levels.

The FDA insists that the risk of changing a baby's feeding method would be more hazardous than exposure to trace amounts of the contaminants and urged parents not to jump to conclusions. However, medical professionals, members of Congress and consumer advocates warn the "safe" announcement should be questioned given the agency's much criticized conclusion that bisphenol-A (BPA) is safe in food and drink containers.

This leaves a great number of U.S. parents confused about the safety of their baby's formula and potential health effects of the chemical.

Last Wednesday, Daniel J. DeNoon, a senior medical writer for Web MD, posted an in depth FAQ specifically addressing parents' questions regarding the issue, quoting several U.S. medical experts.

At least one U.S. maker of organic baby formula claims to have tested negative for melamine in its "Baby’s Only Organic" formulas and "PediaSmart" nutritional beverages.

The manufacturer says on its website "it began testing the products shortly after China infant formula contamination became public." Melamine testing is now part of Nature’s One standard testing procedures following each production run of "Baby’s Only Organic" and "PediaSmart" products. The company says that "Baby's Only Organic" formulas are manufactured in the U.S.A. with no milk protein or dairy derivatives purchased from China.

Ironically, while parents' questions remain unanswered and proposed formula recalls remain unissued, the FDA Monday issued a release highlighting its "progress" in protecting the country's food supply.