Fun Places for Kids in Saint Charles, Illinois

While St. Charles, Illinois is only about an hour's drive from Chicago, it does not rely on the activities of the big city to entertain residents and guests. This historic town offers a variety of indoor and outdoor activities for families and numerous fun places for kids. From educational experiences to fun festivals, there is plenty for kids to do in St. Charles, Illinois.

Museums

Museums provide an educational entertainment option for kids. The Hickory Knolls Discovery Center (stcparks.org/Facilities/hickory-knollls-discovery-center.html) offers live animals, a turtle pond and other nature activities and exhibits. Kids may enjoy seeing what an 18th Century school looked like and take a tour of the Pioneer Sholes School (pioneersholesschool.org). Just outside of St. Charles in Campton Hills, the Garfield Farm and Inn Museum (garfieldfarm.org) provides activities to teach children about farming in the 1840s. Barn dances, farm camps and other special events take place throughout the year.

Indoor Play Spaces

St. Charles is home to multiple indoor play spaces for kids. Jump Zone (jumpzoneparty.com) is an indoor playground and party zone full of inflatable bounce houses, slides and obstacle courses. The Charlestowne Mall is home to Wild Fun Center (wildfuncenter.com) which includes indoor miniature golf, batting cages and other fun activities for kids. For younger children, Kids Play World (kidsplayworld.net) offers an indoor playground and educational classes for toddlers.

Outdoor Activities

When it comes to outdoor activities, St. Charles is home to numerous parks and bike trails for kids to enjoy. The St. Charles Park District (stcparks.org) offers six extensive bike trails, nearly forty different parks, community centers and swimming pools. Each park offers different activities for kids such as fishing, paddle boats, playgrounds, nature trails, miniature golf courses and softball fields. In addition to local parks, children may enjoy taking in a minor league baseball game outdoors by watching the Kane County Cougars.

Fairs and Festivals

St. Charles is also home to fairs and festivals throughout the year. The Kane County Fairgrounds (kanecountyfair.com) is home to the annual Kane County Fair held in July. Numerous other events are held at the fair throughout the year, including the Country Folk Art Festival in September, the Kane County Flea Market on the first weekend of every month and numerous 4-H and other animal exhibitions.