PHOTO RECAP: ChiIL Mama's Adventures at The Chicago Toy and Game Fair 2017

This year my 16 year old son, Dugan, took one camera and I took the other, and we tag teamed coverage of ChiTAG, the largest annual public Toy & Game Fair in the country. We've included all our collective shots in the SLIDE SHOW here and some of our favorites are embedded below, from meeting inventors to our Star Wars themed press/blogger lunch. Dugan did a fabulous job documenting the fun. His photos and mine are watermarked individually in case you're curious who shot what. Enjoy!

The ChiTAG fair is a great way to meet toy and game inventors, get great gift giving ideas, check out brand new releases, and revisit old favorites. They even have show deals and merch on sale on the spot. If you're still stuck for gifting ideas for the holidays, birthdays and beyond, let us be your guide. 

Full ChiTAG 2017 Slideshow Here:

Some highlights this year were: 
seeing Jane Labowitch: AKA Princess Etch and her amazing Etch a Sketch art again, 

meeting Adam Hocherman, the inventor of Playmonster's Tinkineer's Marbleocity,  





checking out the intricate, amazing buildable creations by UGEARS (They sent us two to build, The Theater and the train, and they're incredible!), 











and getting a lesson in how to play Charmed from one of the co-creators, .




Some of our favorite low tech play spaces were the cardboard creative area where kids could DIY anything out of discarded boxes and the Legos area.

Looking for great family game ideas to play in 2018? ChiIL Mama's giving away Chrono Bomb, myPad, and a buildable Mini Skate Park Maker Kit from Playmonster, the award winning IceCool game from Brain Games, Charms game from Studio 9, a Happy Salmon Card Game and more!

Click image below for lots more opportunities to enter and WIN through 12/20/17. 
ChiIL Mama's Holidaze 12 Days of Giveaways Gift Guide is LIVE

Holiday Gift Guide, Giveaways, Discount Codes, Product Reviews and More! 

Disclosure: I have sometimes been given complimentary games for our giveaways and for review purposes and/or I have been compensated for sharing with our readers. As always, all opinions, photos and adventures are my own.

 More ChiTAG Photo Favs Below:

WIN Family 6 Ticket Passes ($62 Value) to Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) For This Weekend 11/18 or 19

3 of our top ChiTAG favorites are Playmonster, Meet Princess-Etch-A-Sketch, and Legos.

Four of ChiIL Mama's lucky readers will each win a ChiTAG Family Pass good for up to 2 adults/4 kids for this Saturday or Sunday!
Enter at the bottom of this feature

Did you know November 15-19th is Chicago Toy & Game week?! ChiIL Mama's been running ticket giveaways and original photo features on my family's adventures at ChiTAG for years now, and whether you're a regular or you've never been, we're inviting YOU to come ChiIL out with ChiIL Mama this weekend. 

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama has been partnering up with ChiTAG for 8 years now. They have provided us with complimentary tickets for review purposes and for our giveaway. As always all opinions, adventures and photos are my own.

Click HERE and scroll down to check out lots of our past ChiTAG photo recaps. 

ChiIL Mama has run 24+ ChiTAG features over the years!

ChiTAG is a fabulously fun annual event at Navy Pier that's open to the public, and a great way to get a jump on your holiday shopping. There are plenty of hands on opportunities for kids of all ages to try out toys and oversized versions of favorite games. Often toy and game inventors are even attending and happy to sign autographs or answer questions! 

                                    

It was our great pleasure to meet John Spinello, the mastermind behind the game Operation! 

Join us... for a wonder-inspiring weekend at the 15th annual Fair brought to you as part of the Chicago Toy & Game (ChiTAG) Week - the largest non-hobby toy and game fair open to the public in North America! Enjoy the many special events that appeal to all ages 0 to 100! 

2017 Awesome Events!

U.S. National Rummikub Championship - winner goes to World Championship in Israel

Giant Soggy Doggy! (and we mean GIANT)

Meet Princess-Etch-A-Sketch, Ride the PlayMonster Super Swing

LIVE Unboxing: Check out live unboxings from our Play Influencer team!

Ultra Dash Game Race, Automoblox Play Area and Race Track

Interactive Exhibits, Test out Products Before They Hit Retail Shelves

Photo Ops: Snap a photo with some of your favorite characters from Star Wars!

Meet Toy & Game Inventors from Around the World

Shop for the Hottest New and Classic Toys for the Holidays

Enter the Young Inventor Challenge

Chicago's Largest Brush-a-Thon

Yo-Yo Championship - Contestants from Coast to Coast

Be entertained by Ben’s Giant Bubble Show

Giveaways, Stage Events, Magic Shows, Contests

Once again, educators and librarians are our guests at the Fair. We LOVE educators. Toys and games are educational! 

The Chicago Toy & Game Fair has always offered free admission to Scouts in uniform and Scout leaders with credentials. There is a registration table by the Fair entrance or register now online and bring your admission ticket with you - no waiting in line. If you come on Saturday, the Festival of Lights Parade on Michigan Avenue is that evening - great way to top off a fun day! 

Firefighters, police and active and military veterins are admitted FREE as well! Check out their ticketing page for more information on qualifying for free admission.

Happy Toy & Game week! Here at ChiIL Mama we're huge advocates of creativity, inventiveness and the power of play. 

ENTER HERE

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN 6 TICKETS

ChiIL Mama's Giving Away (4) Family Weekend Passes good for 2 adults + 4 kids (max) for a family of 6. Enter through midnight Wednesday 11/15. Winners will be e-mailed as well as announced here and on our social media this Thursday.

TICKET DISCOUNT CODE

If Thursday comes and you're not one of our 4 Family Pass Winners or you won and need more than 6 tickets, ChiIL Mama's also offering a 50% off Discount code for our readers: Enter the code ChiTAGPLAY and REGISTER HERE. 

Disclosure: ChiIL Mama has been partnering up with ChiTAG for 8 years now. They have provided us with complimentary tickets for review purposes and for our giveaway. As always all opinions, adventures and photos are my own.

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