WIN A Family 4 Pack of Tickets ($120-$160 value) To RAFFI's “Beluga Grads” Concert at the Harris Theater in Chicago

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar:

RAFFI Announces “Beluga Grads” Concert

at the Harris Theater in Chicago on 

Sunday, April 8th

One of the greatest joys of parenting littles is introducing them music you loved as a child. It's heartwarming to see your own kids laughing, singing and dancing to songs you fondly remember, and to relive your own childhood, enjoying old favorites and making new memories together. Raffi has been making children's music for 40 years now, and many of his #BelugaGrads are now parents themselves. His shows are always love-fests, where everyone sings and plays along to Raffi's Singable Songs. Raffi, North America’s preeminent family entertainer, turns 70 this year, and he is marking the occasion with a new album and a series of #belugagrads concerts including a return visit to the Harris Theater in Chicago! ChiIL Mama's even giving away free tickets to one of our lucky families. It's a joy to partner up with Raffi on this stellar opportunity. 

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

• Harris Theatre, Chicago April 8 at 1 pm
• Tickets are on sale now - $29.50 to $75. The VIP $75 tickets will include an opportunity to meet Raffi in person after the show. Proceeds benefit The Centre for Child Honouring.

**ENTER HERE for your Chance to WIN Tickets and a career spanning Raffi "Best of" CD!**

ENTER HERE 

WIN A Family 4 Pack of Tickets ($120-$160 value) To RAFFI's “Beluga Grads” Concert at the Harris Theater in Chicago on Sunday, April 8th AND the Best Of Raffi Compilation CD ($15). Winner will be notified by e-mail and posted here and on our social media outlets. Enter through midnight April 2nd, 2018. Winners are chosen by Rafflecopter random number generator. Enter early and often. 

Raffi is a singer, songwriter, producer, author, lecturer, and tireless advocate for children.  He is best known for his work as a children’s entertainer and advocate whose string of gold and platinum-selling recordings includes his iconic song, “Baby Beluga,” Once called “the most popular children’s singer in the English-speaking world” (Washington Post) and “Canada’s all-time children’s champion” (Toronto Star), Raffi is also a recipient of the Order of Canada and the United Nations’ Earth Achievement Award.  He has published three books for adults and holds four honorary degrees.




Raffi has never advertised to children or made any commercial endorsements aimed at kids. His commitment to treating his young fans with respect changed society’s outlook on music made for children. His latest albums (on Rounder Records) include Owl Singalong and Best of Raffi, and he plans a new album release this summer.

“I love singing with and for children and families,” says Raffi. “In 2018, I look forward to hearing more ‘Beluga Grads’ and their kids singing favorites like “Baby Beluga,” “Down By The Bay,” “Bananaphone!” plus more from my recent Best of Raffi album.”

In 2010, Raffi founded the non-profit Centre for Child Honouring. With the motto “Respecting Earth & Child,” the Centre is at the heart of a global movement that views honoring children as the best way to create sustainable, peacemaking societies. For more about Raffi or the Centre, visit www.raffinews.com or www.childhonouring.org.

Make, Play and Discover with NINTENDO LABO Interactive DIY Kits for Nintendo Switch Available April 20th, 2018

NINTENDO LABO COMBINES

THE MAGIC OF NINTENDO SWITCH

WITH THE FUN OF DIY CREATIONS

Here at ChiIL Mama, my kids have grown up on Nintendo games, but we're also fans of good old fashioned DIY building fun. This spring Nintendo is merging a line of exciting build-and-play kits including a working mini piano, a wearable Robot suit, various vehicles, and more! Check out the first look video below and get ready to "Switch" it up for a melding of high tech video games and creative building fun.  

Introducing Nintendo Labo, a new line of interactive build-and-play experiences designed to inspire kids and those who are kids-at-heart. Building on the 129-year history of Nintendo, which is rooted in innovative entertainment and game-play experiences, Nintendo Labo continues the company’s mission of putting smiles on people’s faces.

Together with the Nintendo Switch system (sold separately), the Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools and technology to MAKE fun DIY creations, PLAY games with your creations and DISCOVER how the magic of Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality.



With each Nintendo Labo kit, kids can transform modular sheets of cardboard – specially designed to interact with the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con controllers – into creations called Toy-Con. From a piano to a motorbike, a robot and more, each Toy-Con comes to life when combined with Nintendo Switch in different ways. As you build, you will have fun discovering how the technology works, and might even invent new ways to play with each Toy-Con!
For example, you can build a functioning 13-key piano that brings your musical creations to life once the Nintendo Switch console and Right Joy-Con controller are inserted. As you play, the IR Motion Camera in the Right Joy-Con detects which keys are pressed and translates them into unique notes that are heard through the console. You can even take control of your very own motorbike by constructing a functioning set of handlebars, with a Joy-Con inserted in each side and the Nintendo Switch console cradled in the middle. Simply hit the ignition button, turn the right handle to engage the accelerator and watch your adventure unfold on the Nintendo Switch screen, as you race to new destinations.

“Nintendo Labo continues our longstanding mission of making people smile by surprising them with new experiences,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President and COO. “It is an exciting evolution of the Nintendo Switch platform – one designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and imagination in people of all ages.”

With Nintendo Labo, building is just as much fun as playing. Every Toy-Con creation presents exciting challenges and varying degrees of complexity, making each one a unique experience. Building Toy-Con is especially fun with family and friends, as you collaborate and share each other’s Nintendo Labo experiences. Once built, you can customize your Toy-Con creations with your own markers, stickers and paint to give them a personal touch – the only limit is your imagination!

Nintendo Labo launches on April 20 with two kits: the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit. With the Variety Kit, you can create many different Toy-Con, including two Toy-Con RC Cars, a Toy-Con Fishing Rod, a Toy-Con House, a Toy-Con Motorbike and a Toy-Con Piano. With the Robot Kit, you can build an interactive robot suit with a visor, backpack and straps for your hands and feet, which you can then wear to assume control of a giant in-game robot. Both kits include everything you need to assemble your Toy-Con creations, including the building materials and relevant Nintendo Switch software. The Variety Kit will be available at a suggested retail price of $69.99, and the Robot Kit will be available at a suggested retail price of $79.99. A special Customization Set that includes fun stencils, stickers and colored tape will also be available to purchase on April 20 at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

Each Nintendo Labo kit packs plenty of value, with a range of ways to make, play and discover in each kit:
Variety Kit ($69.99MSRP*)

·Toy-Con RC Car: Insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into your newly built RC Car and control its movement using touch screen controls on the Nintendo Switch console. The HD Rumble feature in the Joy-Con controllers will cause vibrations that move the car in the direction you choose. Materials to construct two RC Cars are included.

·Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Construct the Fishing Rod with an active, rotating reel that is attached by string to a cradle holding the Nintendo Switch console. Catch one of many exotic fish shown swimming on the Nintendo Switch screen by casting your Fishing Rod and unwinding the reel to lower the hook. Once you feel a vibration from the Joy-Con inserted in the reel, you must tug the Fishing Rod upward and crank the reel quickly to try and complete the catch!

· Toy-Con House: By inserting various assembled blocks into openings in the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact with, play games with and feed a cute creature on the front-facing Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is detected by the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con inserted on top of the House.

·Toy-Con Motorbike: Insert each Joy-Con into an assembled set of handlebars to drive a motorbike on the Nintendo Switch screen. Pressing the ignition button starts the engine, while twisting the right handle activates the throttle. Leaning your body or turning the handlebars left and right controls the motorbike.

·Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautifully crafted 13-key piano and inserting the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con, you can experiment with your own musical creations by pressing different keys. You can even insert different assembled knobs to create new sound effects and tones!

Robot Kit ($79.99MSRP*)
·Toy-Con Robot: Create a wearable Robot suit, and insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot, which is shown on the TV when the Nintendo Switch console is docked. Enjoy a variety of fun game-play experiences, including Robot mode, in which you can destroy in-game buildings and UFOs.

For more information about Nintendo Labo, visit https://labo.nintendo.com. 

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/features.
*Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Actual price may vary.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.5 billion video games and more than 710 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS™ family of systems, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™, Wii™ and Wii U™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

ChiIL Mama's 2018 Housewares Show Favorites: Firebuggz Campfire Accessories

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List: Firebuggz Fun Favorites at International Home and Housewares Show Firebuggz campfire cooking supplies turn your ordinary campfire into a gourmet glamping experience.

FireBuggz was one of our favorites at The International Home and Housewares Show at McCormick Place earlier this month. Here at ChiIL Mama, we're avid, lifelong campers and our children love the outdoors too. Since we live in Chi, IL we've made sure our city kids went to nature camp from toddlerhood through their teen years, and we make a point to spend time where the trees are taller than the buildings. We're all huge fans of campfires too. In fact, my last name Kenaz is a Nordic rune meaning fire, passion, and creativity, the creative spark, and hearth fire. Firebuggz combine that creative spark with useful tools for campfires, back yard fire pits and more. We're hoping to review some of this playfully clever line of products on our next family foray into the woods.

We also love to support family run businesses, and Firebuggz has a good backstory. Firebuggz is a family-run company with Bob, his wife Tara, his daughter Kinsley and a Micah, who runs the warehouse and is like family. Before opening Firebuggz, they had a landscaping company in Minnesota.

Take a look at their products at their website, www.firebuggz.com.

How Firebuggz Got Started

Bob has always been an inventor, and his family dreamed of having a company that had the four F’s … Food, Family, Fun and Fellowship.

The company started in 2011 with their first product, the Fire Fishing Pole, which lets you hang a marshmallow over the fire. “It’s too much fun,” said Firebuggs founder Bob Hurt. “It should be illegal. Once you pick it up, even the crabbiest people will smile.” They started by assembling their products in the garage. They spent three weeks a month travelling around the country to craft shows and other direct to consumer shows. Driving their Ford Transit Connect van from New York to Wisconsin to Colorado, they camped at night, and the kids helped to assemble the products that they sold. The best part about travelling the county and camping is that they were able to get lots of feedback and ideas about their products. “On the road we met so many super nice people who were in the same boat as we were, trying to break into retail with our products. And since we were also camping we got to really understand our customers and get feedback. They told us what they wanted and we made it.” One of the most surprising things that they learned from other campers was the importance of offering a variety of colors. “When we first started we had only one color,” explained Hurt. “When we added more colors we tripled sales. Scaling Up and Going Retail Growing Firebuggz has been a smooth ride, and the biggest challenge has been getting the products on the shelves on time and ramping up production when they started to in higher volumes. Darren Schwagel is an engineer who did all the mock ups and cad drawings for the products. They found a factory that could assemble higher volumes of the products. They chose a smaller factory that has fewer people involved in assembling the products so there are fewer opportunities to make mistakes. In 2012 and 2013 they started to attend retail trade shows. The first one was the Atlanta Gift Market. At that point they needed packaging, because they started out binding their products with rubber bands. Dan Norquist, a designer from Minneapolis, created a lot of the packaging and retail displays that helped them grab the attention they needed in a retail environment. “We spent a lot of time making the packaging just right, following the seven second rule (where you have seven seconds to get someone’s attention),” said Hurt. “Nothing looked cheap, and there were lots of pictures of families and kids.” The first two big retail outlets that sold Firebuggz were Scheels and Crackerbarrel, who bought 8,000 units when they had a camping theme in their stores. Now they have them in 6,000 locations across the U.S. and also in Australia, Austria, Japan, Norway, Canada and Sweden. In November they sold their one millionth unit, and they have expanded their product line to include campfire cookers of all types, a heavy duty cast iron pie iron, a fire grill, Smogglez (to keep the smoke out of your eyes), the Snacklebox (to transport all the treats from the car to the fire).

They are dedicated to making products that help families have more fun outdoors.

BOOK REVIEW: Leah Segedie's Hilariously Helpful Green Enough Available Now

ChiIL Mama's ChiIL Picks List:

Best Books On Our Radar

Green Enough

by Leah Segedie

Review:

Put back that "What to Expect..." and "How to Raise a..." and pick up Green Enough for your next baby shower, expectant and new moms, family and friends of all ages. Leah Segedie is a hilarious read on a serious subject, how do we keep from poisoning our families in a toxic world, without driving ourselves and everyone around us crazy. Militant hardliners in any field are tough to take, and lots of moms are guilted into doing nothing by the eco-friendlier than thou purists, because they always feel they're not doing 110%. This is not that mom. This is not that book. 

I was elated to get an advance copy as an e-book to review, and I can tell already that this is a keeper. We consider ourselves an eco-friendly family, but I'll be referring to Green Enough frequently. There's still plenty more healthy, helpful changes we can make without breaking the bank or causing a teen mutiny!

My motto here at ChiIL Mama too: 

Let this great guide be a stepping stone to making a few key choices here and there, enjoying fun new recipes, and making informed choices on what's safe and what can slide. Leah has done all the tough stuff and compiled the research. It can be mind boggling to keep up with all the news when a barrage of new things are deemed problems, that were thought safe. And there's even conflicting info out there. information overload is real. How's a mom supposed to muddle through? Green Enough is a funny, fun read and packed with amazing nuggets of information that are easy to grock and simple to implement. Highly recommended!

Green Enough

Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier (All Without driving Your Family Crazy!)

By Leah Segedie

In GREEN ENOUGH (Rodale Books; on-sale March 20, 2018), Mamavation blogger Leah Segedie offers an irreverent, entertaining take on making smart, healthy choices for you and your family and detoxifying your home, diet, and lifestyle.

After becoming a parent, Leah Segedie decided to investigate what, exactly, was in the food and household products she was buying. It turns out that many of them were filled with dangerous chemicals and toxins that have been show to negatively impact human health. From that moment on, she embarked on a path of non-toxic living and became determined to help others. As a marketing expert and creator of the hit blog Mamavation, Segedie researched thousands of products and health claims to evaluate their safety. 

Segedie shows readers how to make the best choices possible about what they bring into their homes – from furniture to packaged food – all without losing their minds! It’s not about being “perfect,” it’s about being armed with the right information so that you can put your family on the path to better health. 

Segedie includes:

• Delicious, kid-approved recipes for readers looking to detoxify their cooking routine
• The brands that contain toxic chemicals and dangerous additives
• How to choose organic produce that’s pesticide-free (it’s harder than it seems)
• Instructions on making the move to meat, dairy, and eggs that don’t contain GMOs, growth hormones, and dangerous pathogens 

LEAH SEGEDIE is the creator of Mamavation.com, which reaches 4.4 million unique visitors a year, and CEO of the eco-wellness conference ShiftCon. She has spent the last decade uncovering the deceptive marketing and fallacious propaganda embedded in our everyday lives from corporations and the food industry. Through her blog, thousands of moms have detoxified their lives and the lives of their children. She lives in Simi Valley, California. 

 Here's a sneak peek at a few passages and pointers:

Reprinted from Green Enough by Leah Segedie. Copyright ©2018 by Leah Segedie. By permission of Rodale Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Available wherever books are sold.

It may not all be good news, but it's good for you news. Knowledge is power. What are you waiting for? Go out and get your copy. 

Disclosure: Once again, I was given an advance copy of Green Enough on line for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Reprinted from Green Enough by Leah Segedie. Copyright ©2018 by Leah Segedie. By permission of Rodale Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Available wherever books are sold. 

REVIEW: You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? Lifeline Theatre KidSeries' World Premiere Family Musical Through Sunday, April 22

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

Lifeline Theatre KidSeries Presents

You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy?

World Premiere Family Musical Through Sunday, April 22

**NOTE: Author Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt visits Lifeline Theatre for a Book Signing on April 21**

Review:
Guest Post by Lori Morrison-Contreras

You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?

Lifeline Theatre’s “You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?” is an upbeat, musical tale of learning that your dream job isn’t always as it seems and desire isn’t enough, you need hard work and training as well.

Plucky, go getter fairy D.D. (Dew Drop) hears an announcement that due to an influx of kids losing their teeth, they are looking for a new tooth fairy. Her dream has always been to be the tooth fairy! She has Grand Visions of the beautiful dress she will wear and all the accolades she will receive.

Once she gets accepted into the training program, she learns that the reality of the job, is nowhere near the same as her dream. It takes intense physical and mental training and she must learn all the ins and outs of every aspect before she can even begin to be considered for the job of Tooth Fairy.  Thankfully she has a team of energetic, hard working and fun loving lightning bugs and the Tooth Fairy herself as a strong support team rooting her on all the way!



With a fun “Command Central” stage that looks like a DJ station, giant props to remind us these are fairies and great music that will keep you dancing in your seats, this is a must see!  I highly recommend it!

Lifeline Theatre’s KidSeries presents You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy?, a world premiere family musical with book by Lifeline Theatre ensemble member Heather Currie and Derek Czaplewski, music and lyrics by Laura McKenzie, and directed by Heather Currie; based on the book by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt; illustrated by David Slonim. 

Dew Drop just landed her dream assignment: training to become the next Tooth Fairy! But after coming on board, she learns that there’s more to the job than simply being sparkly: it’s going to take guts, skill, and a whole lot of training to succeed. Working closely with her mentor – and a flashy flock of firefly assistants – Dew Drop must learn the rules of Command Central, master “Tooth-o-Finder” technology, and bench press mountains of quarters before she can fly on her own. Tackle a new challenge and learn what it takes to succeed in the fast-paced tooth collection industry with this world premiere musical based on the 2007 book. This production is recommended for children ages five and up (children under two not permitted), and runs approximately one hour with no intermission. The book is on sale in the lobby.

NEW: Lifeline Theatre welcomes You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? author Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt on April 21. Bell-Rehwoldt will sign copies of You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? in the theatre’s lobby at 12 p.m. (this is a free event and copies of the book will be on sale).

You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? runs Saturday, March 17 – Sunday, April 22 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (no performances Easter Sunday, April 1). Press opening is Sunday, March 18 at 1 p.m. Regular performance times are Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Previews are Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and Sunday, March 18 at 11 a.m.) Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.  

Accessible Performances: The Saturday, March 24, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. performances will feature open captioning for patrons who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. The Sunday, March 25, 11 a.m. performance will feature a pre-show touch tour of the set at 10 a.m. and live audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision. And there will be an added autism/sensory-friendly performance on Sunday, April 15 at 3 p.m. for patrons with social and/or cognitive disabilities. For more information about Lifeline’s accessibility services, please contact Accessibility Coordinator Erica Foster at 773.761.4477 x703 or at access@lifelinetheatre.com.

PLUS: Join Lifeline Theatre every Saturday and Sunday at 12 p.m. during the run of You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? (following the 11 a.m. show, or before the 1 p.m. show) for our Stories Come Alive! Hour. Children will enjoy an interactive storytelling session and on-your-feet theatre games. The cost is only $5 per child. Reservations are recommended, though not required. Contact Lifeline Theatre at 773-761-4477 for more information.

The complete cast and production team for You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? includes:

CAST:        
Guest artists Christopher Causer (Flash), Diana Coates (The Tooth Fairy), Benjamin Ponce (Twinkle), Darian Tene (Dew Drop), and Brian Tochterman Jr. (Fresnel). With understudies Trevor Bates, Gabriel Fries, Shea Lee, and Stephanie Stockstill.


PRODUCTION TEAM:    
Lifeline Theatre ensemble members Heather Currie (Director/Co-Adaptor) and Diane D. Fairchild (Lighting Designer); with
guest artists Lizzie Bracken (Scenic Designer), Derek Czaplewski (Co-Adaptor), Joe Griffin (Sound Designer), Collin Helou
(Master Electrician/AV Supervisor), Jennifer McClendon (Production Manager), Laura McKenzie (Composer/Lyricist/Music
Director), Jenny Pinson (Properties Designer), Kate Reed (Stage Manager), Joe Schermoly (Technical Director), and
Brenda Winstead (Costume Designer).

You Think It’s Easy Being The Tooth Fairy? runs Saturday, March 17 – Sunday, April 22 at Lifeline Theatre, 6912 N. Glenwood Ave. (no performances Easter Sunday, April 1). Regular performance times are Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (Previews are Saturday, March 17 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; and Sunday, March 18 at 11 a.m.) Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at the Lifeline Theatre Box Office, 773.761.4477, or by visiting www.lifelinetheatre.com.  

Lifeline Theatre also offers “Name Your Price” tickets a half-hour before the show (subject to availability), group rates and other discounts available upon request. A party room is available for full-service birthday and special event parties. Lifeline Theatre is accessible by CTA (Red Line Morse stop/busses) and free parking is available at Sullivan High School (6631 N Bosworth Ave, lot located on Greenview Ave. just south of North Shore Ave.) with free shuttle service before and after the show. Street parking is also available. Lifeline is accessible to wheelchair users and visitors who need to avoid stairs.

When my own kids, Dugan & Sage, were young, we bought a season subscription to the excellent Lifeline KidSeries every year, so they grew up with world class, book based adaptations. Here they are in 2010 & a few years later, rockin' the photo ops, ChiILin' in Chi, IL in Lifeline Theatre's fun, oversized lobby chair.

Now in its 35th season, Lifeline Theatre is driven by a passion for story. Our ensemble process supports writers in the development of literary adaptations and new work, and our theatrical and educational programs foster a lifelong engagement with literature and the arts. A cultural anchor of Rogers Park, we are committed to deepening our connection to an ever-growing family of artists and audiences, both near and far. Lifeline Theatre – Big Stories, Up Close.

Lifeline Theatre’s programs are partially supported by Alphawood Foundation; A.R.T League Inc.; Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation; Chicago CityArts, a grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events; The Common Cup; Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation; FGMK LLC; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; The Michael and Mona Heath Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation; The Grover Hermann Foundation; Illinois Arts Council Agency; Illinois Humanities Council; Lagunitas Brewing Co. Community Grant Program; MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at Prince; The PAV Grant Fund; The Polk Bros. Foundation; Rogers Park Social; The Saints; S&C Electric Company Fund; The Shubert Foundation; and the annual support of businesses and individuals.

Disclosure: It's been our pleasure to partner up with Lifeline Theatre for decades now. Thanks to them for providing tickets for review purposes and for giveaways for our readers. As always, all opinions are our own.

Check Out Chicago Children's Theatre Spring & Summer Classes & Camps For Tots To Tweens

ChiIL Mama's Chi, IL Picks List:

From newborns to young tweens, there’s an open spot for your child this spring in a fun, potentially transformative performing arts class at Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station.

Registration is open for the next eight-week spring session, April 9-June 2, 2018, at Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station, 100 S. Racine Avenue in Chicago’s West Loop. Visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/springclasses to peruse arguably the city’s most diverse roster of performing arts classes in any one location, taught by professional CCT teaching artists and the city’s leading arts teaching institutions, who are all tops in their fields.



In addition to favorites like Bubble Jams, HipHop4Tots, Intro to Piven Theatre Workshop, Circus and Aerial Arts with Actors Gymnasium and Improv with The Second City, Chicago Children’s Theatre Community Programs Director Frank Maugeri continues to grow CCT’s array of offerings including the following new classes, totally unique to the arts education landscape in Chicago:



Learning Lab: Make A Music Video – In this S.T.E.A.M.-based (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) after school experience, students work together to author, film and edit a one-of-a-kind music video. For grades 2 through 4. Fridays, 4:15-5:15 p.m. Class fee: $225

Sa Re Ga Me Pa with Seeta: Intro to Indian Vocal Music – Indian vocalist and harmonium player Seeta Khanna teaches children the basics of singing in Hindi through popular Bollywood children’s songs such as Nani Teri Morni, Lakdi Ki Kathi and Chanda Mama Door Ke. For ages 3-1/2 to 6 years. Saturdays, 11:30-12:15 p.m. Class fee: $150 (six weeks).

Lullabies – Together, mommies, daddies, and families sing and gently move with their babies. Through call and response, you and your infant will learn new songs and recall childhood favorites to share with baby all day…and all night! Enjoy finger play songs, gentle dancing, and beautiful lullabies. Nursing, bottles, sleeping, giggling and crying welcome. For ages 0 to 6 months, Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Presented with Old Town School of Folk Music. Class fee: $112. 

CCT’s all-new Spring Ahead Camp, March 26-30, will keep kids busy, entertained and educated the entire week, while providing a big assist for working parents, or families planning a staycation over CPS spring break. Spring Ahead campers will create an original musical focused on singing, storytelling, and dancing, inspired by their hopes and dream of the future. On Friday afternoon, camp culminates with a live performance for family and friends on stage at Chicago Children’s Theatre. Spring Ahead Camp director is Allison Grischow, an actor, improviser, musician and professional teaching artist who trained at the Moscow Art Theatre School. Camp is for grades K through 5. Camp runs Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuition: $450, $475 with after care. Jump right to full information on CCT Spring Ahead Camp at chicagochildrenstheatre.org/springcamp.

Also new is a growing list of drop-in class opportunities. To reserve a drop-in, contact Chicago Children’s Theatre Guest Services at (312) 374-8835 in advance to confirm availability and enroll. Parents can also enroll for a drop-in 30 minutes prior to the scheduled class, in person only, pending availability.

Class days, times, descriptions, age ranges, and fees are spelled out at chicagochildrenstheatre.org/springclasses.

But don’t wait. Space is limited and will fill quickly, particularly for classes already in high-demand like Bubble Jams, Wiggleworms West Loop, HipHop4Totz and HipHop4Kids (both taught by Yuri “The Human Beatbox” Lane), Intro to Theatre, Intro to Circus Arts, Teeny Tales and Shake the Stage.

Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station, is located at 100 S. Racine Avenue, in the heart of Chicago’s West Loop. Bonus: CCT has free parking in its own lot directly adjacent to the theater. Information about tuition assistance and scholarships for classes and camps are available on online registration forms.

Smart parents plan ahead! Book Summer Camp experiences at Chicago Children’s Theatre!

Registration is also open for an array of 2018 Summer Camps at Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station.

For children ages 6 to 10, a weekly series of Adventure Camps born from legends, myths, folktales, fairytales and fables will help kids grow their skills in acting, dance, spectacle, craft and collaborative storytelling. Dates for CCT’s five Adventure Camp sessions are June 25-29, July 9-13, July 16-20, July 23-27 and July 30-August 3. Campers will create their own original story and at the end of each week, and will perform it for friends and family in CCT’s Pritzker Family Studio Theatre. Tuition is $475 per week for these camps. Camps typically run 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with aftercare available until 5:30 p.m.



In addition to full-day camps, little ones ages 3-1/2 to 5 will love morning, action-packed half-day Play Time camps at The Station. Campers gather with teaching artists for fun and colorful crafts, stories, songs, dance and active game play, all encouraging collaboration and creativity. Play Time tuition is $300 per week.

Also on CCT’s summer education schedule are two all-new, two-day workshops for kids 6 to 10: 

Acting for the Camera, July 2-3, will introduce kids to how to successfully act on screen, providing them the skills to audition for plays, commercials and film.

Acting with Green Screen, July 5-6, will teach children how to use green screen technology to make wild and unimaginable special effects-driven scenes.



CCT’s last camp of the summer, GRRL Power, is August 6-10. Open to girls only, ages 9 to 13, GRRL Power brings the Viola Project’s signature girl-powered Shakespeare program to Chicago Children's Theatre! Campers will focus on the indomitable dames, often based on real-life leaders, who fight their way through Shakespeare's works. As a special treat, they’ll work with a real life stage combat choreographer to make their characters extra fierce. It’s a space where young women can create their own story of relevance and celebration and the week culminates with a performance for family and friends. Tuition is $475.

Finally, Chicago Children’s Theatre’s Camp Red Kite, August 6 through 24, is a three-week summer arts camp tailored specifically to the unique interests and needs of young people on the autism spectrum. Led by a team of artists, administrators, and special education teachers, Camp Red Kite is dedicated to creating a safe, welcoming, shared arts experience that encourages self-expression, social engagement, creative exploration and above all, fun! Groups are divided by age, 8 to 14, and 15 to 22. Tuition for all three weeks is $875.

Camp slots will fill quickly, so visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org/summercamp,
email education@chicagochildrenstheatre.org, or call (312) 374-8835 to register your child for one camp or many.


About the new Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station

Chicago Children’s Theatre has transformed the former 12th District Police Station, located in the heart of Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood at 100 S. Racine Avenue, into its first permanent home. The new Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station, celebrated its grand opening in January 2017, and now serves as a beautiful, mixed-use performing arts, education and community engagement facility that welcomes all Chicago families.

In addition to a full slate of live performances in its new Pritzker Family Studio, Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station, is a centrally located community hub with the most diverse roster of year-round performing arts classes for children 0 to 14 anywhere in Chicago. Additionally, Chicago Children’s Theatre has struck exciting partnerships with the city’s finest teaching institutions including The Second City, Old Town School of Folk Music, The Actors Gymnasium and Piven Theatre Workshop.

“Classes at Chicago Children’s Theatre, The Station, from aerial arts to Shakespeare to hip hop, match our desire to emulate our city’s remarkable cultures and diversity,” says Frank Maugeri, Community Programs Artistic Director, Chicago Children’s Theatre. “Our classes and camps are a blast and a great way for kids to meet other kids from all over the city. But they also help kids build confidence, overcome fears, learn to solve problems as individuals and as a group, boost imagination and creativity, think fast on their feet, become collaborators and, ultimately, be better citizens of Chicago.”


Pictured, from left: Chicago Children's Theatre's Education team Samantha Buckman Rowley, Education and Community Programs Manager; Frank Maugeri, Community Programs Artistic Director; and Dexter Ellis, Residency Coordinator and Education Associate.

Led by Co-Founders, Artistic Director Jacqueline Russell and Board Chair Todd Leland, Board President Eric Neveux and Community Programs Artistic Director Frank Maugeri, Chicago Children’s Theatre is supported by a dynamic Board of Directors comprised of dedicated individuals from the fields of entertainment, philanthropy and business. Chicago Children's Theatre is sponsored in part by Goldman Sachs Gives, ComEd and US Bank.
For more information, visit chicagochildrenstheatre.org.

Children ages 9 to 13 can take Improv with The Second City! at Chicago Children's Theatre, The Station.

Old Town School of Folk Music's Wiggleworms early childhood music classes at Chicago Children's Theatre, The Station, are popular with parents and toddlers who like having fun together.

The Actors Gymnasium was one of Chicago Children's Theatre's first arts education partners to start offering classes in circus and aerial arts at the company's new West Loop home, The Station.