5 fun summer activities for kids

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There is so much going on this summer and lots of it is perfect for kids. Elizabeth Diffin, senior editor of Chicago Parent magazine, shared a few great events. Any dino-obsessed kids in Chicagoland are in luck this summer. There are two great exhibits designed just for them.

Dinos and Dragons at Brookfield Zoo:

It's a fun combination of animatronic dinosaurs and dragons with their real-life reptile counterparts, including a Komodo dragon, which is very cool. Kids can also put on a dragon-themed puppet show, dig up some dino bones and take part in a dinosaur dissection. Now through Sept. 17

Jurassic World - The Exhibition at the Field Museum:

You'll see such incredibly realistic robotic dinosaurs that you might be afraid of getting eaten! You can walk through the iconic gates, visit a raptor paddock and get a glimpse at Jurassic World's top-secret project: Indominus Rex. If you want to visit as a family, outside of work hours, they're offering special evening admission, which is a fun add-on.

Camp fires and camp-outs at Morton Arboretum and Lincoln Park Zoo:

You can get the camping experience without all that stress at places like The Morton Arboretum, which has campouts in the Children's Garden, and Lincoln Park Zoo, which has campouts right on the zoo's South Lawn. These events include fun family activities, plus snacks and breakfast.

Movies in the parks at the Chicago Park District, various local park districts:

This year, the new Park at Wrigley has its own film series every-other Wednesday night; Cantigny Park in Wheaton has new and classic movies on Friday nights, and at Ravinia, they're showing La La Land and the Lord of the Rings trilogy with orchestral accompaniment. On Aug. 24, Millennium Park will have a special showing of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to celebrate its 80th anniversary, complete with games and fun.

In Chicago, we LOVE our summer fests:

There are way too many great ones to mention, but a few that are coming up are the Highland Game and Scottish Festival in Itasca, which lets you experience Scottish culture without the plane ticket; Eyes to the Skies Balloon Festival out in Lisle, which has tons of hot air balloons; and the Roscoe Village Burger Fest, a celebration of everyone's favorite summer food. Speaking of food, join Chicago Parent on July 8 and 9 at the Taste of Chicago for a brand new event called "Kids Eat Chicago." We'll have bounce houses, a climbing wall, music, chef demos and other fun entertainment and places for families to eat together. We're so excited and can't wait to see you there!