Extracurricular Activities

Below is a list of some activities that our kids might enjoy. Please let us know of any other activities that you hear about and we will add them to the list.

Legoland in Schaumburg

You must go to their web site and print out the Homeschool Days registration page and fax it in. Below is the link to the homepage. Click on Schools and then Homeschool Days.
http://www.legolanddiscoverycentre.com/chicago/us

The cost for the Homeschool Days is $7 per child, with one free adult for up to 5 children (limit 6 tickets). The cost includes a free 30-minute workshop where the kids will learn about structures, etc. The Homeschool Days is only offered on Wednesdays from now until mid November and then again from January through May. You must send in your request about 2 weeks ahead of time for a reservation. About a week before your requested date and workshop time, they will e-mail you a voucher that you need to print and bring with you.  I have read some reviews that they are overpriced, it was overcrowded, and they were disappointed, but for $7, I think it's worth one trip, and I would expect the place to be pretty empty on a school day. They have a little lego museum of sorts to walk through, a slow ride, a 4-D movie, and a builders area where the kids can play Legos of course. I expect to spend most of our time there. The normal admission price is $19 for adults and $15 for kids. Please post a comment if anyone has already been there.

Right now, they are also running a special promotion of $5 per ticket if you come after school, arriving between 3pm-5pm, and they close at 7pm. However, each adult must pay $5 as well and it would not include the free workshop.
For fun at home, you can go to the link below and print out pictures and instructions of some lego creations that you and your kids can try to build.  Under the "Inspiration" tab, there are some more pictures with a number to them.  I believe you can plug that number in somewhere to get the step-by-step instructions on how to build those.  I'm thinking we will be asking for Legos this Christmas.  There is so much you can create, but it seems we don't always have all the pieces.  Also, at the top, there is a "Play" tab where your kids can play some Lego games.  My 9-year old loves this site. 

http://creative.lego.com/en-us/Familytime/buildinginstructions/default.aspx


Swim & Gym

This is a class offered at The Centre of Elgin, off Route 31, across from the Elgin Library. The class is offered to homeschoolers between the ages of 5 and 15. It includes an hour of instructed gym time (much like a P.E. class), and then an hour of swim lessons (40 instruction time and 20 minutes of free swim). The days and times are 1:00pm-3:00pm, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. It is a 10-week class running through mid November. The cost is $54 for Elgin residents and $64 for non-residents. If you have a toddler, there is a parent-tot open swim from 1pm-2pm while the older kids are in the gym. Some of the classes are full, but if you do join now, you will pay a pro-rated fee for the remaining classes.  Their phone number is 847-531-7000.  Ask for Brett Lind.

For the younger kids, check out your local gymnastics gym for Junior Open Gym times.  We go to Excel Gymnastics in St. Charles or Batavia.  It's $5 per child for an hour (for kids under 6 only).   Sometimes we do the open gym for older kids (6 and up) on Friday nights from 7-8:30pm in Batavia.  The cost is $10 per child.  They watch the kids for you.  Most parents just drop their kids off.