The Shedd Aquarium

If you have never been to the Shedd Aquarium, I highly recommend it. My daughters and I had a wonderful time.

First of all, I was lucky to find a homeschool group that had put together a field trip to the aquarium. The children were free and the adults only cost $4 each. The best part was that it included Fantasea, Wild Reef, and Polar Play Zone. While you can usually find free days at the aquarium, they do not include these special sections. There are many things you can see without having to pay extra, but it would not be as grand.

Fantasea included a buluga whale show, penguins, a seal, a hawk (not sure how that relates), and a dolphin show.  They also pulled a girl from the audience to help, but we are sure she has done it before.

The Wild Reef involved a closer look at animals that live there.  We saw several sharks, jellyfish, stingrays, and a huge variety of fish.  We also walked under part of the tank and over another part.

The Polar Play Zone is especially interesting for a young child.  Children can be a penguin for a little while.  It was adorable.  Unfortunately, my daughters were a little too old to participate in the activities.  We did get to see more penguins and close-up views of the buluga whales and dolphins from the show.  It was spectacular!

I have attached some pictures of the Fantasea experience, as we all agreed it was our favorite part.

Be sure to check out their website for more details. http://www.sheddaquarium.org/