"Northbrook Play" is a children's play area located inside the Northbrook Court. It's a wonderful…read moreuse of a vacant space, as many retailers have closed their brick and mortar stores nowadays. I would say if you happen to be nearby with a young toddler, stop by and let your kid release some energy and gain some fun playtime. It's a small venue. Parents get to sit down on comfy couches and watch their love ones play. I would say some parents there were too comfortable and they were on their phones while the kids were left unattended for a little bit... Anyways, all I wanted to say was that parents may take a short break to catch a breath. There are a theater stage, a walkway leading to a small slide, climbing obstacles, a fun selfie station and an infant playground. There is not much else, so don't make a long trip coming here. There is a designated stroller parking and shoes are asked to be taken off. I saw most kids do that, yet the parents were walking with shoes on. I wasn't sure what the policy really was. Certainly everyone's shoes should be dirty enough and shouldn't be worn on this relatively clean area. Our 2-year old toddler had fun. There is a tree house downstairs in the mall for kids as well, free of charge. I found this mall pretty boring and noticed a good amount of vacancies. I think they started some type of renovation or expansion. The restrooms were quite clean and maintained, with toliet covers provided. "Northbrook Play" is completely free and anyone is welcome.

Can't believe this place is free. The cleanliness and well-made decor remind me of other play areas…read morethat you have to pay to get into. We came here with some friends who also have young kids. The parents hung out on the comfy couches (enough room for us and much more) while the kids ran around and played. There's no staff on site, so I'm amazed how well they keep it clean. There's things to climb, a slide, a stage for pretend play. Not too many interactive activities like at a children's museum per say, but my kids just needed a place to run and climb around. There are certain times of the day it's closed (for cleaning I'm guessing). We came at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon and had the whole place to ourselves. It was luxurious. I'll definitely be back again.

My 4 year olds' favorite playground. The kids and parents are pretty friendly- Hence the name! I've…read morebeen coming here since I was my child's age. We have some classic photos decades apart.

There's no shortage of great parks in Glencoe so I was surprised when we moved here last winter…read morethat the "Friends Park" smack in the middle of downtown Glencoe was pretty shabby. Soon after moving we learned it was getting a major facelift and watched as they built it all summer long. I had high hopes it would be ready before the end of summer, but as the days progressed that looked unlikely. And soon there were flyers all over town promising a park dedication party. My 2 1/2 year old obviously can't read, but somehow she figured out that this was a party she needed to attend...and reminded me everyday for a month. Tonight was park dedication night and even the threat of a storm didn't keep all 8000 people in Glencoe from attending. It was an absolute madhouse of excited children and my daughter literally ran around screaming "I LOVE GLENCOE." And I gotta admit there's a lot to love about this park. Besides the ideal location for a quick stop here during a trip to town it has park equipment to put smiles on the faces of kids of all ages. My daughter isn't really into climbing structures, but she couldn't get enough of the swings and a stationary choo-choo train that does a nice job of providing shade on a hot day. Although tonight may have been the "official" opening of the park, it's been in use for almost a week now. And based on the crowds each day I think it's safe to say this was one successful facelift.

This review relates to a wedding reception held at the Takiff Center. The reception has only been…read moreover for a few hours, and I feel so strongly about the experience that I'm writing before I even get to bed. These folks are top notch! I wasn't involved in the planning or budgeting, so I can't speak to those aspects, but from the moment we got into the property to set up to the last moments of tear down the staff was nothing short of exceptional. They were consistently able to help us with any questions we had. They assisted us when the layout needed a few modifications. They went out of their way to make us feel welcome and cared for while we prepared. They were available exactly when promised, as was the space. After the event they were so helpful with tear down. Giving us good directions about what we needed to do and how we should proceed. We couldn't have had such a successful event without their assistance!! And I haven't even described the venue itself! It is lovely. The room we used was spacious enough for all of our tables and a dance floor too. The kitchen was ample and situated nearby. The outdoor area was perfect for cocktail hour and cool respite from dancing. The light fixtures in the event room are gorgeous and the ceilings are high. We had a terrific event and would recommend it to anyone having an event.

This center offers yoga and other exercise classes. They function as a community center but the…read moreprices are not low for a park district. There are conference rooms, fitness studios and a community hall.

My kids have never signed up for a weekly class here, but they've attended several bday parties and…read moremini camps...and it's always a guaranteed good time! And educational! This past week my son and his friend took a break from their regular day camp to do a week (half days: 9am-12pm). The theme was Cool Science & Sports Physics. I didn't get a ton of details about what they did on a daily basis, but they came home with huge smiles and projects they were proud of. They finished the camp today and eagerly said they would be open to doing another week soon. I haven't done the full day yet because that seems like a lot of science for one day, but the kids I know who stay all day love it. It's very organized, educational and fun! Both my daughter and son love it and I'll likely send my little guy when he's old enough. They do tend to clog up your inbox with promotional emails once you sign up, but guess that's also good to keep on top of the many options they have to sign up for. Thanks for another fun week!

They refused to release my child to me unless I show them a photo ID everyday. It doesn't matter if…read morethe child says hi daddy or I showed them my ID yesterday. They treat parents they know as unknown persons. This policy is beyond annoying and I'm sick of seeing the scorn on their faces at pickup. I will not patronize this business in the future.

My son is taking a multi sport class during the week. He loves the variety of the activities and…read morethe enthusiasm of the coaches. He's excited to go every week and counts down the days.

My daughter celebrated her 8th birthday with her friends and they ALL had a blast; the kids didn't…read morewant the party to end!! The coaches are all kind, patient, and kept the kids engaged. We had the facility all to ourselves and we played basketball, capture the flag, Gaga ball, and we even had a jump house! The kids moved around from station to station and had a blast participating in structured play. We even had a visit from Murphy. Thanks coaches for all of your help and your hi-fives

Hands done the BEST customer service. The guys at set up and take done were so friendly. They…read moreexplained how to ensure a fun and safe experience for everyone. Cannot wait to utilize their services again.

I paid for a weekend rental of an inflatable water slide in July of 2022. Due to inclement weather…read morewe had to cancel and while they didnt offer a refund, they emailed me a raincheck credit good for one year. First week of April 2023, I forward them the raincheck email to try and redeem and they did not honor it. They took my money and I got literally nothing in return. I just filed a complaint with the BBB.

We recently hosted my daughter's 7th birthday party here and had a fantastic experience. There…read morewere a number of options (ceramic painting, canvas painting, slime, and more!) - we chose canvas painting. The owner, Robin, and one of the other employees were fantastic at leading a group of 21 first grade girls through painting a mermaid tail (there were so many choices for the canvas painting - my daughter happened to choose this one). They can do them more or less complex based on the age group of the party. Robin was truly fantastic to work with. She took care of everything, including ordering pizzas from elsewhere in the mall. I brought the paper goods and cupcakes and everything else was handled. We were in a party room in the back that is utilitarian but also decorated. I definitely appreciated that there were separate tables for the art and the eating! I was perfectly happy to not be out in the front of the store with the general public. And the price was totally reasonable given everything that they did for us. Would definitely host another party here! We've also come on a random day just to do a walk in ceramic painting, which was also great. Lots of selections at all sorts of different price points. You can also do walk in canvas painting.

Haven't been in the store yet to experience, but was planning on holding my daughter's birthday…read moreparty here. We eventually ended up forgoing this year because she's still so young she wouldn't fully appreciate the experience, but plan on going for some Mommy and me time. The staff that I was in touch with while planning the event were all so helpful, responsive, and friendly. Even when we decided to pass on holding the party there, after we had filled out the form and not yet put in the deposit, they were so understanding. They get high ratings, they're located conveniently in a mall where if you have youngers you can go to the playgrounds in the mall, and if you have olders, they can walk around and do a little independent shopping. Looking forward to visiting soon!

The "Home Alone" gazebo might be gone, but a new era just began…read more A $2 million dollar renovation happened in the center of the Hubbard Woods Business District, and this beautiful green activity hub for the community was born. Currently the focal point of a Wednesday summer concert series, musicians are rocking the new pavilion and kiddos are getting their moves on at the splash pad and various climbing structures. Adjacent to the Hubbard Woods Metra Station and across from Once Upon A Bagel, this place is a refuge for commuters, shoppers enjoying the Design District, and passersby looking for an impromptu picnic or rest. Fun for the whole family, the play area is appropriate for ages up to seven or eight with various play structures and swings for the bigger kids. Plenty of seating and parking surrounding the park. Super cool factor alert: There's a free-standing station for repairing your bicycle, just in case you get a flat or need to tweak your seat height or handle bars. Air and all the tools you could need!

Beautiful park, with water. Nice people and what a neighborhood?! We love coming up this way where…read moreit's actually safe!