14 Tips to Help Your Family Survive a Chicago Winter

A Chicago winter is not one cold snap. It is four or five months of short days, wind off the lake, slush at every crosswalk and the occasional week when it is too cold to do anything outside. Families who do well here are not tougher than anyone else. They just have systems. These are 14 of the ones that help most, from gear to parking to keeping everyone sane in February.

Gear and getting out the door

1. Dress in layers, not one huge coat. A base layer, a fleece or sweater and a windproof outer layer work better than one puffy jacket, especially for kids who go from a frozen bus stop to an overheated classroom. Layers come off. A giant coat just gets left somewhere.

2. Buy real boots, and buy them early. Waterproof, insulated and a little roomy for thick socks. Slush is the real enemy here, not snow, and wet feet end outings fast. Kids’ sizes sell out after the first storm, so shop in the fall.

3. Keep a mitten system. A basket by the door for hats and mittens, a second pair of everything and mitten clips for little kids. Wet mittens go straight onto a radiator or a drying rack, not into a pocket.

4. Protect faces from the wind. The lake wind is what makes Chicago cold feel different. A neck gaiter or balaclava for kids and a thick balm for cheeks and lips makes a cold walk bearable.

Getting around

5. Learn the winter parking rules. From December 1 to April 1, there is a 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. parking ban on about 107 miles of main streets, snow or no snow. A separate ban covers about 500 more miles once two inches of snow fall. Cars get towed. Our Chicago parking guide explains both.

6. Keep a winter kit in the car. A scraper and brush, a small shovel, a blanket, water, snacks, phone charger, kitty litter or sand for traction, and extra hats and mittens for the kids. Keep the gas tank at least half full.

7. Use the Pedway downtown. The Pedway is a network of underground tunnels and enclosed walkways connecting buildings, stores and train stations in the Loop. It is a little confusing and many sections are only open on weekdays, so download a map before you go. With kids, it can be an adventure on its own.

8. Shovel on time. Chicago property owners are responsible for clearing a path on their sidewalks, and the city sets deadlines for doing it after snow falls. Get a good shovel and a bag of salt or pet-safe ice melt before the first storm. Kids old enough to help often enjoy it, at least the first time.

Things to do

9. Go outside anyway. On days that are cold but not dangerous, even 20 minutes outside helps everyone’s mood and sleep. Sledding hills, a frozen walk along the lake or a snowball fight in the park all count. Popular sledding spots include Palmisano Park in Bridgeport, and the Forest Preserves of Cook County have several larger hills, including at Dan Ryan Woods.

10. Skate downtown. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park and the Skating Ribbon at Maggie Daley Park both run through the winter. The ribbon’s winding path is a favorite with kids. Read our Maggie Daley Park review before you go.

11. Find warm places that feel like summer. The Garfield Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Conservatory are warm, green and free, though both suggest booking a timed visit online and Garfield Park asks for a donation. Twenty minutes surrounded by plants in January does a lot for a mood.

12. Plan the museum days. Many big Chicago museums offer free days for Illinois residents, and many fall in winter. Check our free museum days list and put them in your calendar. Libraries and Chicago Park District fieldhouses also run indoor programs for kids.

Staying sane

13. Give the season a calendar. Something to look forward to every week or two makes a long winter feel shorter: a light show, a market, a skating trip, a pancake breakfast. Our guide to the best winter events in Chicago for families has plenty to fill it.

14. Know where to get help in extreme cold. During dangerous cold, the city opens warming centers, and Park District fieldhouses and public libraries are warm places during their regular hours. Call 311 to find the nearest one, to report a building without heat or to request a well-being check on an elderly neighbor. Write the number on the fridge for older kids and babysitters.

Last thing: the first warm day in March, when it hits 50 and everyone is outside in shorts, is coming. Plan something outdoors for it, because it is the best day of the year here. Then go back to wearing your boots, because winter is usually not quite done.