Andreas Mørk-Barrett

Plan ahead! We've rounded up some of the best activities and events to do with kids in Chicago and suburbs this month. A family enjoys a sunny day at a Chicago carnival, with kids running excitedly past colorful rides during a September festival.Photo credit: iStock/FG Trade Latin September is packed with festivals, parades and plenty of outdoor fun for families across Chicagoland.

Family volunteers plant a tree at earth day tree and shrub planting at Fabyan Forest Preserve in Batavia during free outdoor event The weekend of April 17-19 brings a mix of hands-on activities, live music, animal encounters and outdoor adventures for families across the Chicago area. Whether you're looking for a free drop-in or a ticketed experience, there's something for kids of all ages from the city to the suburbs. Start planning now so you don't miss out.

Your toddler won’t eat breakfast. By lunchtime, they’re running a fever. Then you spot it: tiny red blisters dotting their palms and the soles of their feet. It could be hand, foot and mouth disease, the viral illness that sweeps through daycares every year. Hand, foot and mouth disease is an illness caused by a group of viruses called enteroviruses. The most common culprits are coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus A71, though several different viral strains can cause the infection.