Kid City, Chicago

Imaginations blossom at Kid City. The 3,000-square-foot space is geared toward pretending. Kids push miniature carts through the supermarket, filling them with fruits and veggies before checking out at an actual cash register. They then head to the playhouse to stock the fridge and fire up the grill for a make-believe feast. Rideable plastic cars whisk children from the playhouse to the dress-up boutique, where they can see what it's like to wear a fireman's outfit over a princess gown. Meanwhile, toddlers play safely in a padded area with colorful toys.

As dedicated as Kid City is to sparking kids' creativity, its staff is equally concerned with accommodating parents. Afternoon or summer-morning drop-off camps, for example, help parents find time to run errands or invent a method for removing tomato-sauce stains from ceilings. During camps, kids do arts and crafts or enjoy visits from their favorite characters, such as cartoon princesses. Open-play hours offer complimentary coffee and tea to caretakers, and a refrigerator and microwave is at their disposal for snacks or lunches.