Free Summer Survival Guide: 6 Weeks of Fun Without the Freakouts
Hey parents! Grab our FREE Chicago Summer Survival Guide – 42 days of fun ideas and local deals to keep the kids entertained and your sanity (mostly) intact.
According to a new Groupon study, 52% of Chicago kids say “I’m bored” within the first week of summer break - and over half (56%) of parents are cutting back on plans due to rising costs. Summer isn’t just a break anymore it’s a full-time juggling act.
That’s why we created the Big Days Out Summer Survival Guide: a free, downloadable 6-week calendar of fun, affordable activities for Chicago-area families. From easy day trips to clever at-home ideas, here’s what you’ll find inside.
What’s Inside The Guide
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Weekly Adventures – Score Groupon deals on museums, zoos, boat tours, and trampoline parks (because bouncing > whining).
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Free & Hidden Gems – Discover Chicago’s coolest no-cost events and local secrets.
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At-Home Wins – Chore Adventure? Backyard movie night? DIY tie-dye chaos? We’ve got receipts.
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Parking Hacks – For Shedd, Field Museum, Navy Pier… because $30 parking is a villain.
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Budget-Friendly Fun – Mapped out week-by-week so you can play smarter, not richer.
65% of parents say they need to save up just to afford summer. Nearly half (48%) say activity costs impact their ability to work. We built this guide to help - no stress, no spend, just a better plan.
Download it. Print it. Or just pin it on your fridge.
This summer, let fun win - and give your budget the break it deserves.
This free guide is part of Groupon’s Big Days Out campaign, running June 2–13 - a citywide push to help families save with big discounts on Chicago’s top attractions. Plus: for every Big Days Out deal sold, Groupon will donate $1 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, up to $10,000.