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Things to Do With Kids in Vernon Hills, IL
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Early Pre-school
Article made by:
Early Pre-school
Updated November 2026.
The best places for young kids in Vernon Hills are Century Park Arboretum, Deerpath Park's Kids' Castle playground, story times at Aspen Drive Library and the drop-in tot gym at the Sullivan Community Center. In winter, add the lit sled hill at Century Park. In summer, the Turtle Creek Waterpark has a large sprayground with a tot area.
The Vernon Hills Park District runs more than 20 parks across town, so you are rarely far from a playground. Here is where to go with babies, toddlers and preschoolers, with addresses and a few tips for each spot.
Century Park is the park district's largest park, with 113 acres of land and water around Big Bear and Little Bear lakes. In 2017 it became the first park district park in Illinois to earn arboretum accreditation.
For families with little kids, it has:
Most of the park is reached from Lakeview Parkway, north of Route 60. The shelter and boat dock entrance is at 1002 Lakeview Parkway. The pavilion and sled hill are at 1401 Indianwood Drive.
Deerpath Park, at 299 Onwentsia Road, has three playgrounds, including the Kids' Castle. Local volunteers built the original castle in 1997. It was rebuilt in 2016 with a castle theme, a rubber surface and a large dragon play structure. A newer playground for ages 2 to 5 opened in 2023.
The park also has a 1.5-mile lighted path, ponds, picnic spots and restrooms. In summer, the park district holds its Movie in the Park series here.
If you want a quieter spot, the neighborhood parks work well for toddlers who are still finding their feet:
For a small project, try the park district's rock gardens at Century Park, Deerpath Park and Hartmann Park. Families paint rocks with pictures or kind messages and leave them for others to find. Each garden keeps a few blank rocks you can take home to paint.
On cold mornings, the Sullivan Community Center at 635 N. Aspen Drive opens its gym for a Drop-In Parent/Tot Open Gym. It is for children up to age 4 with a parent, and the gym is set up with balls, Big Wheels, scooters, hula hoops, push toys and mini basketball hoops.
The center also runs early childhood classes. Check the park district's current program guide for dates, and confirm the open gym schedule before you go.
Aspen Drive Library, at 701 Aspen Drive, is one of the two buildings of the Cook Memorial Public Library District. Its story times are free and many are drop-in, with no registration. Recent programs include:
Days and times change each season, so check the events calendar at cooklib.org before you go. For more libraries nearby, see our guide to library storytimes in the north suburbs.
The sled hill at Century Park, 1401 Indianwood Drive, has its own parking lot and is lit until 9 PM daily. Restrooms in the pavilion are open daily. The park district has a weather hotline, (847) 996-6616, and posts sled hill conditions online, so check before you load up the car. Century Park also has a man-made outdoor ice rink when the weather allows.
Sledding is at your own risk, and parents are responsible for their children. For small kids, pick the gentlest part of the slope, ride together, and keep them away from the bottom of the hill where others are coming down. See our winter activities guide for more cold-weather ideas.
Turtle Creek Waterpark, run by the park district on Aspen Drive, has two pools, slides, a lazy river and a 10,000-square-foot sprayground. For young children, the best parts are:
Slides require a height of 48 inches, and children under 48 inches must be with an adult in the lazy river. In 2026 the season ran from May 30 to early September. Check the park district site for 2027 dates and fees in the spring.
Century Park, Deerpath Park, Aspen Backyard Park and Kiddie Korral Park all have playgrounds made for ages 2 to 5. Deerpath's Kids' Castle is the most memorable for preschoolers.
The Drop-In Parent/Tot Open Gym at the Sullivan Community Center runs Tuesday and Thursday mornings from November to April, and Aspen Drive Library has free story times.
In Century Park, at 1401 Indianwood Drive. It has parking, restrooms in the pavilion and lights until 9 PM.
Yes. Cook Memorial Public Library District story times are free, and many are drop-in. Check the calendar for current times.
Children's Land has a location in Vernon Hills at 2 E. Phillip Road, offering daycare and preschool, open Monday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Every Children's Land location serves hot breakfast and lunch. Learn about our preschool program, see the Vernon Hills location page, or contact us to ask about openings and schedule a tour.
Related reading: Things to Do With Kids in Lincolnshire, IL.
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