Free stuff to do with kids in & near Hyde Park - indoors

• Family Resource Center (only free to UChicago student families)
• 57th Street Books  has a nice selection of children's books and is very friendly to browsers, with kid sized chairs and rugs to sit on. They have a free story time (aimed at preschoolers) every Wednesday at 10:30am. They also have occasional story times and author events on weekends, advertised on their website. 
• The SMART Museum of Art offers not only a pleasant space for little ones to stretch their limbs in winter, and for older ones to explore some great art, but it also has a nice cafe (with pastries from Medici) and special activities for children. Along with their drop-in family programs available anytime, the Smart also hosts free family activities on the first Saturday of every month. For more information on upcoming family activity days, see here
• Oriental Institute Museum: Elementary school children love visiting Tutankhamen and the colossal stone Lamassu, but even younger preschoolers and toddlers will find some of the exhibits engaging, though possibly less so than the interactive computer games aimed at children (sigh!). The labeling and informational posters in the museum are excellent, guided tours are available, and the museum hosts family programs and special events quite regularly - check here for upcoming programs 
• FREE days at the Museum of Science and Industry are always very crowded, but if you can cope with the crush, your little ones are sure to enjoy themselves here. Also, this museum is eyewateringly expensive at other times, so... Note that most free days happen in January and September, but that there is at least one every month except July and August: see here
• The Logan Center is the new space for the Arts at the University of Chicago, and occasionally puts on free programs for families, alongside their excellent but pricey theater and circus classes for children. Many free events, some of which will be suitable for children, are listed on their events page.

Please get in touch if you know of something we should add to this list!