For kids, there’s nothing quite like a large vehicle: the whir of a plane taking off, the bellow of a slow-moving boat, the roar of a dump truck hauling piles of broken concrete. With my fellow field reporters, Lucy, 4, and Charley, 2, I set out to curate the ultimate list of places to observe planes, trains, and construction equipment. “When will I see a boat?” Lucy asked, updating our list. “Ah-peen!” Charley declared, pointing to a low-flying jet from Midway as we sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-55.

Trains

Monument Park6679 N. Avondale Ave., Edison Park

The slide and swings help kill time until the UP-NW Metra train rolls to a stop at the street-level Edison Park station. If you’re up for an adventure, hop on board and get off at the Des Plaines stop. A block away, you’ll find the Choo Choo, a 1951 diner serving burgers via model train.

Jacob Playground4674 N. Virginia Ave., Ravenswood

Settle into building a castle in the playground’s impressive sandbox and listen for the whoosh of the Brown Line L as it rushes to the nearby Rockwell stop.

South Loop Whole Foods Parking Lot1101 S. Canal St., South Loop

From this perch, you can watch Metra and Amtrak trains pulling into and out of Union Station. With rows and rows of tracks on view, this is the best spot in the city to see many types of trains at once.

Homewood Railroad Viewing Platform and Park2020 Chestnut Rd., Homewood

From this platform, constructed in 2007, you can watch the Canadian National, Metra Electric District, and Amtrak trains come and go. With the live audio feed to the Markham Yards switchyards, your tots will feel part of the action. The nearby park, accessible by underground walkway, has a restored locomotive and caboose. Tip: Avoid Sundays, when trains are infrequent.

Airplanes

PILOT PETE’s905 W. Irving Park Rd., Schaumburg

At this aviation-themed restaurant, on the grounds of the Schaumburg Regional Airport, you can eat chicken fingers while watching two-seater Cessnas take off. Ask for a table near the large windows that look out onto the runway. Around the space, you’ll find plenty of aviation memorabilia, like the salvaged first-class seats near the hostess stand.

Delta Cargo Parking Lot613 N. Access Rd., O’Hare

Located next to O’Hare’s runway 28, this is the best place to watch commercial planes take off. “I liked the rainbow one,” Lucy said after eyeing a Southwest jet speed down the runway. It’s loud, so bring headphones for sensitive ears.

Schiller Woods–East8400 W. Irving Park Rd., O’Hare

With a large open field and O’Hare just a couple of miles away, you can picnic while being serenaded by low-flying planes. If you’re lucky, you may even see an Airbus A380 superjumbo jet making its descent. Across the street is the Schiller Model Airplane Flying Field, where a hobbyest club flies mini planes on the 2nd of every month, May to September.

UBAM Park6200 S. Central Ave., Clearing

Across the street from Midway’s runway 4L/22R, this small green space has a bench that faces the fenced-in tarmac. Patience pays off when you see a jet pop up over the steel wall during takeoff — sometimes so low you can see its passengers.

Boats

95th Street Bridge95th Street between South Chicago and Ewing Avenues, South Deering

This drawbridge’s pedestrian pathway over the Calumet River offers views of an ever-changing cast of sailboats and cargo ships that come to Chicago’s port from around the world. Use the MarineTraffic app to time your visit to coincide with a freighter’s arrival, which prompts the bridge to rise in dramatic fashion. It’s best seen from the picnic tables at Calumet Fisheries with an order of smoked shrimp.

Construction Vehicles

Construction

Vehicles

Jerk Jamaican BBQ811 W. Chicago Ave., River West

Grownups may grumble about the Chicago Avenue Bridge reconstruction, but gently remind them that it’s also a chance for little ones to get their fix of diggers and dump trucks. Post up inside this Jamaican spot, by the large windows overlooking the river, and start counting the cranes working the bridge while scarfing down smoked jerk brisket. Bonus: You’ll also have a view of the massive construction site for the new Bally’s casino.

KENNEDY EXPRESSWAY EXIT 83Junction of Foster and Menard Avenues, Jefferson Park

The Foster Avenue Bridge, at this exit, has been demolished in order to be rebuilt, and depending on where you stand, you can get a glimpse of rebar and steel being moved around by a crew of vehicles. From the corner of Foster and Menard, peer directly onto the expressway to watch excavators shoring up the highway embankments. And from the Central Avenue Bridge a short walk southeast, there’s a street-wide view of all the action.