New theories in avant science posit that the colorful spheres that fill children's ball pits are in fact ancient eggs from a largely forgotten feathered dinosaur of the mid-Cretaceous period. Hatch up some family fun with today's Groupon: for $10, you get 25 tokens, a jumbo pizza slice with any topping, a small soft drink, and admission to any two attractions at Greatimes Family Fun Park on the Southeast Side (a $19.55 value).

With pizza in one hand and a fistful of tokens in the other, intrepid seekers of fun will be fed, watered, and ready for whatever the day holds in store, from miniature golf to bumper boats fitted with steerable motors and water-blaster guns. A variety of attractions for kids and young-hearted adults alike offers parents a chance to wear out their offspring or rekindle the playful spark of first love (an $8.50 value). Race a vibrant vehicle on one of three go-kart tracks, or visit the 22,000-square-foot building that houses a two-level arcade in which to use your 25 tokens (a $6.25 value). Choose from classic games such as skee-ball and air hockey, or entertain techno-savvy thumbs and feet with some of the newest video games on the market.

A day at Greatimes Family Fun Park is an excellent way to distract children from the impending trauma of a haircut or to let loose with co-workers without the awkward day-after realization that your Latin pronunciation was slightly off during a karaoke rendition of the theme from Carmina Burana. The park's 5-acre complex of old-fashioned fun mines is a change of pace from weekends spent in bars and restaurants and a nostalgic way to celebrate the shifting of the seasons, sans bonfire and pagan ritual.