Nature Play Events

Nature Play

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  • children playing indoors at Trailside Museum

    Baby Buds

    Baby Buds
    Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010

    Join us for nature-themed interactive songs and stories. Ages 0-23 months w/ adult. Tickets first come, first served.

    Free
  • A gathering of people gathered in a forest during a storytelling event.

    Stories in the Forest

    Stories in the Forest
    Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305

    Due to heat and air quality advisories, this event has been moved indoors. Join the River Forest Public Library for storytelling! Ages 0-5 w/ adult. […]

    Free
  • A group of people standing in a pond.

    Canceled Thursdays in Nature: Pond Dip Discovery!

    Nature Thursdays
    Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305

    Connect to nature with University of Illinois-Extension Master Naturalists through fun inquiry-based activities for both adults and kids. Drop in.

    Free
  • A Master Naturalist shows a spider to a visitor at Insect Fest.

    Insect Fest

    Featured
    Cummings Square • River Forest, IL 60305

    Join us for this all-things-insect event! Go on a bug hunt, experience an insect petting zoo and more!

    Free
  • Teens drawing on a large poster at a teen exploration day event.

    Teen GPS Mystery Adventure

    Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305

    A murder most “fowl”! Solve the case and discover who did in the bird! Ages 10 & up w/ adult.

    Free • Registration Required
  • A group of people walking down a forested pathway in the distance.

    Junior Naturalist Walk

    Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010

    Earn a Junior Naturalist badge by taking a short walk, then doing an indoor activity book. Ages 6-12 w/ caregiver.

    Free
  • children dipping nets in a pond at Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center

    Nature Discovery Camp

    Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480

    Join us from 9 am to noon each day for an adventure-packed day camp where kids explore the outdoors through hiking, fishing, field experiments and […]

    $50 • Registration Required
  • A child and an adult fishing together near a body of water.

    Fishing for Community / Pescando Conexiones (Drop-In)

    Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305

    Join us for a morning of fishing on Trailside’s pond. This event offers a unique opportunity to learn fishing basics from our experts, build connections with others and enjoy […]

    Free
  • a group playing a yard game at Thatcher Woods

    Indigenous Games & Activities

    Schiller Woods-East • Chicago, IL 60634

    Join the American Indian Center of Chicago for traditional Indigenous games and activities. Grove 13.

    Free
  • An animal ambassador owl pictured in its enclosure.

    Wild About Play

    Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480

    Unleash your wild side! Create enrichment items for our ambassador animals. Groups welcome. Drop in.

    Free
  • Youth paint using natural materials.

    Campus Block Party

    Featured
    Camp Shabbona Woods • South Holland, IL 60473

    Celebrate summer at the campground with family and friends! Enjoy artmaking, games, food and more.

    Free
  • A women reading a book aloud at a nature center event.

    Yoga and Storytime

    Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480

    Join the Bridgeview Library for a short nature story followed by kid's yoga activities. Ages 3-6 w/adult.

    Free • Registration Required
  • a person using string, nails and a slice of tree trunk to make art at Rolling Knolls Pavilion

    Nature’s Art Box

    Nature’s Art Box
    Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center • Willow Springs, IL 60480

    Explore the wild side of creativity! Kids ages 3–6 with an adult can enjoy hands-on nature-inspired art and activities. Supplies provided.

    Free • Registration Required
  • pavilion and nature play area at Camp Shabbona Woods

    Hip Hop Camp-Out

    Featured
    Camp Shabbona Woods • South Holland, IL 60473

    Running from Friday, July 31 at 3 pm to Sunday, August 2 at noon, this camping experience combines hip hop culture, nature, wellness, and community. […]

    Free • Registration Required
  • A group of children outside at an Earth Day event making crafts.

    Art in Nature: Sun Printing

    National Grove-South • North Riverside, IL 60546

    With natural materials and drawings, use the sun to make a one-of-a-kind print. Supplies provided. Drop in. Grove 1.

    Free

  • children dipping nets in a pond at Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center

    Pond Dip Discovery

    Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305

    Discover what lives on and below the surface of Thatcher Glen Pond? Equipment provided. Ages 5-12 w/ adult.

    Free • Registration Required
  • A group of children at an indoor event.

    Wee Wandering Wednesdays

    Wee Wandering Wednesdays
    Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010

    Read a story, make a craft and go on an adventure. Ages 2 to 6 with an adult. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served […]

    Free
  • A caterpillar on a leaf.

    Let’s Go Find Some Bugs

    Crabtree Nature Center • Barrington, IL 60010

    Play bug bingo as we hunt for the best bugs of the summer.

    Free
  • A ruby-throated humming bird feeding on cardinal flower at Somme. Photo by Lisa Culp.

    Wee Wonders: Hummingbirds

    Wee Wonders
    Sand Ridge Nature Center • South Holland, IL 60473

    Learn about nature through sensory experiences, stories and artmaking. Ages 2-5 w/ adult.

    Free • Registration Required