Enjoy the natural world in your backyard or neighborhood! Check out the options below from our naturalists and programming teams to experience the wonders of nature at home or in your communities.
Facebook Live Programs
- Hawk Talk with River Trail Nature Center
- Bird Banding with Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Hawk Talk (with a Falcon!) with River Trail Nature Center
- All about Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
- Todo sobre el colibrí garganta de rubí with Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
- Bird Banding with Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Interview with a Vulture with Crabtree Nature Center
- Learn about Native Snakes with Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center and Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Turtle Race with Crabtree Nature Center
- Learn about Threatened or Endangered Native Turtles with Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
- Earth Day Puppet Show with Sand Ridge Nature Center
- Bumble Bee Spotting with Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Attracting Butterflies to your Garden with Sagawau Environmental Learning Center
- Composting: How to Make a Composting Bin with Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center. Also available in Spanish.
- Making the Perfect Campfire & S’more: Learn how to make a perfect fire for s’mores.
Videos
- Migratory Bird “Race”: Create your own bird and help it win the migration race!
- Backyard Birding: Black-capped Chickadee
- Backyard Birding: American Goldfinch
- Backyard Birding: House Finch
- Backyard Birding: Dark-eyed Junco
- Backyard Birding: Downy Woodpecker
- Backyard Birding: White-breasted Nuthatch
- Backyard Birding: Red-winged Blackbird
- Create your own bird feeder using materials you may already have at home
- Listen to frogs calling with a sound recording from Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center
- Learn about setting up a rain barrel with one of the Forest Preserves’ program specialists
- Enjoy this recycling relay race from Sand Ridge Nature Center
Activities
- Draw a Bird: Follow how-to steps to draw a yellow warbler. Also available in Spanish and Polish.
- Build a Birdhouse: Learn how you can welcome birds to your home by building a birdhouse.
- Backyard Bird Bingo: Play this fun rendition of bingo by identifying the birds in your own backyard! Also available in Spanish and Polish.
- Self-guided Color Walk: Grab some crayons and head outside for a self-guided color walk
- Nature Printmaking: Use natural objects to design your own print
- Nature Poetry: Write your own poems inspired by nature
- Creative Reuse Artmaking: Transform old paper into an origami style boxes
- Earth Art: Create temporary art using natural objects
Miscellaneous
- Getting to Know Garlic Mustard: Learn how to identify garlic mustard, and create your own garlic mustard pesto with Crabtree Nature Center
- Green Cleaning Supplies Recipes: Create earth-friendly cleaning supplies with Trailside Museum of Natural History
- Creating a Sidewalk Chalk Masterpiece: Use some of these tricks and tips to take your sidewalk chalk art to the next level!
- Make a Seed Starter with Trailside Museum of Natural History.
- DIY: Make Your Own Junior Archery Set with Trailside Museum of Natural History