Category: kids activities

Hello 2019…Goodbye 2018!

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, Chicago Parks, conservation, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DUPAGE COUNTY, FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF KANE COUNTY, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, Lake Michigan, local history, nature centers, settlers and Indians, sledding, snowshoeing, Uncategorized, winter activities

I want to send a 500-foot-tall, Godzilla-like thank you to all of my Nature in Chicagoland readers for visiting my blog in 2018. In about 30 blog posts and more than 46,000 words (I didn't count them, so I'll have to trust my data analytics software), I’ve covered everything from troll hunting, snow shoeing, and … Continue reading Hello 2019…Goodbye 2018!

The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2018

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, books, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, conservation, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, local history, museums, Native American History, nature centers, Uncategorized

Model Trains and Chicago Scenes at an Arboretum, Indoor Oases for Weather-Challenged Winter Weekends, A Book About an Illinois Environmental Legend, Trolls, The Wildest Place in Cook County, A Walk With My Son Amidst Political Chaos. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2018 based on page views … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in November 2018

The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian: A Great Place to Learn About the First Americans

by anders458, posted in holiday gifts, Illinois, kids activities, local history, museums, Native American History, settlers and Indians, social issues, Uncategorized

For thousands of years, Native Americans lived where our (meaning everyone who arrived after the Native Americans) homes, stores, and parks now stand. They hunted for game in the hills, ravines, and forests of Chicagoland; collected mussels and clams and fished in what we now call Lake Michigan; and fell in love, cherished their families, … Continue reading The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian: A Great Place to Learn About the First Americans

9 Indoor Spots to Visit in Chicagoland During a Snowy Weekend

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, Illinois, Iowa, kids activities, Lake County Illinois attractions, museums, National Park Service, nature centers, presidents, Uncategorized, winter activities

This weekend in Chicagoland is expected to be snowy and cold. While you may not be able to take a long hike or go camping, there are many natured-oriented places, museums, and even an auto museum you can visit to get out of the house and stay out of the snow and cold. Try the … Continue reading 9 Indoor Spots to Visit in Chicagoland During a Snowy Weekend

The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in October 2018

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, Chicago Parks, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, ghost hunting, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Indiana, Iowa, kids activities, local history, museums, nature centers, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

Ghost Stories, Trolls (the fun kind), Buried Remains of the Manhattan Project in a Suburban Forest Preserve, Indoor Oases for Weather-Challenged Fall and Winter Weekends, An Amazing City Park, and Places to See Bison in Chicagoland. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in October 2018 based on page views … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in October 2018

Palmisano Park: A Hidden Gem in Chicago

by anders458, posted in birdwatching, Chicago, chicago park district, Chicago Parks, fishing, hiking, Illinois, kids activities, sledding, Uncategorized, waterfalls, winter activities

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF THE “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND” BLOG UPDATED JUNE 2024 You don’t expect to find 40-foot limestone cliffs, a stream, beautiful waterfalls, and a pond in the middle of Chicago. But at Palmisano Park—a hidden gem at 27th and Halsted in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood—that’s just the case. This beautiful urban … Continue reading Palmisano Park: A Hidden Gem in Chicago

8 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland During a Rainy, Fall Weekend

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, Illinois, kids activities, museums, nature centers, Uncategorized

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND 2023: Check out 20 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland on a Canadian-Wildfire-Apocalyptic, Smoke-Filled Day or Just a Rainy or Wintry One for an updated and expanded version of this article.  This weekend in Chicagoland is expected to be rainy. While you may not be … Continue reading 8 Indoor Places to Visit in Chicagoland During a Rainy, Fall Weekend

The 6 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in September 2018

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, Chicago, Forest Preserve District of Will County, Forest Preserve of Cook County, ghost hunting, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, Iowa, kids activities, local history, National Park Service, Native American History, settlers and Indians, Uncategorized

Trolls (the fun kind), The Wildest Spot in Cook County, Ghost Stories, Indian Burial Mounds on Towering Bluffs Above the Mighty Mississippi River. A Beautiful Suburban Grassland. The Keepataw Preserve. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in September 2018 based on page views by my readers. If you missed … Continue reading The 6 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in September 2018

The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2018

by anders458, posted in @FPDCC, botanical gardens and arboretums, camping, Chicago, Forest Preserve of Cook County, Galena Illinois, gardening, ghost hunting, hiking, Illinois, Illinois Nature preserves, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

Things to Do Before the End of the Summer, Camping Tips for Kids, Trolls (the fun kind), Trump, Ghost Stories, and Beautiful State Parks in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. These were the topics of the most-popular posts at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2018 based on page views by my readers. If you missed … Continue reading The 7 Most-Popular Posts at Nature in Chicagoland in August 2018

18 Tips for Camping With Kids

by anders458, posted in biking, birdwatching, camping, fall colors, hiking, kayaking, kids activities, Lake Michigan, nature centers, spring wildflowers, Uncategorized, Wisconsin

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER & AUTHOR OF NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND UPDATED 2023 I’ve camped since I was about age 10. I’ve pitched a tent everywhere from Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, to Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshores in Michigan. I’ve camped alone and with friends, but camping with children … Continue reading 18 Tips for Camping With Kids