Kidsoutside: part of the Chicago Wilderness website, kidsouside provides background information and current news about the Leave No Child Inside movemeent, suggested nature focused activities for families, and resources for educators.  www.kidsoutside.info

Mighty Acorns: A model environment education program for children, it was originally developed by The Nature Conservancy and Cook County's Forest Preserve District, and later adopted by Chicago Wilderness.  Its mission is to conect schools with nature centers, parks and forest preserve districts.  www.mightyacornshome.org

Cook and Lake County Forest Preserves: Perfect for getting kids outside and into nature, log on to their websites for locations of their many and varied forest preserves.  Also, read about the new Children's Learning Gallery, an interactive play space to learn and explore nature, at Lake County's Discovery Museum in Wauconda. 

Cook County Forest Preserve District www.fpdcc.com

Lake County Forest Preserve District www.lcfpd.com

Illinois Department of Natural Resources: The IDNR offers a plethora of children's educational materials for local organizations and educators to use and enjoy.  Many of these materials are available locally through the Vehe Farm Foundation. These materials include nature-based educational posters, activity books and IDNR educational trunks.   Visit the IDNR's website for more information regarding contests for students, educational materials for use in the classroom, teacher workshops and more. dnr.state.il.us

Stillman Nature Center: The Stillman Nature Center is a private, not-for-profit center for environmental education located on 80 acres of woods, lake and prairie in South Barrington, Illinois. The Stillman Nature Center offers programs for school groups, public programs and nature walks. www.stillmannc.org

Chicagoland Environmental Network: The CEN is a group of more than 200 environmental and natural resource organizations.Where do you go when you care about the natural world and want to get more involved? Maybe you already recycle but want to do more. Or perhaps you're a teacher and you want your students to understand—and help protect—the natural resources around them. Possibly you work for an environmental organization and want to reach other organizations with the same goals.  CEN can get you connected.  Learn more

Volo Bog: If you're looking for a truly unique outdoor adventure, head for Volo Bog State Natural Area in northeastern Illinois. Just 45 miles northwest of Chicago in Lake County, this natural area contains Volo Bog, the only "quaking" bog in Illinois to have an open water center. Learn more