ECO (Educating Children Outdoors) Homeschool Adventures

Calling all homeschool families! This program takes place on select Wednesdays. Our Elementary sessions meet from 10 – 11:30 am, and our Middle & High School session meets from 1 – 3 pm. Sessions fill up quickly, so register early for your preferred dates.

Our sessions may include hikes, nature exploration, games, experiments, art projects, or scientific surveys. Topics rotate each month and sessions are offered August through May.

Program Fees:

  • $12/child for Elementary sessions
  • $15/child for MS/HS sessions.
  • Members at the Family Level or higher receive a 15% discount on program registrations.
  • Parents/guardians are free and pre-registration is required.

Select an age group below to find out our upcoming sessions.

Elementary (1st – 5th)

This program is geared towards students in 1st – 5th that are learning from home, but older siblings are welcome to attend. Siblings 2 and under are free. Parents/guardians are required to attend with children. 8 child minimum, 30 child max for Elementary sessions.

Program Fees: $12/child. Parents/guardians are free. Pre-registration is required.

May 7th or 21st – Forestry Fundamentals

    • Learn the basics of forestry through examining tree cookies, exploring special tree adaptations, and discovering the elements of a healthy forest.

  • August 20th or 27th – Something’s Fishy
    • Dive into a new adventure for the 25/26 school year! Learn about basic fish biology, test your hand at fishing, and create a fishy art piece. Limited spots are available for this session. Fishing materials are supplied, but you’re welcome to bring your own poles.
  • September 10th or 24th –  ‘Shell’-tered Life
    • Learn about animals that live in shells, from turtles to snails. Investigate what shells are made out of, meet an animal living in a shell, and create some shell art!
  • October 8th or 22nd – Bat Blitz 
    • Feeling batty this Halloween season? Learn about these amazing flying mammals through games and projects.
  • November 5th or 19th – Hiss, Chirp, Ribbit
    • How do animals communicate with each other? Mimic playing as a wolf pack, smell your friends pheromones as an insect, and create an animal call!
  • December 3rd or 10th – Pleased to Eat You
    • Feeling hungry? So is the wildlife! Get to know the producers, consumers, and decomposers that make up our food chains in Illinois.

  • January 14th or 28th – Winter Trees & Evergreens
    • Learn to identify trees in the winter by their buds, branching, and bark! We’ll also investigate evergreens and the secret to their bright colors year round.
  • February 11th or 25th – Phun Phylogeny
    • How do scientists classify living things, and why do we do it? Students are invited to explore the scientific world of classification through hands-on activities. 

  • March 11th or 25th – Adaptation Station
    • Why do different birds have different beaks? Why do some animals play dead? Learn how physical and behavioral traits help animals to survive out in nature!
  • April 8th or 22nd – Keepin’ It Fresh
    • Learn about limnology – the study of freshwater! Conduct hands-on science by dipping into our vernal pools in search of macroinvertebrates. You’ll also play a fast-paced game all about our macro friends.
  • May 13th or 20th – Bird Biology
    • Discover what helps birds fly, different wing shapes, and the parts and pieces that make up a bird. Use binoculars to spot our local bird populations and log them in an international scientific community!

Middle & High School (6th – 12th)

This program is geared towards students in 6th – 12th grade that are learning from home. Unlike the younger group of ECO Homeschool Adventures, this is a drop off program. 

Program Fees: $15/child. Pre-registration is required. 4 child minimum, 16 child max for MS/HS sessions.

  • September 10th – Ecological Interactions
    • Investigate the different ways that living things interact with each other. From parasitic relationships with ticks to the mutualistic relationship of bees and flowers, let’s check out these amazing ecological interactions.
  • October 8th – Across the Universe (7 – 8:30 pm)
    • Use telescopes to view the night sky! Learn to identify planets and constellations, plus hop into our inflatable planetarium. This is a special evening edition of ECO Homeschool Adventures for our Middle School & High School students. 
  • November 19th – Wildlife Pathology
    • What illnesses are plaguing the world of wildlife right now? Study chytrid fungus in amphibians, chronic wasting disease in deer, and more! 

  • April 8th – Seed Study
    • Investigate the science of seeds. Learn about ways that seeds travel, compare & contrast different types of seed, and help us destroy some invasive seeds!
  • May 13th – Stream Science
    • Stomp into some real life aquatic studies. Students will conduct testing on our local aquatic environments through macroinvertebrate samplings and chemical testing.

*New* Homeschool Field Days (3rd – 5th)

This program is geared towards students in 3rd – 5th grade that are learning from home. This is a drop off program.

Program Fees: $50/child (includes lunch). Pre-registration is required.

Homeschool Field Day will be offered twice in the 2025/2026 school year. This special drop off program is for 3rd – 5th graders (8 – 11 years old) from 10 am – 2 pm. Each day will include hiking, special investigations of natural areas, art projects, games, and more. Lunch from Jimmy John’s is included in the registration fee. Minimum: 6 students. Maximum: 16 students.

Program Fees: $50/student (includes lunch)

Upcoming dates:

  • Thursday, September 18th: Fall Field Day
  • Monday, April 13th: Spring Field Day

Rhythm of the Day:

10 – 10:15 am – Welcome & Overview

10:15 am – 11:30 am: Group Hike & seasonal nature studies

11:30 – 12 – Lunch (included in registration)

12 – 12:30 – Free Play at Nature Explore Classroom

12:30 – 1: Art Offerings

1 – 1:30: Group Games

1:30 – 2: Final Activity & Wrap Up

Frequently Asked Questions

For kids 5 and under, we recommend attending Knee High Naturalists or Tiny Trekkers. If, however, you feel that your child is ready for higher level content or longer hikes, you are welcome to register for these sessions. Some things to keep in mind when deciding:

  • The Elementary session will cater to 1st – 5th grade, so younger children may have difficulty with activities or understanding content. Some extra adult guidance may be necessary.
  • Hiking length is anywhere from 0.5 – 1.5 miles for most sessions.

At this time, based on feedback from families, this is a drop off program. Parents/guardians may not attend with their child.

Very few of our trails are stroller friendly. If you have an infant or young toddler that is coming along, you may consider bringing a sling or baby/toddler carrier.

100% of the program is outdoors in 45+ degree weather. During our winter sessions, a portion of the session will be spent in our indoor classroom to give everyone a chance to warm up. Be sure to be prepared for the weather elements when you attend!