Public Nature Programs

REGISTRATION

Registration is required for all programs unless otherwise noted. To register for programs, use our Online Program Registration.

If you have any questions, call Creek Bend Nature Center at 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com. Thank you!

StorY Time At Creek Bend Nature Center

Join a librarian from the St. Charles Public Library for read-aloud stories, finger plays, songs, and more during this fun program for children from infancy through age 5. If the weather is mild, we'll take the activities outdoors! Stay and enjoy the interactive exhibits in the Nature Center following the program and grab a take-home craft to continue the fun at your own house.

• Wednesday, Oct. 9; 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.
• Wednesday, Nov. 13; 10:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Creek Bend Nature Center
LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve
37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
FREE; no registration needed.

LITTLE SAPLINGS

In this monthly program, geared for 3-5 year olds, we'll explore the natural world through a variety of activities specific to the theme of the month. Sessions include a combination of stories, nature hikes, songs, games, or crafts. A parent or caregiver must accompany child.

Thursday, Oct. 17; 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. "V is for Vulture"
Creek Bend Nature Center/LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve
37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
Fee: $5/child; advance registration required.

Thursday, Nov. 21; 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. "The Bears"
Creek Bend Nature Center/LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve
37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
Fee: $5/child; advance registration required.

Woodland Birthday Parties

Let us host a Woodland Birthday party for your child! We'll take care of the planning, entertainment and clean-up! Woodland Birthday Parties feature: An outdoor guided hike led by naturalists; a campfire; unique nature-themed party favors; use of Creek Bend Nature Center. Parties are available year-round! The fee is $100 for Kane County residents; $125 for out-of-county residents. Rate includes a party for 15 children; for more than 15 children, there will be an additional $5 per child. Call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com for more information or to book your Woodland Birthday Party today!

Astronomical curiosities: Eclipses, auroras & Meteor showers

The night sky is full of wonders, some of which can be seen every night and some that appear less frequently. Members of the Fox Valley Astronomical Society (FVAS) will share the science behind the more fleeting curiosities of eclipses, auroras and meteor showers during an indoor presentation. Weather permitting, our FVAS friends will set up telescopes outside and welcome you to observe the night sky immediately after the presentation.

Tuesday, Sept. 24; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Creek Bend Nature Center/LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve
37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.

Unveiling the hidden world beneath our feet: exploring Common Mycorrhizal networks

Join us as we uncover the fascinating world of mycorrhizae, one of the oldest, and most ubiquitous symbioses on the planet. In this talk by Dr. Joanna Weremijewicz, Associate Professor of Biology at North Central College, we will explore this plant-fungus partnership in communities, both natural and agricultural. We will then delve into the topic of common mycorrhizal networks (CMNs), popularly known as the “wood-wide-web,” and the consequences of CMNs for plant interactions when interconnected individuals compete for water and nutrients. Join us to gain a deeper appreciation for these hidden, but vital, networks below our feet!

Saturday, Oct. 5; 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Hickory Knolls Discovery Center 
3795 Campton Hills Dr., St. Charles
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.

Singing Bird and the importance of native american women in Illinois History

Dressed in her native regalia, Kim Sigafus will be giving a history of the natives in Illinois, with a focus on native women – often considered to be “The Hidden Half.” Her primary stories will be about women such as Singing Bird (Blackhawk’s wife) and Hononegah. Kim will bring the audience into these women’s day-to-day lives, including their courting, marriage, and child-rearing. She will also talk about the women’s roles in their husbands’ lives and how those lives affected the history of Illinois. Kim will bring native items that women would have used in their daily lives and discuss the role women played within the family unit. The audience will be able to pick up and view the items, learn native language and music, and get the chance to play the drum in this interactive experience.

Sunday, Oct. 13; 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.
Barbara Belding Lodge at Brewster Creek Forest Preserve
6N921 IL Rte. 25, St. Charles
Fee: $15/person; advance registration required.

Bye Bye Buckthorn, Hello baby oaks

Delnor Woods in St. Charles has undergone a remarkable transformation, from a neglected woodland with thickets of buckthorn and honeysuckle to a wooded community with a thriving, diverse understory and oak regeneration. Restoration ecologist Patrick Bochenek will lead us on a walk us through the steps of this project, telling how the team read the landscape to make management decisions, how the area has responded and detailing the challenges faced in restoring it. Please meet at the Wing Ave. entrance on the east side of Delnor Woods Park.

Sunday, Oct. 26; 8:00 - 9:30 a.m.
Delnor Woods Park
Wing Ave., West of N. 11th Ave., St. Charles
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.

Glacial Lake Pingree Circle Tour

Enjoy a state-state-of-the art motor coach tour in and around the bed of the now-extinct, but once vast, Glacial Lake Pingree. The motor coach will stop at key locations that give evidence to the natural history and continuing significance of this Ice Age wonder. While en route, Kane County Certified Naturalist David Schoenknecht will provide a multimedia experience and share new scientific research on Glacial Lake Pingree. The motor coach departs and returns to Creek Bend Nature Center. Refreshments will be provided. Registration, with full payment, due by October 11. KCCN coupons cannot be used for this program.

Saturday, Oct. 26; 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Begin and end at Creek Bend Nature Center 
37W700 Dean St., St. Charles
Fee: $40/person; advance registration required.

Fall Tree Identification 

Identifying trees in autumn can be a unique challenge. Some species retain their leaves late into the season, while others drop their leaves at the first appearance of cool temperatures and shorter days. Environmental Education Manager Barb McKittrick will explain how to identify trees with and without their leaves during this fully-outdoors class. The program will begin with a review of basic tree anatomy and identifying features then traverse the woodlands examining leaves, bark, twigs, and fruit to identify a number of common native hardwood trees.

Saturday, Oct. 19; 10:00 a.m. - Noon
Bliss Woods Forest Preserve
5S660 Bliss Rd., Sugar Grove
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.

Sense of Place: Bliss Woods 

As part of the Forest Preserve District’s upcoming 100-year anniversary celebration, join Volunteer Steward Mary Ochsenschlager to hear the fascinating story of one of our first forest preserves. During this two-part program, learn about the geological and cultural history of Bliss Woods Forest Preserve. During Session One, Mary will present a lively lecture in the shelter about the land’s rich history. In Session Two, join Mary for a hike along the preserve trails to experience first-hand the history of the land. Registration for this program includes both sessions.

Tuesday, Sept. 17; 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Bliss Woods Forest Preserve
5S660 Bliss Rd., Sugar Grove
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.

Tuesday, Sept. 24; 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Bliss Woods Forest Preserve
5S660 Bliss Rd., Sugar Grove
Fee: $10/person; advance registration required.