Dive into these opportunities to celebrate our planet
With environmental issues coming to the forefront of politics, science and even the business world, there's no better time to start teaching your children about caring for the planet. This Earth Day, there are plenty of options throughout the suburbs where you can learn about native creatures, soil and conservation and work with your kids on making the world a little greener.
Earth Day Celebration, Graue Mill and Museum, 3800 York Road, Oak Brook, (630) 655-2090, grauemill.org
Time: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Price: Free
The University of Illinois extension and members of the Garden Study Club of Hinsdale help kids learn more about gardening. Children can touch a box of earthworms and find out how important they are to the soil. They'll then get to do a little gardening work, creating a terrarium from a 2-liter bottle with flowering plants provided for them. Kids are welcome to bring rocks or figures to decorate their bottle. When the plants get big enough, they can be added to a garden at home to enjoy all summer long. Admission is free all day to the rest of the facility so you can view the other exhibits while you're there.
Go Green! Celebration, Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center, 3609 Spring Road, Oak Brook, (630) 850-8110, darien.il.us
Time: Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19
Price: Free; bat show: $15, $10 for kids ages 3-17
The annual Earth Day festival is packed with activities for kids including horse-drawn hayrides, nature hikes and eco-friendly crafts made from recycled materials. Children can also climb oak trees and see the canopy with the help of park district foresters. For an extra fee, you can check out a one-hour animal encounter with Rob Mies of the Organization for Bat Conservation. Shows start at 12:30, 1:45 and 3 p.m. Refreshments from Uncle Bub's Barbecue will be on sale.
Give Back to the Earth Day, Old School Forest Preserve, Saint Mary's Road and Route 176, Libertyville, (847) 367-6640, lcfpd.org
Time: 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 22
Price: Free
The Lake County Audubon Society welcomes adults and children ages 8 and older to take a guided walk through the forest preserve. You can spot migrating birds, other wildlife, budding plants and spring flowers. Coffee and snacks follow. Afterward, stick around to help protect native species by pulling up invasive garlic mustard, which is a problem throughout Lake County. Gloves are provided.
Celebrate the Earth, the Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, (847) 426-6200, shopthearboretumsb.com
Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 25
Price: Free
The mall offers a full day of environmentally focused events and entertainment. From 10 a.m. to noon, you can catch a brief seminar on global changes followed by free screenings of "An Inconvenient Truth" and "An Arctic Tale" at the luxury Village Roadshow Gold Class Cinemas.
At noon, kids can see birds of prey from Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Stop by the Clean Air Mobile Museum Bus to view displays on air pollution, renewable fuels and tips on how kids can help the environment. A magician performs from 1 to 2 p.m. followed by a show from the Old Town School of Folk Music's Smart Cookies Duo from 2 to 3 p.m.
Earth Day Walk, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake-Cook Road, Glencoe, (847) 835-5440, chicago-botanic.org
Time: 1 p.m. Saturday, April 25
Price: Free
Guides will lead you on a 45-minute walk through the garden's 100-acre woods, where they will point out spring flowers and other plants in the naturally occurring oak woodland. They will also discuss how the forest has been restored and their efforts to deal with invasive species including garlic mustard. After the walk, check out the American Daffodil Society's national show, with more than 1,000 flowers on display. Until 5 p.m. you can learn about the differences between the 14 major divisions of daffodils and buy plants to take home.
New Tree Times, Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, (630) 968-0074, mortonarb.org
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 25-26
Price: $11, $10 for seniors, $8 for kids 2-17; includes admission
While supplies last, kids can pot a seedling to take home at the Children's Garden. They can also create a plant container out of newspapers and plant a seed in it so they can watch it grow.