Creepy Critters Day aims to dispel myths in Naperville

Kids dug for worms in bins, investigated a rotten log and went on an offbeat scavenger hunt Monday as part of the third annual Creepy Critters Day at Naperville Park District's Knoch Knolls Nature Center.

But while it sounds like the kind of stuff sure to give you a case of the willies, in reality, the program was designed to do just the opposite.

"It's an opportunity to dispel myths about what people consider creepy critters," nature center Manager Angelique Harshman said.

The free four-hour program also included a Creepy Storytime presented by the Naperville Public Library and a chance for kids to make crafts that included spider masks and dangling spiders.

They also could stick their hands into mystery boxes that contained slime and pretend maggots, learn about spiders and snakes, and come face-to-face with a box turtle named Sheldon and his distinctly red eyes.