Corvid Crazy

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

No, not *Covid*, Corvid! That's the scientific name for our bird buddies the crows, ravens, magpies, and more! But how can you tell them all apart? Don't fear, we're here to explain! Join us for this bird rundown and you'll be confused "nevermore"!

High Fliers: All About Bats!

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

There’s only one kind of flying mammal in the whole world? And they play an important role in their ecosystems? Holy Chiroptera, Batman! From flying foxes all the way to vampire bats, let’s learn all about these amazing aeronauts!

Boneheads

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

We’re looking at the scientific side of spooky today! We’ll get hands-on with skulls and bones – both real and fake – and uncover why animals look and act the way they do. What did these skeletons do in their past life?     This workshop is for children ages 4-9 accompanied by an adult. …

Creeps of the Deep

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Deep below the waves... where the sunlight doesn't go... that's where the weirdest of fish lurk in the darkness. Join us in discovering the giants, the glowing hunters, and the see-through creatures that call this abyss their home.

Build-Your-Own Eclipse Box!

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Get ready for the Solar Eclipse tomorrow! Drop in any time between 6:30 and 8:30pm and our science staff will help you build a Box Viewer! You can use these in place of safety glasses to view the solar eclipse. This program is free and open to the public - registration is optional but available …

Little Shop of Carnivorous Plants

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

"Feed me, Seymour!" We're stepping into the freaky flower shop to learn the how's and why's of Flytraps, Sundews, Pitcher Plants, and other meat-eating plants, plus learn the secrets of owning your own.

Campfire Cryptids

Field Community Center - 935 Woodbine Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

What’s that going bump in the night? Bigfoot? The Mothman? What about the Ogopogo or the Honey Island Swamp Monster? Who are these creatures, anyway? Come discover the legends of these mythical creatures and more while roasting marshmallows and coming up with some cryptids of our own!

Attack of the Invasives!

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Reports of UFOs and Aliens? Not this time - we're talking about invasive species from right here on Earth. Join us for a talk about the biggest invaders in our area, how to spot them, and what to do if you see one in the wild!

Please Pass the Eye of Newt

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Eye of Newt and Toe of Frog… wait, did you mean mustard seed and sage leaves? Herbalists used to guard their secrets with spooky names, and we’ve cracked the code! Come join us as we decode some witchy recipes and maybe make a few of our own!   This workshop is for children ages 5-10 …

Real Life Zombies

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

The living dead? In MY animal kingdom? It's more likely than you think. Some creatures can get sick in a way that leaves them "zombified". Join us to explore this spooky side of science.

National Bison Day

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Today's the day we celebrate our National Animal! The bison is a symbol of American wilderness, and we're giving them some love today through crafts, games, and other hands-on fun.   This workshop is for children ages 5-11 accompanied by an adult. Adults are expected to stay for the duration of the workshop - it …

Women in Nature – National Parks

Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center Main Room - 167 Forest Avenue, Oak Park IL 60302

Some of the earliest naturalists and conservationists were women, and we’re here to give them the spotlight. Each month’s lecture features a different area of the natural world, and 2-3 women who studied it, or still are today. This month's theme is the American National Park System, and we'll be discussing Marjory Stoneman Douglas and Herma …

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