The start of the 2023 summer break meant a lot of time in the car for us as we traveled first to New York, and then, shortly after our return to Maryland, to Illinois to visit family. As we have done in the past, on our way out to Illinois, we stopped briefly at River Oaks County Park in Galesburg, MI to visit with friends. I’ve blogged about this park before, and it did not disappoint! If you are passing through the area, find my blog post, and check this park out. Playground plus splash pad equals fun time for all!
Once we’d arrived and settled into my in-laws condo outside Chicago, I started looking for more things to do with the girls. On one hot, sticky morning, I took Stormy and Pebble to the Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center in Willow Springs, IL. Rainbow refused to go due to the heat, and stayed home with her dad. The Center is located at 9800 Willow Springs Rd. in Willow Springs, and is easy to locate! There is plenty of parking, too, and restrooms in the Visitor Center.
After I parked the van, Stormy took Pebble by the hand and towed her off down the path to the Little Red Schoolhouse. It had been a few years since we’d last visited, but Stormy remembered the old schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was built in 1886, and was moved to this site in 1952. Since 1955, the one room schoolhouse has been a place for children and adults alike to learn about the natural world. We went inside the schoolhouse, and checked out the exhibits. Both Stormy and Pebble tested out the old fashioned desk and chair that schoolchildren once used.
From the schoolhouse, we took the walkway over to the Visitor Center, stopping to see the birds in the aviary on our way. Once inside the Center, we took a right and walked over to see the exhibits. There is a large Native American wigwam, a whole host of animals to see, a turtle pond, and more. The girls and I slowly walked down the ramp to lowest level, where the turtle pond resides, checking out the exhibits as we went. Both girls stood in one of the dinosaur footprints etched into the floor to see if they fit. They did with room to spare! It is an amazing space with lots of great exhibits. My girls loved the turtles and the axolotls.
We braved the heat, and took a short walk down to a bird blind on Longjohn Slough. We didn’t see many birds, but we did spot some fish, and there were teeny-tiny toads hopping on the trails.
On our way back to the Visitor Center, we stopped by the Nature Play Area. Sadly, it was just too hot for the kids. We went back inside, and checked out the children’s interactive area. Both Pebble and Stormy promptly pulled out a floor puzzle, and set to work completing it. Once they’d finished the puzzle, we packed it in, and headed back to my in-laws.
We had plans that afternoon, and couldn’t linger long at the Nature Center. The heat was also intense. I’m hoping someday I will be able to explore more of the trails here. The trail network in Cook County is amazing, and definitely worth exploring either on foot or by bike. If you have children, this nature center should be high on your list of places worth a visit! They also have a lot of programming throughout the year, and Stormy was sad that we wouldn’t be in town for some of the events. It was a fun morning out, a mini-adventure. Happy trails!
https://fpdcc.com/places/locations/little-red-schoolhouse-nature-center/
