Hurray for Spring! Come join us for our latest round of hikes.Where can you get out for two hours with your whole family, learn a new skill, create a craft and enjoy nature all for only $5? At the Homeschool Hikes located in various free parks throughout Kankakee & Will County in Northern IL, of course! Hikes are multi-leveled to encourage children to become “Mini Professers” and share what they have learned. Even mom and dad will learn something new! Kids are encouraged to bring Scout handbooks & 4H Project Mauals as hikes can be geared towards those intrests. We hike reguardless of weather, except for the few times when the weather prohibits outdoor activity (ie. below -10 & tornados). Anything else is just a walk in the park! Come out and join us, won’t you? ******************************************************************************
**Rte 133 West: 6 miles past Rte 17, Kankakee on right side of road is a parking area. All hikes start at 11 am and are 2 hours, unless specified. Hikes are $10 per family-drop-in or $5 with pre-registration (call me or send me an email at darivar@sbcglobal.net) . Invite your family & friends, everyone is welcome! Remember to bring sun screen, hats, and dress appropriately. I also recommend you bring drinking water. Being engrossed in a new pursuit can take our minds off of the necessity of drinking water throughout the day. It makes the walk a bit more of an adventure and is also eco friendly. No need to add to the litter with throw away plastic water bottles. Hikes are a great opportunity to talk with the your children about conservation and respect for nature. They reinforce the values of being respectful toward creation and of leaving things the same way you found them. Plus, fresh air and sunshine keep you happy and healthy. Some tools and stuff to bring along:
| DATE | SUBJECT | LOCATION |
| 11-Aug | Fossils | Mazonia-Braidwood |
| 25-Aug | Harmful & Helpful Insects | Rock Creek-State Park |
| 8-Sep | Leaf Collecting | The Woods |
| 22-Sep | Mollusks | Rte 113 West**(location change) |
| 13-Oct | GPS | Limestone Park |
| 27-Oct | Scavenger Hunt | Evans-Judge Preserve |
| 10-Nov | Wilderness Survival | The Woods |
| 24-Nov | Birds of Field & Forest | CANCELLED |
| 8-Dec | Mammals of IL | The Woods |
| 22-Dec | Winter Tracking | The Woods |
| 12-Jan | Winter Twigs | State Park-Archery Range |
| 26-Jan | Weather on the Plains | Perry Farm |
| 9-Feb | Orienteering | Limestone Park |
| 23-Feb | Outdoor Cooking | Davis Creek |
| 9-Mar | Cartography | Forsythe Woods |
| 23-Mar | Spring Edibles | Limestone Park |
| 13-Apr | The Frog Thing | Riverfront Park |
| 27-Apr | Spring Flowers | Aroma Preserve |
| 11-May | Aliens! | Kankakee State Park West of Chippewa Campground |
| 25-May | Native Grasses | Shannon Bayou |
| 8-Jun | Map & Compass | Limestone Park |
| 22-Jun | Native Plants-Prarie | Braidwood Dunes |
| 13-Jul | Making a Field Guide | State Park-Archery Range |
| 27-Jul | Hidden History | Riverfront Trail |
- Binoculars
- Microscope
- Small telescope
- Drawing tools like colored pencils, crayons, markers and sketch pads
- Digital camera or other camera
- Tape Recorder for recording sounds
- Magnifying Glass
- Small vials or plastic jars for collecting samples
- Diggging tools like small shovel or spoon
- Walking Sticks
- Metal Detector
- a trash bag, if the weather turns to rain or to pick up trash
- Scout books
- 4 H project books
- Back pack for carrying all your stuff
- Questions, comments & thoughts!
