October 2017
Pumpkin Patch
Do you love pumpkins? Then get ready for some hands-on pumpkin play! Explore pumpkins inside and out, make pumpkin project, and take your own pumpkin home. Ages 2-3
Find out more »October 2019
Pumpkin Patch
Do you love pumpkins? Then get ready for some hands-on pumpkin play! Explore pumpkins inside and out, make a pumpkin project, and take your own pumpkin home.
Find out more »January 2020
Friends of the Forest
NEW! Come train to be a ranger or a naturalist! Learn the secret ways of the forest, develop wilderness skills and befriend plants and animals as you explore Lyman Woods in new ways.
Find out more »March 2020
Backyard Naturalists – Winter Critter Shelter
You don't need a forest next door to learn about nature! Come hang out with a Lyman Woods naturalist after school. By exploring the Lincoln Center's backyard we'll learn all about the fascinating creatures you can find in your own neighborhood, as well as work on projects you can use to observe and attract wildlife at home.
Find out more »July 2020
Campfire Desserts
Do you think that a s’more is the only dessert you can cook over the fire? Think again! There is so much more you can do! Join one of our instructors and learn about all the fun dessert food you can cook over a campfire. Try your hand at a few different recipes in this 90-minute class. Each family will get a copy of the recipes to take home. This will be one amazing smelling and tasting class! Fee is…
Find out more »January 2022
Nature Play Day
School's out! Drop in and join other adventurers to explore and play in our Wild Woods! Unlike school, you decide what your next assignment will be- build a fort, explore the woods, play games, or just relax in nature. Please bring a lunch for all-day participants. Breaks provided for snacks brought from home. In case of severe weather, the program will take place indoors.
Find out more »March 2022
Wild Night Out
Spend your Saturday night cooking dinner around the campfire, hitting the trails and searching for nocturnal animals! End the evening with an indoor project. Hey Parents, want a night alone? This is a perfect program to give you some time to yourselves! Program takes place indoors and outdoors, so please dress for the weather.
Find out more »Extreme S’mores
Are you tired of the same old S’mores? Do you have a great idea for a new S’more recipe? Participate in our S’more-making contest, the best S’more will be added to our Campfire Cooking class! We will provide the regular s’more ingredients and a few extras for practice. Please bring the ingredients you believe will make your S’more extreme! Please register everyone attending. An adult must accompany their child(ren) during this program.
Find out more »April 2022
Lumberjack Family Game Night
Put on your best flannel and grab a taste of the Northwoods! Explore forest legends, become an “axepert” with some fake axe-throwing, enjoy log-rolling, flapjacks over the fire, and more in an evening of forest fun and games! Please register everyone attending.
Find out more »September 2022
Grandparents Day Adventure
Celebrate Grandparents' Day at beautiful Lyman Woods! Spend time creating lasting memories with your grandchildren as you explore the outdoors, learn about nature and make a take-home keepsake together! Please register each child attending. An adult must accompany their children.
Find out more »Honey Harvest
Get buzzing and discover the amazing world of honeybees! Learn how bees make honey and see firsthand how honey is extracted. Try your hand with the hot knife or extractor, and have a taste of wild Lyman Woods honey. Fee is per person, so please register everyone who will be attending. Adults must accompany their children. Sessions are 9:30am - 11:30am or 1:00pm - 3:00pm.
Find out more »Nature Walking Tours
Please sign up in advance and enroll all family members attending. Take a guided stroll through a beautiful natural area to see rare plants and abundant wildlife. Each tour will highlight plants in bloom, special animals one might find, and fascinating local history from pioneer times and beyond. The Gilbert Park tour will include Maple Grove Forest Preserve. September 17: Belmont Prairie October 1: Lyman Woods November 6: Gilbert Park December 3: Lyman Woods
Find out more »October 2022
Halloween Parade – SOLD OUT
Come join us at Lyman Woods for a fun day of Halloween activities! Please wear your costume and get ready for some spooky Halloween games. There will be Bozo Buckets, an obstacle course and a campfire with s’mores. The most impressive family costume could win a visit with one of our animals! Fee is per child, an adult must accompany their child(ren) during this program. No charge for infant siblings under 12 months. For information on more events like…
Find out more »January 2023
Animal Encounters
Join us at Lyman Woods to meet and greet our nature center's special residents. Help feed our animal friends and learn about turtles, snakes, lizards and more!
Find out more »March 2023
Animal Encounters
Join us at Lyman Woods to meet and greet our nature center's special residents. Help feed our animal friends and learn about turtles, snakes, lizards and more!
Find out more »Animal Encounters
Join us at Lyman Woods to meet and greet our nature center's special residents. Help feed our animal friends and learn about turtles, snakes, lizards and more!
Find out more »Full Moon Campfire Hikes
Did you know that the full moons have names? Explore the seasonal changes tied to the moon on a guided night hike. Observe the moon (weather permitting) and enjoy stories and s'mores around the campfire. This program takes place outdoors so please dress for the weather. An adult must accompany their child(ren). Please register everyone attending.
Find out more »Leapin’ Leprechauns
Try out your luck this St. Patrick’s Day season and catch some leprechauns at Lyman Woods! We’ll play St. Patrick’s Day-themed games and learn about the holiday’s traditions as we hunt for four-leafed clovers, leprechauns and even a pot o’ gold at the end of the rainbow! For information on more events like this, check out our roundup of St. Patrick’s Day Events.
Find out more »Campfire Cooking
Looking for a fun way to eat out with your family? Join us each month for our campfire cooking classes! Each class will focus on a different dish. We’ll walk you through ingredients, materials needed for your fire, prep, and cooking! This class is open to all ages, but each person needs to sign up so we have enough yummy materials! An adult must accompany their child(ren).
Find out more »We do our best to provide comprehensive, accurate and useful information about events and activities. This information (such as times and locations) is gathered from press releases, websites, signs around town and word of mouth. However, details change and people make mistakes, so please confirm the details before you go. Kidlist is not responsible for any problems that occur while participating in activities listed on this site.
Submit an Event
Click on the button above to submit an event to the Kidlist calendar. We welcome everyone to submit events, given that they are family-friendly, free and/or drop-in, and are local for families in the western suburbs of Chicago. All submitted events are reviewed by the Kidlist team.