Green Parent Chicago

Morton Arboretum's Children's Garden Celebrates 10 years

It's hard to believe that 10 years have gone by since the opening of the Children's Garden at Morton Arboretum.

Since then, countless children have meandered the paths, climbed the mazes, slid down the slides, splashed in the fountains and ponds, and learned about their connection to nature from a visit to the garden.

On Sunday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. the Children's Garden will celebrate its 10th birthday with a day of fun activities for kids and their families.

Here are some of the activities planned for the celebration:

LEGOLAND's Master Builder David Bray will demonstrate how a master builder creates amazing LEGO sculptures in celebration of our current exhibit, Nature Connects®: Art with LEGO® bricks by Sean Kenney.

Dance to the music of Earthsinger. Singer songwriter Dave Orleans will perform his nature-inspired songs for kids throughout the day.  

Make birthday treats for the birds.  

Blow colored bubbles onto a big birthday paper mural. This sensory-based art project will combine fun colors and fruity fragrances along with a favorite childhood pastime. 

Search for 10 unique trees throughout the garden. Celebrate 10 years with a scavenger hunt that takes visitors from clue to clue to find those trees that have had a big impact in the garden’s history.  

Try some goodies from the garden. Sample fruits and veggies as well as the less traditional edible flowers and insects.

Get your face painted. Pick from one of four fun nature designs.

Make a wish. Help the Arboretum celebrate by writing a wish for the garden onto a ribbon and decorating the trees with it.  

Children's Garden Admission is free with Arboretum admission.

-Christine

 

 

The 606 to Open in Early June With 2 Days of Festivities

One of Chicago's newest parks is set to open on the city's northside June 6 with 2 days of free events.

The schedule of events planned for June 6 and 7 at The 606 will include a procession/parade, music and dancing, a pancake breakfast, restaurant vendors and hands-on activities for all ages.

Located at the site of the abandoned Bloomingdale railway line, the elevated "urban oasis" runs along Bloomingdale Ave. (1800 N), from Ridgeway Ave. (3750 W) on the west to Ashland Ave (1600 W) on the east, through the Bucktown, Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, and Logan Square neighborhoods.

The new park will be linked to 5 existing parks at street level. It was conceived by an alliance between The Friends of The Bloomingdale Trail, the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, The Trust for Public Land, and dozens of other community groups. Construction took 2 years to complete.

The final design of the park space is credited to Collins Engineers, Lead Artist Frances Whitehead, and landscape designers Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates.

For a complete schedule of opening day events, visit: http://the606.org/events/openingday/

-Christine

 

Chicago Park District Wins Gold Medal, Named Top Park District in the U.S.

The Chicago Park District has won the Gold Medal for excellence in parks and recreation management.

According to a news release today from the park district's website, "Agencies were judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials."

The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, and agency recognition. The Chicago Park District is the first urban park district to win the prestigious award.


-Christine

 

Nature as Nurturing: An Educator’s Narrative to Motivate Nature Play

A soft breeze graces against our skin, birds chirp happily in the tree tops and the sweet smell of a magnolia tree perfumes the air around us. Many of us recall distinctive sensory memories from our time outdoors and nature poses a feast for the senses. Visual stimuli abound: greenery of all shapes and sizes, leaves garnished with edges from smooth to jagged, and an array of characters from pale brown squirrels to vermillion insects. Nature invigorates and nurtures all of our senses: visual, auditory, tactile and olfactory.

Nature offers a lot more to us than just sensory memories, however. Children around us often serve as a reminder of how enticing nature can be. Many teachers and parents can speak to how many times “Can we go outside?” has punctuated a topic at hand.

This is for good reason: nature offers a learning environment that is engaging while remaining calming and restorative. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have conducted several studies that indicate time spent outdoors can have a positive effect on reducing the symptoms of ADHD in students ages 5 to 18 across gender and socioeconomic statuses. This evidence was also observed in both a nationwide study and a preliminary study whereby students were monitored for cognitive challenges before and after a walk.

It seems that nature offers something analogous to a holistic reset button, an effortless way to experience calm and effective attention restoration. These therapeutic effects within nature may even have beneficial effects yet to be explored, including components such as reduced levels of domestic violence within the home and positive uplift for cancer patients. Many would argue that these therapeutics effects are important to note in an increasingly stress-inducing, medicating world.

“Well, what about in winter?” The results are even more striking. The therapeutic effects of nature can be at work literally through a window view. Besides gardening, hiking, and walking outdoors, we can still receive nature’s perks by simply looking outside to a natural view. Many natural changes are impressive and breathtaking to witness, and as an added bonus, these benefits are cost-effective and increase support and appreciation for the environment.

How do we cultivate a system for beating the winter blues, homework blues, or “need a moment” blues? Pursuing a course of nature perks can be simple, elegant and personalized in a way meaningful to an adult, family or child. Here are some suggestions:

Begin a nature journal: Use it to press leaves or wildflowers, describe nature observations and practice nature poetry.

Dabble into the world of field guides: birds, trees, wildflowers, edible plants, medicinal plants… name it and there is a field guide that educates on the topic. These are simple, inexpensive and easily available online or in a local bookstore.

Go on a nature walk: Make family time in nature. Have kids collect artifacts from their walk (leaves, pinecones, flowers, etc.) and help them to identify what they found. For kinesthetic learners , have them act out a skit of their favorite nature walk moment.

Create a monthly nature goal: Consider a nature-inspired family trip, new walk route, nature photography collage or intention to make homework breaks “outdoor” breaks. This is a great way to capitalize on diverse family interests and talents.

Cultivating time to look, react to and document what is happening in the natural world is an important role to be reinforced. Without being aware of the subtle peace and beauty within our natural landscape, much understanding of where our food comes from or what is so precious about our natural landscape will be lost to generations raised indoors.

From solar panels to beautiful gardens and biodiesel, people need to pay attention to their natural surroundings in order to fully appreciate all the complexity our environmental world can and should offer. Look to the kids asking to go outside or romping in a nearby park and remember that nature is the best teacher.

-Julie Ann Howlett is an Illinois-based educator and nature enthusiast offering educational services that promote environmental respect, holistic understandings, and compassion for your educational journey. Sign up for her e-newsletter with [email protected] or visit JulieAnnHowlettConsulting.com.

This article appears in the August 2014 issue of Natural Awakenings Chicago

Calling All Newbie Campers: Family Camp Out at Chicago Parks

The Chicago Park District has just announced its second year of Family Camping geared toward novice campers. For a single low registration fee, families can take advantage of guided nature hikes, marshmallow roasts, fishing, fire building demos and camping under the stars at some of the most popular parks in the city. 

Registration is now open for camping at Garfield Park Conservatory, Calumet Park, Bull Frog Lake in (in partnership with the Cook County Forest Preserve), and Northerly Island.

The Family Camping registration fee is $50 per family of up to six members, including children ages 6-12.

Check www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/nature for more information and to register.

-Christine

Chicago Parks To Continue Free Swimming Classes for Kids and Teens This Summer

The Chicago Park District will once again offer a free session of swim lessons to new enrollees age 6-17. The Park District initially offered the popular program this past January.

The first session (10 weeks) of Learn to Swim classes for kids and teens ages 6-17 will be free, when using coupon code FIRSTFREE. 

Fees will apply for Learn to Swim classes in subsequent sessions, or for an additional class in the same session.  The Learn to Swim fee is $22 for each 10 week session. (This fee may be waived for qualifying families.)

The FIRSTFREE coupon code can be used when registering online or in-person at the parks.

Chicago Park District pools and splash parks open Friday June 13. View this list to find a park district pool in your neighborhood.

-Christine

-photo credit: Chicago Park District

The 606 to Host "Trail Mix" of Events For Families and Design Enthusiasts

Chicago's soon to be completed new park, The 606, has a variety of events in store this summer around the city for families and those interested in the design and construction of the park, which is currently under construction along the site of the former Bloomingdale Trail.

"Trail Mix" kicked off on Tuesday with a conversation at The Darwin School Auditorium on native plants that will inhabit the park, and continues June 7 with a family bike ride and potluck at the McCormick Tribune YMCA.

Organizers say Family Days are geared toward children ages 3 to 12 and their caregivers and will include fun, hands-on activities. Evening events in the series are for adults who would like to join behind-the-scenes Conversations with experts working on The 606’s history, design and construction. All events in the series are free, but registration is required.

View the park's website for the full schedule of events and RSVP here.

-photo credit: The 606

Chicago's Upcycled Park: The 606

The newly renamed former Bloomingdale Trail is set to reopen as The 606 in the fall of 2014. Groundbreaking for the soon-to-be reconstructed space will commence this summer.

The trail, which currently consists of abandoned railway lines, will be reborn as a public park with 2.6 miles of elevated "recreational space" running along Bloomingdale Ave. (1800 N), from Ridgeway Ave. (3750 W) on the west to Ashland Ave (1600 W) on the east, through the Bucktown, Wicker Park, Humboldt Park, and Logan Square neighborhoods. The new park will also be linked to 5 ground level parks as well.

Expected to be a haven for bicyclists and pedestrians alike, The 606 will feature gardens, an observatory, a skate park, art installations, bench seating, and overlook sites. Planners estimate that more than 80,000 families, including almost 25,000 children, live within a ten minute walk of The 606.

h/t Chicago Tonight

Urban Green Space: Indian Boundary Park

While I live pretty far north to begin with, I would still make the drive to Indian Boundary Park from downtown and beyond. Seriously, take advantage of this warmish fall weather, pack a picnic, grab the kids and head to N. Rockwell and W. Lunt Ave for a mini city escape!  I have heard the word "magical" to describe this park and I couldn't agree more.

Upon arrival we walked past a row of heavily occupied tennis courts.  We followed the side-walked trail towards the playground and stumbled upon a fenced in area full of animals!  What!?  How did I not know this place even existed!?  We saw some chickens and a few goats and this made both of my children very happy.  There were even more cages, but either the animal was inside it's house, sleeping or didn't exist. Either way, this pleasant surprise set the precedent for the rest of the day.

The playground is a wooden one with tons of tunnels, bridges, nooks and crannies and secret hiding spots. It is completely maze-like with little castles, a wood constructed train and tons of tires to climb on and under.  It the center you will find a little sandbox that appeared to be well kept and clean (for a sandbox).  If this isn't enough, you have the option of sixteen swings to choose from.  My only gripe here is that the big kid swings are low riders, you really have to keep those legs up when nearing the ground.  And then the baby swings are set incredibly high.  Little strange.

My only concern with the playground is that it is incredibly hard to keep track of your children if you have more than one.  So many hidden areas make it easy for a kid to disappear, which can be more than a little nerve racking. While we were there a mom lost track of her young toddler and he ended up falling about three feet to the ground. Scary stuff.

Surrounding the park is the mini zoo, a large water sprinkler, tons of grass and trees, a lagoon full of ducks and a really cute field house. The field house is closed on Sundays (the day we visited) and the bathrooms on the outside of the house were locked as well.  I do know that the field house has a stage and that there are often free performances and concerts that are put on.  I wish I could describe it, but hope to check out the inside in a future visit (which there will be!).

We spent our time exploring the playground, saying hi to the goats and walking around the lagoon to check out the bird and butterfly sanctuary.  We loved all of the ducks, monarch butterflies and pretty flowers.

Love:  a unique playground, tons to climb, plenty of swings (one tire), trees, grass, lagoon, mini zoo, sandbox, bathrooms, drinking fountains.

Hate:  while I love the wooden playground, I hate the nails and splinters that come with, wood chips (even though they really make sense), low riding swings, hard to keep track of kids.

Special feature:  splash area, lagoon, mini zoo

-view more photos of Indian Boundary here.

-Elizabeth Faber is a stay-at-home mom, part-time substitute teacher and the author of the blog, Urban Green Space.  She enjoys getting out into the greener parts of Chicago and does so weekly by visiting a new park within the city with her husband, two kids and occasionally the dog.  Urban Green Space was created to share descriptions and completely biased reviews of Chicago’s great (and sometimes not so great) parks.