This list provides resources for educators and families going on community outings with young children. Turn to your local park districts and public libraries for close-to-home activities and programs for young children and families.
Tip Sheets
Blogs
Project Examples
Discover opportunities for all-day play, where interactive exhibits in children’s museums in Illinois encourage kids to engage in a creative environment and learn along the way.
This website provides a list of farmers markets in Illinois.
This website provides a listing of all the national parks within the state of Illinois with basic information, maps, alerts, and conditions about the parks.
This page contains a list of public libraries in Illinois.
National parks are great places to explore anything kids can imagine. Go on an outdoor adventure. Walk in the footsteps of famous people. Take in unique scenery. Explore new interests. Experience real places you may have only heard about. But most of all, national parks are places where you can have fun and create memories that last a lifetime.
Visit museums and cultural centers in Illinois and experience culture from Illinois and beyond. See history museums, art museums, science museums and more.
From Illinois Beach on the Lake Michigan shore and the wonders of Starved Rock, to the rolling hills and river bluffs of the Northwest, to the prairies and streams in the heart of the state, and the vast hardwood forests and world-renowned wetlands of Southern Illinois, the Land of Lincoln has much to offer. There is no better way to appreciate this diversity than by enjoying the recreational opportunities offered at Illinois’ state parks, fish and wildlife areas, and conservation areas, on our lakes and rivers, and in our forests. Whether you enjoy hiking, camping, wildlife watching, fishing, hunting or boating, Illinois has an ideal destination for you to explore, or to visit and just relax.
The Historic Sites Division of the agency oversees 56 historic sites and memorials across the state, covering more than 2,000 years of Illinois history. Twenty-six of these offer public programs, educational opportunities and events that bring each site to life. To learn more, click on a site name, select a region of the state to explore or plan a trip around a particular topic or era.