Children in Illinois these days are spending little time outdoors. Parents need to step up and git their kids outdoors. This outdoor experience may have a long lasting impact on your child. For many this may be your child's first experience to Illinois natural world. By planning ahead you may tie your outdoor trip to their latest class teachings or just go for a fun play date outside. For all you know you might awaken a passion for the outdoors that will stay with your kid throughout their lifetime. An outdoor field trip is a great educational experience for all involved so go outside and have fun.

The state parks, natural areas, conservation areas, recreation areas, and fish and wildlife areas of Illinois has information on camping, hiking, biking, fishing, hunting, state park lodges and resorts, interpretive programs and many great ideas for places to visit and things to do in Illinois. I visited www.dnr.state.il.us

Did you know that Illinois has adopted may natural elements here a few: Illinois State Tree - white oak Illinois State Bird - cardinal Illinois State Fish - bluegill Illinois State Animal - white-tailed deer Illinois State Insect - monarch butterfly

Illinois many places to take your children outdoors here are just a few :

1) Truitt Hoff Nature Preserve DuPage County To reach it from Roosevelt Road (Route 38), turn north on Kress Road, then east on Downs Drive, then north on Industruial Drive. Truitt-Hoff Nature Preserve is located in the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Illinois Morainal Natural Division. 120.3 acres in size, the preserve encompasses high-quality mesic prairie, wet-mesic prairie, freshwater marsh, mesic silt loam savanna, and wet prairie natural communities.

2) Ferson's Creek Nature Preserve Kane County Location and Access: From the jct of Rt. 64 and Rt. 31 in the center of downtown St. Charles, head north on Rt. 31 for 0.75 mile. The preserve is on the east side of Rt. 31 on the banks of the Fox River. Ferson's Creek Fen is a wetland ecosystem situated along the west bank of the Fox River. The preserve lies on a glacial outwash terrace and alluvial stream bed. Two natural communities featured here are sedge meadows and wet floodplain forests. Occupying the core of the natural area, sedge meadows are the prevalent community and range from undisturbed, very high quality portions to segments of moderate quality. Scattered in small "cameo-like" areas of the sedge meadows are the characteristic calciophilic species such as fringed gentian, grass-of-parnassus, Kalm's lobelia, turtlehead and marsh wild timothy. Small bedstraw, great St. John's wort and northern fringed orchid are found in the sedge meadows. Wild rice is located on the edge of the marshy sedge meadow and the floodplain forest. The preserve provides nesting habitat for prothonotary warblers, blue-gray gnatcatchers, common yellowthroats and swamp sparrows. Excellent bird watching opportunities occur during spring migration. Purple loosestrife, glossy buckthorn and native brushy species are serious problems here. A volunteer stewardship group, active for the past six years, is working closely with the Park District to address the management concerns.

3)Black Partridge Woods Nature Preserve Cook County Location and Access: Lemont Road north across the Des Plaines River, continue on Lemont Road to 111th Street (Bluff Road), then west and southwest 1 mi. Black Partridge Woods in Cook County was one of the first dedicated nature preserves in Illinois. The river bluffs, ravine forests, and spring-fed streams represent communities typical of the Morainal Section of the Northeastern Morainal Natural Division of Illinois. The mesic forests are dominated by sugar maple, basswood, red oak and white oak, while the seep springs support skunk cabbage, marsh marigold, and a wide variety of spring wildflowers. Common animal species observed in the preserve include woodcock, gray squirrel, American toad, wood pewee, and red-headed woodpecker. The mottled sculpin, an uncommon bottom dwelling fish, occurs in the stream. Sculpins are restricted to cold and highly oxygenated waters like the stream at the preserve. Black Partridge was a chief and influential leader of the Potawatomi Indians in Illinois during the early 1800's. His village was once located approximately 20 miles north of Peoria, but he is known to have traveled widely in Illinois.

OK, you're not an outdoorsy folk but you know you children need to get outside. No problem their are many outdoor programs, classes and Illinois Summer Camps available in and around your home.

Finding Resident Summer Camps has never been easier. SummerCampAdvice.com is a wonderful online source for information.