Private Museum Experience
Book your private museum experience at Red Oak! Experiences can be booked on most weekdays (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and require a minimum of two-weeks notice. Your experience will consist of 30 minutes of private access for groups less than 30. Fee: $50. Call Red Oak at 630-897-1808 or email ROprograms@fvpd.net to book your experience!
Environmental Education Lessons
Programs for grades K-8 that follow NGSS standards, including:
- Kindergarten – 1st Grade: A Squirrel’s Life and Seasonal Hike with or without the Cave
- 1st Grade – 3rd Grade: Maple Tapping (Seasonally), Seasonal Hike, Eco-Detectives and Intro to the Forest
- 3rd Grade – 5th Grade: Survival Challenge, Habitat Study (Choose 1: Forest, Prairie or Wetland)
- 5th Grade – 8th Grade: Student Scientist
We also offer:
- On-site field studies for homeschoolers, parents and educators
- Rentable program bins (with lesson plans) for educators or homeschoolers
- Rentable, secluded educational spaces for teachers and homeschoolers
- Consultation on new curriculum
For more information and registration, contact roprograms@fvpd.net.
Programs
Celebrate the great outdoors at Red Oak Nature Center and Lippold Park with programs for families, youth and adults. The district’s No Child Left Inside initiative provides opportunities that encourage children to unplug from technology and get outside to enjoy recreational and educational activities.
School Programs (Field Study)
Fees: $4 in District / $7 out of District / $2 additional chaperones
Education Opportunities for Groups
Outdoor Education at Red Oak Nature Center and Lippold Park
Naturalists at Red Oak Nature Center offer outdoor school programs for Pre-K to 8th-grade classrooms in fall, winter, and spring. The programs encourage students to explore and investigate ecology, animals, habitats, biology, orienteering and more through hands-on experiences. All programs outlined in the school programs booklet align with CORE and Next Generation Science Standards. They also can be customized to fit specific curricula.
Naturalist in Your Classroom
Schedule a Red Oak Naturalist to visit your classroom. Programs are $60 per class and $30 each additional class for all schools. Programs are aligned with CORE and Next Generation Science Standards and are designed to work in conjunction with Level 1 and 2 of Winter Wildlife, Reptiles and Things That Make You Go Eew.
To schedule your next school program, please call 630-897-1808 or email roprograms@fvpd.net.
Scout Programs
Girl, Cub and Boy Scouts can earn badges throughout the year at Red Oak Nature Center. To schedule your next scout group outing, please call (630) 897-1808 or email roprograms@fvpd.net.
Snowshoeing is permitted in any of the District’s 168 parks and across the 48-mile network of trails. Enjoy the peace, beauty and serenity of winter in the parks. Whenever the snow cover is three inches or more, snowshoes are available for rent weekdays (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at the Red Oak Nature Center. For $5, you can rent a pair of snowshoes – poles included – to navigate across the white stuff.
Camps
The nature center offers children, nature-themed extended-day camps, original programs and more. Our environment lets them engage in outdoor adventures and activities such as canoeing, swimming, hiking and team games. Camp staff are experienced, CPR/First Aid–certified educators. View our camp offerings!
