May 2010 - HIKING TO THE CAVE
I love free adventures. With the weather turning nicer, let’s get outside and explore. There is so much to discover at The Red Oaks Nature Center. We began our trip in the Nature Building itself. There were many touch and feel items available to offer an in- depth look at snake skins, turtle shells, flowers and trees. The kids really enjoyed pretending to be a honey collector wearing the protective helmet and gear. There is also a living honeybee hive that you can view from inside the room that is very intriguing.
The Wildlife Room has many living animals including snakes, turtles, fish, and frogs. This room gives a close up look at animals in their habits, as well as a fun way to learn more about each animal through games and puzzles. The Shrinking Room is full of mirrors that range in size and shape to give yourself a whole new look. I personally liked the tall and skinny mirror!
The best part of our adventure was walking in the woods toward Devil’s Cave. We decided to checkout a nature bag (for free) from the center and take it with us. We were given a treasure map to find a hidden treasure box on the grounds. We began our journey following the clues and soon discovered the hidden treasure. We continued through the woods to the cave where the kids played in, out, and around for quite some time. With a little imagination, a cave can provide hours of entertainment! If you are willing to explore a bit, you can find many trails and gullies to travel. We also brought a picnic lunch and ate in the woods. The nature bag provided many ideas to make our hiking both educational and entertaining. My kids have a fantastic sense of imagination, so we spent about 2 hours exploring the grounds and playing in the cave.
The Red Oaks Nature Center is located at 2343 S. River Street, Batavia, IL 60510. Phone number is 630-897-1808. Website is www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org. Hours are weekdays 9am-4:30pm, weekends 10am-3pm. Admission is Free. The center does plan special activities such as family fun nights, Maple Fest, and Scout merit badge activities.
Kristen Kucharski
