Age group

Pond

River

Playground

Skokie's Emily Oaks Nature Center and Preserve is the perfect place for families to explore the great outdoors! This 13-acre nature sanctuary is packed with native wildflowers, grasses, oaks, a two-acre pond, and trails. It's also home to a variety of urban wildlife, like Great Blue Herons, Coyotes, Flying Squirrels, Northern Water Snakes, Red Foxes and Cooper's Hawks. 

The center itself also features the Woodland Wander Inn, a fun interactive experience for kids. As if that wasn't enough, the center also offers classes and meeting rooms, plus special programs that help scouts earn badges. If you're interested, be sure to make reservations as soon as possible. With so much to explore, Emily Oaks Nature Center and Preserve is the perfect place for families to learn, grow, and make memories.

Boating/canoeing

Nature

Hiking

Sportsfield activities

Rope Course

This early learning program combines traditional preschool activities with outdoor discovery and exploration. A majority of your child’s day will be spent naturally learning through outdoor play. Children will use tools to conduct simple science experiments; learn about plants, animals and habitats; observing the changing seasons; and play freely in nature. Children must be toilet-trained.

Growing Sprouts

Emily Oaks offers outdoor skills and nature exploration to earn scout badges. Reservations are required for all groups, so please make reservations as early as possible. 

Scout & Youth Groups

Emily Oaks Nature Center offers a tremendous variety of outdoor programming for all ages. Evening campfires, canoeing, adult outdoor adventure trips, and local geocache treasure hunts are among the many programs offered.

Outdoor Program

Coed

Preschool

Kids

Tweens

Emily Oaks Nature Center

Our preferred nature center is this one. It's not just a beautiful and serene location, but it also features some of the top environmental programs for kids that I've ever discovered. We reside in Chicago, but regularly attend Emily Oak's programs to go canoeing, lighting campfires, having fun in the mud, etc.

Jane D

With the kids, we enjoyed a great stroll, and everyone was fantastic. Even though it's only a few minutes from our house, it's a fantastic step away from civilization. I only wish it were a little more remote and wild. When the small ones are a bit older, we'll surely look at their educational offerings.

Shiela H

Such a great, active way to celebrate Environment Day! The staff was really helpful and hardworking.