💐Spring Bucket List 2024

Kish Kids Family Club

Upcoming Events 3-5 p.m.

Sunday, April 7

Sunday, May 5

Sunday, June 2

First Week Reminders

The first week of Spring hosts daily reminders to appreciate nature and your well-being!

• Vernal Equinox Tuesday, March 19 officially at 10:05 p.m. 🌈

• International Day of Happiness 😁 Wednesday, March 20 

• Spring Equinox Walk at Russell Woods, Wednesday, March 20 3 p.m.

• International Day of Forests and Trees Thursday, March 21 🌳

• World Water Day 🌊Friday, March 22

• Earth Hour Saturday, March 23 8:30 p.m.🌎

• National Spring Cleaning Week begins Sunday, March 24 ✔️ Natural Cleaning Recipes 🧼

Outdoor Spring Events throughout DeKalb County 💚

• DeCarbon DeKalb’s EarthFest Thursday, April 18 at the Egyptian Theatre  

• NatureFest Saturday, April 20 Genoa at Russell Woods Natural Resource Education Center

• DeKalb Park Cleanup Monday, April 22

• City Nature Challenge Friday, April 26 through Monday, April 29

• The Great Garlic Mustard Hunt on the first Saturdays of May and June help DeKalb Park District clear invasive species 

Visit a local park for fun activities-check out these resources to get out and about!

Playgrounds 🌱

• DeKalb Park District Parks Parks & Facilities

• Genoa Park District Interactive Map

• Sandwich Park District

• Sycamore Park District Parks Amenities Guide

• DeKalb County Visitors Bureau Guide to area parks and recreation

Preserves🌳

• DeKalb County Forest Preserve

Disc Golf ⛳

• Prairie Park DeKalb

• Pioneer Park Kirkland

• David Carroll Memorial Citizens Park Genoa

Cycling and walking trails and pathways 🚴

• Check out All Trails for recommendations and ride details

• Printable Bike Trail Maps from DeKalb County

Dog Parks 🦮

• Sycamore’s Brian Bemis Family Dog Park

• Katz Dog Park in DeKalb 

• DCCVB list of pet-friendly areas throughout the county

Or play right in your own neighborhood 🐿️

• Download the iNaturalist app and be a citizen scientist! iNaturalist is a free app that allows you to connect with nature, record your findings, share with other naturalists and even discuss your findings. Did you find some wild geranium or spy a Northern Yellow Sac Spider? Discover other sightings in your neighborhood! 

• Take a walk and bring a bag for trash🚮

  • Have a grabber toy collecting dust? Bring it to help you and your family keep our neighborhoods clean and safe.

• Start a nature journal.✍️

  • Take any notebook, or begin with a single page and add as you go. Chart the weather, track growth of plants coming up, document animal visitors. Encourage your littles to draw pictures, too. Upcycle some cardboard to make a cover that expresses YOU!

• Draw a Nature Sound Map

  • Find something to draw on (hint the blank side of a used piece of paper, a flap of a cardboard box). Find a location outside to sit that you can close your eyes. Draw yourself in the middle or write your name to start your map. Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear? A bird? What direction is it coming from-is it behind you? Draw a bird on your map. How many sounds can you draw? Take your time and check this activity out for more details.

• Back in January, Kish Kids Outside highlighted DeKalb Library STEM kits that you can check out to use. Sycamore Library also has kits to check out-and you can use your library card at BOTH libraries! Some include binoculars or pocket microscopes, and all include many ways to learn about the natural world! And soon the DeKalb Park District will have STEM backpacks to check out and use in the parks, too! Stay tuned, we are creating a webpage with all the details.

Show the Earth 🌏some extra care this April and every month!

• World Wildlife Week 🦅begins Friday, April 5

• Solar Eclipse 😎Monday, April 8 at 1:58 p.m.

• National Park Week 🌲begins Saturday, April 20 

• Earth Day is Monday, April 22

• City Nature Challenge begins Friday, April 26

• Keep a supply of trash pick up and recycle items at sites you visit

Some more fun dates to celebrate🥳

• Harmony Day Thursday, March 21

• International Day of Zero Waste Saturday, March 30

• International Kids Yoga Day 🧘Friday, April 5

• May Day Wednesday, May 1

• World Migratory Bird Day Saturday, May 11

• World Bee Day 🐝Monday, May 20

• National Trails Day  Saturday, June 1

Spring sky events 💫

Head out to enjoy the stars on these new moon dates.

🌚Monday, April 8 (Head to the NIU Observatory on Monday nights!)

🌚Tuesday, May 7

🌚Thursday, June 6