Wildwood Scout Program

Wildwood program fees are per child, with a minimum payment for fewer than ten children equivalent to the fee for ten children. Several programs can be brought to your location for a higher offsite fee.

For more information and availability, please contact us at 847-232-8746 or by email.

120-minute Program

• Resident - $6.50 per child (minimum $65.00)
• Non-Resident - $7.00 per child (minimum $70.00)
• Offsite Resident - $7.50 per child (minimum $75.00)
• Offsite Non-Resident - $8.25 per child (minimum $82.50)

Wild Walkabout - coincides with Mountain Lion Adventure (60 minutes)
Discover the six Cub Scout Essentials of Hiking and what to do if you are separated from the group, then put your knowledge to the test on a learning hike!

Green Thumbs - coincides with Ready, Set, Grow Adventure (60 minutes) *best in spring or fall*
Scouts learn about gardening and see Wildwood’s gardens. Learn what seeds need to grow and where the food we eat comes from. Say “hi” to a garden helper and plant seeds to take home.

Neighborhood Nature - coincides with Backyard Jungle Adventure (60 minutes)
Take a walk around Wildwood, looking and listening for birds, bugs, and other wild creatures. Use tools to look close and far, then head back to build a birdhouse or birdfeeder!

Wilderness Explorers - coincides with Tigers In The Wild Adventure (60 minutes or 90 minutes
with campfire)
Hike around Wildwood, searching for plants and animals and discovering information about the Cub Scout Essentials, Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace Principles as you go. Then head back to Wildwood to meet our animal residents! Can also add on a 30 minute campfire for songs and stories (and s’mores if desired).

Starry Night - coincides with Sky Is The Limit Adventure (60 minutes)
This night adventure points our eyes to the skies as we look for objects we can see in the night sky, using tools to enhance our vision, and learning more about constellations. As you hike, find more information about astronauts whose adventures began in scouting, just like you!

Green Scene - coincides with Fur, Feathers, and Ferns Adventure (90 minutes)
Take a hike along the Des Plaines River Trail, searching for signs of native Illinois flora and fauna and using tools to take a closer look. Back at Wildwood we will meet some animals, explore composting, and discuss extinct and endangered creatures. In case of poor conditions along the river or for programs that take place after sunset, we will stick to Wildwood’s grounds.

Bait and Tackle - coincides with A Bear Goes Fishing Elective Adventure (90-120 minutes)
*best between late April and early October*
Learn about fishing: the laws, the tools, and the fish! Then grab a rod, practice your casting, and head out to fish! Longer programs also explore how to set up a pole and how to fix common problems with rigging.

CSI: Nature - coincides with Forensics Elective Adventure (90 minutes)
Explore forensics and its use in solving crimes through fingerprinting, chromatography, and analysis of common household substances. Then meet some of Wildwood’s animals and learn how animals help in the world of crime solving!

Science Sleuths - coincides with Super Science Elective Adventure (90 minutes)
Stretch your science muscles through explorations of static electricity, density, chemistry, and buoyancy with common household science. Learn the basics of lab safety, hypothesize, and record your data.

Wildwood Hiker - coincides with Paws On The Path Adventure (90 minutes)
Scouts hit the trails, exploring Leave No Trace, the Outdoor Code, the Buddy System, and the Six Essentials as we head off towards the Des Plaines River Trail for a mile long hike! In case of poor conditions along the river or for programs that take place after sunset, we will stick to Wildwood’s grounds.

Navigation - coincides with Finding Your Way Elective Adventure (60-90 minutes)
Map makers take your marks! We are exploring different maps and making our own. Then we break out compasses to find our way around Wildwood in a giant game of CLUE.

Dinosaur Dig - coincides with Digging In The Past Elective Adventure (60-90 minutes) *food activity with 90 minute program only*
Junior paleontologists explore those “terrible lizards” of the past through a dino dig and dinosaur games. We’ll see real fossils from Illinois and make fossils to take home. For 90 minute programs we will also make edible fossils (peanut/treenut free) and meet dino cousins!

Nature Knowledge - coincides with Into The Wild Elective Adventure (90 minutes)
Explore the ecosystems around us, and learn more about extinction, bird flyways, aquatic habitats, and food chains.

Tree Talk - coincides with Into The Woods Elective Adventure (90 minutes)
Learn how to identify plants of the woodlands and prairie. Find out how trees and other plants are used by humans and wildlife.

Rocks Rock - coincides with Earth Rocks! Adventure (90 minutes)
Explore the geology of Illinois - the history of a land shaped by inland seas, lakes, glaciers, and even meteorites and earthquakes! Go on a rock hunt and see how to identify different types of rocks.

Campfire Cooking - coincides with Cast Iron Chef Adventure (120 minutes) *does not fulfill the planning requirements - scout group brings the ingredients and eating utensils*
Put your culinary skills to the test over a roaring campfire, using different cooking utensils such as skewers, pie irons, foil packs, and dutch ovens. See how to set up your fire, then prepare your ingredients and start to cook your meal!

Daisies Petals/Journey Options

Respecting Resources – Coincides with CLOVER PETAL (1 hour for troops with less than 15 girls, 1.5 hours for larger troops)
Girls read Clover’s story and talk about respecting resources. Make recycled paper, explore worms and composting, and make an animal collage out of old recycled newspapers and magazines.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – coincides with ROSIE PETAL (1 hour)
Girls read Rosie’s story and talk about ways to make a difference. Make a recycled necklace, play a recycling game, and go on a hike to clean up the Wildwood ponds and prairie.

*Daisy Clover/Rosie Petals Combo* ‐ combines both of the above programs in a faster paced 90 minute program, without the animal collage – (90 minutes)

Growing Gardens – Coincides with BETWEEN EARTH AND SKY JOURNEY (no specific award) (1 hour)

• Lovely Leaves (Late Fall)
  Learn about trees and leaves – go on a hike looking for different shapes of leaves and trees, make bark rubbings, measure tree heights, and do fun chlorophyll experiments in the classroom.
• Sleepy Seeds (Fall/Winter)
  Learn why the seeds are falling asleep – how do seeds travel, what does a seed need to awaken in the spring, and engineer a flying seed. Go on a hike to find hitchhiking and floating seeds in the prairie and woodlands, and make seed bombs to take home.
• Fancy Flowers (Spring/Early Fall)
  Learn about flowers and how plants work through scientific drawings, flower dissections, plant experiments, and a nature hike. Explore how different parts of the plant make up different parts of the flower. Learn how prairie burns help the flowers and forbs of our prairie and explore soil.

Animal Care Squad – Coincides with 5 FLOWERS, 4 STORIES, 3 CHEERS FOR ANIMALS JOURNEY (Birdbath Award)(1 hour)
Girls meet several of Wildwood’s animal friends and discover how Wildwood’s staff takes care of the animals, by feeding them, cleaning up after them, exercising them, helping them have fun, and even grooming them and giving ;them medicines. Girls might help give the ferrets their vitamins, feed an animal, or help groom them, and will be able to relate how these things relate to taking care of themselves!

Daisy Additional Options

• Campfire Program – add 30 minutes to a current program to add a campfire. Bring supplies for roasting marshmallows to make s’mores if desired.
• Campfire Meal – 60 minutes. Bring supplies for roasting hot dogs and making s’mores.
• Citizen Science – add citizen science into a hiking program or we can design a program based around a citizen science project and learning about what citizen science means
• Buddy Camper – 60 minute outdoor campfire and intro to camping and hiking
• Outdoor Art Maker – a 60‐90 minute outdoor program with an art focus*
• Space Science Explorer – 60 minute exploration of space and the day/night sky*
• Math in Nature – 60‐90 minute exploration of shapes, pattern and design in nature*

Brownie Badges

All programs satisfy the five requirements for that badge. Some programs may be weather dependent to fulfill all requirements.

Entomology Etiquette (Bugs badge) *Weather Dependent* ‐ 90 minutes
Scouts are properly introduced to one of Wildwood’s special bug friends as they talk to a real bug specialist. Make a bug poster craft, explore bug homes, and hit the trails for a bug hike and some bug watching.

Sensational Science (Home Scientist badge) *Food Activity* ‐ 90 minutes
Scouts don their imaginary lab coats and goggles while they experiment with density and static electricity, create a bubbling chemical reaction, and make a fun science experiment to play with. We finish up with a tasty scientific treat. Please let us know if there are any dairy, egg, or latex allergies, as we will be playing with balloons and making homemade ice cream.

Optional ‐ Bring your own recycled water bottles – scouts make density or static electricity bottles to take home

Walking through the Wild Woods (Hiker badge) *Weather Dependent**Food Activity* ‐ 60‐90 minutes
Scouts strap on their hiking boots for this adventure, as an expert guides them on the trail. Scouts go on a quick hike around Wildwood to get used to hiking, pack a snack, and gear up. Then we set out for the wilderness right in our own backyard on the Des Plaines River Trail. Please let us know if there are any allergies.

Nature Sense (Senses badge) *Food Activity* *Weather Dependent* ‐ 90 minutes
Scouts use all five senses during their exploration of Wildwood Nature Center and grounds. We head out on a microscope scavenger hunt, listen for birdcalls, and collect different textured items. Then we follow our noses back for some mysterious tasty treats. Please let us know if there are any allergies.

Pet Partner (Pets badge) ‐ 90 minutes
Meet Wildwood’s pet pals and learn what they need to keep them happy and healthy. Make enrichment items (toys and tools to keep animals’ brains engaged) and follow a diet chart to feed an animal friend a tasty treat!

Letterboxing Adventures (Letterboxer badge) *Weather Dependent* ‐ 90 minutes
Scouts learn about letterboxing as they observe the world around them, seeking out new places, making their own unique stamp, and practicing solving clues. Then they put those skills to use as they search for a letterbox using Wildwood’s special Girl Scouts clues and code. Scouts also make a scrap paper notebook that they can put into their very own letterbox at home.

Brownie Journeys

WOW – Wonders of Water Journey

Love Water options ‐ 90 minutes each

• Water Cycle and Rainbows (Year‐round)
  Discover the water cycle with a bead game following the journey of a water droplet. Then explore the making of rainbows and play with the different states of water – liquid, solid, and gas.
• Ponds and Wetlands (Spring – Fall) *Weather Dependent*
  Do a pond dip to explore the creatures that live in the pond. Learn about the unique features of a wetland.
• Chemistry and Physics (Spring – Fall) *Weather Dependent*
  Learn about water chemistry, explore pH, and explore different properties of water with water walls, tubes, and pipes.
• Fishing (Spring – Fall) *Weather Dependent*
  Learn how to fish and go fishing in the pond.
• Weather (Fall – Winter)
  Explore what makes weather work, learn about different clouds, and make weather tools to take home.

Save Water options ‐ 90 minutes each

• Des Plaines River Cleanup (Spring – Fall) *Weather Dependent*
  Scouts take a walk along the Des Plaines River with gloves and bags to clean up and protect the surrounding area, both close to the river and a bit further up. This program travels along the Des Plaines River off Wildwood’s grounds, provided that the river is not in flood stage.
• Wildwood Pond Cleanup (Spring – Fall) *Weather Dependent*
  Scouts explore the area around Wildwood’s pond and do a pond clean up of the trails surrounding the pond where garbage can get washed into the water via the rain. Scouts may also want to use nets to scoop garbage out of the pond itself. Explore how difficult it is to clean up water once it has been made dirty, and engineer a way to clean up an oil spill.

Brownie Additional Options

• Campfire Program – add 30 minutes to a current program to add a campfire. Bring supplies for roasting marshmallows to make s’mores if desired.
• Campfire Meal – 60‐90 minutes. Bring supplies for roasting hot dogs and making s’mores.
• Citizen Science – add citizen science into a hiking program or we can design a program based around a citizen science project and learning about what citizen science means
• Outdoor Art Creator – a 60‐90 minute outdoor program with an art focus

Other interesting badges we can explore together include:

• Design with Nature
• Numbers in Nature
• Shapes in Nature
• Space Science Adventurer
• Camping Basics

Junior Badges

Animal Mysteries - Coincides with DETECTIVE badge (1.5 hours)
Are your scouts super sleuths? Are their observational skills finely honed? Then it’s time to put on our detective caps and solve a mystery. Which animal suspect was the culprit? We test those observational skills, practice our crime scene investigation by matching fingerprints and handwriting samples and using invisible ink. Finally, scouts have the chance to see the crime scene and compare evidence to the animals in the animal room. Can you solve the mystery? (Fulfills all requirements to earn badge)

We usually go on a hike at the end if the weather is good once all requirements are fulfilled. We practice our observation skills out on the trails. If the weather is not good for going out, we finish with a visit to the classroom by different animals.

Geocaching – Coincides with GEOCACHER badge (1.5 hours) 90 minutes
Are you still a muggle? GPS got you down? Join a worldwide game of hide and seek with geocaching! It’s a treasure hunt and a hike all in one, as we follow GPS coordinates to find a hidden box or clue. This program is mainly outdoors, and allows scouts to learn what geocaching is and how to use a GPS. We also create SWAG items to add to our first solo geocache, follow the travels of a Travel Bug, and go out on their very first geocaching adventure! Best done in fall, summer or spring. (Fulfills all requirements to earn badge)

This would be an outdoor badge, best done any time that there is no snow on the ground. This program is done with the Maps App on a mobile phone with GPS enabled. The more GPS enabled phones are available, the easier it is to split into smaller groups.

Home Sweet Home – Coincides with ANIMAL HABITATS badge (1.5 to 2 hours) 90 minutes at Wildwood, 120 minutes along the Des Plaines
See what animals make their homes at Wildwood, inside and out. Experiment with building an animal home of your own. Observe the behavior of a rabbit, prairie dog, turtle, snake or more in the animal room, then travel outside to see how a tame animal might be different from its wild relatives. Explore a prairie or woodland habitat and do your part in keeping it clean for the animals that live there. Different animals are more likely to be seen at different times of the year. (Fulfills all requirements to earn badge)

Add an additional half hour to your program to hike and clean up the Des Plaines River Trail.

Flower Power – coincides with FLOWERS badge (1.5 hours)
Come see the flowers of Wildwood’s prairie or woodland! Search for healing flowers and get creative with real and fake flowers! See how water moves through plants with a fun color experiment and a flower dissection. Flowers bloom at various times throughout the year, so this program is best done in the spring, summer or early fall. (Fulfills all requirements to earn badge)

Juniors Get Moving! Journey

Green Energy – Coincides with GET MOVING! JOURNEY
We can customize a unique energy-themed learning experience with leaders to earn your ENERGIZE badge by doing two energy themed activities. Investigating Wildwood’s energy use and doing a lightbulb comparison will go towards earning your INVESTIGATE badge, and we can help you design and share an energy improvement plan at our Earth Day Event to earn your INNOVATE badge.

Energize options:

• Investigate and Insulate (1.5 hours)
  Explore energy use, different types of energy gains/losses, experiment with how insulation affects energy needs.
• Sustainable Energy (1.5 hours)
  Engineer wind and water wheels and explore how they create energy.
• Eco-Art Creations (1.5 hours)
  Make upcycled art out of recycled materials.

Juniors Additional Options

• Campfire Program – add 30 minutes to a current program to add a campfire. Bring supplies for roasting marshmallows to make s’mores if desired.
• Campfire Meal – 60 minutes. Bring supplies for roasting hot dogs and making s’mores.
• Campfire Cooking – 90 minutes to 120 minutes – use dutch oven, foil packs, and pie irons to cook over a campfire (limited dates)
• Citizen Science – add citizen science into a hiking program or we can design a program based around a citizen science project and learning about what citizen science means.

Other interesting badges we can explore together

• Design with Nature
• Numbers in Nature
• Shapes in Nature
• Space Science Investigator
• EcoCamper
• Outdoor Art Explorer

Cadet Badges

Animal Assistants – Coincides with ANIMAL HELPERS badge 1.5 hours)
Use an ethogram to observe the behavior of one of Wildwood’s animals. Discover how animals can be trained, even though we don’t speak the same language. Fulfills 4 of 5 requirements

Operation: Nature – Coincides with the SPECIAL AGENT badge (1.5 hours)
A crime has occurred on the Wildwood grounds. It would appear that some poor animal victim has been…eaten! Girls use their deductive skills to determine who is the culprit, and who is the victim, before it strikes again! Girls test their human crime scene analysis as well, taking fingerprints and watching body language for any sign of a liar. Can you solve the crime? Fulfills all 5 requirements

Nighttime Nature – Coincides with NIGHT OWL badge (1.5 hours)
Visit Wildwood at night to explore some of Illinois’ nocturnal animals. Take a night hike, using all five senses to see if we can find raccoons, owls, bats, and more! Learn how to find and identify constellations of the season, and make up a story of a constellation all your own. Fulfills 4 of 5 requirements. Add 30 minutes for a campfire option.

Tale of the Tree – Coincides with the TREES badge *Food Activity* (1.5 hours)
Follow the life a tree from start to finish. Plant a tree from a seed, make a special “tree”‐t from the fruit of the apple tree by cooking your own applesauce, and explore the tree species that call Wildwood home. Then use the seeds of Wildwood’s trees to create a fun craft. Learn about how wood is used in this area, and track the travels of local lumber. Fulfills all 5 requirements

Green Energy – Coincides with GET MOVING! JOURNEY
We can customize a unique energy‐themed learning experience with leaders to earn your ENERGIZE badge by doing two energy themed activities. Investigating Wildwood’s energy use and doing a lightbulb comparison will go towards earning your INVESTIGATE badge, and we can help you design and share an energy improvement plan at our Earth Day Event to earn your INNOVATE badge.

Air To Spare – Coincides with BREATHE JOURNEY (1.5 hours)
We can customize a unique air themed learning experience with leaders. Girls might want to do science experiments using air, take readings of pollution levels, and learn how acid rain creates problems in a wetland environment. Girls might take a night hike to explore noise and noise pollution in our area, or follow their noses to pleasant (and unpleasant) smells in the process of earning their AWARE badge. Or ask about ways to serve and share in our community on your journey to earning the ALERT and AFFIRM badges.

Scents and Sounds

• Exploring different scents, how animals use scent to follow trails and send signals, mixing different scents and seeing if we can match them
• Design a sound wall out of recyclables
• Engineer ways to measure sound
• Show how sound travels in a wave and make a model eardrum

Pressure and Power

• Stomp Rockets
• Wind Turbines
• Design things that float in wind tunnel
• Design parachutes and hot air balloons
• Show how heat rises

Air We Breathe

• Design air pollution catching devices to measure air quality in different locations
• Make a lung model/listen to lungs/test breath capacity
• Explore Air Quality Index and pollution’s effect on different communities