Evanston Ecology Center birthday parties, programs and classes focus on environmental education, natural history and conservation. Please register early! Classes fill quickly; please call us at 847/448-8256 for class status.

The Ecology Center is located at 2024 McCormick Blvd. Scholarships are available to qualified Evanston residents for Evanston Ecology Center classes. All our programs take place at the Ecology Center unless otherwise noted.

Pre-registration required for all classes and programs with a class number. Please call 847/448-8256 to register or for questions.

For the City of Evanston Arts & Recreation link to the same information in .pdf form, please click here.

Birthday Parties

Information and Guidelines

The Evanston Ecology Center offers a 90-minute to 2-hour party program for ages 4 and older (15-child maximum). A staff member leads nature-oriented games and hands-on activities for 45 minutes, then the room is open for treats and activities of your own. You supply decorations and treats. Questions? Please call 847/448-8256 or see below for details.

• Fee: Birthday party prices are as follows: Resident: $175; Non-resident: $200; EEA member: $150 (so sign up now for membership in the EEA and get lots of other great discounts, too!). This includes the two hour building rental. A $25 non-refundable deposit is required for reservations.
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• Availability: Parties are available through Memorial Day from 10am to 4:30pm, Monday through Saturday. Reservations are required at least two weeks ahead. Not all dates and times are available due to other Ecology Center Programs.
• Facility: The Ecology Center classroom is used for the birthday party rental . We have several six-foot tables and chairs. You are welcome to come 1/2 hour early to decorate the room as you wish (please no sequins, confetti, or piñatas). There are washrooms and a drinking fountain, but there are no kitchen facilities available.
• Guidelines: Alcoholic beverages and smoking are prohibited in the Ecology Center. There is maximum of 15 children in addition to the birthday girl or boy, and a ratio of 1 adult to 5 children is requested. You are responsible for cleaning up after your portion of the birthday party. We will clean up our supplies from the program portion.

Birds of A Feather: Discover some astounding facts about our flying feathered friends, the birds! We will look at local songbirds, feathers, nests, and make an edible bird nest to take home!

Bug Birthday: Get to know the most numerous of the Earth's inhabitants, insects! Learn about their exciting lives and even go on an insect scavenger hunt! Make your own bug to take home.

Animal Party: Learn about some of the wonderful animals that call Evanston home. We'll even take out some of the Ecology Center's critters for a visit. A set of rubber stamps will be used to make a take home project.

Rocks, Fossils and Dinosaur Bones: Explore the secrets from the Earth's past by looking at rocks and fossils and learning about the animals that lived here long ago. Make your own fossil replica to take home.

Space Out: This party is way out there! Learn about what's in our solar system, celestial bodies and other things that are out there. Make your own model comet to take home.

Reptile Romp: Learn about Evanston's reptilian residents, who they are, how they live and where they live. You'll even get to meet some reptiles up close! Make your own reptile to take with you.

Compass Course: (ages 8 & up) Are you a survivor? See if you and your friends can find your way through a compass course in the arboretum. You'll learn how a compass works and how to use it. Each participant gets a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

Nature Rubber Stamping: (ages 8 & up) Make amazing artwork with nature-themed rubber stamps. Learn to use different techniques and media to make create a wonderful finished product! Each child will make a set of three cards to take home.

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Special Event

Saturday, June 13
CHEERS Canoeing Expo

Does recreational activity on local waterways affect our health? The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), School of Public Health, began a three-year collaborative study in 2007 about the health effects of water exposure during recreational use of the waterways, including the North Shore Channel. This research will be the first U.S. study to address the health of individuals who engage in limited-contact water recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and rowing. Known as the Chicago Health, Environmental Exposure and Recreation Study (CHEERS), the study will enroll 9,300 volunteers by the end of the three-year period.

The volunteers will be recruited from three different activity groups 1) people who have no water contact during recreation; 2) people who boat, fish, canoe, kayak or row in Lake Michigan, the Skokie Lagoons and the North Shore Channel upstream of the North Side Water Reclamation Plant; and 3) people who engage in these activities in all other Chicago area waterways.

Volunteers will be recruited at seven sites along the Chicago Area Waterways. On the North Branch/ North Shore Channel, recruitment sites will include boat launches at North Avenue, Clark Park, River Park/Ronan Park, and the Skokie Rowing Center. In cooperation with the CHEERS study, the Ecology Center is reserving Saturday, June 13 for anyone who might like to participate in the study.

You will be asked a series of questions before you paddle on the canal and again when you return. You’ll also receive several follow-up phone calls. It’s a great opportunity to be a part of a study for developing better environmental water quality standards. Participants will receive T-shirts, as well as other products from UIC. Just sign up for a time slot; we’ll provide canoes and instruction. For details or to reserve your space, call the Ecology Center at 847/448-8256. More information is available at www.cheerschicago.org.

Location: Ecology Center
Age: 5 & up (children must be accompanied by adult)
Fee: Free
Length: 1 session

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Family Ecology Programs

Canoe the Canal

“Canoe the Canal” is back! Our June 21 trip is a Father’s Day excursion. Basic canoe instruction and safety is covered before heading out. Please register by phone or in person at the Ecology Center only. Programs will be held unless there is lightning; dress appropriately. 847/448-8256.
Location: Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: 5 and older
Fee: $17, EEA member; $20 R/$22 NR
Fee, child age 5-11: $6, EEA member; $8 R/NR
Length: 1 session

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Citizen Science: Be an Urban Bird Monitor

Citizen Science can be fun for the whole family! You can be part of an ongoing national urban bird monitoring program. Learn the most common birds in our area and how to easily identify them. We’ll also do a monitoring session and record our findings with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All of this can be repeated at home as often as you like! Be sure to register all participants. 847/448-8256.

Age: 3 yrs. and older
Fee: $4.50/person
Length: 1 session

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Arboretum Bike Tour

Join the Ecology Center staff for bicycling in the Ladd Arboretum. On our bike trip, we’ll cover bicycle safety and make periodic stops for stretching and snacks. Everyone (adults, too!) must wear a properly-fitting bicycle helmet and bring a bike in good working order. 847/448-8256.

Location: Meet at the Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: Varies; see below
Fee: $4.50 per person
Length: 1 session

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Middle School Back to School Canoeing

Have one last summer blast before heading back to school. Learn basic and advanced canoeing strokes and follow the challenge course. Please register by phone or in person at the Ecology Center. Programs will be held unless there is lightning; dress appropriately. 847/448-8256.

Location: Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: Entering grades 6-8
Fee: $10 per person
Length: 1 session

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Free Access to Fishing

This popular free program, which is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is a great way to introduce children age 5-15 to the “catch and release” process. Equipment, bait and fishing expertise are provided! Access to Fishing will be held every Saturday morning at Lovelace Park, Gross Point Road at Thayer St. through October. Note the new time: 10am-noon. No license is needed for those under age 16. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Questions? Please call 847/448-8256.

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Fishing Frenzy

Bring a young person (age 5-15) for a special fishing day at Lovelace Park from 10am-noon on Sat., July 11. This program piggybacks on our Access to Fishing program (listed above) and is sponsored by the Evanston Playground and Recreation Board. Along with the usual equipment and bait, we’ll have experts on hand, casting workshops, give-aways and snacks. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Once you learn how, you can keep coming to the Access to Fishing every Saturday through October. This program is FREE!

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Teen & Adult Classes

Green $olutions Pest Control

Learn some recipes and techniques for controlling garden pests. These treatments are nontoxic to humans and use everyday household items. 847/448-8256.
Location: Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: 13-18 yrs.
Fee: $25 per person
Length: 1 session

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Re-purposing Old Clothes

In this class, you will re-use everyday items to make something that is actually useful to you! Bring in old T-shirts, and we’ll show how to give them a new life. Price includes other materials needed. 847/448-8256.
Location: Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: 16 & up
Fee: $25 per person
Length: 1 session

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Beauty Products

Make it yourself! We’ll show you how that chemistry you learned, but thought you’d never use, can help make your house greener. We’ll make everyday items out of non-toxic ingredients. You’ll go home with at least one finished product and recipes for more products that you can make on your own. 847/448-8256. Price includes other materials needed.
Location: Evanston Ecology Center
Age Level: 16 & up
Fee: $25 per person
Length: 1 session

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