Registration Information

Registration for school programs begins in August and can take place anytime during the school year if openings exist. Contact the staff below to register for their respective programs. If you wish to schedule a Cross-Curricular Full-day Field Trip, contact the appropriate staff for one of the programs you’re interested in, and they can help you set up your field trip day.

General Information

Programs at Our Site

Programs at Forest Preserve sites are offered for a morning, afternoon or all-day slot. Depending on your travel time and the length of the program, programs can begin between 9 and 10 a.m. or 12 and 1 p.m. Please remember to check bus/school schedules before contacting us to avoid holidays and school activities.

In order to offer quality programs, class size is restricted to 24 students for preschool classes and 30 students for grades K-12. Special arrangements may be made for those teachers needing to accommodate a full bus. Please contact us for details.

Children other than students are not permitted. One adult chaperone is required for every 10 students. Chaperones are expected to stay with the group at all times, provide classroom management, and participate in the activities.

Classes are invited to bring picnic lunches for before or after programs. Please advise the Forest Preserve District educator when you make your registration if this is planned. Lunch facilities are available outside or inside, depending on the weather. Restrooms and drinking fountains are located nearby.

In-Class Programs

If your class cannot come to us for a field trip, consider an in-class program. Our educators can tailor a visit to meet your classroom needed. Presentation length varies from thirty minutes to one hour per classroom. Call to discuss any idea you have for your class. This experience could be scheduled for one class or multiple classes.

Contact Us

Patrick Ahasic
Environmental Education
(217) 896-2455

Selena Gonzalez
Historical Education
(217) 586-2612

Fee Structure

Teachers and chaperones are free.

On-Site and In-Class Programs	County	Fee Per Student
PreK	Champaign County	$1.50
K-12	Champaign County	$2.00
PreK	Out-of-County	$2.00
K-12	Out-of-County	$2.50

Education Programs

After you have decided on a program, please pick a location to visit. Three forest preserve sites are available:

Homer Lake Forest Preserve in Homer: This site features the Natural Playscape, trails, Homer Lake, upland and bottomland forest and more!
Middle Fork River Forest Preserve in Penfield: This site features the District’s largest prairie restoration initiatives and temporarily our Interpretive Center (through 2027).
Lake of the Woods Forest Preserve in Mahomet: This site offers easy access from most areas, and features a large prairie restoration area and our Museum of the Grand Prairie. It is located directly off of I-74 and only minutes from Champaign-Urbana.

All programs include portions, if not all, outdoors. Students must dress appropriately for the weather.

Programs at the Museum of the Grand Prairie

Historical programs are offered at the above locations but at the Museum of the Grand Prairie we can incorporate our exhibits. Please remind students and chaperones that gum, drinks and food are not allowed in the museum.

Most visits include presentation, discussion, topic-related student activities, and a tour of several museum galleries. Free exploration of gallery interactives is not included.