A good Tribe holds regular meetings and attends Federation events. A GREAT Tribe adds outings and special activities to their program. Add a few outing dates to your tribe calendar when you first organize for the upcoming year. The actual activities can be decided later.

An outing can be as simple as a backyard picnic or as ambitious as a Tribe Campout. Make your outings family events; invite tribe alumni or friends too! Occasionally, an outing might replace a regular tribe meeting, but it is far better to make your outings separate, special events.

Ultimately, an outing is just something you do with your kids. If you have trouble getting tribe participation - just take your own kids, or go with one other family - then tell your Tribe at the next meeting what they missed. And, outings can be spontaneous too. If you are planning to take your kids somewhere special, or if you unexpectedly discover something fun, think about asking other families from your Tribe to join you.

• Have a family picnic, hot dog roast, campfire (marshmallows, s'mores!)
• Hold a tribal baseball game, volley ball game, tennis, badminton, croquet, bocci ball, etc.
• Go bike riding
• Go to an ice cream parlor
• Play miniature golf
• Hike in a forest preserve
• Campout at Blackwell Forest Preserve
• Visit a nature center
• Enjoy a grade school or church carnival
• Attend a high school event -- football, theater, or music show
• Pick apples
• Ride a Hayrack (try Johansen Farm)
• Visit a haunted house for Halloween (not good for younger kids!)
• Have a tribal Christmas Party
• Go Christmas caroling
• Visit a convalescent home, sing with the residents, do puzzles, etc.
• Go sledding (and drink hot chocolate).
• Make a Totem or otherTribe property
• Make Canoe-on-Wheel cars.
• Build kites for the Kite Fly
• Host a special Movie Night -- Rent a video, serve popcorn!
• Overnight at a Tribe member's home, or at a hotel.
• Have a ribe breakfast
• Go skating or bowling
• Visit a fire station or police station
• Make your own pizza at a Domino's (just call one and ask)
• Have a pizza party at Chuck E. Cheese
• Tour a Dunkin Donuts (just call one and ask)
• Tour a Jewel or Dominicks (just call one and ask)
• Visit a model train Club
• Visit a museum or historic site
• Attend a sporting event
• Enjoy a community event.

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Facilities and Resources

Use these links and lists to find information on places you might want to visit.

• Outdoor Activities
• Zoos, Aquariums, Nature Centers
• Arcades, Amusements, Theme Parks
• Shows, Performances, Festivals
• Museums, Historic Sites
• Sporting Events
• Government and Industry Tours
• Other Ideas

FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT OF DU PAGE COUNTY
Forest preserves near Downers Grove offer abundant outdoor activities.

BIKING
The Downers Grove area has an extensive network of marked bicycle routes and trails through local parks or forest preserves. The nearby Prairie Path is a highlight in a system that includes several hundred miles of interconnected bicycle trails. (See also Hiking).

HIKING
Many of the same trails used for bicycling (see above) are also excellent for hiking. But if you want to avoid conflict with bicycles, try the hiking trails of the Morton Arboretum instead.

CAMPING
One of the best local spots for family camping is Blackwell Forest Preserve

BOATING, CANOEING, RIVER RAFTING/TUBING
(No information available at this time.)

FISHING
For basic information about fishing, call the Forest Preserve District of Du Page County at (630) 871-6401. The District also maintains a 24-hour Outdoor Report Hotline at (630) 871-6422 with current information on what lakes and baits are producing the trophy catches. Closer to home, there are many public ponds in our area -- most have enough fish to keep young anglers entertained.

TOBOGGANING
A total of fourteen slides are available at five locations (see below). Slide surfaces require 4 inches of snow and a constant temperature of 20 F. to maintain the ice film. Slides are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily when weather conditions permit. Use of personal toboggans is permitted following inspection. Toboggans can be rented at slides marked with asterisk (*).

• Bemis Woods* - Ogden Ave., west of Wolf Rd.
• Dan Ryan Woods - 87th and Western Ave.
• Deer Grove - Grove No. 5. north of Dundee Rd. west of Quentins Rd.
• Jensen Slides - Devon Ave., east of Milwaukee Ave.
• Swallow Cliff* - Rt. 83 west of Mannheim Rd. (Rt. 45).

SNOW TUBING
You can find winter snow tubing at Blackwell Forest Preserve

HORSEBACK RIDING [phone list]
Private stables commonly do not offer trail-rides and rentals, but a few phone calls should be all it takes to find stables that do.

FULLERSBURG WOODS ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER
3609 Spring Rd Oak Brook, IL (630) 850-8110

LITTLE RED SCHOOLHOUSE NATURE CENTER
9800 104th Street Willow Springs, IL 60480, (708) 839-6897

WILLOWBROOK WILDLIFE CENTER
525 S Park Blvd Glen Ellyn, IL (630) 942-6200

MORTON ARBORETUM
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle IL 60532-1293, (630)-968-0074

BROOKFIELD ZOO
8400 31st St Brookfield, IL (708) 485-2200

FERMI LAB - buffalo herd and other prairie life
Kirk Road and Pine Street, Batavia IL (630) 840-3351
Three miles north of I-88/Farnsworth exit.

SHEDD AQUARIUM
1200 Lakeshore Drive Chicago IL, (312) 939-2438

GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY
300 N Central Park Ave Chicago, IL (312) 746-5100

LINCOLN PARK ZOO
2200 N Cannon Dr Chicago, IL (312) 742-2000

NEED MORE HELP?
Phone List

GRADE SCHOOL OR CHURCH CARNIVAL
Young kids love these things! Phone your school or church to learn what is planned.

CHUCK E. CHEESE pizza and arcade
7409 S Cass Ave Darien, IL (630) 964-0740

PAPA PASSERO'S - pizza and arcade
6326 S Cass Ave Westmont, IL (630) 963-7660

ENCHANTED CASTLE - arcade, laser tag, indoor miniature golf.
1103 S Main St Lombard, IL (630) 953-7860

MINIATURE GOLF
Phone list - there are a lot of courses.
But first try the nifty low-cost 18-hole course at McCollum Park.
68th and Main in Downers Grove (You won't be disappointed!)

BOWLING
Phone list - dozens to choose from!

ROLLER SKATING
Phone list - plenty of choices!

SEVEN BRIDGES ICE ARENA
6690 South Route 53, Woodridge IL 60517, (630) 271-4423

DOWNERS GROVE ICE ARENA
5501 Walnut Avenue, Downers Grove IL 60515, (630) 971-3780

WHIRLYBALL
800 E Roosevelt Rd Lombard, IL (630) 932-4800

BLACKBERRY FARM VILLAGE
100 S. Barnes Rd., Aurora, IL 60506, (630) 892-1550

SANTA'S VILLAGE
601 Dundee Ave Dundee, IL (847) 426-6751

KIDDIELAND
8400 W North Ave # 1 Melrose Park, IL (708) 343-8000

LAMBS FARM
I-94 and Route 176, Libertyville IL, (800) 525-2627

WILD WEST TOWN
8512 S. Union Rd. Union, IL 60180 (815) 923-2214

SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA
542 N Route 21 Gurnee, IL 60031, (847) 249-4636

NEED MORE HELP?
Phone list

LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL EVENTS
Plays and Musical Performances. Many are excellent! Call to see what is planned.

LOCAL COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Village of Downers Grove hosts a summer festival, professional bicycle races, winter ice carving competition, and many other events. To learn what other nearby communities have to offer, call their Parks Department or Chamber of Commerce.

SANDWICH FAIR - old-fashioned country fun in early September.
About 40 miles west of Downers Grove in Sandwich IL

CIRCUS
Watch your local entertainment listings.

DISNEY ON ICE
Watch your local entertainment listings.

CHILDREN'S THEATERS
Phone list

PUPPET SHOWS
Phone list

CONCERTS AND OTHER MUSICAL EVENTS
Watch your local entertainment listings. Visit Grant Park in the summer - free!

ELMHURST MODEL TRAIN CLUB
100 S. York Building, Elmhurst IL (630) 530-9584

OLD GRAUE MILL - and wooly mammoth skeleton at Fullersburg Woods!
1/4 mile north of Ogden Avenue, at the junction of York and Spring Roads
Oakbrook IL, (630) 655-2090

NAPER SETTLEMENT
523 South Webster Street, Naperville IL 60540, (630) 420-6010

FOX RIVER TROLLEY MUSEUM - outdoor train and trolley cars
On Illinois Route 31, three blocks south of State Street
South Elgin, IL (847) 697-4676

ILLINOIS RAILWAY MUSEUM
Union IL (Near Elgin) (815) 923-4000

CANTIGNY GARDENS AND WAR MEMORIAL
1 South 151 Winfield Rd. Wheaton IL 60187-6097, (630) 260-8161

GAR MILITARY AND VETERANS MUSEUM - Civil War memorial, Aurora-related military memorabilia.
23 E. Downer Place, Aurora IL (630) 897-7221

FABYAN VILLA MUSEUM - Historic home, Japanese gardens, Dutch windmill
Routes 31 and 25, Geneva IL 60134, (708) 232-4811

SCI-TECH - Children's interactive science museum
18 West Benton Street, Aurora, Illinois 60506, (630) 859-3434

LIZZADRO MUSEUM OF LAPIDARY ART - Rocks and stone artworks
220 Cottage Hill Ave. Elmhurst IL 60126, (708) 833-1616

CERNAN EARTH AND SPACE CENTER - at Trinton College
2000 Fifth Avenue, River Grove IL 60171, (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3372

CHICAGO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
700 East Grand Avenue at Navy Pier Chicago IL 60611-3428, (312) 527-1000

MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
57th Street and Lakeshore Drive, Chicago IL 60637, (773) 684-1414

FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
1400 S. Lakeshore Drive, Chicago IL (312) 922-9410

ADLER PLANETARIUM
1300 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago IL, (312) 322-0304

ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago IL 60603, (312) 443-3600

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
220 East Chicago Ave. Chicago IL, (312) 280 2660

VICTORY AIRCRAFT MUSEUM
28944 N Gilmer Rd Mundelein, IL 60060-9618, (847) 949-6626

FORT SHERIDAN MUSEUM - see the fort
Building 33, Fort Sheridan IL 60037

NEED MORE HELP?
Phone list

HIGH SCHOOL Football, Basketball, Wrestling, etc. (It's so easy!)
COLLEGIATE Gymnastics, Football, Basketball, etc. (Not very hard to find)
CHICAGO BEARS Football
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Hockey
CHICAGO BULLS Basketball
CHICAGO CUBS Baseball
CHICAGO FIRE Soccer
CHICAGO MOTOR SPEEDWAR Auto Racing
CHICAGO WHITE SOX Baseball
CHICAGO WOLVES Hockey
KANE COUNTY COUGARS Baseball
SCHAUMBURG FLYERS Baseball
POLO Naperville or Oak Brook - relatively inexpensive, neat to watch!

Take a commuter train ride
Stay overnight at an Air Force Base
Helicopter Rides
Watch skydivers
Go on a fossil hunt