Exploring • Hiking • Discovering & More!

Looking for a unique scout program that meets your badge and activity requirements? Bring your group out to Hickory Knolls! To schedule an adventure, contact Emily Shanahan at 630-513-4393 or eshanahan@stcparks.org

Guided Program Option (Cub and Girl Scout topics listed below)

Enjoy the trails and exhibits of Hickory Knolls with a trained educator who will lead you through hands-on activities to help scouts earn badge requirements.

• All programs last one hour and are held at the Hickory Knolls Discovery Center
• Guided Program Dates and Times- please contact us for your reservation
• Fee is $50 for a group of up to 15 scouts, $5 per additional scout or participating child
• Adult leaders and parents are free

Naturalist staff available to assist with individual scouts working on Bronze, Silver or Gold Awards or an Eagle Scout Rank.

GIRL SCOUTS

Daises

Daisy Shapes in Nature

Discover the beauty of nature by searching for shapes and patterns in natural objects and creating art by the things you see.

Animal Observer

You can learn a lot by watching animals. Be an animal observer and meet our animal ambassadors, search for animals in their natural habitat, and play a game.

Eco Learner

Learn ways you can give back and protect nature when you go outdoors. Discover how to keep living things safe when you enter their habitat and how to clean harmful things like trash from nature.

Brownies

Brownie Shapes in Nature

Look carefully at nature to be able to track and graph natural objects. Explore patterns through symmetry and tessellations. Even discover how tessellations appear on living creatures.

Bugs

Bugs are helpful in cool ways. Investigate bug habitats, see bugs in action, and make a bug poster.

Hiker

Learn what you need to know to become a Brownie hiker and put it to practice.

Juniors

Junior Shapes in Nature

Nature is a talented artist, identify natural patterns based in math and learn how to create your own. Explore bilateral and circular symmetry as well as fractals and the Fibonacci sequence.

Flowers

Dig up the secrets about flower science, closely examine their parts, and discover how flowers are helpful to people.

Animal Habitats

Find out more about wild animals and their behaviors and habitats. Meet the animal ambassadors, and explore how to help protect endangered animals and their habitats.

BOY SCOUTS

Lion Cub

Mountain Lion

Learn the acronym S.A.W. then using the Cub Scout Six Essentials, explore the outdoors and identify manmade vs natural objects. Meet the animal ambassadors and which behaviors set domesticated animals apart from wild animals.

Tiger Cub

Tigers in the Wild

Learn about the Outdoor Code, then using the Cub Scouts Six Essentials, explore the outdoors. Look for trees and describe why they are helpful. Meet the animal ambassadors and how domesticated animals are different than wild animals.

Wolf Cub

Paws on the Path

Identify appropriate clothing and footwear for outdoor activities and learn about the Outdoor Code and Leave No Trace Principles for Kids. Using the Cub Scout Six Essentials and the buddy system, explore the outdoors and identify domestic and wild animals that could be seen.

Bear Cub

Bear Habitat

Learn various outdoor principles: “Know Before you Go”, “Choose the Right Path”, “Trash you Trash”, “Leave What you Find”, “Be Careful with Fire”, “Respect Wildlife”, “Be Kind to Other Visitors”. Use the Cub Scout Six Essentials and appropriate clothing and footwear as well as the principles you learned to explore the outdoors.

Webelos

Champions for Nature

Learn about the Illinois endangered Blanding’s turtle and its habitat. Explore why this animal is endangered and what is being done to protect the Blanding’s turtles. Collect data for the Blanding’s Turtle recovery Program.

Arrow of Light

Into the Wild

Observe an animal ambassador in its habitat then create a model of the animal’s natural habitat. Describe how other animals and humans interact with that animal and its natural ecosystem. Discover how wildlife management effects animals.

Reptile & Amphibian Study

Merit Badge

Learn about Illinois and United States native amphibians and reptiles and their geographic range. Describe how amphibians and reptiles are different in behavioral and physical characteristics. Explain why they are important to the natural environment. Observe an animal ambassador over a span of time to see how their behaviors change.