Are you planning a birthday party for your child or loved one and looking for a unique and fun venue in the Chicagoland area? Look no farther than Emily Oaks Nature Center in Skokie. This 13-acre nature center offers a range of options for hosting a memorable birthday celebration in the great outdoors. We hosted my daughter’s 5th birthday party at the nature center last week and it turned out to be a lovely time.
Party locations
Emily Oaks Nature Center offers party package rentals on Saturdays and Sundays. You can choose from a morning or afternoon time slot, and the package includes a two-hour party room rental, as well as a leader-guided outdoor activity. The outdoor activity is tailored to the age group of your party guests and can include scavenger hunts, nature walks, and more.
You can either rent the indoor space or an outdoor shelter. If you have the outdoor shelter, the party is snack-only; no meals allowed (including pizza). We chose to bring snacks and drinks, along with cupcakes.
Nature-themed fun
We chose the carnival games option, which was a twist on classic party games for kids, like hot potato, with animal themes. For our first game, the nature leader sat the kids in a circle and had one child in the center wearing an owl blindfold. The other kids quietly passed around a mouse and the owl had to guess where the mouse was when the timer went off. In another game, the kids were bunnies who had to freeze to avoid being caught by the fox. Another game was similar to musical chairs but with lily pads. The kids, who were mostly 5 and 6 years old, seemed to enjoy the games.
For this age group, the center recommends some parents join the kids on the loop around the center just in case. We had someone from our party stay at Shelter #2 to watch the food.
Hosting a birthday party at Emily Oaks Nature Center means your guests will have access to all the center has to offer. Explore the nature trails, visit the bird watching station, or participate in a guided nature program. Emily Oaks Nature Center offers ample opportunities to learn about local flora and fauna, making for a unique and educational birthday experience.
Campfire
You can choose to add a campfire to your party and make s’mores. The nature center worker builds the fire for you and helps make the s’mores. For our party only the kids got the s’mores, but for my friends the adults were able to get s’mores too. I guess it depends on who your nature leader is. The s’mores are an additional cost.
Decorations and cost
Ready to make your child’s birthday extra special? Book your party at Emily Oaks Nature Center today. The shelter cost was $150 and there was a $100 deposit, which you get back if you clean up and don’t cause any damage. Emily Oaks really wants you to recycle, so they provide both a recycling bin and trash bin and they take a look to make sure you made an attempt to recycle as much as possible. Contact them directly to discuss available dates and to learn more about their party packages and amenities.
You can decorate with tablecovers, which are a good idea because the tables can be a little dirty. We also brought banners, which you can hang with painters’ tape. Make sure you check the rules for your party. It’s a great place to have a birthday party when the weather is nice!
Are you planning an Emily Oaks Nature Center birthday party?
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Marette Flora is the founder of Floradise blog and personalized gift shop. Marette is a passionate storyteller and creator. She attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication.
She is passionate about creating helpful and meaningful things.