Willy’s Wilderness website relaunch aims to fuel kids’ curiosity

If you have kids in your life who love to ask, “Why?” be sure to add the Forest Preserve District’s newly revamped Willy’s Wilderness website to your list of resources. The website aims to inspire discovery about the natural world and was created for kids and the adults who spend time with them — parents, grandparents, teachers and more.

The Nature Foundation of Will County has provided $1,000 each year to help support Willy’s Wilderness website since its inception in 2018 and this is the first major change to the site.

“In this digital age, it’s so important to find ways to connect kids to nature.  We need to reach our next generation of scientists and conservationists, and the earlier the better,” said Tara Neff, executive director of The Nature Foundation.

Staff from the Forest Preserve District’s Visitor Services and Marketing and Communications departments contribute articles and activities for the website which features Willy Woodchuck, the Forest Preserve District’s mascot, as the host. There’s even a page devoted to Willy himself, where kids can learn about the mascot and his woodchuck relatives.

Heather Van Zyl, facility supervisor at the Forest Preserve's Plum Creek Nature Center, said the new website is a fun, one-stop spot for families and educators alike for their nature education and exploration needs.

One of the priorities of the makeover was to provide more interactive features that encourage kids and families to spend time together outdoors. These features, which will be updated regularly, can be found on the website’s activity hub.

There visitors will find scavenger hunts and a backyard safari, which can be completed close to home. Kids can also challenge themselves — and their siblings, friends and parents — with age-appropriate quizzes. They’ll also have access to the seasonal activity packs that include mazes, color by number, spot the difference and more.

“We know kids are curious about just about everything, and we wanted to provide an age-appropriate outlet where they can learn about and make connections with their environment,” said digital marketing coordinator Meghan McMahon, who contributes articles and oversees the website.

New content will be posted weekly. Articles include information about Will County creatures big and small, plant profiles, answers to some of nature’s curiosities, instructional activities and experiments, and inspiring new ways to spend time outdoors.

The website relaunch also includes Willy’s Wild Files, a monthly newsletter that highlights new information and activities from the website to encourage families to explore and engage with nature. Sign up on the Forest Preserve’s website.

McMahon says that kids question the world differently than adults, and believes Willy’s Wilderness is the perfect way to spark their curiosity and inspire a love of learning.  Naturally, we agree!