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• Parenting 101: Your Guide to a Joyful Parenting Journey

  • Start
    April 07, 2025
  • End
    April 11, 2025
  • Location
    Online

  Sixteen experts sharing insights and strategies for parents of young children (ages 0-5) to help create a joyful, fulfilling parenting journey. 

  More information and registration here.

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• Dispelling Myths about Supplements for ADHD

  • When
    April 10, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    ADDitude Webinar

  With so many alternative and complementary dietary interventions marketed for ADHD, it’s tough to separate science from hype when seeking to improve symptoms. Some people add supplements like fish oil or zinc to an existing medication regimen; others take supplements alone.

  But are supplements considered safe and effective for treating ADHD? And if you’re taking medication, will supplements pose a risk or cause interactions with your medication? This webinar will explore the latest research findings about non-medication approaches to ADHD management. Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D., psychotherapist and author, will discuss why stimulant medications remain the most effective treatment, along with exercise and behavioral therapy.

  In this webinar, you will learn:

  • About effective, evidence-based treatment options for ADHD
  • About the importance of therapy, exercise, nutrition, and sleep in managing ADHD symptoms
  • About the latest research findings involving the efficacy of medication and alternative and supplemental ADHD interventions
  • About alternative interventions that claim to help symptoms but can waste time and money

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud: THE CARTOONISTS CLUB-- Live

  • When
    April 10, 2025
  •  
    6:30 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Skokie School Auditorium, 520 Glendale Ave, Winnetka, IL 60093

  We are thrilled to host Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud as they debut their new graphic novel, THE CARTOONISTS CLUB.

  #1 New York Times bestselling cartoonists Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud team up for a one-of-a-kind friendship story about creativity and self-expression that blends how-to and comics magic. Welcome to the club!

  UNDER 16 WITH PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN

  More information and registration here.

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• Connecting Families through Art and Nature

  • When
    April 11, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Riverwoods IL

  Come relax and create art in a beautiful setting with Art Impact Project’s Neurographic Art Project. Neurographic drawing is a term coined by Dr. Pavel Piscarev to describe this form of doodling. Neurographica has been scientifically validated and is a widely used form of art therapy. It creates a mindful and meditative, yet aware state, through the creation of new neural connections. 
  

  More information here

  
  

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• Family Series Event at Madame Zuzu's- Music by Mr. Jeff

  • When
    April 12, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Madame Zuzu's, 1876 1st Street, Highland Park, IL

  Mr. Jeff wears multiple hats as a multi-instrumentalist musician, song writer, music teacher, audio engineer, and a former Pre-K teacher. Music, theather, and and reading are three of his passions, which he enthusiastically weaves into his classes, performances, original songs, and music lessons. 

  Madame Zuzu's Family Event Series is a monthly show designed to bring familes together featuring a unique variety of magicians, music, show & tells, and more! 
  
  $5 per child, accompanying adults are free. 

  More information here

  
  

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• Origami Open House

  • When
    April 12, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

  Origami is a fascinating, fun-filled creative activity for children as well as adults. With a minimum of folds and creases, you can transform a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional form like a swan, a boat, a flower or even a hat. So, if you’re interested in creating animals, dinosaurs, flowers, decorative boxes and various other models, please join us. Every second Saturday of the month, the Chicago Area Origami Society (CHAOS) presents a free drop-in Origami Open House to our visitors. Please drop by — both kids and adults are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Experienced folders welcome as well.

  There is no fee and no reservations are needed to attend the open house. If you plan to visit the indoor gardens before or after, please book a reservation.

  Click here for complete details.

  
  

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• Norman & George Powers

  • When
    April 13, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Powers-Walker House, Glacial Park, Ringwood, IL

  Visit this 1854 Greek Revival restored house and learn more about the resident families who called this area home. April's program centers around the Powers family and honors their military service in the Civil War.

  All Ages | FREE | Drop In
  

  More information here

  Show details
• Shapes of Emergence at the Wayfarer Theaters

  • When
    April 13, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Wayfarers Theater, 1850 Second Street, Highland Park, IL

  Wayfarer Theaters invites you to the incredible spectacle that is WATER ORGANOIDS a live cinema performance using an immersive microscope to film and project an invisible and counter-intuitive reality of self-organizing water structures. Physical experiments are performed alongside improvising musicians in front of the audience, as a puppetry of an emerging, primitive form of life. With custom technologies, it explores poetic narratives with real world materials that force performers to react to unplanned events that are unique to each performance. This one of a kind performance will take place April 13th @ 4pm - Tickets are $20 or Free with Wayfarer Membership

  More information here

  
  

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• Understanding the Needs of Twice-Exceptional Learners

  • When
    April 14, 2025
  •  
    7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
  • Location
    Online
  • Registered
    24 registrants

  Register

  Understanding the Needs of Twice-Exceptional Learners

  presented by Aileen Kelleher, LCSW

  This presentation will identify ways in which twice-exceptional students are often missed or overlooked.  The speaker will also clarify three common needs of twice-exceptional students and provide ways in which adults can help meet those needs.  Examples will be shown in a slide show.

  Aileen Kelleher is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in working with gifted and twice-exceptional children, adults and their families.  She loves to constantly learn and share information about giftedness and neurodiversity, and is passionate about the power of understanding these individuals and about the importance of a community for gifted people and their families.

  
  

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• The Power of Behavioral Parent Training

  • When
    April 15, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    ADDitude Webinar

  Behavioral parent training (BPT) teaches caregivers strategies that can improve their child’s behavior, self-control, and self-esteem — and it may be especially effective for children with ADHD and related behavioral struggles. BPT is recommended as a first-line treatment for young children with ADHD, and it can improve the parent-child relationship and promote calm in the household. In this webinar, you will learn: About behavioral parent training and why it is especially helpful for children with ADHD About the specific behaviors that BPT addresses Skills and strategies to help your child learn to manage and improve their impulse control and emotional regulation How BPT improves communication at home, in school, and in social settings Why it’s important to partner with your child’s teachers and how to collaborate effectively How to use rewards and consequences to improve behaviors

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• What We Value: The Neuroscience of Choice & Change

  • When
    April 16, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Family Action Network Webinar

  Emily Falk, Ph.D., Professor of Communication, Psychology, Marketing, and Operations, Informatics, and Decisions (OID), University of Pennsylvania

  Ethan Kross, Ph.D., Professor, Management & Organizations, Ross School of Business, and Director of the Emotion and Self Control Lab, University of Michigan

  BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of What We Value to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.

  More information and registration here.

  
  

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• Summit Center Webinar: Conscious Parenting: Shifting from Auto-Pilot to Aligned

  • When
    April 16, 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM
  • Location
    Google Meet

  Summit Center Webinar with Dr. Loraine Van Tuyl

  Conscious Parenting: Shifting from Auto-Pilot to Aligned

  Our strong-willed, sensitive, and intense 2e kids often cause us to stop in our “automatic pilot” tracks. In the neurotypical world, we normally tackle life's demands and challenges by becoming more focused, efficient, and productive. Much to our dismay and frustration, this approach often backfires with kids and leads to more emotional outbursts, melt downs, and power struggles, ultimately resulting in longer and more frequent delays.

  In this free webinar, Summit Center’s Dr. Loraine Van Tuyl will shed light on the inner worlds of her child clients* and why they become more cooperative, resilient, and regulated the more we slow down, become more aware and intentional, and deepen our authentic presence.

  More information and registration here.

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• Family Night Out: Connecting Through Art

  • When
    April 16, 2025
  •  
    5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
  • Location
    Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Riverwoods IL

  Create lasting memories with your family by creating your own Prompted Painting Project together.  We provide the acrylic paint and canvas; you provide your imagination! This fun project requires no art experience, Art Impact Project gives you the subject matter, then walks you through the painting process, step-by-step, and provides all you need to leave with your own unique painting. Adults and adolescents have time to bond together while we provide age-appropriate art projects for children.This is a collaborative program, presented by LCCAC Blue Kids Lake County, Art Impact Project, and Brushwood Center.
  

  More information here

  
  

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• The Jazz Ambassadors of the US Army Field Band

  • When
    April 16, 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM
  • Location
    Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

  Concerts by the Jazz Ambassadors are programmed to entertain all types of audiences. The band’s diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals, and patriotic selections, many of which are written or arranged by members of the Jazz Ambassadors.

  More information and tickets here.

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• MAGE Mid-week Admissions Coffee

  • When
    April 17, 2025
  •  
    8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual vs. in person visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

  Show details
• Artistic Expressions

  • When
    April 17, 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Location
    Woodstock Public Library, 414 W Judd Street, Woodstock, IL 60098

  Dress for a mess and get creative at this hands-on learning experience featuring different artists and the art styles they’re famous for.

  Ages: Grades 1-2

  More information and registration here

  
  

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• There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America

  • When
    April 17, 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  Family Action Network Webinar

  Brian Goldstone, Ph.D., Journalist

  Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, Ph.D., Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University

  BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of There Is No Place for Us to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.

  More information and registration here.

  Show details
• Earth Day Celebration

  • When
    April 19, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Prairieview Education Center, 2112 Behan Rd, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

  Earth Day Celebration

  Spend the afternoon with us to celebrate the Earth! Explore Earth friendly activity & craft stations. Plant seeds, take a guided hike, view a puppet show, and more! Please bring a picnic lunch.

  For all ages, children ages 13 and under must be accompanied by an adult

  Registration is not required

  More information here

  Show details
• Held Together: A Shared Memoir of Motherhood, Medicine, and Imperfect Love

  • When
    April 21, 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

  Family Action Network Webinar

  Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, Family medicine and public health physician and author

  Kimmery Martin, MD, Emergency medicine doctor and author of multiple works of medical fiction

  BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy Held Together from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Thompson that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.

  More information and registration here.

  
  

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• Earth Day Family Arts & Crafts

  • When
    April 22, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201

  Join us for a FREE family arts & crafts day at the Evanston Art Center to celebrate Earth Day! Enjoy an afternoon of painting flower pots, music, and art. Participants will take seeds home to grow!

  More information and registration here.

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• Fallout from the Department of Education Changes

  • When
    April 23, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    ADDitude Webinar

  The Trump administration said it plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (DoE), the federal agency responsible for enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). About 7.5 million students from kindergarten through grade 12 receive special education and related services under the IDEA, and nearly 2 million others receive accommodations through 504 Plans.

  IEPs are protected by law. As long as the IDEA remains intact, the rights of students with disabilities to IEPs will remain protected. However, the DoE is the primary watchdog for both IDEA and Section 504, so enforcement of IEP and 504 Plan violations could be affected.

  Though no IEPs and 504 Plans exist in higher education, both Section 504 and the ADA prohibit discrimination from colleges and universities, and require covered institutions to provide accommodations that will allow students with disabilities to compete on a level playing field.

  Parents and educators are worried and asking: What happens if plans to restructure or eliminate the Department of Education are successful?

  In this webinar, you will learn:

  • About the role of the Department of Education as it relates to special education and higher education issues, with a focus on IEP and 504 Plans for students with ADHD and learning disabilities
  • How the Trump administration’s DoE developments would likely or potentially impact students’ accommodations
  • How IEP and 504 Plans would be enforced if the DoE is eliminated
  • About the recourse parents would have if IEPs or 504 Plans were not followed
  • How parents and teachers can advocate for their children during this tumultuous and uncertain time

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• Playdate with Nature at Independence Grove Forest Preserve

  • When
    April 23, 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    Independence Grove Forest Preserve, Libertyville

  Move your kids outdoors for unstructured seasonal play, proven healthful and beneficial. Celebrate seasonal fun outdoors. Build mini habitats for toy animals and use natural materials and your imagination for creation. Try fort building, mud creations or other seasonal activities. Nature provides infinite possibilities to express creativity. See how nature ignites a spark in everyone. As kids explore and play in nature they gain confidence, build skills, and use their imagination. Children who connect with nature may be more inventive and better problem-solvers.

  More information here

  
  

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• Roughhousing and Superhero Play: Why Children Love It and How We Can Support

  • When
    April 23, 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

  The Alliance for Early Childhood

  Children are naturally drawn to various forms of Power Play, such as Rough and Tumble and Superhero play. While these activities come instinctively to children, they often raise concerns for parents. How can we ensure safety without stifling their exploration? In this workshop, we will first reflect on our own experiences and biases regarding this type of play. Then, we’ll explore the learning opportunities children engage in through these games. Finally, we will discuss strategies to support our children in staying safe, having fun, and learning to play collaboratively.

  Register here.

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• Arbor Day Celebration

  • When
    April 26, 2025
  •  
    9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Paulus Park, Lake Zurich, IL

  Give a Little Love Back to Celebrate the Trees that Feed LZ!

  Join the Village of Lake Zurich on Saturday, April 26th to celebrate Annual Arbor Day, a day to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees and all they do for our community.

  Open to all ages.

  More information here

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• 3rd Annual STEAM Fair

  • When
    April 26, 2025
  •  
    9:30 AM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    Harper College, 1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, IL

  🚀 Dive into an action-packed experience at our dynamic STEAM Fair, the Biggest Family Event of the Year! 🚀

  Join our high-energy event with hands-on interactive STEAM activities, connect with STEAM leaders in the industry, and discover connections to Computer Science that impact all areas of life.

  More information and registration here

  
  

  
  

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• Chicken Party

  • When
    April 26, 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Location
    Woodstock Public Library, 414 W Judd Street, Woodstock, IL 60098

  Drop in for an "egg-citing" afternoon of crafts, games, and activities to celebrate our library chickens.

  Date: Saturday/April 26

  Time: 2:00-3:30 p.m.

  Ages: 3 years and up

  More information and registration here

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• Astronomy Day

  • When
    April 26, 2025
  •  
    5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
  • Location
    Harper College,1200 W Algonquin Rd, Palatine, IL 60067

  Join us for this years Astronomy Day, a celebration for the Astronomy community! It will take place on April 26, 2025, at Harper College in Palatine, featuring engaging activities for all ages, including informative presentations, informational booths, hands-on youth crafts, and telescope viewing (weather permitting).

  More information here

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• CGCC Parent Dinner Buffalo Grove

  • When
    April 29, 2025
  •  
    6:30 PM
  • Location
    Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar, Buffalo Grove

  Register

  Come meet with other parents of bright, complex kids to share your parenting journeys and provide support to each other. Join us at Lazy Dog in Buffalo Grove for dinner, snacks, or just have something to drink while we connect and enjoy our time together.

  Please register so that we can reserve adequate space for the group. This event is "free" as everyone will pay their own bill at the end of the evening. If your plans change after registration, please kindly respond to the confirmation email so we can adjust our arrangements.

  Please note that by attending this event, you confirm that you will assume all the risk to yourself and your family related to coronavirus.

  
  

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• How Neurodivergent Making Sparks Stress,Exhaustion

  • When
    April 30, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM
  • Location
    ADDitude Webinar

  A lifetime of masking can cause chronic stress and anxiety for many autistic people with ADHD who identify as AuDHD. Add in a reduced tolerance for stimulus, frequent social isolation, and a lack of support — and burnout becomes equally common and devastating. AuDHD burnout is a serious mental health problem that can cause extreme distress and debilitation.

  Often, burnout is mistaken for other mental health conditions. But we can only recover from burnout when we recognize why it’s happening and take appropriate steps to get support. After all, you cannot prevent, reduce, or recover from burnout when you don’t know what’s causing it.

  In this webinar, you will learn:

  • About the differences and similarities between ADHD and autism
  • About the importance of an accurate autism diagnosis in adults and why the current diagnostic criteria does not reflect the lived experiences of many
  • Why autistic people mask and how a lifetime of masking can lead to chronic stress and burnout
  • How to identify warning signs of burnout, including fatigue, withdrawal, and a decline in skills, and how this differs from other mental health issues like depression
  • About strategies to prevent or recover from burnout

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• MAGE Admissions Coffee

  • When
    May 04, 2025
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual (1PM) vs. in person (10AM) visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

  Show details
• Let’s Play! Sandcastles and Seagulls

  • When
    May 04, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Gillson Park, WIlmette, IL

  Build sandcastles and play in nature with The Alliance for Early Childhood in partnership with Wilmette Park District and BackYard Nature Center. Bring your sandcastle building tools and sense of adventure and enjoy a morning of play and exploration at The Beach! This year, we’ll have one station – at the swimming beach on the north end of Gillson.

  More information and registration here.

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• Just Who is Samuel Walker

  • When
    May 04, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Powers-Walker House, Glacial Park, Ringwood

  Visit this 1854 Greek Revival restored house and learn more about the resident families who called this area home. May’s open house features Samuel Walker, a prominent and influential man who owned the house in the late 1800s.

  All Ages | FREE | Drop In
  

  More information here

  Show details
• CGCC Family Game Night at The Parched Pug

  • Start
    May 04, 2025
  •  
  • End
    October 05, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    6 sessions
  • Location
    The Parched Pug, 1590 Milwaukee Ave, Libertyville

  Register

  Come meet with other parents and kids to talk and play games during our monthly Family Game Night! Games are free on Sundays and choose any of the games from 200+ board game library. Join us at The Parched Pug in Libertyville for food, drinks, and games while the parents connect, and the kids enjoy time together playing games.

  Please register so that we can reserve adequate space for the group. This event is "free" as everyone will pay their own bill at the end of the evening. There are no drop offs and a parent or guardian must accompany their child during the length of the event.  If your plans change after registration, please kindly respond to the confirmation email so we can adjust our arrangements.

  Please note that by attending this event, you confirm that you will assume all the risk to yourself and your family related to coronavirus.

  The Parched Pug: An Upscale Gastropub & Gamery in Libertyville, IL
  

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• NAGC Webinar: The Students Speak: Thoughts on Living with Perfectionism

  • When
    May 08, 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  The Students Speak: Thoughts on Living with Perfectionism with Kathy Green, MA. & Beth Taylor, M.Ed. May 8, 2025 | 7:00 p.m. ET In what ways might perfectionism affect the lived experience of our gifted students? How much do the parental and teacher supports assist with moving through the challenges our students face? Join us as we hear from the student perspective of how perfectionism impacts their day to day interactions. Free for NAGC members. Register here.

  Show details
• Origami Open House

  • When
    May 10, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

  Origami is a fascinating, fun-filled creative activity for children as well as adults. With a minimum of folds and creases, you can transform a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional form like a swan, a boat, a flower or even a hat. So, if you’re interested in creating animals, dinosaurs, flowers, decorative boxes and various other models, please join us. Every second Saturday of the month, the Chicago Area Origami Society (CHAOS) presents a free drop-in Origami Open House to our visitors. Please drop by — both kids and adults are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Experienced folders welcome as well.

  There is no fee and no reservations are needed to attend the open house. If you plan to visit the indoor gardens before or after, please book a reservation.

  Click here for complete details.

  
  

  Show details
• NAGC Webinar: From Isolation to Engagement: 5 Proven Strategies to Build Meaningful Connections for Gifted Student

  • When
    May 13, 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    Online

  From Isolation to Engagement: 5 Proven Strategies to Build Meaningful Connections for Gifted Student with Michelle Singh May 13, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. ET Learn five proven strategies to foster authentic connections, boost belonging, and enhance learning. Discover how to create an inclusive culture, implement culturally responsive teaching, integrate SEL, strengthen community partnerships, and use flexible assessments. Leave with actionable tools to transform isolation into engagement in your classroom. Free for NAGC members. Register here.

  
  

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• Summit Center Webinar: Raising Successful Gifted Daughters: Insights from a Groundbreaking Study

  • When
    May 14, 2025
  •  
    2:00 PM
  • Location
    Google Meet

  Summit Center Webinar with Paula Wilkes, PhD

  Raising Successful Gifted Daughters: Insights from a Groundbreaking Study

  Join Summit Center coach Dr. Paula Wilkes and author/researcher Lea Stublarec, MSW, as they unveil key findings from an insightful study on mothers of successful gifted daughters, as featured in the book Legacy: Mothers of Gifted Daughters Share Their Wisdom. This webinar shares the hard-won wisdom of 43 experienced mothers and 20 of their accomplished adult daughters, offering invaluable guidance and hope for women navigating the unique challenges and complexities of raising gifted girls in a culture that often limits their potential. Discover the triumphs, challenges, and joys these mothers experienced nurturing female genius.

  More information and registration here.

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• MAGE Mid-week Admissions Coffee

  • When
    May 15, 2025
  •  
    8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual vs. in person visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

  Show details
• Northwest Suburban Astronomers Marengo Ridge Public Viewing

  • When
    May 16, 2025
  •  
    7:00 PM - 11:55 PM
  • Location
    Marengo Ridge, 2411 Illinois 23, Marengo, IL, 60152

  Join us at Marengo Ridge to do some night sky observing!

  Please arrive around 7pm.

  More information here

  Rain date May 17

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• World Migratory Bird Day

  • When
    May 17, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Lost Valley Visitor Center, Glacial Park, Ringwood

  Enjoy a variety of bird-themed activities and crafts, including guided hikes, a live bird and a scavenger hunt!
  

  All Ages | FREE | Drop In

  Schedule of Events:

  10–11:30 a.m. — Intermediate Bird Hike (English or Spanish)

  11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. — Learn about birds of prey and meet a live bird

  12:30–1:30 p.m. — Beginner Bird Hike (English or Spanish)

  More information here

  
  

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• 4th Annual Pullman Railroad Days

  • Start
    May 17, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM
  • End
    May 18, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM
  • Location
    Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods, Riverwoods IL

  Chicago’s biggest rail-themed event is like nothing you’ve ever experienced!

  Come and explore historic Pullman railcars including the Royal Street – a sleek Observation-Lounge railcar built by the Pullman Company in 1950 for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. It’s just one of the incredible railcars featured at this year’s event, thanks to Metra and the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners (AAPRCO).

  Free for kids under 12. Early bird tickets available until May 9th. 

  More information here

  
  

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• NAGC Webinar: Empowering Gifted Educators: Pathways to Professional Growth and Leadership

  • When
    May 22, 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM
  • Location
    Online

  Empowering Gifted Educators: Pathways to Professional Growth and Leadership with Jessica Potts May 22, 2025 | 4:00 p.m. ET This presentation will offer recommendations for teachers who are looking for ways to develop as instructors and gifted advocates, both individually and in conjunction with administrators. Free for NAGC members. Register here.

  
  

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• Cache Your Way Series Kickoff!

  • When
    May 24, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Online

  McHenry County Conservation District Event

  Come kickoff the Cache Your Way geocache series with us at your home or at a Conservation Area with device at hand! We will get you ready for the 2025 series and play some games during this virtual program. After this kickoff, the passport will be on our website and caches will be live on geocaching.com.

  More information here

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• National Hellenic Museum: Picture Perfect: A Photography Workshop with Diane Alexander White

  • When
    May 24, 2025
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    National Hellenic Museum, 333 South Halsted St., Chicago

  Families can join a hands-on photography workshop led by a professional photographer. Kids can learn creative techniques to capture unique perspectives. Using inspiration from the exhibit, kids will explore lighting, composition, and storytelling through their lenses. 

  Bring your camera, iPhone, or other device to capture images. 

  More information here

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• Chicago Aquatic Plant Society

  • When
    May 31, 2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Schaumburg Public Library, 130 South Roselle Road, Schaumburg, IL, 60193

  We’re excited to announce that Tai Strietman will be presenting at our upcoming May meeting! Tai has spent hundreds of hours exploring the rivers, streams, lakes, flooded meadows, forests, and swamps of the Pantanal wetlands in Brazil, gaining invaluable insights into aquatic ecosystems and plant life.

  More information here

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• MAGE Admissions Coffee

  • When
    June 01, 2025
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual (1PM) vs. in person (10AM) visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

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• Let’s Play! Summer Nature Exploration

  • When
    June 02, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

  Join with The Alliance for Early Childhood and Community Partners BackYard Nature Center and Cook County Forest Preserves to engage in creative, imaginative, and child-directed, outdoor free-play as a family in beautiful Erikson Woods in Winnetka.

  More information and registration here.

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• MAGE Mid-week Admissions Coffee

  • When
    June 05, 2025
  •  
    8:45 AM - 9:45 AM
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual vs. in person visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

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• Origami Open House

  • When
    June 14, 2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Location
    Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago

  Origami is a fascinating, fun-filled creative activity for children as well as adults. With a minimum of folds and creases, you can transform a flat sheet of paper into a three-dimensional form like a swan, a boat, a flower or even a hat. So, if you’re interested in creating animals, dinosaurs, flowers, decorative boxes and various other models, please join us. Every second Saturday of the month, the Chicago Area Origami Society (CHAOS) presents a free drop-in Origami Open House to our visitors. Please drop by — both kids and adults are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult. Experienced folders welcome as well.

  There is no fee and no reservations are needed to attend the open house. If you plan to visit the indoor gardens before or after, please book a reservation.

  Click here for complete details.

  
  

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• MAGE Admissions Coffee

  • When
    July 13, 2025
  • Location
    Midwest Academy for Gifted Education, Chicago or online

  Please join us for an information session about our unique full-time gifted kindergarten through 12th grade school admissions process and curriculum, our enrichment program, and to meet and network with other gifted families in the area as well as to understand school options and advocacy. RSVP by emailing admissions@mage.education.

  Please indicate your preference for virtual (1PM) vs. in person (10AM) visit at the time when you make a reservation. You will receive an online video conference link and presentation after you RSVP.

  Click here for complete details.

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• SENG Annual Community Conference & Retreat

  • Start
    July 24, 2025
  • End
    July 25, 2025
  • Location
    Alexandria, VA

  SENG (Supporting Emotional Needs of the Gifted) Annual Community Conference and Retreat: Blueprints of Brilliance: Unlocking Potential in Mind, Body, and Spirit

  More information and registration

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• NAGC Webinar: How to Advocate for Your Child at the Classroom & School Level

  • When
    August 13, 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM
  • Location
    Online

  Session 8: How to Advocate for Your Child at the Classroom & School Level

  As parents and caregivers of gifted and twice-exceptional (2e) children, advocating for your child’s needs at the classroom and school level can feel overwhelming. Understanding how to navigate the educational system, communicate effectively with educators, and ensure that your child receives the appropriate support can make all the difference in their success. During this webinar, we will equip you with practical strategies and essential questions to ask at the classroom and school levels.

  Register here.

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• NAGC Webinar: Supporting Twice-Exceptional (2e) Learners at Home and School

  • When
    September 25, 2025
  •  
    6:00 PM
  • Location
    Online

  Join the Parent, Family, and Community Network as they discuss meaningful strategies for intervening with these neurodiverse students, both inside and outside the classroom. Giftedness is a concept that is often complicated and misconstrued within the education community. When giftedness co-occurs with a documented learning difference (i.e., ADHD, specific learning disabilities), a concept known as twice-exceptionality (2e), then the awareness is even more scarce. Come learn more with us.

  Register here.

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