Self-Guided Programs

Self-guided programs are available year-round and can be scheduled Monday through Friday during Arboretum business hours.

See below for a list of available self-guided programs.

To access vocabulary, activities, teacher guides, and more, enroll in our Field Trip Bundles.

Fees and Policies

Half-Day Trip Fees

• One guided adventure (1.5 hours): $8 per student, $15 registration fee
• Self-guided adventure: $6 per student, $15 registration fee
  

Full-Day Field Trip Fees

• One guided adventure (3.0 hours): $12 per student, $30 registration fee 
• Two guided adventures (3.0 hours): $12 per student, $30 registration fee 
• One guided adventure (1.5 hours) + Self-guided adventure: $12 per student, $30 registration fee 
• One self-guided adventure: $6 per student, $15 registration fee

Registration Details

• Registration must be completed three weeks prior to the field trip date.
• Dates are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, so early registration is strongly encouraged.
• Adult chaperones are required (three adults/teachers for every 20 students).
• There is a minimum of 15 students for guided and self-guided field trips.
• Payment is due three weeks before the date of the field trip. Call the registrar to process payment at 630-719-2468, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fees include admission to the Arboretum for

• all registered and attending students
• all registered and attending adult chaperones (three adults/teachers for every 20 students)
• state required aides

Aligned Activities and More

To prepare your students for their field trip, consider using the resources in the Digital Field Trip Bundle. The bundle contains maps, a field trip social story, chaperone letters, vocabulary lists, previsit and post-visit activities, and NGSS-aligned assessments for students. (To access this resource, register and enroll).

In addition to the digital field trip bundle resource, the Teacher Check Bins and Classroom Items for Loan provide educators with tools, equipment, activities, and lesson support for hands-on classroom curriculum. Bins can be loaned for two-week periods, and must be picked up from—and dropped back off to—The Morton Arboretum.

Registration to reserve these resources is required. Pick-up is available after one week following the request. Availability is limited.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you offering half-day and full-day field trips?

Yes. Self-guided field trips can be booked between 7:00 a.m. and sunset. Our guided programs adhere to the following schedule:

• Full-Day Guided Field Trips: 9:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
• Morning Half-Day Guided Field Trips: 9:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
• Afternoon Half-Day Guided Field Trips: 11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Will we be able to eat lunch during our field trip?

Yes. Our lunch location is outdoors, at either picnic tables or picnic-style on the lawn at either Meadow Lake Picnic Area or the Thornhill Picnic Area. Lunch spaces for self-guided groups at Meadow Lake Picnic Area are not reserved and are first-come, first-served. Lunch spaces at Thornhill Picnic Area are reserved only for guided programs; schools will be assigned table space based on their group size and availability. Groups may also be provided with tarps to lunch on the lawn surrounding Thornhill. For questions, please contact Meghan Wiesbrock (mwiesbrock@mortonarb.org) or Megan Kuhl-Horbin (mkuhl-horbin@mortonarb.org).

How many students can participate in our field trip?

Capacities are put on our field trip programs based on availability and supplies. Please visit our website to identify the capacities of each field trip program. Typically, our self-guided programs have a limit of 200 students and our self-guided backpacks have a limit of 100-200 students. If you want to bring more students than the capacity limits allow, you would have to plan on coming to the Arboretum over the course of two or more days.

Are bathrooms available during the field trip?

Depending on where your field trip will take place, port-o-potties with handwashing stations or indoor bathrooms will be available.

Can my class just participate in a lab program on their field trip?

Lab programs are part of a full-day, guided field trip and must be paired with a field program.

How many chaperones can I bring?

Field trip groups are allotted three free teacher/adult chaperones per 20 students (i.e. bringing 21 students would allot six free teacher/adult chaperones). State-required aides are free, but must be identified in the registration form. Extra adults/chaperones will be charged the current admission price.

What can my students do on a self-guided field trip?

Students explore the Arboretum at their own pace. Educators can also access videos and downloadable activities in our Field Trip Bundle to better prepare for their field trip.

What happens if it rains on the day of my field trip?

Field trips are not canceled due to weather; our programs run rain or shine. Indoor locations are not reserved for self-guided field trip programs. If rain is in the forecast, we encourage our visitors to wear appropriate clothing: waterproof shoes, rain jackets, and poncho. We discourage the use of umbrellas as they become a safety hazard with low-hanging branches on our wood-chip trails.

The Arboretum security rangers watch the radars closely. If lightning is a threat, or the rain is torrential, the students on guided programs will be given modified programs in a thunderstorm-safe location such as the Thornhill Education Center, the Thornhill Picnic Shelter, or the school bus. Lightning will cause the Children’s Garden to close until 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

What is the cancellation policy for my field trip?

Programs will run as scheduled to be outdoors during seasonal weather: rain, snow, and cold. Please dress accordingly. The registration fee is non-refundable. The program fees are refundable for cancellations made three or more weeks before the program date. No refunds will be given for cancellations or changes made fewer than 21 days before the program date, for changes in headcount, or for absent children. Payment for the field trip is due three weeks prior to the field trip date.

I teach at a Title I school, can you waive admission or give us a discount? 

The Arboretum offers a Youth Science Education Outreach Grant to schools serving 40% or more low-income families, according to the Illinois Report ard. Grant applications open in late May or early June and are first-come, first-served. For inquiries, please email mkuhl-horbin@mortonarb.org.

Can we come to the Arboretum early (before our scheduled field trip start time) or stay late (after our scheduled field trip end time) and just hang out and explore?

Due to the volume of students and visitors on any given day, it is recommended that you arrive at your scheduled arrival time so we can best accommodate your group.

Can we order box lunches/have food delivered on our field trip?

You cannot have food delivered to the Arboretum. Teachers and students are encouraged to bring their own brown bag lunch from home. At this time, the Arboretum is unable to offer box lunch options from its exclusive caterer, Ginkgo Catering.

Are masks required for field trip participants?

The Morton Arboretum follows State of Illinois COVID-19 guidelines. According to these guidelines, masks are not currently required for participation in our field trip programs and are optional in all Arboretum buildings. If these guidelines change, you will be notified in advance of your visit. Should any field trip participant feel more comfortable wearing a mask, they are welcome to do so.