a playful family night to explore the world of bats, take a moonlit tram, and cozy up around the campfire and roast marshmallows.

Join a keeper-led tour of the Children's Zoo, then head to the barn to help keepers with morning chores like feeding the cows, delivering hay to the goats or brushing the animals.

Breathe in the crisp fall air as you enter the zoo through a cornstalk lined path, hear the crunch of the leaves underneath your feet, listen to the children conquering the straw pyramid or enjoy the sight of thousands of pumpkins on display. Nature-made fall decorations, including pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks, available to purchase.

Kids can take classes taught by the Actors Training Center as part of this all-day improv festival at Navy Pier. Classes take place on the hour (1-4 p.m.), then stay for performances from some of Chicago's best improv groups (7-11 p.m., tickets required).

Informative bike ride through Busse Woods Forest Preserve to learn about the cultural and natural history of the area. Pre-registration required.

Board a Safari Hay Ride outfitted with 20 Zombie Slaying paintball guns, mounted turret style. Once aboard, you will be ferried to the grounds via a tractor tow, where the Zombies will attack from all sides

Program is managed by Stepping Stones Therapy. Social skills groups provide interactive and fun opportunities to increase speech, language, oral-motor, motor planning, socialization and sensory processing and modulation skills. Visit www.airtastic.com to request additional information.

From superheroes to undersea adventures, princesses to dinosaurs, Storytown takes children on an interactive, improvised adventure. The actors use kids' suggestions and ideas to create a different story each week. Kids design the setting and help shapes the story. Runs through the end of February 2013, then moves to Stage 773 in Chicago.

Explore the life of a tree, discover what makes trees so special and learn how they supply food and shelter for a variety of wildlife, then plant another tree.

A morning filled with nature exploration, nature-themed games and art creations. Please dress for the weather; class will be held outdoors. Bring a snack and a water bottle. Oct. 4, 5 or 8.