Search for gnomes in the Children's Garden using your best "I Spy" skills. Checklist provided.

Bring your budding naturalist to Irons Oaks to explore the natural world together.  Each session a different natural topic is explored with activities, stories, games, or an art project. Dec. 13: Winter Birds; Jan. 23: Snow Fun; Feb. 13: Animal Tracks.

Someone is trying to foreclose on Mother Gooseland in this humorous twist on a fairytale classic. Performances are Nov. 10-21 at Lewis University in Romeoville; Nov. 29-30 at North Central College in Naperville; and Dec. 5-7 at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Join the Elf Class as they try to find the missing list in time for Christmas in this musical show. Performances at Stahl theater from Nov. 24-Dec. 21 and from Nov. 28-Dec. 21 at the Beverly Arts Center.

Interactive learning centers include a barn slide, apple orchard and chicken coop. Maggie, a life-sized fiberglass milking cow sponsored by Golden Oaks Farm in Wauconda, will be the focus of the new exhibit. Maggie is over five feet tall and features a working udder that recirculates the water that children "milk."

A skating rink near Bloomingdales opens Nov. 17 (weather permitting). Hours are Monday through Thursday noon to 9 p.m., Friday noon to 10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Holiday hours may be extended, visit westfield.com for details.