Call the Prairieview Education Center at (815) 479-5779 to reserve any of the following materials:

Naturalist in a Box kits contain books, games, videos, DVDs, and activities suitable for children in grades 1 to 8. Scouts may find them helpful in fulfilling some badge requirements, too. The rental fee is $5 for two weeks and the following topics are available: Bats, Mammals, Birds, Native Americans, Creepy Crawlies, Plants, Endangered Species, Prairies, Explore Your World, Trees, Geology, and Wetlands.

Backyard Buddies kits include stories, games, activities, songs, and craft ideas appropriate for children in preschool to 2nd grade. The rental fee is $3 for one week and the following topics are available: Chipmunk, Otter, Cottontail Rabbit, Raccoon, Groundhog, Squirrel, and Ladybug.

Trunks from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) can be borrowed for a two-week period for a $5 fee. The following trunks are available:

• Illinois Wild Mammals contains skulls, furs, rubber tracks, rubber scat, field guides, activity books, CD-ROMs, and DVDs.
• Fossils contains fossil molds and hunt kits, reference material, field guides, posters, and activities.
• People and Animals from Illinois' Past contains mammoth and mastodon tooth replicas, species replicas, games and activities, posters, replica pottery, a video, and reference books.