![]() Glacier Games ActivityWhere to visit: Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Center Although there are no glaciers in the Great Lakes today, these giant sheets of moving ice played a large part in the formation of the area. Watch the video, "Child Of The Northwest Wind" on the Dunes Learning Center's YouTube channel. Fill in the missing words to tell how these lakes were made, using each word only once. Ask a ranger for help if you get stumped.
I watched the video at the visitor center on:
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Potawatomi |
European |
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Bow and Drill (Fire) | Metal Pin |
Antler (Making Holes) | Glass Jar |
Stone Axe (Chopping Wood) | Flint and Steel |
Clay Pots (Cooking) | Hatchet |
Gourd Containers (Storage) | Iron Kettles |
I visited the Bailly Homestead on:
I saw this many buildings:
Water Safety Activity
Where to visit: The Beach
Lake Michigan is a very large and powerful body of water. Conditions change often and can sometimes be very dangerous. Before going swimming at any of the park’s beaches, you should consider these facts and check conditions for safety.
1. Look at the waves. How high are they?
Rate them from 1-5 with 1 being no waves and 5 being very tall with whitecaps. _______
2. How hard is the wind blowing today? Rate it from 1-5 with 1 being no breeze and 5 being a strong wind. ________
3. Which direction is the wind blowing from?_________
Hint: if you are looking at the lake and the wind is blowing in your face, it is a north wind.
4. Do you see any change of color in the water? If you do, what color is it and where do you see it?___________
5. Do not swim without an adult who is comfortable swimming in the lake.
Circle your swimming partner.
MOM — DAD — RELATIVE — ADULT FRIEND — CHAPERONE
6. Did you bring a lifejacket? YES — NO

Since Lake Michigan is not a pool and does not have a flat botto m, it is safest to swim with a lifejacket. There are high and low spots throughout the shallow areas, and a lifejacket will help keep you floating if you step off the edge of a drop-off.
Should You Go Swimming Today?
If you gave the waves a rating of three or higher, if the wind is blowing from the north, if white caps are present, and if you see a change of color in the water, there might be rip currents. DO NOT GO SWIMMING.
Parent’s initials: _______
Secrets of Succession Activity
Where to visit: West Beach Succession Trail
Indiana Dunes National Park is part of one of the largest expanses of freshwater dunes in the world. How were they made?
Walk along the West Beach Succession Trail using the self-guided trail brochure. Watch the transformation from the lake to the forest. As you explore, order each stage of the dunes by putting the numbers 1-4 on the line next to each description.
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If you have a thermometer, record the following information: Air temperature ____ Water temperature ____ Soil Temperature ____ I walked the West Beach Succession Trail on _____________. Parent’s Initials_______ |
Barnyard Bingo Activity
Where to visit: Chellberg Farm
Welcome to the farm! More than 100 years ago, the Chellberg Farm was owned by Swedish immigrants named Anders and Johanna Chellberg.
Take a tour of the farm with a ranger, or use the self-guided brochure to tour the area with your family or friends. Look for the different tools people used to work the land.
While you are discovering the farm, check off the things you see.
(Brochures are available at the visitor center.)
Field Plow |
Fence |
Garden |
Yoke |
Clothes Line |
Windmill |
Wood Stove |
Scarecrow |
Water Trough |
Sorghum Press |
Fire Wood |
Barn |
Sugar Shack |
Chicken Coop |
Wagon |
Corn Crib |
Help out on the farm!
Check with a ranger at the farm or at the Indiana Dunes National Park Visitor Center to see when there will be a program at the farm. If time permits, go to the Chellberg Farm, and participate in the program.
Date visited the farm:
Last updated: May 26, 2021