Public Business Directory
Local Homeschool Resources
Classes - Co-ops & Groups - Discounts
Disclaimer: This page is provided as a community resource only. We are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of the groups, classes, or programs listed here. We're simply sharing what's available in our area to help other homeschool families.
Please check each provider's website directly to verify details, pricing, and availability. We do our best to keep this page up to date, but if you notice anything outdated, inaccurate, or changed, please let us know so we can correct it.
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Adler Planetarium Submitted by: ADMIN
A planetarium and astronomy museum on Chicago's lakefront, with sky shows, space exhibits, and a historic telescope collection.
Free for Illinois residents (with proof of residency) on select days throughout the year. Check website for current dates. Proof required at checkout (use your zip code as the promo code) and again at the museum: valid IL driver's license/photo ID, IL student photo ID, or photo ID plus a document showing name and IL address. Illinois residency required.
Anderson Japanese Gardens Submitted by: ADMIN
A 12-acre Japanese-style garden with koi ponds, waterfalls, and walking paths, considered one of the finest Japanese gardens in North America.
Donation Day, third Thursday of each month during the open season (May to Oct), admission waived, donations encouraged. No residency requirement.
Contact: 318 Spring Creek Road, Rockford, IL 61107, Rockford, IL
Betty Brinn Children's Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A hands-on children's museum with interactive exhibits geared toward young kids, covering things like water play, pretend careers, and building/design.
Community Access Day, third Thursday monthly, 9am to 7pm. No residency requirement. Museums for All participant: $5/person (up to 4) with EBT card and photo ID; also a $40/year Access Membership for SNAP/WIC families.
Brookfield Zoo Submitted by: ADMIN
A large zoo just west of Chicago with animal exhibits spanning six continents, including habitats for big cats, primates, and marine life.
Free Days run on a recurring winter schedule, typically January and February. Check website for current dates and exceptions. No residency proof required. Museums for All participant: up to 4 free tickets with SNAP EBT and photo ID.
Burpee Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A natural history museum known for its dinosaur fossils (including "Jane," a juvenile T. rex) alongside geology, biology, and hands-on science exhibits; also runs homeschool science classes.
Ages 6-9 and 10+. Roughly biweekly Wednesdays, 2-4pm (Winter/Spring 2026 series runs Jan 14 to Apr 15). $10 member/$16 non-member per class. Registering by phone (815-965-3433) avoids the online booking fee.
Homeschool/Cohort membership: $90 basic or $200 deluxe per year. No residency requirement. Museums for All participant: $2 admission with qualifying EBT documentation vs. $15 standard.
Byron Forest Preserve Submitted by: ADMIN
A forest preserve with hiking trails, a nature center, and environmental education programs, including a recurring homeschool classes.
Homeschool class series: ages 6-14. Monthly, same class repeated on 2 consecutive days (varies month to month, e.g. Thu/Fri in May), 10am-2pm. $10. Min/max 5-20 students, register by phone (815-234-8535). Fall 2026 dates not yet posted.
Chicago History Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A history museum in Lincoln Park covering Chicago's past, from the Great Fire to civil rights to the city's architecture and neighborhoods, with permanent and rotating exhibits.
Free for IL residents on select days throughout the year. Check website for current dates. Proof of residency required. IL residents 18 and under always free; Chicago residents get $2 off year-round. Museums for All participant: $3 admission (max 4 adults per card) for EBT or WIC holders.
Classical Conversations Submitted by: ADMIN
A nationwide Christian classical-education franchise with two independently-led communities in Rockford (a north and a south group). Offers a full K-12 classical Christian curriculum built around weekly in-person community days, hands-on science, fine arts projects, and presentation opportunities, with the rest of the week done at home under parent direction.
Discovery Center Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A hands-on children's science museum with 250+ interactive exhibits covering math, science, and art, plus an outdoor exploration park and homeschool classes.
Homeschool science class series: ages 7-11. Tuesdays only, once a month, 10am-12pm. $14 member/$16 public per class, about $56-64 for four.
Free Days posted individually rather than on a fixed schedule. Check website for upcoming dates. Requires proof of IL residency. Standard admission $12/person. Offers its own county-restricted Access Membership for SNAP/WIC/TANF/military families.
Emmaus Academy Submitted by: ADMIN
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit hybrid school serving roughly 150 students from 70+ families, ages 6-18. Students attend in-person classes on campus Tuesdays and Thursdays (direct instruction, group projects, hands-on work), then continue at home the rest of the week under parent guidance. Curriculum follows a Charlotte Mason approach organized into "Forms" (each spanning two traditional grades), with a classical education foundation.
Fermilab Submitted by: ADMIN
A U.S. Department of Energy particle physics laboratory with public tours, a visitor center, an art gallery, and thousands of acres of restored prairie and bison herd open to the public.
Free guided tours, roughly monthly, ages 10+, registration required. Check website for dates. Self-guided atrium/prairie access free on weekdays, no registration. REAL ID required for adults. No residency requirement; admission is already free.
Field Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A major natural history museum on the lakefront, home to "Sue" the T. rex, along with exhibits on ancient Egypt, evolution, and cultures from around the world.
Free Wednesdays for IL residents, basic admission only, reserve online, proof of residency required. Always free for active military, Chicago police/fire, IL teachers, kids under 12. Museums for All participant: $3/person (up to 6) with EBT or WIC card from any state, in-person purchase only.
Contact: 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Forest City Christian Co-op Submitted by: ADMIN
A Christian, statement-of-faith-based group of homeschooling families in Rockford who meet to support one another and share teaching duties. It's a members-only group, join by request through their site, no public class schedule or pricing is listed, so specifics on cost, ages, and meeting days would need to come from the co-op directly.
Forest Friends Play Group Submitted by: ADMIN
An outdoor playdate and meet-up group for homeschooling families in Rock County, Wisconsin.
GAR North Submitted by: ADMIN
A private gymnastics facility offering classes, open gyms, and team programs for kids, including sessions geared toward homeschool families.
Weekly Homeschool Open Gym and Homeschool PE class. No residency requirement. Pricing not listed online, call (815) 623-2345.
GRACE (Greater Rochelle Christian Educators) Submitted by: ADMIN
Established in 2003, a non-denominational Christian homeschool group offering a weekly educational day for pre-K through high school students, Fridays from September through early May. Meets at United Methodist Church, 709 4th Ave, Rochelle, IL. Parents aren't required to teach, but each family contributes through volunteer roles, and one parent must remain on-site during class time since it's not a standalone school.
Hallstrom Submitted by: ADMIN
Hallstrom Homeschool Co-Op, running since 1993, serves homeschooling families from preschool through 12th grade across Rockford and the greater northern Illinois/southern Wisconsin area (Janesville, Rochelle, Freeport, Harvard, and in between). Meets weekly on Tuesdays at Crosspoint Church in Rockford, offering nearly 100 academic and elective classes. Also runs an athletic program (Rockford F.I.R.E.) with girls' volleyball, boys' basketball, and girls' basketball.
Heart of Homeschooling Submitted by: ADMIN
This group offers support and encouragement through courses, community conversations, and connections between homeschooling parents and teachers, at $10-20 per month per family. It reads more as a support/community network than a structured weekly co-op with in-person classes.
Contact: Poplar Grove, IL
Homeschool Tweens & Teens Submitted by: ADMIN
A community for homeschooled tweens and teens (11+) in the Boone and Winnebago County areas. Focused on helping kids build real friendships and social skills with peers their age, and helping parents connect and share resources. Activities include regular meetups and hangouts, field trips, and seasonal dances and socials.
Immaculate Heart Homeschool Co-op Submitted by: ADMIN
A Catholic homeschool co-op for PreK through 8th grade that began in 2020 among five families and has grown since. Meets weekly on Tuesdays at the St. James Center in Belvidere (across from St. James Catholic Church), with access to a garden, kitchen, gym, science lab, music room, and a chapel on campus. Classes include music, art, PE, science, horticulture, band, and sewing, all woven with prayer and Catholic teaching; members sign a statement of faith. Costs: $55/year registration, $120/semester facility fee, $0 class fee.
Madison Children's Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A downtown children's museum with hands-on exhibits on art, nature, and imaginative play, spread across multiple floors including a rooftop garden.
Free every Thursday evening, 4 to 8pm. No residency requirement found.
Midway Village Submitted by: ADMIN
A history museum campus featuring a recreated 19th-century Victorian village with 26 historic buildings, alongside a main exhibit hall on Rockford-area history.
Free/Donation Days posted for most months. Check website for current dates. Pay-what-you-wish instead of standard admission. No residency requirement stated.
Milwaukee Public Museum Submitted by: ADMIN
A large natural and cultural history museum known for its walk-through dioramas, including the Streets of Old Milwaukee and Rain Forest exhibits, plus a domed planetarium.
Kohl's Thank You Thursday, free permanent-exhibit access, first Thursday of most months, 10am to 5pm. Check website since some months vary. Reservations recommended, no residency requirement. Museums for All participant: $2/person (cardholder plus up to 3) with SNAP EBT and photo ID, in-person only.
RHH Knowledge Nook Submitted by: ADMIN
The membership hub behind Rockford Homeschoolers' Hub and Synergy. A paid membership (e.g., the Summer Family Membership at $100) unlocks the nature-based co-op, the Synergy class co-op, park meetups, field trips, members-only events, and a 20% discount on public events, after-school classes, and clubs. Non-members can still attend public events, after-school classes, and homeschool parent support, just without the discount or co-op access.
Rock County Homeschool Submitted by: ADMIN
A Facebook group for homeschooling families in Rock County, Wisconsin
Rockford Homeschoolers' Hub Submitted by: ADMIN
A nature-based, self-directed homeschool co-op (Sudbury-inspired) for all ages and homeschooling styles, with weekly gatherings held in Stillman Valley and South Beloit throughout the school year. Rather than traditional classes, it emphasizes kid- and family-led exploration with light structure. A $100 family membership to RHH Knowledge Nook is required, plus $30 per child.
Severson Dells Submitted by: ADMIN
A nature center and preserve offering environmental education programs and trails, including a recurring homeschool nature class series.
Ages 5-8 and 9-12, same content offered twice, 10-11:30am and 1-2:30pm. $10 member/$15 general.
Shedd Aquarium Submitted by: ADMIN
A major aquarium on the lakefront with marine and freshwater exhibits, a beluga whale/dolphin habitat, and a coral reef tank.
IL Resident Free Days typically run in winter; free evening hours (5 to 9pm) run select Tuesdays through the year. Check website for current dates. Proof of IL residency required in person; online booking carries a $5 fee, or call to book free. Museums for All participant: $3/person (up to 6, max 4 passes/family) with EBT from any state.
Contact: 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605
Skelly's Farm Market Submitted by: ADMIN
A working farm and market offering seasonal activities like corn mazes, a playground, a bakery, and pick-your-own produce, open roughly June through October.
Annual Homeschool/Virtual School Field Trip Day, typically in fall, no minimum group size required. Check website, registration usually opens after Labor Day. No residency requirement.
Stateline YMCA Submitted by: ADMIN
A YMCA branch offering youth sports, swim, and fitness programs, including homeschool-specific P.E. sessions.
Homeschool P.E. sessions: ages 6-12. Thursdays. $40 member/$60 community per session (roughly 5 weeks per current season). Flat $5 multi-child discount, register in person.
Synergy Submitted by: ADMIN
A secular homeschool co-op with kids from pre-K through age 18, offering weekly classes across a variety of subjects such as art history, foreign language, robotics, and more. A $100 family membership to RHH Knowledge Nook is required, plus varying per-class fees.
The Art Institute of Chicago Submitted by: ADMIN
One of the country's largest and oldest art museums, holding major collections spanning ancient to contemporary art, including Impressionist and American masterworks.
Free for IL residents on a seasonal schedule: winter weekdays, Third Thursday evenings, and summer Thursday evenings. Check website for current dates, residency verified via billing zip code at booking. IL teachers and homeschool parents can also get a separate free-admission voucher. Museums for All participant: LINK/WIC cardholders and household get free general admission plus ticketed special exhibits, no residency requirement for this program.
Tinker Swiss Cottage Submitted by: ADMIN
A 19th-century Swiss-style cottage built as a private residence, now a historic house museum with period rooms and gardens overlooking Kent Creek.
Donation Days for IL residents on a recurring pattern (weekdays in late winter/spring, select summer dates). Check website for current schedule, pay-what-you-wish replaces standard admission. Site currently flags a fundraising/repair situation that could affect hours, worth confirming before visiting.
Veritas Christi Hybrid Academy Submitted by: ADMIN
A classical Christian hybrid school for grades 6-12, established 2016. Students attend two days of in-person, Socratic-style instruction (Tuesday and Thursday, 8am-3:30pm) with three days of at-home instruction led by parents. Individual classes are available without full-time enrollment.
Wild + Free Boone Co. IL Submitted by: ADMIN
A local chapter of Wild + Free, a national homeschool community built around nature-based learning, reading, and childhood exploration (started on Instagram, now with nature groups, book clubs, and events nationwide). This chapter is nature-based, all ages, meets Fridays, and is free.