University of Illinois Extension

Blog Posts (116)

Outdoor fall family activities

family running through a field of prairie plants

Take a moment of mindfulness with progressive muscle relaxation

peaceful looking photo of body of water and sunset

September 13 is Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day

little girl showing the camera a potato masher

3 tips for talking to your child about historical events

iconic image of New York City with blue lights streaming up into sky

How to help your grieving child

a woman holding a crying boy

Tips to help military families cope with stress

view of someone in military boots standing behind child

Honor older Americans on Senior Citizen’s Day

collage of senior citizens

Capture moments at back-to-school time

back to school info graphic

Family reunions can be a great time to learn about family members

family group hug

Generations can learn from each other

Man and boy fishing together at pond

On the Road Again: 4 essential lists for a successful family road trip

collage

Coping with back to school anxiety

male boy with hands on head with books on table

3 simple ways to encourage reading this summer

group of kids laying the grass reading a book

Five ways to refine your co-parental communication

man and woman pointing at each other and yelling

15 fun facts about the Fourth

navy background with illustration of fireworks

Discover the greatness of the great outdoors

photo collage of people outdoors

3 simple ways to celebrate the end of the school year and the start of summer

sunset illustration

Five ways to support foster parents

caregiver holding child

Deep breathing for mental health

photo of the palm of a hand with fingers spread

Giving back can be as simple as helping your neighbor

Woman helping an eldery woman

2-minute tips for self-care in spring

woman drinking water out in the sunshine

The perfect Mother’s Day gift – meaningful conversations with mom

mom and teenage son sitting on couch talking

Tips for celebrating holidays respectfully

info graphic that says Celebrate Cinco De Mayo Respectfully

5 family friendly activities for rainy days

little girl under an umbrella outside on a rainy day

Celebrate Earth Day

fancy photo of a glass marble reflecting the grass, trees, and sky

3 tips to help you organize your home this spring

little girl cleaning up clutter

5 resources to help you get back to nature this spring

A womand and man lifing up a child by their arms as they walk in the woods

Planning your backyard garden together can create a lasting love of nature

hands digging in a pot of dirt

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with family-friendly activities

photo of a shamrock

Talking to your children about war and difficult topics

an adult woman and adult man talking to a young girl

Fight winter woes with indoor activity

a family being active in their living room with mops and brooms

Focus on friendship

bulletin board with photos of friends taped to it

Celebrating Brain Awareness Week all year long

In her own words: 2022 ISP Scholar - Yasamin Khoshpour

ISP Scholar Yasamin Khoshpour

3 ways to show you care this Valentine’s Day

an elderly man and a young girl holding a cutout heart around their face

Dive deeper into Black History Month with family activities

red, orange, green stipes with words over black rectangle: Celebrat Black History

3 mindfulness techniques to help you reset

woman with eyes closed and head resting on folded hands

5 fun activities to keep kids busy this winter

family sitting at a table taking a selfie

Managing the winter blues

person sitting and holding a paper in front of their face

2022 gardening trends and emotional resilience

pollinator on oregano flower

Habits for a healthier, happier family in the new year

healthier happier family info graphic

Helping children cope with disasters

mother hugging her child

3 ways to reduce stress this holiday season

girl looking stressed holding wrapped gifts

Is your glass half full or half empty?

glass half full with water, block with the word half

Exploring new cultures during the holidays

exploring cultures info graphic

Easy DIY gifts this holiday season

hands painting something gold

Practice gratitude on Thanksgiving (and the rest of the year, too)

practicing gratitude on Thanksgiving info graphic

Making the holidays memorable and meaningful

four people outside laughing in the snow

Help families have easier access to food this holiday season

happy holidays info graphic

3 Ideas to help reduce stress for busy families

man, child, and woman sitting on couch holding head in their hands looking stressed

5 ways to bring more joy to your life

person jumping with joy in front of vibrant sunset

Try these spooky STEM activities with your little goblins

line of pumpkins with words Spooky STEM activities

Making time for self-care

person writing in notebook

Conversation starters to learn more about your friends and family

adult man and young boy sitting by campfire

Time Out!

Man and woman shouting at each other.

3 things to teach your kids about digital citizenship

Digital Citizenship Week info graphic

It’s fall, y’all – Time to create a fall family fun list

It's Fall Y'all! info graphic

Self-care is crucial for stress management

man reading book outside on a bench

Creating a healthful home

illustrated family playing with a puzzle on the ground

Youth Mental Health First Aid can help you reach out to youth in crisis

Ask Listen Encourage icons

5 Ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

hispanic heritage info graphic

Engagement in nature helps youth academically

little boy sitting outside looking through binaculars

Prepare to protect the people you love

disaster collage

Encourage volunteering in your family

a family picking up trash in the park

6 questions to ask your children as they head back to school

infographic

10 ways to savor the last specks of summer

summer infographic

Back to school, back to bullying?

Hallway with blue lockers, one locker is open. Text reads: bullying or peer conflict? R.I.P. as a tool for families

Back to school: proceed with mindfulness

cars lined up on a road with text back to school proceed with mindfulness

Tips for effective communication

two people sitting at a table talking

I Scream! You Scream! We All Scream for…

ice cream collage

Have an Olympic mindset

An arrow that has the word Motivation on it.

3 ways to be more mindful this summer

field of poppies

Create fireworks with STEM

create fireworks with stem info graphic

Summer family fun

children outside of tent in backyard

Ideas how to observe Juneteenth with your family

info graphic

6 ways to celebrate the fathers in your life

young man and old man with arms across shoulders

5 ways to celebrate Memorial Day with your family

american flag info graphic

Using mindful movement for stress reduction

person sitting on mat overlooking a lake

Make the most of summer break with a family garden

family garden activities info graphic

3 things to take time to do as you graduate

infographic with graduation cap and stack of books

4 ways to celebrate Moms

info graphic with floral background

Sensory gardens invite interaction

Lavender photo by Verophoto Art, via Unsplash

3 ways to spread kindness this May Day

Title on photo of pink flowers

Practice self-care to manage stress

Puppy chewing on a rope. Chew on this... Practice self-care to manage stress

Achieving balance in your life

open laptop computer with a cup of coffee and baby toys

New questions to get your kids talking

Get your kids talking info graphic

Poetry can be a wonderful a way to express your feelings

I am Poem info graphic

5 reasons to celebrate your pet

dog and cat in blanket with blog title text overlay

Joy Project promotes mental, emotional, and social health

Joy Project text on sunset with tree on horizon

3 ways to encourage laughter in your family

laughter info graphic

Service to others leads to success

Community Service Ideas text info graphic

Five new prompts to help inspire family conversations

cut out people with talking bubble

Learn and practice box breathing technique

box breathing info graphic

Celebrate Women’s History Month

Celebreat Women's History Month

Make your own snow day

Snow day info graphic

Making and keeping friends

Two boys making funny faces

Valentine's Day Activity - Interview Your Grandparents

Grandparents interview questions info graphic

Help children be mindful of others with Relationship Fingers

Relationship fingers info graphic

Taking Care of One Another

Taking Care of One Another

Kind mind, happy heart

animated hearts and smiley face emojis

5 types of journals to try for yourself

Journaling Ideas blog header

Resiliency as we age

older woman smiling

Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day with Acts of Service

quote by Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

Outdoor Winter Activities

family playing the snow

Conversation Starters for a New Year

Connection Corner Kits Available

Family Connection Kits

Hot chocolate breathing

info graphic

Holiday activities with your family

info graphic

An attitude of gratitude this Thanksgiving

Give Thanks pumpkin decoration hanging on front door

Social-emotional learning and your child

SEL social emotional learning tips for parents

Impulse control and your child

Two young girls hugging and laughing

Walking the line – a journey of wellness

Let the Journey Begin

Additional ways to build resilience

flowerpot with plant and heart

Feeling grateful during difficult times

bench with paper bag that has inspirational saying on it

Helping young children handle stress

father with child writing

Easing the Fearful Mind

News Releases (13)

Addressing inequities to create a vital STEM workforce in Illinois

Mental health in the mainstream; teens can help themselves and others

Strive to Thrive series will teach youth fundamentals to help them flourish

Healthy Trails campaign comes to Lincoln Trail State Park

4-H offers more activities to build family connections

Mason County 4-H Federation “Joy Project 2021” promotes mental, emotional, and social health

Families urged to jump-start a healthy summer with 4-H and Walmart

Community gains support with new Extension family life educator

Emotional Eating: How Stress Impacts Hunger, Appetite

4-H offers activities to foster family connections

Health, wellness continuing education for the classroom

Mobile app supports youth development on the go

Face your older years with health, happiness, confidence

Staff (5)

Shelby Carlson

Shelby Carlson

4-H Youth Development Educator

Tessa Hobbs-Curley

Tessa Hobbs-Curley

Family Life Educator

Photo of Victoria Klimkwicz

Victoria Klimkiewicz

Will County SNAP ED Community Worker

staff photo of Emily Schoenfelder

Emily Schoenfelder

4-H Youth Development Educator

Susan Sloop

Susan Sloop

4-H Youth Development Educator