With warm weather and sunny skies around the corner, it's time to think about summer camp! Whether your child is interested in sports, science, drama or chess—or in a program that offers a little bit of everything—there's a day or overnight camp in the Chicago area that is perfect for your family.
Need more info before sending your kid off? Check out our Parent's Guide to Summer Camp.
Zoo Camp at the Brookfield Zoo
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Age: Pre-school to 8th grade
Length: Day camp, with half-day and extended care available
Cost: Starting at $200 (scholarships available)
Does your child love all things nature? At the Brookfield Zoo summer camp, campers will participate in Zoo Chats with the animal care staff and even experience up-close encounters with the animals. They can feed parakeets and pet goats, wallabies and emus in the Hamill Family Wild Encounters exhibit. This camp also includes traditional summer camp activities like hiking, crafts, singing and games.
Zoo Camp is arranged around weekly themes, which include Extremes, All in the Family and Fantastic Beasts. The themes rotate throughout the summer, with age-appropriate activities that combine science and creativity. The Brookfield Zoo also works with the National Inclusion Project to make the camp accessible for everyone.
Double J Riding Club
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Age: 5 to 14 years old (horse camp); 4 to 12 years old (animal adventure camp)
Length: Day camp, with extended care available
Cost: Starting at $85
The Double J Riding Club offers two types of camps—Horse Camp and Animal Adventure Camp—which run Monday through Thursday, with a special Friday camp available for summer campers.
Beginner horse camp includes a daily riding lesson, hands-on grooming and tacking sessions and lessons in barn safety. For advanced riders, the camp also includes a bareback games day, instructions in jumping and dressage and practice with horse care. Campers will even learn first aid for horses and feeding. Both camps have time for horse games, scavenger hunts and crafts.
Animal adventure camp introduces campers to a variety of animals including llamas, goats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders and (of course!) horses. Your child will interact with the animals, cook for them and have one riding lesson. Camp also includes games, crafts and science experiments.
Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
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Age: 3rd to 9th grade
Length: Day camp (3rd to 9th grade); Residential camp (7th to 9th grade, selective admission)
Cost: Starting at $50 (scholarships available)
IMSA offers camps across many scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering and integrated sciences, so whether your camper is interested in medicine or the science of music and sound production, there's a camp for them! Older campers even have an opportunity to build their own tech startup, and can use that experience to enter IMSA's Power Pitch competition.
Camp sessions are week-long. Depending on which camp your child chooses, activities can be as varied as designing and testing boats, building a Rube-Goldberg project, learning about crime scene forensics, dissection and bioengineering.
Vagabond School of the Arts
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Age: 3 to 18 years old
Length: Day camp
Cost: Starting at $180 (payment plans available)
Does your child dream of seeing their name in lights and performing on stage? The Industry Connection and Multi-Threat Performance Camp for Kids can help them find their starpower. At this camp, your child will learn about working in theater, television, film or print. They will pick and practice audition pieces, learn how to prepare for photo shoots and work scenes in front of a camera. At the end of the week, students will receive a link to their on-camera work, so they even have a tape for future auditions. Each camp also includes a showcase for parents and a question and answer session with professionals.
Lincoln Park Baseball Academy
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Age: 5 to 13 years old (baseball); 7 to 13 years old (softball)
Length: Day camp, with half or full day available
Cost: Starting at $180
Is your child inspired by the greats? Sign them up for this camp where they can meet a Major League baseball player! After daily exercise and agility training, kids will work on base running, pitching, defense and hitting drills. Guest instructors from MLB (past and present) will be there throughout the summer. Bash summer camp also includes sandlot-style games in the afternoons.
Members of the National Pro Fastpitch team the Chicago Bandits will be at softball camp, where players will learn about hitting, pitching mechanics, defense and fundamentals from the professional players and LPBA staff.
Camps run Monday through Thursday, with Friday as a make-up day in case of rain.
Oasis Summer Day Camp
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Age: 4 to 12 years old, with a junior counselor program available for kids 13 and older
Length: Day camp, with extended care available
Cost: Starting at $397
Oasis Summer Day Camp, owned by a Golden Apple award-winning teacher and a school psychologist, works to provide a place for learning, personal growth and fun. Campers experience a huge variety of activities, with art instruction, outdoor play, drama, cooking and STEM activities all available. The camp even includes swimming lessons two days each week, when campers visit the beach or pool.
Beyond that, Oasis provides an opportunity for service learning, with community service projects included in the camp. They also have weekly adventure field trips and sporting events to keep kids active.
Camp Play a Lot LLC
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Age: Pre-school to 9th grade; 10 to 11th grade (CIT program)
Length: Day camp, with extended care available
Cost: Starting at $250
Each week at Camp Play a Lot is designed with a theme in mind; themes include character traits such as respect, diversity and perseverance. Camp activities include swimming twice a week, sports, arts and crafts, drama and field trips. The camp also has Fitness Fridays, with a personal trainer as a guest coach.
For older kids, camp includes weekly career workshops with professionals from a wide range of fields, including screenwriting, law and music. There is also a counselor-in-training program available for 10th and 11th graders.
1000 Watts Sports
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Age: Kindergarten to 6th grade; 7 to 9th grade (CIT program)
Length: Day camp, with an afternoon sports league available for extended care
Cost: Starting at $204
This multi-sport camp is perfect for active kids and includes instruction in a variety of team sports, including volleyball, football, hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball and more. The camp includes bus pick-up and drop-off, a healthy lunch program and field trips each week.
Need extended care? At Watts Afternoons, kids will have 20 minutes of instruction in basketball and flag football, followed by a summer-long league that caps off with playoffs and championship games. There is a counselor-in-training program available for 7th, 8th and 9th graders.
Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation
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Age: Varies by session
Length: Day camp
Cost: Check "Register Now" link below for updated information
The Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation offers multi-day camps for kids throughout Chicago. Through chess, students learn to think creatively, analyze complex situations, problem solve and build self-confidence. Skills learned in chess will help your child succeed in the classroom and in everyday life. Campers will also have an opportunity to form positive relationships with their counselors, who will encourage and coach the campers to succeed. Once your child is hooked on chess, there are continuing opportunities with after-school programs, chess leagues and regional and national competitions.
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