Who doesn't love summer camp? Camping is one of the most popular summer activities among children. However, finding the best summer camps is essential to make sure that your children will enjoy every bit of their vacation. It's the place where you solidify friendships, discover new passions, and maybe even learn to love the outdoors. Although Illinois may not have palm trees and ocean waves, that doesn't mean the state can't have great summer camps! We're counting down the five best camps in Illinois you'll want to know about for a great time and new friendships.
Top 5 Summer Camps
YMCA Camp Lakewood
Looking for a summer activity your kids will love?
YMCA Camp Lakewood in Illinois is the perfect place to send your 8–15 years old. It's a sleepaway camp that's full of fun and excitement, whether your child is into sports, arts, or both! The camp can help them build lifelong skills like confidence, independence, and community-building—not to mention that they'll make amazing memories.
If you're worried about the cost, don't be: the YMCA has financial assistance available. You can also choose different packages, including extended stays and programs to help children with special needs.
Camp Pillsbury
Camp Pillsbury in Chicago, Illinois is a non-traditional summer camp with a philosophy that we like to call "fun with a purpose." It's for 9-17 years olds, and offers tons of activities, from archery to pottery to outdoor adventure. This is a sleepaway camp, which offers tons of opportunities for the kids to make friends and grow as people all while participating in fun activities.
The camp includes theater and art classes like musical classes, sports and games like kickball, leadership training like confidence building, and outdoor adventure like kayaking.
Camp Lantern Creek
Camp Lantern Creek is a sleepaway summer camp for children ages 7-17.
In addition to classic camp activities like arts and crafts, swimming, canoeing, and bonfires, they also offer opportunities for more advanced skill acquisition. Campers can stock their schedules with everything from equestrian riding to nature photography, or even join one of their specialty camps: sports, hunting, fishing, or filmmaking. They have a great staff of expert counselors who are ready to make sure your child has the best possible experience at camp. Their staff is highly skilled at making personal connections with campers and helping them have the most fun possible!
Art - Colorful Minds & Creative Hands
Art - Colorful Minds & Creative Hands is an amazing summer camp for kids in Illinois. It's a place where kids who love art can come together and have fun, explore the world around them, and learn about themselves through art.
It's for ages 4-12. They offer half-day, full-day, and day-week options, plus two weeks of sleepaway camp in August.
Activities include traditional and mixed media painting, 3D modeling and paper-crafting, origami and paper folding, jewelry making, collage, printmaking, weaving, and basketry… the list goes on! It's the perfect place to explore your creative side.
HiFive Sports Camp
HiFive Sports is a summer camp in Illinois that offers kids a chance to build friendships and have fun while they learn an array of different sports. It’s open to kids ages 5-12, and it has the option to be either a day camp or a sleepaway camp.
At HiFive Sports, kids can choose from soccer, basketball, baseball, gymnastics, dance, cheerleading, martial arts, and more. The camp also includes exciting activities like swimming and hiking. There are also more sedentary activities for those who prefer them, like crafts, music, and drama. Kids get to choose their own activities every day.
How Can Summer Camp Enhance My Kid’s Life
Summer is coming up fast, which means it’s time to sit down and think about what your kids will be doing during those long, hot months. If you are the type of parent who likes to keep their children busy learning new things and exploring their surroundings, then it might be time to look into summer camps. Here’s why you should consider sending your child to summer camp:
It will help them learn a new skill or hobby. Many summer camps offer a wide range of activities from hiking and swimming, to horseback riding and archery. These types of activities give your child an opportunity to learn something new in an environment where they can feel safe and supported by friends and counselors alike.
Plus, it gives them time away from home where they can explore their interests without having any distractions like television shows or video games distracting them from what matters most: having fun!
Even if your child doesn’t choose one specific activity during their stay at camp, they will still come home with some improved abilities that they can use throughout life.
Final Thoughts on Illinois Summer Camps!
Summer camps in Illinois and near Chicago have always had a reputation for being safe and reliable. Perhaps this is because most camps in the state are outdoors, meaning that campers will be occupied by something else—bolstered by the surrounding trees and greenery of the area. We genuinely hope that this post will help you discover the right summer camp for your child. As mentioned, there are a lot of different things to consider. These camps provide an amazing opportunity for your child to explore new interests and make some unforgettable memories with his or her peers. If in-person summer camps aren't quite your style or your kiddos style, you might want to look into virtual summer camps!
