2025 Chicago Summer Camps (Gathering Reviews)

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry has exciting opportunities to engage your youth in science, making, and the wonder of this exciting museum! All supplies provided and scholarships are available for students in need of financial assistance.

The Summer Lab programs at the University of Chicago offer so many different opportunities for children to learn, connect, and discover—from sports and theater to urban adventure and academics. The programs are fun and like everything at Lab, they are designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence in each child.

Creativity Camp provides kids the chance to explore the exciting world of art and creativity through a wide range of multi-media activities. Campers work with professional artists to produce unique and original works of art, and develop their imagination and creativity. The combination of visual art and theater art, together with outdoor play, gives campers a unique experience that is tons of fun! Teens are also invited to apply to work as camp assistants.

At this elite athletic training facility, they offer a summer camp designed to sharpen the mind and strengthen the body! Campers will learn gymnastics basics, partake in gymnastics-style games, and enjoy arts and crafts.

This premier Chicago summer arts camp invites children to discover, explore, and imagine in their own unique ways, experimenting with a variety of art materials and methods that encourage the development of creative thinking and problem solving skills. Children will be inspired by its fantastic downtown location & regular opportunities to explore the collections of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Intensive, multi-week summer dance camps offered in Chicago for serious ballet dancers.

Learn from professional actors at the Goodman Theatre's Musical Theater Intensive (MTI) in this intense, audition-based summer program for Chicago teens who are serious about theater. MTI acquaints students to the demanding lifestyle of performers as they refine their skills in acting, dancing, singing, storytelling, and ensemble work. The program culminates in a final performance of student work.

Camp Invention is one week in the summer where your child’s creativity, innovation, and problem-solving skills are challenged and developed in fun and exciting ways. Their top priority is to inspire future innovators and build kids' confidence in their natural ability to dream and create. These STEM camps are offered at community locations throughout Chicago and the suburbs.

Alexandra F. said:  I liked that this camp was close to home, and just a few hours a day over the course of a week, since that's about all my introverted kid would agree to. However, I was a bit underwhelmed by the projects they worked on (creating things using recyclables and discarded items), and since it was hosted at a local school, the open play time wasn't as special as a more traditional camp setting closer to nature might have been.

Who better to learn the game of baseball from than the WORLD SERIES CHAMPION Chicago Cubs?? All children regardless of ability are welcome at Cubs summer baseball camps for kids. Camps are held at various locations in Chicago and the suburbs, with the World Series Experience including a day-long trip to the historic Wrigley Field.

Nike Soccer Camps are a fun, co-ed camp experience for players looking to improve their footwork, shooting, defending, and decision making skills on the soccer field. These summer soccer camps are offered at multiple locations all around Chicago and the suburbs, for kids of a wide variety of ages from early elementary to teens.

Hosted by JCC Chicago at several locations throughout the Chicagoland area, Apache summer day camps give campers the opportunity to discover new experiences, make new friends, and embrace everything that makes them unique. Campers can explore a variety of activities, including: sports, arts & crafts, dance, cooking, music, storytelling, Judaic learning, and much more. Programs, ages and pricing vary by location.

Whether your kid is a budding comedian or just wants to boost self-confidence and communication skills, The Second City’s signature comedy camps offer a summer of laughter and creativity. Campers exercise their sense of play through improv games and exercises that are the foundation of The Second City’s unique brand of comedy. Kids will perform for friends and family at the end of each session. Teens ages 15-18 who have attended two or more camps can join the Advanced Comedy Camp.

Animals camps at the Lincoln Park Zoo are a perfect choice for kids who love animals! The Summer Conservation Camp gives campers in PreK though 5th grade the chance to explore the zoo, learn about the animals, and how to care for them. Zoo Crew sessions for kids in grades 6-8 include field trips, conversations with zoo experts, and opportunities to stay late at the zoo each session.

Learning to climb teaches kids hands-on problem solving skills, helps them improve spatial & fine motor skills, and builds confidence. Best of all, at it's fun! Summer Adventures will keep your kid(s) engaged all week long with a roster of climbing challenges, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) activities, team building and more.

Explore the wonders of nature at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum! This wonderful nature summer camp focuses on nature and science education utilizing the Nature Museum’s outdoor and indoor spaces. Younger campers will spend their days digging, building, and learning about local urban habitats, while tweens will explore the conservation work of the museum's scientists and use puzzles and riddles to learn about the Illinois wetlands.