CHICAGO, IL

Chicago–Loop Summer Camp–Gap Week

Gap Week has ended. Sign up to be notified when we open camp next!

Here, we put kids in charge.

Preposterous? Possibly. Effective? You betcha.

When you trust kids, they trust themselves. For 43 years, we’ve put kids in charge of their own learning experience. As they try, fail, and learn on their own, they learn to trust their own judgment, and tackle the challenges of an ever changing world with creativity and confidence.

Campers choose activities minute to minute–deciding what they want to do, and for how long. Our job is to get out of their way, cheerlead creative risks, and provide just enough guidance to make sure nobody does anything totally* senseless.

*Totally senseless: By our definition, mistakes aren’t senseless. They’re how you learn.

SHOW ME ACTIVITIES

Camp Details

DATES

NOTES

*Information from Summer 2023 and subject to change for 2024

HOURS

8am to 6pm

AGES

4-12

ADDRESS

We hope to return to Chicago-Loop another year!

DIRECTOR

Amy

chi.break@steveandkate.com

CALL/TEXT

773-219-0501

FOOD

View Weekly Menu

Activities for Every Interest

Campers will design their day in real-time by choosing from a variety of activities offered at once. In the early morning and late afternoon, campers ramp up and wind down with recreational choices. For the bulk of the day, children will choose from the activities listed below. While we can’t say exactly what the day will look like, one thing is for sure: The campers are in control.

Animation — Campers will use scaffolded coding apps to build & play games on iPads. They’ll also have the ability to produce stop-motion shorts on our custom animation stations, create music, or remix their favorite song.

sewing_girl3 — Hand & machine sewing are available for campers of all ages as well as options for embroidery & creating accessories or other artistic flare.

maker_boys — Explore creativity through crafts & inventor kits to construct take-home projects or collaborate on large-scale builds. Our hand-selected STEAM-based materials are designed to foster curiosity & exploration.

nintendo_girls — Enjoy motion-based games like Switch & Just Dance, plus new karaoke systems, back drops, & party props.

WS_features-min — Campers & staff join together to play indoor playground games, sports, or whatever kids are interested in that day. And to spice things up we'll have a surprise activity or performance this camp session!

lounge_2 — A communal place to socialize & play with table games, cards, & puzzles, or create and experiment with art & crafts.

Testimonials From Our Camps in Chicago

The staff was really wonderful at the Chicago-Lakeview location. They were all highly personable and warm with our children. I always appreciated hearing how much they enjoyed spending the day with our kids. They made me feel like my kids were part of a family.

Amy S.

It was my son’s first time experiencing summer camp and it could not have been a more memorable experience. From a parent perspective, I could not have asked for a more caring and passionate group of people. It was obvious from day one that every single camp counselor and staff member truly cares about all of the kids and making their camp experience the best and most memorable possible. I cannot wait for him to participate again next summer, we’re counting down the days.

Michelle S.

(S&K parent)

We have sent our kids to Steve & Kate’s Camp for the past few years, and we can’t say enough good things about the program! While the variety of activities are wonderful, what makes this camp what it is, is the incredible staff. The have provided a safe and loving environment for my kids to go to daily – one where the kids have a blast and one where I feel comfortable sending them each day. I know they care about each of the kids and treat them as if they were their own. I only wish Steve & Kate’s camp was around when I was a kid!

Tara B.

(S&K parent)

Staff

Tireless child advocates, who balance structure and guidance with staying out of campers’ ways. All staff members are background checked and trained in CPR & first-aid.

Food

We provide daily lunch options from a rotating variety of local restaurants and caterers. We’ll also offer an array of snacks for kids to nosh on throughout the day.

Contact Us

For questions about booking, please reach out to your normal Bright Horizons channels, or call the general back-up care booking line at 877-242-2737. For everything else–get in touch with us! We would love to help you learn more about our program and at the same time learn more about you and your camper.