CHICAGO, IL

North Center Summer Day Camp

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 minute to minute from a variety of activities. They’ll decide 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

Buy any number of days. Use them any time. Get refunds for unused days.

You can buy a Day Pass here and 22 there, or go for the whole shebang with a Summer Pass. You don’t even have to tell us when you’re going to show up (or pretend like you know when you’re going to show up). If you have unused passes left over, we’ll automatically refund them in full at summer’s end.

Lunch, snacks, and all hours, 8am–6pm, included.

SHOW ME FEES

Camp Details

DATES

Jun 12 - Aug 11

NOTES

Closed July 4th

HOURS

8am to 6pm

AGES

4-12

ADDRESS

Coonley Elementary
4046 N Leavitt St.,
Chicago, IL 60618

DIRECTOR

Syd

chi.northcenter@steveandkate.com

CALL/TEXT

847-595-8565

FOOD

View Weekly Menu

Activities for Every Interest

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.

Kids bring their stories to life in the Media Lab, as they create stop-motion “shorts” filmed on our custom-built animation stages designed to frame sets perfectly.

kinder_sewing — Campers of all ages design their own clothing & adornments using customized patterns & challenges. They’ll make items like bags, clothing, & accessories through a mix of hand & machine sewing.

dance_Perform_stage — Enjoy motion-based games like Switch & Just Dance, plus new karaoke systems, back drops, & party props. Whether it’s expressing themselves through song & dance, or acting out a play, if they can dream it, they can do it!

robots_2 — Within the Media Lab, campers have access to the latest in robotic equipment to promote learning & problem-solving. This space has both guided activities & self-directed games & tools like robot landscapes & custom mazes.

breadmaking1_web-309 — A beloved space where baking enthusiasts & taste-testers unite to experiment with recipes. Choosing from a variety of fillings, spices, & add-ons, campers explore new flavors or customize creations to suit their individual tastes.

maker_boys — Explore creativity through crafts, inventor kits, & even 3D pens, to construct take-home projects or collaborate on large-scale builds. Our hand-selected STEAM-based materials are designed to foster curiosity & exploration.

piethrowing_8 — Our 43+ year-long camp traditions continue, with games such as Finding Chuckie (a beloved, mini rubber chicken) & Friday Pieday–where campers & staff celebrate the end of the week with a whipped cream pie to the face!

gaga_girl — Each site is filled with a core set of athletic equipment that utilizes & complements the unique spaces & interests of its campers. Kids & staff band together to exercise, play sports, design games & obstacle courses, & more!

specials_boy3 — Each day, campers delight in a unique, show-stopping special. These could include giant inflatables, movement classes, workshops, performances, or more! *Check out our local 2023 weekly activity schedule, here.*

waterslide_3 (5) — Games and activities like water tag, inflatable slip n’ slides, & giant sprinklers make for unforgettable water-adventures on hot summer days (space and local water restrictions permitting).

lounge_2 — A communal place to socialize & play with a wonderland of indoor games like foosball & marble mazes. In our quiet corner, campers unplug with sensory objects, puzzles, fidget toys, & a library of books for all ages.

Testimonials From Our Summer Camps in Chicago

My son loves Steve & Kate's! He started going there when he was 4 and though I was initially worried about how he'd do in the new environment everyone was so supporting and helpful that he did just fine. He's now 6 and is eager to get back there as soon as he can. I love that they promote self-exploration. He's come home with superhero masks and capes he made himself as well with a new found knowledge of checkers and chess. I also like that they rally all together every morning and value equity and diversity. There is a lot of kindness and support at Steve & Kates, which helps teach my son the type of values I want him to have as he grows.

Monica S.

(S&K parent)

My 6-year old went to Steve & Kate's in Oakland this summer and I don't know who loved it more, me or her! She loved seeing many familiar faces from school and other camps she's been to (unplanned), the food (!), the activities (like making her own video with friends, learning to knit, baking bread) and the freedom to roam and make decisions for herself.

Jessica G.

(S&K parent)

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.

Fees

Maybe you’re the type who likes to plan ahead. Maybe you’re not. Either way, we’ve structured our fees to work around your calendar–whether you’re making it up on the fly or trying to crack the color code of a multi-tab Excel spreadsheet.

Buy any number of Day Passes or a Summer Pass, and use them whenever you’d like during the summer. You don’t even need to let us know when you plan to join–just show up! If for any reason your plans change, we’ll automatically refund your unused Passes in-full at summer’s end.

We also offer need-based financial aid to qualifying families. Learn more or submit an application, here.

All fees include lunch, snacks and all hours 8:00am to 6:00pm.

Fee includes lunch, snacks, activities and all hours 8:00am to 6:00pm.

Buy any number of Day Passes and use them anytime
Upgrade to a Summer Pass at any time by purchasing 30 Day Passes per a given child
Unused Day Passes are automatically refunded in mid September

Fee includes lunch, snacks, activities and all hours 8:00am to 6:00pm.

One fee covers the entire summer–that’s up to 44 days of camp in North Center!
If you purchase a Summer Pass and use less than 30 days of camp, we’ll calculate what you would have paid at the Day Pass rate and refund you the difference automatically in mid September

Does your employer offer Back-Up Care through Bright Horizons? Learn how to use your benefits at Steve & Kate’s Camp, here!

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. Check out the daily menu below.

S&K Events

Join us at an upcoming event! Our virtual Information Sessions are a great place to learn the basics on camp. We’ll give a quick presentation and overview on our program, and then answer any questions you have!

Please note that Information Sessions are open to all Steve & Kate’s Camps, and are not specific to any given location. We’ll also plan local events & opportunities to meet your team prior to camp. Check them out below and we hope to see you soon!

Local Events

Details About Camp in Chicago–North Center

Playground Notice

Please note that the enclosed playground space outside our campus will be open to the public during the summer, and will not be used by Steve & Kate’s Camp. The playground space is fenced-off and separate from our camp area.

Virtual Camp Orientation & Drop-off/Pick-Up Procedures

Virtual Camp Orientation: Once we get closer to summer, we’ll email registered families a link to our virtual, camp orientation. This will provide important information such as camp drop-off & pick-up procedures, how to check-in and check-out of camp each day, what to bring (and not bring), and a few more camp details.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Weekly Activity Schedule

We have a ton of additional activities planned for this summer. Check them out:

6/12- 6/16 WELCOME WEEK

6/19-6/23 JUNETEENTH/PRIDE

Muffy Fishbasket/Coco Chanel Drag Queen Story Hour

Join us for Drag Queen Story Hour, where Chicago’s favorite Drag Queen’s will read our favorite picture-book stories to campers in the gym!

Disco Dome Inflatable

6/21 Wednesday

Campers can jump around and dance to their favorite songs in this bounce-house inflatable on the turf!

Tie-Dye Crafting Sessions

6/21, Wednesday / 6/23, Friday

Campers can bring something white (a plain t-shirt, an old pair of socks, a pillow case, etc.) to camp and tie-dye it in the Tinker space during one of our crafting sessions!

Rainbow Dress Up Day

6/23 Friday

Wear Rainbow! Campers can join us by rocking any color under the sun (or all of them)!

6/26-6/30 SPLASH!

7/3-7/7 CAMP OLYMPICS

Olympic Day

7/3 Tuesday

Campers can come to camp ready to participate in a series of fun obstacle courses and challenges!

Toilet Racers

7/5 Wednesday

Campers can race each other, or cruise around on one of 2 motorized toilet-shaped go-karts!

Pedal Karts

7/7 Friday

Campers can race each other, or cruise around on one of 2 classic pedal karts!

Sports Dress Up Day

7/7 Friday

Campers can come to camp dressed up in their favorite sports uniform or decorated in their favorite team’s merch!

7/10-7/14 OUT OF THIS WORLD

7/17-7/21 SUMMERWEEN

7/24-7/28 STORYTELLERS

7/31-8/4 ZOOTOPIA

8/7-8/11 CARNIVAL

Cardboard Fort Extravaganza

8/7-8/10, Monday- Thursday

Campers can find any piece of cardboard on campus and use it to participate in our fort building competition in the gym!

Carnival!

8/11, Friday

Campers can participate in circus games, inflatable obstacle courses, and other fun carnival activities to win prizes and candy, in celebration of the last day of camp!

Circus Dress Up Day

8/11, Friday

Campers can come to camp one final time and wave goodbye in their coolest circus-themed costume!

Contact Your Local Director

Our directors work year-round and would love to help you learn more about our program and at the same time learn more about you and your camper. Get in touch with your local Director:

Sydney Sargis — SYD

**she/her**

This is Syd’s first year directing, but 7th summer working with Steve & Kate’s Camp! Syd even taught herself how to bake at camp, while leading the Baking activity in 2018. When not at camp you can usually find Syd playing the bass or at a concert or a friends’ show.

This year Syd is most excited to hold a camp-wide music video competition!

EMAIL US
CALL OR TEXT US

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AND DOZENS MORE!

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CHICAGO, IL

North Center Summer Day Camp

Here, we put kids in charge.

Buy any number of days. Use them any time. Get refunds for unused days.

Camp Details

Activities for Every Interest

STOP-MOTION ANIMATION

SEWING SALON

CODING

THE STAGE

ROBOTICS

BAKERY

TINKER LAB

S&K TRADITIONS

SPORTS & REC

WEEKLY SPECIALS

WATER PLAY

LOUNGE

Testimonials From Our Summer Camps in Chicago

Fees

Fee includes lunch, snacks, activities and all hours 8:00am to 6:00pm.

Fee includes lunch, snacks, activities and all hours 8:00am to 6:00pm.

STAFF

FOOD

S&K Events

Local Events

Details About Camp in Chicago–North Center

Daily Menu

Weekly Activity Schedule

Contact Your Local Director

SYD

Stay In The Know