2021 Summer Camp Guide

After a year of limited social interaction, our kids may need summer camp more than ever. Summer camps are a great time for Chicago kids to try new things, nurture unique interests, meet new friends, stretch their creativity, and have tons of summer fun! Get in on the fun before camps fill up!

*Since many camps are still finalizing their plans for making camp safe this year, we will continue to add to this list.  Keep checking back!

1. Bookmark this guide

2. Click on Learn More for details about each camp

3. Contact each camp directly for help with registration or questions.  Tell them you found them on Macaroni Kid, and they'll be pleased to help you with anything you need

*Want to see your camp featured in the 2021 Northside Chicago Macaroni Kid Chicago Summer Camp Guide? Email us today!

Camps are listed alphabetically.

Explore the magic of theatre with American Eagle's summer performing arts camps! Led by professional teaching artists, campers hone skills in acting, singing, and dance while playing games, socializing with peers, and performing for audiences.

Learn more or register today for American Eagle Productions Performing Arts Camps

With weekly themes and activities in art, sports, music, and STEM, your child (18 months - 3rd grade) will love coming to camp every day. Our small-group sessions serve as an extension of your child’s academic school year and will give students individualized attention as they learn, grow, and play. 

Learn more or register today for Black Bear Academy

Join ChiArts online this summer for our 2nd-8th grade arts camps taught be professional working artists!  Scholarships are available. 

Learn more or register today for ChiArts Virtual Summer Camp

There's no need to run away to join the circus this summer! CircEsteem's summer camp is right in your own back yard.

Learn more or register today for CircEsteem Summer Camp

Connect|Perform|Shine with Wheel, Aerial, Trampoline, Juggling, Acrobatics, Physical Theater, and much more!

Learn more or register today for Circus Arts Summer Camp 2021

A variety of one week camps for kids grades K-5th! Dance, Theater, Spies!

Learn more or register today for Dovetail Studios Summer Camps

Ballet Mini Camps & Full Camps, every Monday through Friday, in July  & August.  

Little ballerinas (ages 2-6) can join us for new themes, crafts & dancing props each week. Summer classes too!

Ballet skills will flourish for older dancers (6+) in our Academy intensive, creative workshops, and class offerings.

Learn more or register today for A Fairytale Ballet

Filament Theatre celebrates a return to in-person programming this June with summer programming for ages 5 - 12. 

Filament is offering Macaroni Kid families $5 off of any of our Summertime PlayDates! Enter code MACKID2021 at check out.

Learn more or register today for Summertime with Filament Theatre

Experience all Summer has to offer in our unique multicultural, multilingual environment!

Intercultural Montessori Language School and Green Explorers Club have teamed up to provide campers with daily summer adventures learning about animals, nature, and sustainability while also practicing new languages from around the world.

Learn more or register today for Intercultural Montessori Summer Camp

Learn more or register today for Infinity Arts Academy

Featuring structured indoor learning opportunities and fun outdoor activities including walking trips, water play, sports, and free play on our onsite secure playground. Plus weekly music with Ms. Elisa of Wee Groove, Yoga sessions with Ms. Cassi, and dance classes with All About Dance!

Mention that you heard about us from Mac Kid, enroll by April 23, and receive our EARLY BIRD discount of 10% off 1st Week of each Full Camp Session! 

Learn more or register today for Kids' Work Chicago

Week-long multimedia art camps for young artists ages 3–16. Campers explore topics in pottery, painting, sewing, jewelry, photography, printmaking, and more in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Learn more or register today for Kidstreet

Little Beans offers a fun-filled camp for kids 3-9 years.  Imaginative play, active play, sports, art, a daily class, a healthy snack, and outdoor games included every day.

Learn more or register today for Little Beans Summer Camp

Immerse your 4-9-year-old in the world of sound at Summer Jam camp where campers spend their morning exploring music through movement, books, games, crafts, singing and more. In the afternoon children can swim or dance with the professional teachers from one of our partner organizations in Edgewater or Lakeview.

Learn more or register today for Summer Jam Camp from Merry Music Makers

The Music Institute of Chicago offers summer camps, classes, ensembles and private lessons for all ages and levels with in-person and online options. Enjoy working with MIC's award-winning faculty and ensembles-in-residence. Most summer camps will be offered online this summer, so you can easily participate no matter your location.

Learn more or register today for Summer at MIC

Our program is high energy, focused, intensive, entertaining, competitive, hilarious, technical, and once again memorable. During the course of coaching, the players will be grouped with players of similar skill and age levels.  Our camp numbers are relatively small so it is easy for us to group friends and siblings together.  

Our camps are full instructional camps and we use very creative games and exercises to fully engage the players in learning while they have a great time playing and enjoying Golf and Tennis.  

The suitable ages for our camps is between 5yrs and 13yrs.  

Learn more or register today for Move Your Feet Sports Tennis & Golf Camps

Come learn to improvise with RECESS Youth this summer! Ages 4-18

RECESS Youth Improv is hosting free, virtual drop-in classes in July! Participants will engage in the art of play, honing skills like listening, collaboration, teamwork, and creativity. 

RECESS is also offering an August Summer Series (virtually) that will give participants an opportunity to build their improv skills, make friends, and hone their creativity.  

Learn more about the July Drop-In classes

Learn more about the August Summer Series or register today for Recess Improv

SAIC is excited to offer summer camps for kids ages 4-9!  Combining creativity with fun, SAIC's camps offer exciting projects and include daily visits to the Art Institute of Chicago museum.

Kids learn 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.

One week sessions for ages 4-6 (with adult supervision)

Themes include: Art & Stories, STEM to STEAM, Upcycled Artists, World Builders and Virtual Museum Explorers

Three week sessions for ages 7-9

Themes include: World Builders, Afternoon Drawing Club, Digital Artists and more!

Family Camp for kids ages 4-10 (with at least one parent/guardian)

Campers work together on a variety of fun projects and experience the joys of making art with old and new friends. Projects may include painting, drawing, mixed-media, sculpture, printmaking, performance, digital art, and more. 

Click HERE to learn more and register today!

(Online programs for ages 4-9 and Families also available)

Athenaeum Theatre Productions and and the award-winning Skyline Studios are proud to announce a new partnership bringing musical theatre camps to the Athenaeum Theatre, this summer. Skyline Studios Summer Broadway Camps are being offered for the first time in Chicago with highly-trained teaching artists as camp instructors for children ages 3 - 14 years old. Campers are given the opportunity to sing, dance, act and perform in a variety of different camps.

Learn more or register today for Skyline Studios Summer Broadway Camps

Wishcraft Workshop presents Spoolhouse Rock Summer Camp: where all projects are from scratch, multi-disciplinary and our social justice hearts are proudly on our sleeves. Many of our camps sell out--friends who want to register together may want to do so at the same time. 

Learn more or register today for Spoolhouse Rock

What do you get when you combine the magic of Broadway with the fun and freedom of Summer?  The ultimate Summer Camp experience!

Stages is dedicated to making this Summer both fun and safe.

Learn more or register today for Stages Performing Arts

At Steve & Kate’s Camp, kids take chances and take charge, shaping their day, their way. More choices and fewer expectations creates more possibilities, more self-trust, and less self-doubt. 

Learn more or register today for Steve & Kate's Camp

Two great options to best fit your family and schedule! Join us for a full-day camp with dance in the mornings and music with Merry Music Makers in the afternoons or a half-day explorative learning camp with Differentiation Dive followed by yoga to explore the body and mind. 

Learn more or register today for The Rooted Space

Learn more or register today for Intro to Irish Dance Camps & Courses

Virtual Gaming Summer Camps: Fortnite, Minecraft & League of Legends 
Sign up with a friend and get another $10 off each!

— View deal on CertifiKID

15% Off Javier Báez Baseball ProCamp 
Grades 1-8

— View deal on CertifiKID

Up to $35 Off Breakthrough Basketball Camp 
Grades K-12

— View deal on CertifiKID

$10 Off Challenger Soccer Camp 
Ages 3-16

— View deal on CertifiKID

Up to $30 Off Science Explorers Camps 
Ages 4-11

— View deal on CertifiKID

Snapology S.T.E.A.M. Camp 
Ages 3-14

— View deal on CertifiKID