Activities, Camps and After School Classes Near Me

Piglet's Playgroup is a weekly session for children ages 1 - 4 and caregivers to nuture their creative relationships. Through meaningful, sensory rich experiences including dry and messy sensory play, playdough provocations and collage tables, and paint exploration stations we will play and learn together, picking up powerful skills like problem solving and making friends. We believe in child-led learning. There is so much power (and joy) that follows when you provide your child with the space and tools to discover themselves through sensory rich, meaningful exploration. We hope you'll join us and share moments of joy magic together this fall. Caregivers will leave with an understanding of the benefits of sensory play and tips on how to encourage this journey together at home. Dress for a mess!

SCHOOL READINESS GROUP Led by Ms. Paula — M.Ed. in Education & Special Education | 18+ Years of Experience This small group is designed to help young children (ages 2–5) build essential early learning skills in a fun and nurturing environment. Through hands-on activities, stories, songs, and play-based learning, students develop foundational skills in: - Early literacy (letters, sounds, vocabulary) - Basic math (counting, shapes, patterns) - Fine motor skills (cutting, drawing, building) Perfect for children preparing to enter preschool or kindergarten, this class supports school readiness while fostering confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning! Key Outcomes: 🔤 Exposure to early literacy & math concepts 🧩 Fine motor practice through crafts and games ⏰ Following classroom routines (circle time, clean up) 🧸 Practicing independence & caregiver separation 🎓 Growing confident in a classroom-style setting PRICE INCLUDES: - 30 minute class - 1 hour of Open Play (w/ caregiver) REQUIREMENTS: 1. Signed waiver 2. Socks are required (adults & children) 3. Advanced registration

Our staff guides students step by step through a painting, making it easy for everyone to create their own artwork. With loose, organic strokes, anyone who can hold a brush can succeed. Techniques are taught to help students practice at home. 90 minutes.

An intro to dance for ages 3-6 yrs. Fun and creative movement to develop motor & social skills!

Advanced Art: Autumn Series Thursdays, 4:30 – 6:30 PM Celebrate the beauty of the season in this four-week advanced art class focused on autumnal themes. Students will explore color, texture, and composition through a variety of mediums while drawing inspiration from fall landscapes, changing leaves, and seasonal light. Each session will build toward the creation of a final, refined autumn-themed painting. Perfect for experienced young artists looking to deepen their skills and create a cohesive, beautiful piece over time.

A fun introduction to basketball, baseball, and track! Toddlers will explore the basic movements of shooting, dribbling, hitting, and throwing through playful games designed to build coordination, balance, and joy in movement. It’s a well-rounded, fun introduction led by Beginners Edge Sports Training. Tell your friends & enroll together! Bring your players favorite soccer ball, hitting t and bat.

🧱🏅 Build, Create, and Play at GrowFit’s LEGO® + All-Sports Camp! Calling all young builders and active adventurers in grades 1–3! GrowFit’s LEGO® + All-Sports Camp combines hands-on building and creative problem-solving with a high-energy afternoon of sports and games. Mornings are all about imagination, design, and engineering challenges—while afternoons are packed with teamwork, movement, and laughter! Why Choose GrowFit’s LEGO® + All-Sports Camp? 🧱 Creative Building Projects: Campers tackle new LEGO® challenges every day—from constructing bridges and vehicles to building cities and imaginative creations that bring ideas to life. 🧩 STEM-Powered Fun: Through hands-on projects, campers explore engineering, design, and collaboration in a playful, confidence-building environment. 🏅 Active Afternoons: After lunch, campers join our All-Sports Camp for a mix of games like soccer, basketball, gaga ball, and bounce house tag—keeping energy and smiles high! 🤝 Teamwork & Collaboration: Whether designing a LEGO® masterpiece or strategizing on the field, campers learn the power of communication and cooperation. 📈 Full-Week Experience: Each day builds on the last, so full-week registration is required—ensuring campers fully explore both their creative and athletic sides. Camp Details: 🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Full-Day Program) 🧱 Morning: LEGO® Camp (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) 🏅 Afternoon: All-Sports Camp (12:00 PM – 4:00 PM) 📍 Location: The Academy 🚗 Drop-off: 8:45–9:00 AM | Pick-up: 3:30–4:00 PM 🎒 What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, a water bottle, lunch, and two snacks. With over a decade of experience delivering dynamic, enriching programs, GrowFit’s LEGO® + All-Sports Camp inspires creativity, teamwork, and active fun—building skills and friendships that last far beyond camp week. 🧱🏅 Ready to Build, Play, and Imagine? Spots are limited—register today and let your child experience the best of both worlds! Refunds and Cancellations: Cancellations made at least 30 days prior to the camp date will be eligible for a full refund, minus a 10% cancellation fee. For cancellations within 30 days of the camp start date, we’re happy to offer a credit for future participation. Please note: cancellations on or after the start of camp are non-refundable. Tax ID: 81-1018163

Discover Fun, Leadership, and New Skills at GrowFit Camp! At GrowFit Camp, kids aged 4-10 dive into a world of sports and games, discovering new athletic passions in a fun, supportive environment. For teens aged 13-16, our Counselors-In-Training (CIT) program offers the ultimate mix of leadership training, community service opportunities, and exciting gameplay with younger campers—all while boosting résumés with valuable experience! CITs operate alongside camp counselors under the guidance of a trained coach, learning leadership skills and playing a variety of sports and games. CITs are technically campers, participating fully in camp activities while gaining leadership experience. The program is $30/day with limited spots available each week, requiring a full-session commitment. What to Bring: Water Bottle: Stay hydrated! Refill stations are available on-site. Shoes & Clothing: Comfortable athletic shoes and black athletic shorts or pants are required. Each CIT will receive a camp shirt to wear for the week. Food: Please pack a few snacks and a lunch as the CITs are very active during the day. To join the CIT program, applicants must answer three quick questions after adding the program to their cart. Don’t wait—spaces are limited, so secure your spot today!

Discover Fun, Leadership, and New Skills at GrowFit Camp! At GrowFit Camp, kids aged 4-12 dive into a world of sports and games, discovering new athletic passions in a fun, supportive environment. For teens aged 13-16, our Counselors-In-Training (CIT) program offers the ultimate mix of leadership training, community service opportunities, and exciting gameplay with younger campers—all while boosting résumés with valuable experience! CITs operate alongside camp counselors under the guidance of a trained coach, learning leadership skills and playing a variety of sports and games. CITs are technically campers, participating fully in camp activities while gaining leadership experience. The program is $30/day with limited spots available each week, requiring a full-session commitment. What to Bring: Water Bottle: Stay hydrated! Refill stations are available on-site. Shoes & Clothing: Comfortable athletic shoes and black athletic shorts or pants are required. Each CIT will receive a camp shirt to wear for the week. Food: Please pack a few snacks and a lunch as the CITs are very active during the day. To join the CIT program, applicants must answer three quick questions after adding the program to their cart. Don’t wait—spaces are limited, so secure your spot today!

During this week campers get to enjoy a different ceramic and slime daily. Although there are options to take part in painting on canvas instead. ​ We know going home we so many slimes and ceramics can be overwhelming - so we have you covered. From fluffy slime to glow in the dark and snow slime - we will keep the campers day filled with exciting activities!

​​Furry friends make the best friends! This week we will be working in pencil, acrylics, ink, watercolor and clay! Join us as we make our way through the zoo and learn how to draw painting and sculpt some of our favorite animals. ​PLEASE EMAIL REGISTRATION FORM & MEDICAL PRIOR TO THE START OF CAMP.

PE 101 is a 90-minute class that allows students to explore multiple sports in a fun, learning environment. This program is designed for students to be ACTIVE while learning about athletics and team sports. Each class begins with a dynamic warm-up and stretch. Next, we rotate through agility stations and drills. Units of study include sport-specific drills and games, including rules of the game, strategy, and the fundamentals required to play. We also enjoy fun classic games like kickball, dodgeball, whiffleball, wallball, and capture the flag. 2/27, 4/17, 4/24 will be out door park days as the fieldhouse has tournaments. We are unable to offer refunds once classes have started.

🌸🎨 Spring Camp at The Giggling Pig! Creative Fun to Inspire Kids All Spring Break Looking for a fun, creative way to keep your kids engaged during spring break? Send them to The Giggling Pig for a colorful, joyful camp experience full of imagination and hands-on fun! 🌷 Each camp day features a new spring-themed art project, plus plenty of time to create freely, explore our sensory area, and make new friends—all in a warm, encouraging environment.

Let your freak flag fly! We're bringing life to everyone's favorite fairy tale creatures for our 2026 Broadway Stars Mainstage Production, SHREK: THE MUSICAL JR.! Join our talented cast of young performers and learn how theater can make everyone the hero of their own story! Broadway Stars was created by a professional performer turned child development specialist with the primary goal of helping children develop the foundational skills and technique every musical theater performer needs while giving them the opportunity to find their voice, build confidence, and do what every budding Broadway Star loves most: PERFORM! Classes are taught by a team of professional teaching artists with years of experience both in the classroom and on professional stages, and feature a customized curriculum designed to challenge and showcase the strengths of each young performer. PRODUCTION ADMIN FEE INCLUDES: *2 Full Cast Rehearsals *Tech Week Rehearsals *4 tickets to our production (Additional tickets will be available to purchase closer to the performance) *Scripts & other class materials *Costumes (Families will NOT be asked to go out and purchase items for the show but may be asked to bring clothing you already own.) *Props & Sets *Week Long Rental at The Biograph Theater AFTER SCHOOL PICK-UP: Stages offers after school pick-up from Skinner West, Skinner West Branch, Montessori Academy of Chicago, Intercultural Montessori & World Language Academy. Pick-up will be approximately 20min before the start of class to give us enough time to gather students and walk over to Soul City. WHAT TO EXPECT: --Weeks 1-2 (Jan 5 - Jan 17): Setting the Stage— Families who are new to Stages are invited to join us for a FREE TRIAL the week of January 6-11, 2025. The first two weeks of the semester will focus on learning and perfecting the foundational musical theater skills every Broadway Star needs when performing on stage. Classes will participate in acting games and begin to learn music and choreography for their auditions. These first two weeks of the semester also allow our teachers to get to know students and start to determine which scenes, songs, and roles will be the best fit for each child. --Weeks 3-4 (Jan 19 - Jan 31): I Hope I Get It!-- During weeks 3-4 of the semester, students will participate in a personalized audition process. Auditions at Stages are designed to be a low stress, fun experience where Broadway Stars get to show off what they’ve been learning the first few weeks of the semester and tell us what they are most excited to do in the show. Every audition will look different as every child is different. For children who are new to performing or nervous about auditioning, this will be an informal, low-stakes experience. For children who are older, have been performing for a while, or are ready for a challenge, this will be treated as a more formal audition. How Does This Work? Each class will be assigned specific scenes and songs from from our musical, not the entire musical. Classes will come together for the final performance to perform the show in its entirety. EVERY CHILD WILL BE GIVEN A ROLE OR SPECIAL PART IN THE SHOW. We will work together with participants to make sure they have a speaking line, solo, duet, etc. that they are excited to perform! --Weeks 5-12 (Feb 2 - Mar 21): Putting It Together-- During Weeks 5-12, children will begin putting together their show! Each week, classes will work on their assigned scenes and songs. During these classes, we will focus on learning and rehearsing musical numbers and choreography, blocking acting scenes, and introducing various theatrical elements that will be used in our show such as sets, props, and costumes. Don’t worry, it’s not all work. Classes will also have the opportunity to play theater games designed to introduce new performance skills and brush up on concepts we’ve learned in previous classes. --Weeks 13-16 (April 6 - April 25): Prepping for Opening Night-- Classes will begin running doing “Run Thrus” where they perform all of their scenes and songs from start to finish. We’ll also start adding in transitions so performers know when and how to enter/exit the stage, when to get microphones, make a costume change, or pick up a prop from the prop table. These classes are VERY important and we ask that you do your best to ensure your child is at every class unless they are ill. --Week 17: Tech Week– Monday, April 27 - Thursday, April 30 The week of the show, we will be having rehearsal after school April 27 - April 30 where ALL of the classes are brought together to run the show in the space. These rehearsals will be MANDATORY. *Students in K-2 Classes will not be required to attend every night during tech week. Dates will be confirmed mid-March to give families plenty of time to make arrangements to ensure their child’s attendance. SHOW DATES: May 1-3, 2026 SHOW LOCATION: The Biograph Theatre (2433 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614)

🚐 Hi-Five Shuttle Service 🚐 Let us take the hassle out of transportation with our safe and reliable Hi-Five Shuttle Service! 🛑 Important Details: ✔ Booster Seats Available for Young Riders – Seatbelts are required for all age groups. ✔ $10 per Ride – Convenient and affordable transportation. ✔ Waiver Required – Must be signed and digitally returned to Hi-Five and your school administrator before the first ride. ✔ Insured & Trusted Drivers – Our experienced team ensures a smooth and secure ride. ✔ Flexible Payment Options – A 5% deposit secures your spot, with the remaining balance available in installments. We've got your child’s ride covered! 🚍✨ No shuttle rides 9/7, 9/21, 10/12, 11/23, 12/21, 12/28, 1/18, 2/15, 3/22

Join us for a morning of art that is fun, functional, and a blast of creativity! At this camp your child will get to learn about art, get their creative juices flowing, and have fun creating their own work of art. Spaces are limited. Save your child's spot by registering today!

Join us for a morning of art that is fun, functional, and a blast of creativity! At this camp your child will get to learn about art, get their creative juices flowing, and have fun creating their own work of art. Spaces are limited. Save your child's spot by registering today!

Enjoy fun-filled, creative summer camps filled with arts and crafts. Each week will have different projects! Our projects will include: creating a book of art over 5 days; painting a multi-step masterpiece; drawing landscapes, cartoons, and more; sculpting with wire, clay, and other materials. Our days will include two breaks to get out and be active and have your brought-from-home snacks. So come, bring a friend, make some new ones and enjoy our relaxed, creative environment, bringing home frame-worthy art and a keepsake book illustrated by your cutie pie.

🚐 Hi-Five Shuttle Service 🚐 Let us take the hassle out of transportation with our safe and reliable Hi-Five Shuttle Service! 🛑 Important Details: ✔ Booster Seats Available for Young Riders – Seatbelts are required for all age groups. ✔ $10 per Ride – Convenient and affordable transportation. ✔ Waiver Required – Must be signed and digitally returned to Hi-Five and your school administrator before the first ride. ✔ Insured & Trusted Drivers – Our experienced team ensures a smooth and secure ride. We've got your child’s ride covered! 🚍✨ No shuttle rides 12/22, 12/29, 3/23

🚐 Hi-Five Shuttle Service 🚐 Let us take the hassle out of transportation with our safe and reliable Hi-Five Shuttle Service! 🛑 Important Details: ✔ Booster Seats Available for Young Riders – Seatbelts are required for all age groups. ✔ $10 per Ride – Convenient and affordable transportation. ✔ Waiver Required – Must be signed and digitally returned to Hi-Five and your school administrator before the first ride. ✔ Insured & Trusted Drivers – Our experienced team ensures a smooth and secure ride. We've got your child’s ride covered! 🚍✨ No shuttle rides 11/11, 11/25, 12/23, 12/30, 3/24

🚐 Hi-Five Shuttle Service 🚐 Let us take the hassle out of transportation with our safe and reliable Hi-Five Shuttle Service! 🛑 Important Details: ✔ Booster Seats Available for Young Riders – Seatbelts are required for all age groups. ✔ $10 per Ride – Convenient and affordable transportation. ✔ Waiver Required – Must be signed and digitally returned to Hi-Five and your school administrator before the first ride. ✔ Insured & Trusted Drivers – Our experienced team ensures a smooth and secure ride. We've got your child’s ride covered! 🚍✨ No shuttle rides 11/27, 12/25, 1/1, 3/26