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If you’re a working parent of a school-age child, summers mean sun, sand, short sleeves... and a scramble to fill your kid’s days with childcare. Chicago camps to the rescue! With as many camp options as there are types of kids, you’re sure to find one that caters to your child’s interests and keeps them entertained all summer. How to find all your camp options? Our 2023 Summer Camp Directory will launch for members on January 25, 2023. NPN members can snag exclusive discounts to day camps and sleep-away camps by visiting the directory from January 25th to January 31st. Check back here for the link on January 25th, or navigate to the 2023 Summer Camp Directory from the homepage. Not a member of NPN? Join here. The summer camp directory will open to the public, sans discounts, on February 1st.

NPN's Summer Camp Fair reopens today! Register now to find summer camps still accepting campers! Our summer camp fair custom website opens at 9:00 am on Monday, May 3rd and closes at 5:00 pm on Friday, May 28th. >> Camp options for kids age 2 - 18 years old >> Search for camps based on theme, location, before and after care, virtual or in-person >> Access each camp's registration form with one click >> Watch short and informative video presentations from each camp director You must register here for access to the custom website. Parents who registered for NPN's Summer Camp Fair in February do not need to re-register. We will send you your login credentials to the custom website on May 3rd. Members: Free Non-members: $15 Includes an NPN membership which will be activated within 4 weeks of registration date Thank you to our sponsors, Kids' Work and Bennett Day Camp

Believe it or not, now’s the time to start thinking about summer camps. Many have already opened up registration with early-bird discounts, while others don’t offer placement till spring...only to sell out in hours. We’ve pooled advice and information from our members and staff to help get you started. [Related: Preparing for your child's first overnight summer camp] How old does my child have to be to go to camp? Most camps cater to kids aged kindergarten and up, though there are many camps for preschoolers. The majority market to elementary and middle schoolers, with some reserved for high schoolers and college prep. What kinds of camps are out there? If you can imagine it, it probably exists. From sewing to STEM, cooking to circus arts, Chicago really does have it all — and they’re all over town. When are they? Most summer camps start the week after CPS lets out — for 2020, that’s June 22. Several camps around town — including Chicago Park District’s Day Camp — have multiple sessions throughout the summer. Camps are typically offered in week-long sessions, though some offer drop-in days (or even half-days), or a full-summer commitment. How much are they? The range is wide. Chicago Park District’s famously affordable Day Camp costs as little as a few dollars per hour, while others charge thousands. We know of a handful of camps that offer sliding-scale tuition, too. On average, though, most weeklong day camps fall in the $500 range. [Related: How to tell if a summer camp is a good fit for your child] Summer Camp 2019 parent reviews NPN members on our forum discuss which camps their kids liked (or didn't). Steve & Kate’s Camp “I have no idea WTH goes on in there, but she had fun even though she didn’t know anyone.” RetroActive Sports Camp, Menomonee Club “Seems very basic and takes place in a gym all day, so I don’t really get it, but the kids are wild for it.” Dream Big Performing Arts Camp “Their ‘performances’ are really cute — if a little chaotic.” Summer at Latin, Latin School of Chicago “Kids did all 7 weeks and loved it as always.” East Bank Club Summer Camp “Daily swimming, tons of gym time and specialty classes like tennis and soccer.” Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Summer Camp “Between the family open houses and the email communication, I actually felt like I had a good idea what was going on.” Game On! Sports 4 Girls Camp “Learned a ton of sports and gained major self-confidence.” The Laboratory Collective Summer Camps “AMAZING! I’ve never heard my daughter talk about a camp so much.” Sew Crafty Studio Summer Camp “I’m always so impressed how they can learn in such little time." Read more summer camp parent reviews on our discussion forum.