I am looking for someone with first-hand experience with the summer camp for kindergarten age kids at Lakeshore Athletic Club. If you have comments, I'd be very interested. If you've had a good experience with another camp in the Lincoln Park/DePaul area, I'd be interested in that too. Thanks.
It's been awhile since my kids were in camp at Lakeshore (7 plus years)...There is a great camp at Adams Playlot, on Seminary just South of Armitage. They have a waterpark. The kids spend alot of time outdoors whereas at Lakeshore they spent more time indoors. Maybe that has changed but they spend so much time indoors living in Chicago that I like a camp where they are outside for a good part of the day. Hope that helps!
I've had one of my sons in Pee Wee camp for younger kids and have witnessed Lakeshore camp kids (kindergarten age) several times at a nearby park. My general impression for their camp programs is that they are hiring younger college kids and some of them were actually mean (raising their voice and being negative) and lazy. While this was not true of all of them I personally do not want my children to be treated badly or ignored. They seem to take a very inactive role while at the parks (much like a lot of nannies) and do not seem to relish the opportunity to work with children. This was 2 years ago so things may be different now but I doubt it. A lot of their programs sound great but do not deliver.
I am also starting to research this camp and would be interested to hear what all you've found. I have a friend who has the same comment as another woman here - she witnessed the counselors with the kids at a park and said that they were ignoring the kids. She didn't want to put her child in this camp for this reason. I have a 3 year old and its hard to find camps for this age in the city...
Hi L.,
We don't have experience specifically with the summer camp, but my 2.5 year old goes to Pee Wee Club and he LLLLLOOOOVVES it! Not only do they do all the typical pre-school/play-school types of things, they also take the kids swimming at the end of each 3.5 hour session. He only goes once a week, but he would happily go more. They also do yoga and lots of other physical stuff.
Several of my friends have had their kids do the camps and have been really happy. I think I put my older kids in a couple days last year, but not enough to really get a good flavor. The signs they put up say that they've made some improvements, so that's good. I think that means they listen to the parents about concerns. I do know they spend some outside time out on the roof deck and they go swimming everyday in the 4th floor pool. I would say, if it's like their other kids programs, it's probably pretty good and reliable. I haven't asked in the past, but with camp I would definately ask if their councilors have been "background checked". Unfortunately, we need to be asking this at all the fun activities we have our kids do, although it's often uncomfortable. Still, our kids are our most important assets! Good luck! J.
L.,
Not sure what hours you are looking for for camp, but I can recommend the Art Camp at The Paintbrush. Check out the website at http://www.thepaintbrush.net and look at the page about summer camp 2008.
