MPA Summer Camp is truly something my children look forward to during the winter months…read more The camp is diverse and inclusive and they have made some great friends. They look forward to seeing their camp friends each summer. The choice of classes is also such a bonus. There really is something for everyone. It might be more expensive than some other neighborhood camps, but for what the children experience? Well worth every penny!

Our family has loved it. My three children have attended it these past two years. We were so…read moregrateful they re-opened quickly during COVID. It is a very diverse camp, a true melting pot and we were super happy with the families we met.The campers were great. I hear they are quick to kick out campers who misbehave, which I appreciate, but be ready if your little one gets in trouble. The preschoolers must be potty trained. They are not flexible about it!! For the elementary campers, you have to create your child's day by selecting four classes. They have a lot of choices, but register early. The best ones tend to fill up really quickly. I learned that the hard way my first year. I was on top of it last year and my children loved all their classes. My only complaint was the mixed grade classes. Second graders with 4th graders is not always ideal. I have been told they are making it only 2nd and 3rd next year, and adding a 4th and 5th section. I hope it's true. That would ideal. They seem to be very organized. They distribute a lanyard at the start of each session with daily schedule and people authorized to pick-up. It really made it easy for my kids know their schedule. The teachers are great and they have counselors in all the classes with the kids to support the teachers. All and all, I really recommend it. It is miles ahead of the park district as far as offerings. It is a little bit more expensive but for what you get, it is really worth it.

I recently interviewed here and the facilities were clean, inviting, and home-like! The Director,…read moreMs. Payne, is so refreshingly professional, kind, courteous, and welcoming. I hope to work here in the near future!

We had our child at JFK for about 7 years. The service was excellent and our child enjoyed going…read morethere. Over that time, there were a few minor issues, but staff resolved the problems to our satisfaction. Although much of the original staff has moved on, the consistency to maintaining a safe environment has been a priority. Special thanks to Ms. Antoinette.

After 5:00 summer series Wednesday wine down:I recently visited this Little Black Pearl, and I have…read moreto say the energy when I walked in was great. I was surrounded by such positive, welcoming people of all ages. Throughout the night, we sang karaoke, played cards, shot pool and listened to good music. What really stood out to me was how safe, inclusive, and comfortable the environment felt. Everyone was so kind and genuine. But what truly touched my heart was how the community embraced my brother, who is special needs. There was no judgment only acceptance, laughter, and open arms. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I had to be on guard, watching to make sure he was being treated with respect because everyone just welcomed. It was a relaxing night filled with connection and joy. I would absolutely come back and recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, warm, and safe space. Thank you for such an unforgettable expeience.

The organization for which I work recently held an event at Little Black Pearl (LBP). The support…read moreand service we received was beyond stellar! LBP provided the space, catered the food (via their onsite cafe, Carver 47), connected us to amazing balloon and floral vendors, and provided other accoutrements (e.g., tables and chairs, table coverings, a stage, sound and tech support, package management). LBP's one-stop shop especially helpful given that our planning team resided outside of Chicago. There is so much to applaud from the experience: the warm and inviting space exuded elegance; the feast was as beautiful as it was delicious; and the LBP team's interactions with us (from planning to completion) was the epitome of grace and hospitality. They accommodated every request and did so with an exceptional level of excellence. When we asked that the menu include a vegetarian and Halal dish, they ensured guests had multiple options. When we requested assistance erecting our banner, they took on the task of assembling the entire structure, even machine washing and drying it when they noticed a stain. Compared to other spaces we considered (and have used in the past) across the city, LBP's offerings and support stood head and shoulders above and their love was palpable in their attention to details.That they have a heart-centered mission and work in support of youth and community was tasty icing on an already amazing cake. Thank you, Little Black Pearl team, for making our event a world-class experience!

Hi @Melissa penny lanes business director,…read more Since I can't reply back to your comment on my review I'll just write it here. Nothing, I wrote is inaccurate information. I totally understand that these reviews are very important for penny lanes business. This is why I took the time to write out the review. For parents seeking child care for their children and wanting to make the best decision. Actually, some of the things that you stated in your reply was very inaccurate such as my reason to leave the daycare. We left due to having so many incidents occur and the lack of incidents reports being made and also lack of accountability. Most of the time my daughter was sent home from daycare with cuts and bruises. Teachers were unable to explain what happened due to them "not being around" or "leaving early for the day" so she was left in the care of substitute teacher and no one in the daycare could find whichever "substitute teacher "was in the class in at the time to explain the constant injuries. Also, on August 11th I was called into penny lanes due to my child having a busted lip and chipped tooth. I expressed my concerns to the director of the daycare Ms.Laura she responded back to me and let me know if I wanted my child to not have so many incidents I needed a nanny. Which I was completely token back by. I understand things happen in a daycare but as a director for that to be the response back to a concern parent is very insensitive. Also, to double back to the abrupt departure. Laura allow us to leave without putting in the 2 week notice due to not us moving but me being so uncomfortable with my child being enrolled under you guys care second longer. Her last day was that Thursday morning November 6th due to another unreported incident. My daughter was enrolled in for a year. I have never once received a weekly paper meal plan in advance. My child was there 5 days a week and 8-8.5 hrs a day. So I understand that health and safety is the utmost importance but it's seems like the ball was dropped multiple times with my child. Also, is always a lack of accountability. This is not the blame game. If I'm paying for a good quality daycare I expect the best quality health and safety for my child. I left the review for parents to understand that penny lanes daycare of oak lawn does not provide this experience for each and every child. Also, if you need for me to provide any proof I can. Thank you. -Brianna Boyce

Penny Lane school in Oak Lawn exceeds every expectation we had as parents. From the moment we…read morewalked through those red doors, the environment is warm, clean and thoughtfully designed to make children feel safe, engaged and genuinely happy. What I love most about this place is their staff, their level of care, patience, and attentiveness goes far beyond what we could have hoped for. Its rare to find a place that combines such high standards with genuine heart, but Penny lane (Oak Lawn) does exactly that. We are incredibly fortunate to have found them and would recommend them wholeheartedly to any parent looking for exceptional care. I currently, have 3 of my kids enrolled there. 2 of them in daycare and 1 in their before and after school care. We also leverage their summer camp program. We love Penny Lane, Oak Lawn!

Fernwood Park, located in Washington Heights, is a good sized park (though with land not as dense…read moreon the south side, it's not as unusual to see bigger parks there!). You can play baseball, tennis, basketball, and soccer in the space outdoors. There's also a pool at this park, though I believe its indoors. There is a day camp offered during summer. It also has a large field house where various programs can be held; amongst them are sports leagues, dance classes, quilting, and programs for seniors. This park has an interesting history; it takes its name from the Village of Fernwood, annexed by Chicago in 1891. The original field house--not the extant one, which replaced the original in the 1980s--was repurposed from the home that was originally on this land. Chicago Public Library even operated a branch out of the field house at one time. This is a really active park with it's various activities, facilities, play lot, and so on. It has a community garden in the summer, which is a really cool use of the park, and I'd love to go down and visit to see the garden once its into the growing season.

It almost seemed like a dream. From the very start, cruising through a large patch of lotus plants,…read moreit felt otherworldly. Very peaceful, going at our own pace. Enjoyed the cliff walls of Buffalo Rock and the shallow waters of some side passages. We paddled for 5 hours, covering 8 miles total. After we were done we headed to charming, historic downtown Utica for drinks and dinner at Skoog's Pub & Grill in North Utica, IL. I was impressed with the logistics and operation of the kayaking experience, from the guide* to the equipment and online booking process. *Full disclosure, the guide was my twin sister, but I am being objective...seriously.

I have mixed feelings about this kayak tour company. I signed up because although I'm a very…read morecapable and seasoned kayaker, I didn't know this river and I like learning about the ecosystems and local wildlife. For this reason I like having tour guides. Going up the river was fine. Coming back went a bit sour. I went as slow as I was capable of paddling or not paddling, but apparently it was too fast for the preference of our tour guide. I was barely touching the water with my paddle. I have no idea how I could have gone any slower. It wasn't humanly possible. After shouting at me several times, he took to chasing me down and ramming my kayak so it'd spin in circles. Would I rent a kayak here and kayak the river alone? Yes. Would I personally use a tour guide here? No I wouldn't. Would I recommend? If you're a family with little kids or a drunk sorority house, absolutely. If you know what you're doing, just go it alone. You'll probably enjoy it more. Edit: If the tour guide had concerns for group safety, he could have said so. Although ramming my kayak with his seems to be a bit of a conflict as far as my safety goes. It was an unprofessional approach when he could have simply explained why he needed me to slow down