This place is absolutely phenomenal. We have been members for several years and my kids have grown…read morefrom the baby classes to older kids tumbling classes. They love free play and everything Fit City has to offer. Both of my kids also attended the preschool program, Learn and Play PreK, at Fit City Kids and we have been so happy with the early childhood educational experience the preschool offers. The unique program blends creative play with age-appropriate academic learning. Students make friends while learning in a safe, fun, and creative environment. Ms. Daye and Ms. Vanessa provide outstanding structure, guiding students to burn off their energetic wiggles and teaching preschool academics that prepare them for pre-k 4 and kindergarten. My 3-turning-4-year-old has mastered all her letters and numbers, can do basic addition, and writes her name and other words. My first-grader, who attended the preschool there several years ago, was more than prepared for elementary school. The unique environment lets students release their toddler- and preschooler-level energy in the indoor play space during cold Chicago winters. In warmer weather, students enjoy the outdoors at a local park or the outdoor field right at the school. You should check this place out! Next year, they will offer a full-day option, and you can customize morning, afternoon, or full-day attendance to create a schedule that works for you. So much more to offer than a traditional daycare.

It has been super cold for the last week or so and a friend and I decided we needed to get our kids…read moreout so they could have fun and run wild. I've seen Fit City Kids, having lived fewer than two miles away, but this was our first visit and it was great. The entrance fee wasn't bad, especially since one can stay for the full open play time. They have several different areas for play. There is a basketball court area, a play soccer field, gymnastics space, and an indoor playground. There's also a small area that is specifically designed for children aged three and under, although we were told that kids can play in any section (except for the bounce house, which is for the private parties). Our one year olds mostly played in the soccer area, having fun just running around. There's one half of the place where you can wear shoes or not (the basketball/soccer areas) and then in the other half you may not wear shoes. There are one or more party rooms in the back of the facility. (I'm not sure if they overlap parties or not; there were four happening on the day we were here.) Food is not permitted in the facility except for in the party rooms or in the front "lobby" area. They have a few snacks for sale, and based upon the water I bought for my babe the prices don't seem ridiculous. I really appreciate that they don't appear to have any restrictions on bring your own snacks and water, just asking that you respect the areas in which you can eat them. They don't have a water fountain (unless I just wasn't looking in the right places) so bring your own drinks. One downside is that I found only one changing station in the entire place. Don't look for it in the women's room (or probably the men's room, either, I'd expect) but in the individual gender neutral bathroom. With the number of children who might be here at any time and the age ranges they welcome, I was really surprised to see just the one. On the other hand, it was an actual changing table rather than a station that is bolted into the wall and folds down, which always make me a little nervous. They also don't have much space for parents to sit. There are some tables in the "lobby" and a few benches outside the various play areas, but it might be difficult for someone who needs a chair/seat, or someone who's disabled, especially if they want to be closer to the activity areas and keep an eye on their children. Another thing they need to work on is the parking lot. Their parking lot is really large, especially for Lincoln Square--and it's free!--so that's all to the good. Ideally they'd have straight parking spaces since that allows for the most spots; the lot is a bit narrow, so they've opted for diagonal with a few straight. But they need to paint the lot! Driving through this lot was difficult because people parked like they've never parked before. We will definitely return. There are several indoor playgrounds around and I'd like to try the different ones that offer entrance to kids as young as mine in part so we can figure out which are our favorites. But after my experience here I imagine we may be purchasing a membership in the future.

Our first time here was to attend a birthday party. The activities were creative, colorful, and…read morefun. The staff was kind and silly but also in control. We had a great time. Months later, I got a marketing email about Spring Break "camp." We needed help when my preschool daughter did not have school so we sent her to camp for two days. She really enjoyed the projects that they did, brought activities home, and was very excited to go back. I am glad to know that Kids Science Labs are a great option for childcare as well. I highly recommend Kids Science Labs!

We tried this place for 2 days during the winter break. It was our 1st time trying it out. The…read moreteachers and staff were all wonderful. They had something to take home each day. They remembered my daughter's name after just the 1 day. They even had a magic show on one the days. Looking forward to trying out other sessions. Wish they had more locations.

Terrible communication. Signed up for this camp & never received a confirmation email or any…read moreinformation on what we needed to bring or what the weekly themes were. I thought maybe I missed the email, so I tried calling them to get information and couldn't get through on the phone. My son has complex allergies, and there wasn't a professional system in place to handle those needs and medication. It seemed like they expected us to just show up and let one of the 18 year old staffmembers know in person, hand over his lunch box and epipen, and call it a day. Then the actual camp. My son hated it... thought the activities were boring, that it was basically like school with having to sit and pay attention to mandatory projects that weren't very fun. When he didn't want to participate, no alternative activity was available to him so he just sat in a corner and cried. We were told this at pick up, but no one thought to call us during the day to let us know that our kid was distraught for hours. After 2 or 3 days the site manager called us to let us know that our child wasn't welcome back because he was too difficult, and they "weren't able to accommodate children with additional needs." The difficulty was he refused to participate in science projects he found boring. My child also had no diagnosed or reported additional needs, but they came to that conclusion themselves. I could also hear my child in the background: they actually called us and told us that he was difficult and they suspected he had special needs *in front of him*. My husband obviously rushed to pick him up from that awful place. At pickup she actually yelled at my son to stop wriggling in the chair in front of my husband, and he told sternly told her that he would take care of his child's discipline from that point on. I would never recommend any child be sent to this place. Especially if your child has an ounce of personality and opinions about what they like to do. He is going to a different day came in the area this year (that actually costs less), and the difference has been like night and day. I actually got a phone call from the owner to personally go over his allergies ahead of time---can't describe the relief of feeling that my child is actually with a responsible, caring adult.

I actually had no issues with pick up for camp, as Larry, below mentions. It's possible they…read morestreamlined things. It's a tough place to do pick up and drop off Middlefield is busy, especially at 9 AM, making it a little chaotic. But, I found them to be overall pretty organized. But sadly my daughter thought the camp wasn't very good. And that's my main parameter for deciding on the success of the camp. If the kid is happy in the summer, then mom is happy. And she wasn't. It was an African Safari theme and I think she expected more from it. It seemed very loosely themed. I had a lot of trouble getting her to go in morning after the first day. She also complained that all the kids in her group were younger than her, which may or may not have been true, but her perception was that she wasn't really with kids her age. That's kind of out of their control as they have to set age ranges for the camps, but she said it felt babyish. She did like water day but she could have had that at other camps too. I specifically signed her up for Safari camp because she is a huge animal lover and we were disappointed.

I love Ultimate Ninjas! It's my favorite place ever! Coach Gabe is the best because he helps me…read morewhen things feel a little tricky, like the monkey bars. Sometimes I feel like I can't make it all the way across, but he shows me how to swing and tells me not to give up--and then I do it! That makes me feel super strong and proud. My most favorite thing is the warped wall because it makes me feel like a real ninja! I run as fast as I can and try to get all the way up. Even if I don't make it every time, it's still really fun to try again and again. I also like all the obstacles because they're like a big adventure playground. I get to climb, swing, jump, and pretend I'm on a ninja show. Everyone cheers each other on, and it makes me really happy. I always have so much fun and can't wait to go back! Love, Ethan T.

I was invited here for a party and to my surprise such a place was located in Chicago. Plenty of…read morefree parking and once you sign a waiver you are able to climb, jump and play like you are a ninja. There are two divided sections, first section you learn the simple obstacles like climbing and hanging. The second section has the wall you can run on and more complex items. There is always someone who works there to show you how each section is used. There are smaller rooms for parties where they order pizza to enjoy after all the events. Overall, I enjoyed myself and now first hand, I can say I am no ninja.

Lillstreet Art Center is a magical place, it has a little bit of everything!…read more I've taken everything from pottery classes to jewelry workshops to textile classes here. They really have a wide selection and great time options in the evenings for those who work 9-5. 12 years later I still use the garlic grater I made in a sculpting class. Prices are expected, but reasonable for what you get. Teachers are awesome and work with you to help you learn, even if working with clay isn't your thing (I learned quickly it wasn't my thing). But it's still fun to try something new! In the heart of Ravenswood easily accessible by the el, and they do have parking if you drive. Definitely check out this gem if you haven't yet.

As described in the Lillstreet Art Center website, it was "founded in 1975, Lillstreet is a…read morecreative workspace for artists of all levels, from first-timers, to professionals. No matter how you define yourself, you belong here!" When Daughter told me that she had just registered for a "Beginning Wheelthrowing" class at Lillstreet, I did not know the art center. However, I had always been curious about wheelthrowing and wanted to finally learn about it, so I registered too! We both registered for a 10-week class that met once a week in the weekend. It had been a fun 10 weeks! Well, we had missed 2 classes for our unexpected trip to Europe, but we were fortunate that we could make up work by going to "open studios" that are available only to current students. Our teacher Jen FitzGerald has 25 years of experience in ceramics. Both Jen and the class assistant, Kim, are very kind, welcoming, and encouraging. Jen always has solutions to whatever problems that we might have. After she made a demonstration throwing on the wheel, she would go around the classroom to see how everybody was doing with her own work. It was especially helpful during the first couple of classes that Jen came by me and helped me one-on-one to overcome the hurdles that I had. After I "mastered" the techniques, wheelthrowing is relaxing and fun. Glazing pottery has been a lot of fun too! Looking for our fired glazed work on the common shelves is like Christmas! There have been nice surprises of how the glazed work turned out! Now both Daughter and I have made a bunch of cups, mugs, and bowls that we are proud of. Like a lot of the students at Lillstreet, our passion for ceramics have been ignited, this class won't be the last! Lillstreet Art Center not only offers a lot of different art classes for all levels, it also hosts private events like birthday parties, and one-time workshops that you can test the water and have some fun. There is a gallery/gift shop that features a lot of one-of-a-kind creations from teachers and students, most are really sophisticated and professional, and inspirational too! There is a small café that you can enjoy local baked goods. We had tried the almond croissants which were very good. Our teacher Jen is having a Lounge Show "Mudweaver Ceramics" in the cafe, from November 1 to 30, 2024. The show showcases some very amazing ceramic art that looks like woven baskets! Come see the show if you can! Closing reception is on Friday, November 29 at 6:00 PM.

My teen daughter wanted to paint some pottery and I so i went online and found this place! Great…read morespace in a great neighborhood, with LOTS of options. The staff was super helpful and nice. We both enjoyed ourselves and will definitely come back again! I would recommend this place to anyone! We were able to pick up our pieces in less than a week and were both happy with the results!

Visited Color Me Mime for a birthday party activity and had a great time! There's a great selection…read moreof pottery to choose from, like plant pots, plates, jewelry holders, and decor pieces. They provide everything you need: paints, sponges, brushes, and pencils. It's nice that you can bring your own drinks and snacks (just be careful with oily fingers!). The place was bustling when we arrived on a late Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, we had a reservation. Everyone in our group, including some first-time painters, enjoyed the experience. Two hours was the perfect amount of time. The staff was super attentive, always checking in to see if we needed more paint or assistance. I highly recommend Color Me Mime for people of all ages - it's a fun way to get creative. I'm excited to see how our finished pieces turn out; I believe it takes a few days. Definitely worth a visit!

Over the past few months I took 3 sewing classes at Sew Crafty and LOVED IT!…read more I started with the Machine Sewing Basics class to brush up on my skills. I had sewn as a teen so it was easy to dive back in, but there were also brand new beginners in my class that seemed to do really well too. After Basics, I felt confident enough to sign up for Hemming and Alterations (a set of 2 classes), where we reviewed measuring and different types of hems/clothing modifications. We even got to bring in some of our own clothes to work on while supervised by the teachers :) Since then, I've been able to hem a bunch of items I've always wanted to wear, so I'll call it a success! The staff was soooo knowledgeable and patient (shout out to Anika who led both of mine!), making the total of 6 hours I spent there really efficient. The studio was tidy, well organized and had all the equipment we needed to thrive. Plus, the classmates were all super kind, so I guess it draws in nice people! 10/10 recommend!

We LOVE Sew Crafty! My daughter has been going there for 2+ years - she's done after school, summer…read morecamp, and day off camp. The staff is wonderful! My daughter has not only learned how to sew well, but she's loving her ability to choose projects, fabrics, and designs and has gained so much confidence in her ability to sew. Most recently, Alina helped my daughter sew a full skirt over multiple sessions - I can't thank her enough for all she did to teach and guide my daughter. I highly recommend Sew Crafty!

We sent our 4-year-old to this camp for the entire summer of '18 and we are pleased. There are few…read moreoptions in Chicago for a full day of summer care for kids under 5. The staff were all fantastic! There were over 200 kids at camp everyday and they knew us and our child pretty quickly. The camp is somewhat unstructured, there are not naps. There are several themed rooms the kids can choose to work/play in. If I recall correctly there was a singing/recording room, a game room, a programming room, fashion studio, cooking, and a couple others. They can also play outside. Every Friday had a dress up theme. Frequently there was a bouncy house, water apparatus, or other fun structures for the kids to play in. I think the total cost was about $2700 or $3000. Recommended!

Steve & Kate's camp is AWESOME! The camp allows the children to choose which activities that they…read morewant to engage in which, I find very creative & inspiring for children. The counselor are really cool too. They are vibrant, energetic, patient and kind. My daughter likes this camp so much that she didn't want to go anywhere else soooo, it's our 2nd consecutive year! Thank you Steve & Kate's Lakeview family, you're the BEST !!

Blazing Star is a unique and nurturing learning environment. My daughter has loved the summer camps…read moreand day off camps she has participated in. She comes home bubbling over with ideas and inspiration. Claire really understands how to set up an environment and activities so that children's learning is organic and rich. I'm so happy Blazing Star is an option for my children.

From the owner: Child-led learning in a small group environment. Fun, hands-on learning for homeschoolers and…read moresummer campers.