Summer Program
Celebrating our 6th Summer! ☀️
Voted Best Summer Camp in Chicago three years running, Jen’s Camp is a neighborhood day camp where campers choose their own adventure every day: sewing, art, sports, science, games, and plenty of time with friends. No two days look the same.
New to Jen’s Camp?
Welcome! We can’t wait to meet you. Campers can jump into whatever sparks their interest, make new friends, and head home with stories to tell.
Returning families, we’re back at Lincoln! 🎉
We’re spending another summer at Lincoln Elementary, just down the street from Alcott, while Alcott gets exciting ADA upgrades that will make the building more accessible for everyone. You’ll find the same hours, the same activities campers love, and the same leadership team. Spring Break is staying at Alcott, so we’ll see you there in March!
📍 Lincoln Elementary | 615 W. Kemper Place, Chicago, IL 60614 | Door 1
Details: June 14–August 6 | M–F | Rising K–Age 11 | Jr Counselors 11–13 | One price covers it all: every activity, snacks, lunch, and extended hours, with no extra fees for before or after care.
Pricing:
Full Day (7:30a–6p): $128/day · $635/week · $3,999/summer
Half Day (AM 7:30a–1:30p or PM 12p–6p): $98/day · $485/week · $3,350/summer
Jr Counselors: $98/day · $485/week · $3,350/summer
Mix and match! 🧩 Book any combination of full and half days or weeks, even within the same week. For example, campers can come for full days on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and half days on Tuesday and Thursday, all summer long.
What People Are Saying
“Our kids had a blast (they were disappointed to leave each day) and it was run by such a warm and caring group - Jen and her team were welcoming and fun and our kids loved them. And it was so EASY! Food/snacks provided, flexible hours and days. My oldest has a food allergy and it was comforting to know Jen had personal experience with his medicine. Couldn’t be happier with our family’s experience at Jen’s Camp!”
— Sarah, caregiver
“Staff is so warm and attentive! My kids didn’t want to leave!”
— Cory, caregiver
“There were opportunities for my kids to try different activities at their own pace. They were so engaged, they said the day was too short and wished they could stay longer..”
— Meghan, caregiver
Summer Program
Proud to be featured on ABC channel 7 and recognized as Chicago’s Best Summer Camps of
2024 + 2025 + 2026
Video of Jen’s Camp campers singing a song together
Music
Request a song from our curated Jen’s Camp playlist to belt out a solo or a duet with a friend! Campers are welcome to visit the art area to create performance props!
Outdoor Recreation
Swing on by the monkey bars, shoot some hoops, cool off outside! Summer means we finally see the sun here in Chicago! It is summer, let’s play!
Sewing
From first timer to expert level, skills can be built over time! We welcome all campers to try and learn the art of sewing! We have many campers who enjoy creating with fabric, glue, or needles and yarn too!
Engineering
It all begins with an idea. And if the ideas are not flowing, there are some inspirational project ideas sitting nearby! Endless creations and endless collaborations! We provide the materials the kids need to unleash their creativity and understanding of building as they navigate creating their own projects!
Refresh
Ah, the refresh button! We all need to recuperate some of our expended energy from time to time. Sit back, relax, grab a book or not. Relax! That is what campers do here!
Mascot
Campers can get crafty with clay, making two mascots—one hiding, one guiding. Staff will hide one mascot and put the other on display by our mascot sign. Staff give daily clues that turn the search for the hidden mascot into a mystery and the campers into detectives. We cheer on our campers' creativity and detective skills—it's a blast!
Nature
Our outdoor area is like Mother Nature's playground—fenced in, so she doesn't escape! Campers can magnify the wonder and, for the budding scientists, we've got microscopes! Who wouldn't want to see nature up close and personal? It's like a VIP pass to the great outdoors!
Crochet + Knitting
Campers can use looms, hooks, and weave magic with their very own fingers to create cool bracelets, hats, shawls, and more!
Technology
We think kids can do anything! Especially if we give them the tools and get out of their way! Campers of all levels from beginner to expert are welcome here. From films to photos to stop motion animations, our campers create, direct, act, produce, and edit! These are the only screens campers use at our camp and they are available only during select times of day.
Origami
Whether it's folding playful animals, colorful flowers, mythical creatures, or old school fortune tellers, this space encourages campers to explore their artistic instincts and discover the joy of bringing paper to life. As their hands delicately maneuver paper into unique shapes, they're also enhancing their dexterity and precision—all while chatting with others!
Foam Party Fridays
You read that right! Every Friday that the weather allows, campers can join us outside for a foam party! Our foam is hypoallergenic so the only tears here are tears of joy!
Snow Cones
There is no better way to cool off and hydrate, just ask your kid! Every Thursday we serve up freshly crushed ice drizzled with our delicious simple syrups (made with organic fruit, no colors or dyes). As always around here, we listen to the kids about flavors! Last summer our camper favorite was blueberry honey - we can’t wait to see where they lead us this summer!
Chalk City
We’ve got chalk for days! Campers can take the positive messages, ideas, and artistic creations to the pavement!
Cooking
What a great skill! While it provides sensory skills, it also can provide confidence and a remedy for hungry bellies! We will help our campers stay clean, safe, and allow them to get creative with their food!
Rubber Band Magic
Our rubberband area is more than just a crafting space; it's a hub of social interaction. As campers immerse themselves in the arts, they naturally engage in conversation with fellow creatives around the table! We find when the campers hands are busy, it takes away some of the social pressure to conversing and it feels a lot easier for many campers!
Indoor Games
Beat the heat without missing out on fun! Enjoy our many games that keep campers’ minds focused on strategy or fun. Relax and connect with classics from chess and checkers, to Giant Sorry and Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza….to our very favorite (drumroll please), camper created board games!
Science Experiments
Campers can dive into weekly science experiments that align with our fun themes. Each experiment offers an opportunity to explore exciting science concepts and witness awe-inspiring reactions, all while having a blast.
…and much, much more!
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At check-in campers choose between a crowd pleasing piece of pizza (gluten free and regular will be available) or a daily feature entree. Along with those options, campers will be offered crunchy carrots to munch on.
Half-day lunch: We order plenty of cheese pizza and the daily feature. Have a special request? Text your camper’s order to 312-914-4344 by 9a Here for a while? We’ll learn your camper’s preferences so you don’t have to text daily.
Daily Features:
Monday: Mostaccioli - Delicious mostaccioli noodles tossed in a vegetarian marinara sauce
Want the sauce on the side or no sauce at all? Plain noodles with parmesan cheese to sprinkle on yourself , like the chef you are? That is no problem here. Tell us at check-in and we will make it happen.
Tuesday: Steak Sandwich - Juicy slices of steak served between slices of local bread
Wednesday: Cheese Tortellini - Tender cheese tortellini topped with vegetarian tomato sauce
Want the sauce on the side or no sauce at all? That is no problem here. Tell us at check-in and we will make it happen.
Thursday: Turkey Sandwich - Thinly sliced turkey breast piled high on local French bread. Campers, let us know if you want to jazz it up with some cheddar or keep it simple with just turkey. Prefer a plain cheese sandwich instead? No problem, we’ve got you covered!
Friday: Caesar Salad - Crisp Romaine lettuce, sharp parmesan cheese and crunchy croutons served with grilled chicken strip
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Morning and afternoon snack served daily.
*Gluten Free options available
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Week 1: Hello Yellow
Focus: Welcome, Sunshine + Summer
Week 2: Orange Odyssey
Focus: Exploration, Adventure, Curiosity
Week 3: Red Carpet
Focus: Hollywood, Confidence, Courage
Week 4: Think Pink
Focus: Kindness, Friendship, Self Care
Week 5: Purple Reign
Focus: Leadership, Respect
Week 6: Blue Lagoon
Focus: Under the Sea, Vacation, Peace
Week 7: Going Green
Focus: Recycling, Nature, Responsibility
Week 8: Rainbow Rally
Focus: Spirit Week, Teamwork, Sportsmanship
Each week we at Jen’s Camp we let the camper’s imagination intertwine the weekly theme into our activities and we provide the supplies!
Caregivers: No need to plan ahead and send your camper(s) with supplies or dressed to theme - we’ve got everything on hand that they need to dive into the fun!
Registration will take about 20 minutes per camper. To help expedite the process, we recommend gathering your camper’s health insurance, doctor, and emergency contact/pick-up information ahead of time, as we will ask for all of that information during registration. See you this summer - we can’t wait!