Recreation Department Summer Camps

The 2008 Summer Camp information is now available on www.LFRec.com with a variety of Summer Camp options available for children ages 2 1/2 to 8th grade. If you haven't signed up your child for some fun summer activities it's not to late!  Camp starts next week, sign up today!

Spring / Summer Camp Brochure (2.8Mb - 26 pages)
Lake Forest Day Parade Permission Slip (30k - 1 page)

Camps listed in alphabetical order
[Adventure] [Camp Rambie] [Dance] [Hurray for Summer] [ McCormick] [ Pee Wee Sports] [ Pre-school Nature Detectives] [ Rhyme Time] [Sports] [ Summer Escape] [ Superstars] [Twigs] [Wildlife Science]

Adventure Camp ( Ages 4th - 6th Grade) - Campers will learn how to rock climb, sail, fish, kayak, read a compass, shoot archery, cook over an open fire, set up tents, start fires safely, apply wilderness first aid, and much more! The Wildlife Discovery Center will bring out animals every week for us to learn about wildlife education and conservation. There will be a few field trips to big time aquatic parks, go-cart racing, climbing walls, and much more! We will also learn about the ecology of our beautiful wilderness areas; respect and responsible stewardship of our natural resources will be the underlying focus of this camp. If that isn't enough, each session will conclude with an overnight camping trip to Chain O' Lakes State park! Bus transportation only provided for field trips.

Adventure Camp Parent Manual Updated 6/18/08 (84k - 4 pages)

Equipment Rental Agreement for Independence Grove Day ( 88k - 2 pages)

Camp Rambie (Ages 7 - 9 years) - Reptiles-Amphibians-Mammals-Birds-Insects-EXPLORATION. Come for an Adventure on the Middlefork Savanna and Elawa Farm. On nice days, we'll be taking many wildlife adventures around the farm buildings and the savanna. Your child will become an expert naturalist in no time! We will teach your child how to identify animal tracks, bird identification, looking for reptiles and amphibians and much more. Inside, we'll cool off and get to know the many animals that reside at the WDC. Several projects are included. Dress for the weather! Campers should bring a water bottle every day and raingear on rainy days.  For more information contact Lindy Van Vlissingen, 847-331-9832.

Dance Camps ( Ages 4 years old - and up) - We have a variety of dance camps. Dance Me A Story Camp, Ballet/Modern Camp, Jazz Camp, Musical Theater Camp Dance Intensives or Musical Theater Mini Camps. There is something for every dance enthusiast!  For more information contact Sandy Ragsdale, 847-615-4385.

Hurray for Summer (Ages 27 months - 6 years)- Hurray for Summer is an ideal setting for developing new friendships, discovering and strengthening physical capabilities, exploring the environment, and learning cooperation and teamwork. Weekly activities will include arts and crafts, creative movement and music, story time and drama, nature and science activities and sports and games. Our staff's goal is to provide a safe and comfortable environment in which your child can grow into a healthy and happy camper.

Hurray for Summer Parent Manual (277k - 11 pages)

Hurray for Summer - Everett Calendar (1364k - 2 pages)

McCormick Camp (Ages Kindergarten - 3rd Grade) - McCormick Day Camp is located at the McCormick Nature Preserve featuring a rare glacial ravine, large campfire circle, archery range, wood working and arts and crafts area, sports and games, the infamous (mudslide), nature study areas, two miles of scenic trails and a beach on Lake Michigan. There will be 'beach days' at the Lake Forest Beach for supervised beach activities in addition to swimming at LFHS. Field trips are on Fridays. We’ll have special events, theme days and parent’s night including the highly popular third grade overnight campout. Please register your child for the grade that they will be completing THIS current school year. Participants must sign up by June 6th to ensure a bus stop prior to camp or they will be assigned to an existing stop.

McCormick Camp Parent Manual (68k - 6 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 1 6/16/08 (115k - 3 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 2 6/20/08 (33k - 4 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 3 6/27/08 (33k - 2 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 4 7/3/08 (37k - 2 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 5 7/11/08 (490k - 3 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 6 7/18/08 (629k - 6 pages)
McCormick Parent Newsletter Week 7 7/25/08 (490k - 4 pages)

McCormick Calendar 6/16/08 (68k - 2 pages)
Lake Forest Day Parade Permission Slip (30k - 1 page)

Pee Wee Sports Camp ( Ages Kindergarten - 6th Grade) - Boys and girls who have completed either Kindergarten, First, Second, Third or Fourth grades are encouraged to join this camp geared especially for their active minds and bodies. Activities will include: Individual sports such as Tennis and Track, team sports such as Baseball and Soccer, group games such as Scatter Ball and Battleship and plenty of Water events. Emphasis in this camp will be on skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork and lots of fun! Please note that this camp will take place at Everett Park and neither bussing nor swimming is provided. The camp will be making two trips to the Lake Forest Beach throughout the camp season. A complete parent manual describing the program format will be mailed prior to the beginning of camp. For more information contact Anthony Anaszewicz, Program Supervisor at 847-615-4335.

Pee Wee Sports Camp Parent Manual (196k - 4 pages)
Pee Wee Sports Camp End of Session Newsletter (55k - 2 pages)

Pre-School Nature Detectives (Ages 4 - 6 years old) - Each week will bring about an exciting theme to open the wonders of the natural world to your young, budding naturalist. Daily hikes into the woods and fields at the globally rare Middlefork Savanna will surely bring many new surprises. A variety of crafts and story time will be included in this wonderful camp. Some of the themes could include: Paleontology, entomology (looking for bugs), herpetology (looking for reptile & amphibians), birding and much more. Nearby safaris will take us to magical places to spark a lifelong interest in the natural world.

Pre-School Nature Detectives Camp Parent Letter (14k - 1 page)

Rhyme Time and News Clues (Ages 4 - 6 years old) - Combine word games, treasure hunts, discovery science and art exploration and what do you get? A great, fun experience to bridge the time between pre-school and kindergarten. Fantasy and nature themes will inspire these youngsters to imagine, create, build on their strengths and develop new skills. Each week the children will be engaged in art, music, simple science experiments, language arts, games and more! Our staff's goal is to provide a safe, yet stimulating environment in which your child will become an enthusiastic particpant and look forward to Kindergarten!

Rhyme Time Parent Manual (98k - 5 pages)
Rhyme Time Newsletter Week One (1,250k - 2 pages)
Rhyme Time Newsletter Week Two (259k - 2 pages)
Rhyme Time Newsletter Week Three (427k - 3 pages)
Rhyme Time Newsletter Week Four (277k - 2 pages)
Rhyme Time Newsletter Week Five (118k - 1 page)

Sports Camp ( Ages Kindergarten - 6th Grade) - Boys and girls who have completed Kindergarten through Sixth Grades are encouraged to join this camp geared for their active minds and bodies. Kindergarten through Third grade activities will include: individual sports such as Track, team sports such as Baseball and Soccer, group games such as Scatter Ball and Battleship and Olympic Team events. Fourth through sixth graders will also engage in both individual and team sports at a slightly more competitive level. Emphasis in this camp will be on skill development, sportsmanship, teamwork and lots of fun. Recreational swimming will be provided daily at the Lake Forest High School Pool Monday through Thursday and at Lake Forest Beach on Friday. A complete parent manual describing the program format will be mailed prior to the beginning of camp. For more information contact Ken Pierini, Program Supervisor at 847-615-4333.

Summer Escape (Ages Kindergarten through Second Grade) - Take an adventure with Summer Escape. Through creative themes your primary age child can continue the Hurray for Summer experience. Each week we will use arts and crafts, music, stories, games, drama, nature and science to expand their imaginations, develop their strengths, learn new skills and simply have fun. Don't forget to bring a snack, lunch and a drink. Our staff's goal is to provide a safe and comfortable environment in which your child can grow into a healthy and happy camper.

Summer Escape Parent Manual (72k - 5 pages)
Summer Escape (Kinderhaven)Newsletter Week One (1420k - 2 pages)
Summer Escape (Kinderhaven)Newsletter Week Two (300k - 2 pages)
Summer Escape (Kinderhaven) Newsletter Week Three (279k - 2 pages)
Summer Escape (Kinderhaven) Newsletter Week Four (259k - 2 pages)
Summer Escape (Kinderhaven) Newsletter Week Five (123k - 1 page)

Superstars Day Camp (Ages Kindergarten - 6th Grade) - Superstars Day Camp is in its' thirteenth summer! A different sport and art medium will be emphasized each week. Recreational swimming will be provided at Lake Forest High School pool or at Forest Park Beach. Field trips to exciting locations are scheduled every Wednesday. Bus transportation is provided to Lake Forest residents. Non-residents must be dropped off at camp or at a convenient bus stop along our route. Registration must be received by June 6 to ensure a bus stop. After June 6, children can only be added to existing stops on the routes. A parent manual describing the program, field trips, etc will be mailed prior to the start of camp. For more information contact Joe Mobile, Program Manager at 847-615-4247.

Superstars Parent Manual (216k - 7 pages)

Twigs Art Camp (Ages 1st - 6th Grade) - Campers will spend seven weeks improving their skills in art fields they have worked in before and discover new ones. Twigs will cover all of the traditional mediums like painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture while using the natural setting at the Grove Cultural Campus as the subject. TWIGS will take full advantage of the ceramics facility at Stirling Hall by engaging in multiple clay projects. These young artists will pickup invaluable information about art and the skills to create their own art. NOT JUST ART! TWIGS campers will take breaks from their art projects to go to the beach. Campers will also have their choice of performance arts to participate in.

Twigs Art Camp Parent Letter (90k - 1 page)
Parent Newsletter Week 1 (89k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 2 (673k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 3 (113k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 4 (122k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 5 (110k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 6 (161k - 2 pages)
Parent Newsletter Week 7 (146k - 2 pages)

Wildlife Science Camp ( Ages 9 - 13 years) - If you love SCIENCE, the OUTDOORS, ANIMALS, and TECHNOLOGY this is the camp for you! Campers will learn how to use Radio Telemetry, GPS, Field Scopes and other gadgets to study wildlife; interact with the animals at the Wildlife Discovery Center; play water games, ride bikes on the Middlefork Savanna, study their own research plot on the rare ecological area and have special guests. We will also have SPECIAL GUESTS, water days, and, a special FIELD TRIP on the last day! For more information contact Rob Carmichael, Curator, at 847-615-4388, or, carmichr@cityoflakeforest.com.