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.

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.

Our toddler has been going to Kiddie Academy for about a month now and we love it! Engaged and…read morelovely staff and teachers. Clean and organized facility. Fantastic value as well. They organize seasonal events, fun theme weeks, and even special STEM activities. We couldn't be happier, highly recommend!

After touring multiple daycares and looking at the environments, I'm extremely satisfied after…read moreenrolling my son at Kiddie Academy. All the teachers provide the utmost love and care for my son and it leaves me at ease. I get updates throughout the day and I see all the progress he has made! Happy to see that he is learning two languages at the same time too! Thank you to Ms Brittany, Ms Maria and Ms Fernanda for being an awesome educator and providing a quality learning experience.

I've been eagerly awaiting Bunny Ears' opening since I stumbled upon them at AppleFest in Lincoln…read moreSquare last year. Before they opened, they were doing pop-up events at markets, fairs, and festivals, and they had an activity in the children's area at AppleFest last year. They opened in the last month or so and today I finally was able to visit! On Fridays, they have a session called Fluffle Babies (did you know that a group of bunnies is called a fluffed? I didn't!) for children up to age one and their caregiver(s). My baby is less than a month from turning one so I needed to get in here quickly! It was a fun morning. The owner was our host, and she had selected a topic for us to all share about so that we had a starting place for conversation. We introduced ourselves and our little ones, and shared our perspective on the morning's discussion topic. Then she introduced the art play for the day, which this morning was edible paints where we used rice cereal with food dye to color the cereal. Jinny explained that it's helpful to teach children not to eat paint, even though this is edible, because when they start playing with tempura paints, acrylics, and so on they will not be edible. My little one stirred the "paint" a little, ate some, smashed her hands in it, and crawled around. It was a fun morning for her! There are several different stations and tables for kids to partake in their activities. I'll be this is a fantastic place to have a kids party! When you enter you'll take your shoes off and there's a partial wall with a door to keep children from scampering off once they enter the art space. There's a tinker bar, several sinks, a play area with magnetic tiles, a place for playing with water... there are so many possibilities for children to have fun and be creative. I attended one of the toddler classes and it was good, but perhaps a little advanced for my daughter; it was ages 1-5, and there's a huge difference in one year olds (which is my daughter) to five year olds. Given that, the fact that I live in one of the outer neighborhoods now (instead of five minutes away), and that the class is on a weekday so I can't miss work each week I am not sure I'll be able to continue the class. But we may stop in on an open play day or something. I love the concept of this place and am look forward to visiting again and continuing to learn some fun ways to encourage artistic creativity in my little one! They are good about safety. Once the class starts, they lock the door (ask me how I know--luckily the babe was inside with grandma in the event I was locked out the entire time!). They have some great options for parents with slightly older children, as they have offered drop-in play for Maifest and they have it for Square Roots, too. I love that they offer this for parents to have just a little free time while their kids are having a blast on their own. Parking is street only or the lot across from Old Town School if it's not in use/blocked.

We had a 4 year old birthday, everything went smoothly and was so much fun for the kids! They made…read morebracelets, painted the walls, built a fort, and celebrated! We brought snacks, cupcakes, and some table decorations, bunny ears did everything else. Thank you for a great time! Staff was friendly, helpful, and everything was efficient!

We've been to the Old Town School many times, but not for several years now. A close cousin was…read moreplaying, who teaches at the school. We had tickets to see him play. Not reviewing his music (which was fantastic), but the venue. The room we were in was like a black box theater. The room was fairly small and intimate. It was open seating and when we arrived it was pretty full. We were very fortunate that there were two seats open in the third row. The room is acoustically sound (pun intended)... Seriously, being small, they really don't need to amplify the sound, even though they did have a microphone set up. As we were leaving, we got to roam the halls around the school. There were a lot of fun, vintage posters that were a lot of fun to look at. We met quite a few people who either had been students there, or were current students who had nothing but good things to say about the caliber of the educators and the Old Town School. Based on the performances we've seen there of students and faculty, I'd say we agree.

This is a great place to catch a concert as the acoustics are amazing and the price is low compared…read moreto bigger concert venues. Be sure to look at the address on your ticket though as I just put "Old Town School of Folk Music" into my direction app and I landed 20 minutes away at a different place. I'd paid to park before I realized it was the building where lessons are given, not concerts. I drove across town and went into another "Old Town School of Folk Music" on Lincoln Avenue, only to be told I was still in the wrong place. Ran across the street and found my concert, up a flight of stairs, but was 25 minutes late. Prices for a concession stand Coke and a candy bar were wildly high, but I was hungry so I paid for it, plus tip. Seats were small and uncomfortable, like a school assembly hall. But again, stellar acoustics, so a really good experience overall. I'll return, but I'll be more careful with driving directions so as to arrive on time.

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.

My son went to the free session and enjoyed the experience with Coach Clint. He decided to attend…read morethe summer camp and now trains there regularly. The Lincoln Square fencing club has been a great activity for a kid who didn't see himself as athletic.

From the owner: Classes offered for all ages, call today for more information.read more