We had the opportunity to visit Fit City Kids for a private birthday party. The facility is…read morespacious, sectioned off by activity, and has a nice party room. At the entrance, they have tables/chairs and many cubbies for shoes/coats. Make sure you have socks as shoes must be removed in most of the play areas. A waiver needs to be filled out in order to participate. I liked that you could do a paper version, use a tablet, or scan a QR code and do it on your phone. That helped the line move fast! They have a little toddler section, a basketball court, soccer area, gymnastics area, and slides! So, there's something for littles and the big kids...and they are sectioned off. There are benches in between all areas for parents/grownups to sit. The party room has an area to set up food and then the area with tables. I loved that it was a private event. I'm assuming this is an available option after hours, as this party was at 7PM. My daughter had so much fun and wants to have a party there now. If we were in the area, we'd love to check out their classes and other offerings. They also have a free parking lot which is a huge plus in the city!

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.

Great trainers that make it a fun experience at any age! The classes are a great workout with fun…read morechallenges.

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.

Have taken a class there! Recently I donated some like new sewing books and a big box of sewing…read moresundries, They accepted them right away. Most places said no. Hundreds of dollars of books and sewing material. I hope they put them to good use

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 !!

So I wrote a review the other day and promised to update it after an event my daughter attended…read more Yelp has removed it, I don't know why. I love Mad Science, or I should say, my kids love it. My 8 yr old son has gone to the "lab" for a few things and had fun and learned a bit. My 3 year old just did her first Mad Science workshop. It was called Mini Mad Scientists. I don't know how, but the entertained and controlled 15 kids under the age of 5 for 3 hours. I got my grocery shopping done and she learned lots. Definitely worth it.

Mad Science is awesome! My son loves science and loved his party. Our Mad Scientist was very…read moreattentive and very patient with the kids. Highly reccommended!