I sent my 8 year old to a Glee Camp at Bach to Rock with friends on a day off from school last…read morespring. All the kids came out smiling from ear to ear saying they wanted to take singing lessons. But my own spirited daughter said forget singing...she saw a drum set at Bach to Rock and thought that looked way more fun. She's asking for a new activity every few weeks so I tend to ignore her requests until she asks at least a dozen times...and she kept asking. Finally I agreed to drum lessons if she went to Glencoe Academy of Music since it's so close to my house. I'm all about the least amount of driving possible being a busy working mom of 3 kids. She agreed and I sent an email to Glencoe Music Academy asking for info...and very quickly heard back from Brandon who got us scheduled with Mark. Glencoe Music Academy may be convenient, but the lessons would be well worth it even if we had to drive there. Mark is patient, fun and my daughter comes out with a huge smile every week. To be honest I thought drumming was just making a lot of banging noise, but I've been really surprised (and pleased) with how much coordination is involved w/ playing the drums...and it's been fun to see her make progress. She also has a bunch of friends who take guitar lessons with Carlos and are very pleased as well. The lessons themselves are pretty expensive, but I think that's to be expected when it comes to private music lessons. I haven't agreed to an expensive (and loud!) drum set quite yet, but Mark has offered a few times that he can come with us to the store to help us pick one out when/if the time comes. In the meantime, I'm happy with her playing on her little amazon pad to keep the noise down a bit in my house.

If you are interested in picking up a new hobby or just getting back to playing something you used…read moreto years ago, Glencoe School of Music is the place to be. It brings downtown and area musicians to the North Shore. Carlos and his staff are amazing, talented and fun people who know how to motivate the young and the old! Situated in the middle of downtown Glencoe, next to Foodstuffs, the studio is easy to get to and has plenty of parking with a public lot right behind the building. If you are thinking of taking up an instrument or want to work on your karaoke skills (seriously Kay Rutherford is an amazing vocal instructor), GAM is the place to go. All the instructors are performers in their own right and have the skills, patience and knowledge to make you a better performer!

A highly endorsed solution to speech-language problems with a high rate of success for almost 20…read moreyears. Dr. Shapiro is a highly trained professional and has made a distinct difference for so many students.

As a confused, frustrated and desperate mother of a yet-to-be-diagnosed dyslexic second grader, I…read morewas extremely relieved to find Dr. Shapiro and the Ravinia Reading Center. Its not a convenient location for us and its not cheap! BUT its the best approach we have found, after trying nearly all other options around. The school system wasn't acknowledging the severity of the challenges my child was experiencing and we were finding no answers, support or guidance while falling further and further behind. It's essentially a reading boot camp for struggling readers. And its exactly what my child needs. It's manageable, its fun, and every day they reinforce the progress being made. The tutors are experienced, professional and extremely reliable. The curriculum is very engaging for kids and my child always comes out of a session with a smile. The progress is visible and I am feeling so lucky to have found Ravinia Reading Center. I cannot endorse them enough!

Outstanding pretty much sums it up. Between my 3 children and love of parties I've planned dozens…read moreof kid friendly parties. You would think a nerf gun party with nearly 30 children would be a disaster, but think this may be the easiest and well organized party I've had. And it's all because of DJ... When my now 7 year old requested a nerf gun party there were plenty of companies to choose from, but I ultimately went with OPS based on stellar feedback from others and DJ's responsiveness. He got back to every email I sent within hours and always with so much detail. I also liked DJ's high energy over the phone and that they allowed you to pick specific themes for your nerf gun party. We chose the galactic party, which had both nerf guns and lightsabers. We even got to choose the actual games as outlined on their website, but I told DJ to bring the most popular ones for 6 and 7 year olds. The kids LOVED all the games, although the bday boy did say he wished the lightsabers made an appearance a bit more. It is not easy getting a rowdy and large crew of mostly 6 and 7 year old in line, but you can tell DJ and his 2 helpers have lots of experience doing just that. He had all of them listening perfectly, participating and just having fun! My husband was a little worried about the safety of a nerf gun party, but all kids were required to wear goggles and you can tell based on all the instructions that they take safety very seriously. The entire hour we had one kid fall down while running (he was fine within minutes) and my nephew ran into our photographers camera, but can't blame OPS for that one. ;) I asked DJ to limit the games to an hour, which I followed up with 30 min of food. However, I think the kids could have easily gone longer since they were super engaged. They ended the nerf gun games with a target pinata that I provided. And the most chaotic part of all the party was when the kids went for the candy falling out of the pinata, but again...my fault (not OPS). My newly 4 year old had as much fun as his big brother so I"m sure he'll want the same party in years to come and DJ will be my first call. They were so amazing with the kids that I wish they'd expand to other times of themes/parties, but for now highly recommend for any nerf party needs!

DJ and team were great! We hired them for 9 year old birthday party and they did a "Greek Heroes"…read morestyle nerf battle. We'd planned to have it outside but last minute rain changed everything around. They were super flexible, we did a basement set-up and it worked so well. The boys all loved it. DJ had a great way with them, earning their respect and attention quickly, making it fun for the birthday boy and all the kids involved. So pleased with how it turned out! My son already said he wants to do the same thing next year, which is high praise from him.

I haven't actually participated in a class here, but I've visited several times for meetings. I've…read morealso toured the building, and I have to say each time I set foot in the front lobby I'm reminded of how spectacular Takiff is... we're talking a first class facility that's as clean as a hospital (in a good way). Takiff is a huge space that consists of a bunch of rooms for classes, for kids to adults, like art, yoga, cooking, enrichment programs, and I think there is even a pottery studio. The gym is oversized for sports activities and events (I don't think they allow food or drink in there). Today I saw how organized their staff is when it comes to managing the many kids coming in and out of the building for day camp. For those thinking of signing up for a program, the team seems to really have their act together. Everyone is lovely and professional. Aside from the various classes and classrooms, GJK is onsite, and I think they also have another Park District preschool. Wiggleworms hosts music classes here too. Though I haven't actually seen the beach rentals, I've seen pictures. Inside there is a more formal room in Takiff with gorgeous windows and high ceilings, fit for a beautiful wedding reception or other formal event. The main level party room with a stage seems like it would be great for kids birthday parties. So much to do and see. I could go on and on, but you'll just need to go check it out for yourself! If you're coming from the north, the turn is a bit tricky, so keep your eyes peeled for the entrance. Parking lot onsite.

From the owner: Glencoe Park District provides year-long recreation opportunities!…read more For over 100 years, Glencoe Park District has been the place for FUN! We provide recreation programs and services for all ages, from toddlers to adults, at three unique facilities: Takiff Center, Watts Center, and Glencoe Beach. The Takiff Center features dynamic recreational program rooms for exercise and health, creative and performing arts, early childhood development, and various sports. Also available are a variety of rental spaces for both large and small events, making the facility a welcoming place for community members to gather. Watts Center is open all year for recreation programs, but during the winter months it features two outdoor refrigerated ice rinks. Generations of Glencoe residents have enjoyed figure skating, hockey, broomball and other ice games at Watts. Glencoe Bathing and Boating Beaches are open during the summer months for swimming, sailing, kayaking, and other water activities.

The craziest thing happened the other day... My 2 year old…read moredumped out her container of bows (this is a daily occurrence). I waited for her to move on and create yet another mess in my house (sigh), but she said "I need to clean this up." And then she actually started cleaning up after herself. She must have noticed that my jaw hit the floor because she said "Miss Jacqueline taught me how to clean up at camp." And that's when I decided every penny I've spent for camp @ GJK this summer was well worth it! After we had a contract on a house in Glencoe I started exploring pre-schools in the area. I checked out GJK, The Park District ,Am Shalom and even asked around about the Glencoe Montessori school (opening in September). I don't think you can go wrong w/ any of those options, but after touring GJK with the Director, Debra, I felt most at home here. I also really liked that the majority of the kids who go to this school are from the Glencoe area (rather than the entire North Shore) since that's who my kids will be going to school with later on. While we don't start pre-school until the fall, we've been in camp all summer and I'm 100% confident I've made the right choice. My daughter LOVES camp and I don't blame her. I'd love to spend 2 hours playing, doing art projects, etc as well. When I drop her off I know she's well taken care of and at times between the head counselor, assistant counselor, CITS etc looks like there's more "big people" than 2-year-olds. I've heard several parents who send their kids to other camps comment that their kid seems happy, but they're unsure of what really goes on there. When Miss Jacqueline isn't teaching the kids to clean up (among other things) she does a fantastic job of keeping the parents in the loop and often sends personal emails with pictures/updates. Like most 2 year olds mine has a few issues with sharing and listening. We've still got some room for improvement (then again I could learn to share/listen better myself at 32), but I"ve noticed a huge difference just seeing her interact with other kids during playdates over the past few weeks. The structure and social interaction @ GJK has been really wonderful for her...and me! :) I've also gotten to know many of the parents and it's such a warm, friendly community! Between both my kids we've got several years at GJK ahead of us and I'm looking forward to it!

My d did one of the week long summer sewing camps that meets 2 1/2 hours Mon-Fri. The instructors…read moredo all of the fabric cutting and prepping so no experience is required. On one hand this is great, but on the other hand one doesn't get experience with cutting or using a pattern. My 14 yo did enjoy it, but it was very basic and she didn't really pick up many skills. What was super is that they made a new project every day. Just know some of the sizing will be enormous as it's not really tailored to your kiddo. This is ok, just an fyi. The pj pants probably fit someone 6'4" (luckily her dad is this height!). Overall, enjoyable experience and very nice instructors. The summer week camps would be ideal for tweens. We will be back to try a more advanced class.

amazing I would highly recommend the teachers are so nice and it is so fun to do you can make…read morewhatever you want and the teachers cut out the fabric stuff for you. Sometimes you don't have to worry about cutting it out. in the advanced classes you can make pretty much whatever you can think of. in the beginning classes, they have a bunch of fun projects to make, and will help you through every step.

After 5:00 summer series Wednesday wine down:I recently visited this Little Black Pearl, and I have…read moreto say the energy when I walked in was great. I was surrounded by such positive, welcoming people of all ages. Throughout the night, we sang karaoke, played cards, shot pool and listened to good music. What really stood out to me was how safe, inclusive, and comfortable the environment felt. Everyone was so kind and genuine. But what truly touched my heart was how the community embraced my brother, who is special needs. There was no judgment only acceptance, laughter, and open arms. For the first time in a long time, I didn't feel like I had to be on guard, watching to make sure he was being treated with respect because everyone just welcomed. It was a relaxing night filled with connection and joy. I would absolutely come back and recommend it to anyone looking for a fun, warm, and safe space. Thank you for such an unforgettable expeience.

The organization for which I work recently held an event at Little Black Pearl (LBP). The support…read moreand service we received was beyond stellar! LBP provided the space, catered the food (via their onsite cafe, Carver 47), connected us to amazing balloon and floral vendors, and provided other accoutrements (e.g., tables and chairs, table coverings, a stage, sound and tech support, package management). LBP's one-stop shop especially helpful given that our planning team resided outside of Chicago. There is so much to applaud from the experience: the warm and inviting space exuded elegance; the feast was as beautiful as it was delicious; and the LBP team's interactions with us (from planning to completion) was the epitome of grace and hospitality. They accommodated every request and did so with an exceptional level of excellence. When we asked that the menu include a vegetarian and Halal dish, they ensured guests had multiple options. When we requested assistance erecting our banner, they took on the task of assembling the entire structure, even machine washing and drying it when they noticed a stain. Compared to other spaces we considered (and have used in the past) across the city, LBP's offerings and support stood head and shoulders above and their love was palpable in their attention to details.That they have a heart-centered mission and work in support of youth and community was tasty icing on an already amazing cake. Thank you, Little Black Pearl team, for making our event a world-class experience!