Shady Oaks is without a doubt one of the greatest places we know of. For twelve days every summer,…read moremy son with cerebral palsy enjoys his best days of the year. The counselors and care givers at Shady Oaks are angels on earth and are led by Scott Steele, who has been the camp director for I don't know how many years but it's a lot. All of the staff at Shady Oaks work so hard and have such fun with the campers and we are so grateful for these people. Thank you Shady Oaks for being there for our son for the past nine years. This coming year will be his 10th and he can't wait.

From the owner: We are a not for profit summer camp for children and adults with disabilities. We offer a 1:1 staff…read moreto camp ratio and are owned and operated by the parents of the campers who attend camp. In order for a camper to attend camp, a family member, friend or organization must join the parent group and actively be involved. SOC will be celebrating its 79th anniversary summer of 2026.

I have never in my life had such a terrible experience until riding at AZ Acres. Simultaneously, my…read moredaughter took a lesson while I casually rode. The instructor was rude, insulting, and belittling to both my 7 year old daughter and me. I made it very clear that she's not an experienced rider and needs more instruction as she's learning. Olivia's tone was short, accusatory, and impatient. My daughter left in tears. I cannot stress enough how much this place should be avoided.

Look, if you're an adult in Plainfield/Shorewood/Joliet and you're thinking about taking lessons…read morebecause you want to compete or you just want to become an all around better rider, this is the place to do it. And they can do group lessons if you want to take a spouse, friend, child, stranger you just met, etc. etc. The facilities themselves are very nice and the stables are always pretty dang clean. They have an indoor arena too so that's a huge plus in these winter months. There are quite a few grooms here so if you have any questions you always have someone to ask, but beyond that Megan does a great job of walking you step by step through tacking up and care to ensure you're doing it right and are using the correct equipment on each horse. The lessons are top notch. You work with different horses week to week and Megan is excellent at giving corrections while your riding. Lessons differ from day to day and they offer both English and Western, but Megan does an amazing job at remembering where your at and what you still need work on. I'm never pushed to do something I'm not comfortable with, but the option to push yourself is always there (if you've shown you'd be able to handle it). I always feel like my safety is considered while riding here which I can only imagine would be even more reassuring if you have your kids riding. Also worth noting, they offer summer camps for the kiddos.

My experience as a first time customer at this Double J stables was very unpleasant. I didn't know…read moreit was mandatory to wear boots while riding. I never received an email stating equipment needed and I was never told I must bring boots. The stable manager who goes by the name of CC was condescending, dismissive, hypersensitive and seriously lacks customer service skills. She did not make me feel welcome. I took time out of my busy schedule for my lesson and drove all the way from Chicago that day and she didn't care. She refused to do anything to lessen the blow of me waisting time, gas, & money. If offered some type of compensation like one free introductory ride, half price upon your return, or SOMETHING to show understanding, I would have happily rescheduled to come back another day with boots. However, I chose to leave due to her behavior and unaccommodating nature. If you want a stable that appreciates your patronage, and cares about you the customer, go somewhere else. There are plenty of other stables that will welcome you and treat you like a valued customer.

Oh my goodness, this summer will mark the third year my daughters will be attending their programs…read moreincluding their summer camp. We absolutely love it here.

What can I say? My son loves coming here. I needed a camp for working people. I can drop him off…read moreas early as 8 and pickup goes until 5:30. I also needed a "pick your weeks" schedule, because I am divorced and share summers with my ex. I signed him up last year because of this and he insisted on coming back. Highly recommended!

Our kids have been attending Oasis for many years and it is by far THE best camp around. The…read morecounselors are great and the owners, Brooke and James, focus on making the camp fun, but also creatively fit in many learning opportunities throughout the summer. Oasis is one of the highlights of the year for our kids.

Great inclusive camp - regardless if your child is outgoing or an introvert, they will have a…read morefantastic time. The counselors are well trained professionals, often teachers during the school year. The director is so in touch and knows every child's name and every child's personality highly recommend.

We have sent our children to Camp Galileo since its first year in La Grange and we can't say enough…read morewonderful things about the program. The camp is a perfect combination of a traditional summer camp (songs, games, etc.) and an education-based curriculum that encourages innovation, teamwork and a growth mindset. The counselors are incredibly energetic, supportive and knowledgeable and every year our children come home with the most amazing inventions which they are so proud to share with us. There truly isn't any other camp like it. I highly recommend Camp Galileo in La Grange or any other location in IL or across the country!

I rented the Troop House and Rustic Lodge for a winter weekend at camp with my Girl Scout Service…read moreUnit. It was great for our group of 40 girls and volunteers. The buildings were clean and comfortable. We used the Troop House kitchen to make food for our group and also used the fire ring there too. We went on a beautiful winter hike along the trails and the girls sledded down the hill in front of troop house all weekend. Definitely a great Girl Scout campground to have in our council that isn't too far from Chicago.

The Cub & Boy Scouts were invited to stay at Camp Palos this year. The typical Cub & Boy scout…read morecamp is being renovated this year, Camp Sullivan. Camp Palos is excellent! Very clean, plenty of scenic hiking, lots of room for the kids to run around.

Code Ninjas is coding class for kids. They have different levels of complexity for kids. The space…read moreis neat and tidy and clean. The staff is excellent helpful and knowledgeable. My kids are having a great time learning how to program games on java. Higher levels go into Roblox programming and C Sharp. It's 1 hour classes twice weekly. Their schedule is very easy and flexible with good after school and weekend times. I find the whole experience to be rewarding for the kids and easy to manage as a parent.

My kids have been going here for over a year now haven't had any issues but when covid started they…read morecontinued to charge me even when they were closed. I've been trying to contact them with no response. Spoke to one person he stated he would call me back and that was over a month and half ago. Very disappointed in their lack of communication. I shouldn't have to pay for it when they were closed and my children didn't attend any classes.

My kids absolutely love the after school program. They look forward to it every week. The coaches…read moreare caring, attentive, and really take the time to get to know each child. Their staff is so kind. Patient, and truly passionate about what they do. They offer a great mix of fun activities that all kids can participate in. Every day is filled with fun activities, learning and lots of smiles. I highly recommend to any family looking for a safe, engaging and supportive environment for their children to learn and grow

They offer Rec Nights on some Saturdays and my daughter loves going!! She has only missed one and…read morewas very disappointed she was not able to make it. Plus, it gives me and my husband an opportunity for a date night! I can't say enough about the program and the coaches. The coaches are especially what makes this a fun and safe environment, and they truly have a passion for what they do and for the kiddos! I will definitely be signing my daughter up for the summer sessions. I highly recommend this extra-curricular option for the summer break!

We went to the NJWC Trick or Treat event at Safety Town over the weekend and it was a total waste…read moreof $16. There were a bunch of local businesses handing out lame candy to the kids while trying to sell their goods/services to the parents. It would have been much better if there was a police car or firetruck onsite for the kids to see. One volunteer did a presentation on how to stay safe during Halloween which was supposed to be geared towards kids but unfortunately wasn't age appropriate and most kids were checked out after the first 3 minutes. After 15 minutes of hearing about 20 different sales pitches we left. I should have just purchased $16 worth of candy at Walgreens rather than waste my time here.

Built in the mid-nineties, Safety Town is the perfect miniature version of "Any Town USA". With…read moretiny streets dotted with traffic signs, businesses and homes, replicating a grown-up world, teens, firemen, and policeman volunteer their time to teach small children how to be safe in a fun and welcoming environment. While there are many programs that are offered throughout the year, my experience is with Safety Town Summer Camp. $55 fee for one week of daily 90 minute sessions. Each day is devoted to single topics such as water safety, traffic safety, electricity etc... This popular program is only offered to prospective kindergarteners and first graders. Kids are placed in groups of 6. If you know the parents of your child's friends, you can coordinate which group to place them in, ensuring they will be with familiar faces. It fills up very quickly so you must sign up as soon as they open online registration in early April. For only $55, you gift yourself a week of daily 90 min increments when you don't have to entertain your little one and yet they're learning valuable things and having fun. --a win for everybody.