Banner is better than any other day camp. I've been to I hope the work there someday all the…read morecounselors are nice. Their programs are amazing and they do will do anything for you best day camp ever thank you banner

This is possibly the most expensive day camp in the north shore. I tried to convince my son to just…read morego for half the summer to which he responded "but mom - I don't like banner day camp....i LOVE it." And this is a kid who I would have to force to attend basically all other camps so imo it's money well spent. My son (and many of his friends) seem to think this is so much more fun than any other camp they've attended. There's a lot of bells and whistles like water slides, trampball, a lake, dune buggies and a petting farm for younger kids etc. They also get to choose many of their own activities as they get older and my son absolutely loved spending his days playing basketball and participating in their sports league. For those more adventurous the adventure elective looks pretty fun too! It reminds me a lot of overnight camp, but they come home at the end of the day,which is ideal for those (like my son) who aren't ready to be away from home quite yet. I did think their daily communication paled in comparison to our last camp, but I think a lot depends on your unit leader. They have the unit leader call home every few weeks (or maybe even every week for the littles) to check in, which is amazing. It didn't seem like my unit leader knew my son that well and the call felt more like a formality, but by our last call I felt like she had a good grasp of my sons interests. We also didn't get many pictures, but I was told the other groups got way more so may have just they were getting to a more independent age. And since my son isn't little anymore and I see him daily I don't care too much about the pictures. I will say he absolutely loved his counselor and even received a letter from him in the mail, which he was so excited about. What I mostly care about is the BIG smile when he gets off the bus with so Banner gets 5 stars for that alone!

My son Jack has been attending 5 or 6 years now, starting in 2nd grade. Simply put, the camp and…read moreits director Brad are incredible! Its hard to drop him off, I want to get out and participate in the activities.Where to begin...well first off its super well run by a well-trained friendly staff. They help with everything including applying sun screen at beginning of the day. Kids are assigned to a coach with same age kids, and let me tell you these coaches are hand-picked- super nice, love kids and know their sports. You can tell many of them play elite sports themselves. The camp is well programmed with different themes each week- basketball one week, Olympic week the next. Competitive but in good way. Lunch is really good- food kids like to eat like Popeye's chicken, pizza, and Fridays they grill hot dogs and hamburgers for the kids. Pickup and dropoff is fast and easy and location right off the highway- or there is bus pickup from many Northside locations. We moved to Park Ridge but Jack insisted he attend camp regardless (he met his best friend there) so Mom and Dad take turns driving him an hour each way sometimes (so worth it). They have a great photog who sends out super cool videos each week. Field trips to Cubs games and water parks. Its so great we usually sign him up for most of the the summer, and take advantage of the early bird pricing before January 1st each year. We cannot wait for the camp to start this summer, its hard to imagine a summer sports camp as good at this one. Its hard to summarize it all here but if anyone has questions, please call or text me at 773-805-9305 for honest straightforward info.

We've been part of the Hi-Five family for five years now, and this summer marks our second with…read moretheir incredible sports camp--and we couldn't be happier! From the moment you arrive, you feel the energy, the care, and the genuine love for kids that radiates from everyone, especially Danny. He's not just running a camp--he's building a community. Kind, accommodating, and endlessly thoughtful, Danny treats every camper like they're his own. It's rare to find someone so personally invested in making sure every child feels seen, supported, and celebrated. The camp itself is a dream for any sports-loving kid. Whether your child is trying something new or honing their skills, the coaches and staff create a fun, safe, and inclusive environment where confidence and friendships flourish. And for us parents who suffer from a little FOMO during the day--don't worry! The team does an amazing job capturing the magic and posting photos that truly reflect the joy and excitement of camp life. (Okay, maybe we wish there were even more pictures--but that's just because every moment looks so fun!) Hi-Five isn't just a camp--it's a place where kids grow, laugh, and make memories that last. We're so grateful to be part of it and can't wait for many more summers to come!

If I could I would still be attending summer camp in my 30s. I'm counting down the days until my…read morenow 4.5 yr old is old enough to go to overnight camp- not because I want less chaos in my house, but little does she know that I'm planning on going with her. Or at least visiting a lot! When I first checked out Tamarak it reminded me a lot of overnight camp. Lots of greenery and just plain fun! I decided last August that I was going to enroll my daughter in their munchkin program for this summer. As this summer approached I got a little nervous because wasn't sure she was ready to leave the doors of her nurturing pre- school, take a bus to camp and stay all day long. It turns out she was more than ready and I can't imagine her having a better summer than she did at Tamarak. She loved her counselors (shout out to Faith who runs the munchkin program along with Jess, Isabel, Hillary and sam for putting up with her and many other 4 yr olds each day). She loved the activities (swimming & arts and crafts her personal faves). And most of all she loved the bus ride to and from camp, which opened her eyes (or ears) to many more music options. The price of Tamarak alone was worth getting to switch out the kiddie music in my car for Taylor swift and Katy Perry. Tamarak has open visitation. I expected to take advantage of it many times throughout the summer but between work and the rest of life just made it there once. However, I was so impressed by the camp based on that 1 visit: it was well organized, the kids were safe and it just looked like so much fun. My daughter cried when I told her she'd be going back to the "tough life of pre school in the fall" because she wants to stay at tamarak year round. I'd like to be at camp year round too, but at least she's lucky enough to have a summer at tamarak next year and beyond.

My 2 daughters went to went to Tamarak country school. We've had experience with 14 teachers and I…read morecan say, while they all offer different types of support to their students, they have all been quite good. My 2 girls have wildly different personalities one introverted and creative, the other extroverted and focused. The former needed more support from the Tamarak teachers and she received it. She is no longer afraid to speak out. She really loves school. This is a metamorphosis to me and I feel a significant portion of this change can be attributed to the teachers at Tamarak. The teachers set goals for the girls and worked with us on techniques that we could use at home to help them. The day is broken up into big group, small group and individual choice education & play. They focus on literacy, letters and math concepts as well as social aspects of learning. Both of my girls were completely prepared for kindergarten. Tamarak offers additional learning opportunities in programs like GIFT, and STARs. We took advantage of GIFT this year, which extended the day from 2 1/2 hrs to 5 hrs (lunch is included). These extra classes offer benefits. 1) It prepared my youngest for full day kindergarten (first one didn't have it and full day kindergarten was a shock to the system for her) 2) extra learning opportunities in geography, and the one that impressed me the most was public speaking and presentations. This may sound like too much...I thought it would have been, but....the kids to so well! The got to talk about something they liked doing and in this non-threatening environment....they had no problem talking to the class. The school has several outdoor play areas and an indoor gym for rainy/cold days. They care a great deal about the health of the kids, plenty of hand washing :) Lucia, the director, is a force. She is really really a great director. She is responsive to suggestion and a fabulous leader. We will be back for summer camp next summer for sure.

We have had such a great experience with the Gardner school so far! Ms Allison is approachable,…read morekind, and transparent. My almost 4 year old loves going to school. His teachers ms. Kassy and ms Jess are very knowledgeable and caring. He has invited them for dinner multiple times haha! We have seen so much growth in our son in the few months that he's been there. Thank you to all the staff at the Gardner school :)

Had a terrible experience with the Gardner school…read more Pay attention if you want to enroll in this school as it has three major risks: 1. Lack of skilled teachers. 2. Really short of staff, only within a few days, we've seen a class with 1 teacher taking care of 16 students, also the director had to take care of the class and clean the kitchen by herself, therefore, refusing to talk to parents. 3. Manager in this school is very impatient and not friendly/professional upon issues. We'd been there only a few days until my daughter was bitten by a random kid full of blood on the face (still with scare after 3 months). Faculties were buck passing saying this happen in 2 secs without any possibility to stop that. Later we realized my daughter was bitten at two separate spots, which can't be done in 2 secs, at least they are lying and shirking off their negligence of duty. Nevertheless, we tried to work with the Director of the school trying to resolve/reduce risk in the future, the Director was very impatient not only documenting inaccurate incident reports but also refusing to make any accommodations. We requested multiple times for updating the report but only got "I will work to fulfill your request" yet never did it nor responding emails for 2+ months now. As we've hoped this school can improve itself in the future, but it's been a terrible experience for us.

We've done soccer with NVA the past few years. The coaches are awesome. They are great with the…read morekids...patient, instructive and kid-friendly. There is an emphasis on teamwork, sportsmanship and character, all taught within the context of learning the skills of the sport. The practices are well-organized and well-run. Kraig oversees the program and communicates well with parents and makes a strong effort to accommodate families' needs. I highly recommend NVA for young kids starting out trying new sports.

We have been really pleased with NVA. We moved to the area almost two years ago and we are so…read morefortunate to have found such a great organization. My son has participated in baseball, soccer, basketball and summer camp. The coaches are patient, kind, respectful while teaching the foundations of the game. Sportsmanship, team building and foundational skills are the focus. This has been a great environment for my son to learn each sport and really has allowed him to build a passion for each sport he has played. I cannot say enough about the coaches. Coach Kraig, Coach George, as well as all the other coaches we have had between all the sports have been focused and positive. They build a positive environment in which each child can build confidence. My son is always learning something from each game/skills session/camp day and is always so excited to play. Coach Kraig is in charge of the program and really gets to know the kids, the parents, and puts in extra effort to make sure things run smoothly. He communicates well and is prompt to reply to questions as they arise. We trust him whole-heartedly and will continue participating with such a nice organization for our son and eventually our daughter. He is a great role model for our kids.

We have been with the school for 5 years now since our oldest son was a baby. We are now having the…read moresecond one started in baby room last month. We are very please with the quality and standard of the Goddard school. The teachers, directors and owners are on the same page when it comes to communication and commitment on providing best care to our sons. They always go above and beyond on making sure the kids are learning in the safe and healthy environment. There are also offering extra activities for parents & kids through out the year such as Movie night, Breakfast with Santa, parents breakfast day, and Prom. Thank you very much for taking care our children. We are very grateful to be part of the Goddard School Round Lake. Thank you!

I am completely happy with my choice for daycare for my child. With her being 9, it's hard to keep…read morechildren engaged and eager to go back to summer camp. She absolutely loves it and all the fun activities that she gets to do. She asks every night what the next day will entail and can't wait to go! She comes home every night ready to tell me all about her day and what she learned or what she made, etc. I would definitely recommend this center for anyone! All the teachers are kind and engaged and you can tell they care about what they do. They care for the children and it's just amazing to see as a parent.

My son still talks about this school 2 years after attending because he misses it so much. It's a…read moregreat community of teachers and kiddos and he's still kept in contact with his friends he made here. They are very attentive to children's needs and teach to the whole child!

I enrolled my 2 year this fall, but had to withdraw after he was bitten and now scratched in the…read moreface. After withdrawing him last week (30 days notice required), we drop him off today to find his cubbie gone and no one even greeting him. This place is so unprofessional! The teachers here are unresponsive and lazy (1 to 5 kids ratio), yet all these incidents keep happening. This child care is a joke and is a glorified "kinderCare" with more $$. I would not recommend bringing your kids 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.