This is a most wonderful and fun venue for a kids' birthday party.   Donna Jurczak is the energetic…read moreand engaging proprietor of the business which is conducted in the basement of her home.  The daughter arranged the outing for the older grand-darling when the younger one came back with a nice report from a birthday party she attended a couple of years ago.   So it was a nice word of mouth referral.  This 2 hour party went for $480 minimum for 10 kids.   Additional kids go for $40 pp fyi.  The maximum party size is stated to be 24 kids.   There is not a huge amount of extra space but Donna was fine with the GP-unit and another parent hanging around this particular party for 10 kids.  Donna keeps things on track.  Kids eat first and meal time is 30 minutes.  You bring in your own food and dessert (daughter brought in pizza, fruit, and cupcakes) but water and a kiddie cocktail is included. Her weekend time slots are either noon or 4pm.   Then it's 90 minutes of fun slime and bath bomb making activities.  There are other party themes available and you can check them if interested on her website. She will also take individual and group photos for you.  The kids all had a blast as did us bystanders and there was zero dead time.   The daughter mentioned the value for the fun time was pretty dang good for this nice, cozy, and novel alternative to other party venues out there these days.   Big thumbs up and I mentioned to Donna I would give her another appreciated Yelp review as her count is currently 46:1 on Google:Yelp reviews and they're all very good!

I recently had my 10 year old daughter's birthday party here and it was FANTASTIC! The studio space…read morewas adorable full of decorations and even an Alexa for music. The girls were treated to a yummy mocktail and then got to make a bath fizzy in a keepsake jar and create their own signature perfume scent! Both of which made awesome take home gifts. All I had to do was provide the snacks, the decor, invite, party favors, and everything else was taken care of! It was a huge hit and I feel like I found a hidden gem. Highly recommend!

My 6 years old goes there and loves it! Mr. Al is a very nice teacher and I observed the same for…read moreother teachers in the room. Very Personable and experienced. The teachers give great techniques and show the kids how to improve. My daughter have been to other gymnastics schools but I feel like this school fits her best! She improved tremendously and she gets great feedback. I plan to put my 3 year old boys there this fall. Location is not the best but once you know where it is ...you will not have trouble getting there!

Perfect place for kids to learn to play and compete . Very professional coaches and excellent…read moretraining

The gymnastics room is pretty nice. They changed the equipment around since last year, which in my…read moreopinion makes a lot of sense. There is a fantastic foam pit and trampolines. The staff here is always friendly and helpful. There's also plenty of obstacles and elements for the little ones. It's a great gym for kids of all ages. They hold classes for the age groups all your long. Both my young daughters have been through the programs here and they have a great experience every time.

GYMNASTICS BIRTHDAY PARTY My daughter had her 6th birthday…read moreparty here in 2007. It was great! Easy registration. Affordable. Received a phone call from the organizer the week before. They were very helpful and pleasant. They provide you with a big room to store coats, etc. and have food and cake. We had about 20 kids - almost an even number of boys and girls - and they split them up into two groups. The instructors were fun, organized, and somehow kept the kids in two lines doing all the gymnastics the whole time. The gymnastics equipment is clean. The huge gym is safe and cool - padded floors, lots of equipment, and a big foam-filled pit for the kids to jump into! All the kids had a lot of fun and my daughter loved it!

This rec center isn't bad. We came by for a play date with some friends in the jungle gym. There's…read moreat least a couple large rooms for activity; when we were here there was something going on in the large room right in front of the doors and then in the other room soccer practice was happening. The jungle gym is in the room further back in the building, and most of the room is taken up with a large three or four level play structure. There's a few slides on it, some ropes to climb over, a little obstacle course, and lots of fun to be had. All the kids were loving it and we spent at least an hour and a half playing around and I think they could have gone for more. There's an $8 fee per child to go to the jungle gym, as of November 2025. They take cash or a card at the front desk. Definitely ask about wrist bans, or if you need to keep your receipt... there was a sign on the jungle gym door that was pretty adamant about having one, but no one in our group of five kids had one. They may only be for busy days but better to be safe than have to convince someone you've already paid. I also noticed that for the week of Thanksgiving they're doing open play throughout the week, taking reservations to make sure you can get in. If you'd like to find an easy way to let your kiddos expend some energy, this could be a good spot. There are a few tables for parents to sit at. No shoes on the play structure, and don't forget to bring socks!

We just had my daughter's birthday party in the Jungle Fun room. The facility is a great size,…read moreclean, and conveniently located for us. The two young men who worked at the front desk were also very helpful. There is a kitchen, private bathroom, and plenty of tables and seating. This is a great party space.

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!

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.

Went to Dacoma daycamp in the 1960s and they taught me to swim, Archery, Arts and crafts, Softball,…read moreBoxing in a roped boxing ring on the campus, how to spot Poison ivy in wooded areas, also had an indoor and outdoor Dining area with picnic tables and bench seating, Offered certified Instructors that taught how to breathe while swimming in outdoor swimming pool, Also offered weekend sleepovers on Friday nights inside the dining room which they relocated the tables and bench seating to make room for the cushioned sleeping lounge bedding that accommodated approx 50 children to be together inside a controlled environment with Fans and adduquit ventilation Lotta memorable experiences I still remember to this very day and the daycamp is still open and located in Northbrook, Illinois it's 2026

The way this camp is managed is like MacGyver surviving in the wilderness. Everything is re-built…read moreby maintenance every year. NOT licensed contractors or verified companies that follow strict building regulations. The owners have done everything privately, undermining any IL regulations that stand in their way. The sicker issue is that you wouldn't have to work here to know all that. I've never been someplace as jury rigged as this. Most of the grounds were originally built by the original owner and his son along with their maintenance crew. Even the pool was built up of PVC pipes along with all the other plumbing. Id like to also mention that it's a known fact in the surrounding neighborhood community that the owner's have cut every corner possible to be as cheap as possible. Even the counselors are a blend of high school students along with undertrained adults who are supposed to take care of your kids. If that wasn't shady enough, they have their own people drive the buses too, not seasoned professional bus drivers. It's all dangerous, unsanitary, and unprofessional. Like seriously, painting over rust doesn't prevent rust either and this place is for kids. I'm sorry for any kid being told they were going to camp and got this instead, and on top of all that, to charge as much as they do to run a literal garbage heap, they could at least buy quality food for the kids. They are eating SISCO! That's prison quality food. The cheapest possible option. Once again the surrounding community knows Decoma and the family that owns it for this. That's why a vast majority of their kids that attend come from completely different neighborhoods, and for the price, your kids could attend an ACTUAL camp in IL or elsewhere and be assured their safety and well being under actual rules and regulations governed by law. You have been seriously warned.

My kids hand a great couple of hours today enjoying the different set ups across the large space…read more The place was clean and well staffed. There is plenty of space to run around and it doesn't feel crammed even when they are hosting a birthday party like one today. Check in was easy and the punch card offers a good deal at $100 for 4 weekday and 2 weekend punches. I also scored a $5 discount for becoming a member and another $5 by getting a coupon their website and that made it totally worth it. There is good food selection of pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets , popcorn, ice cream and slushies but we don't eat today so I can't comment on quality and taste but hope to be back soon.

On a cold autumn Saturday, I had dad brain and totally misread a text message, leaving us without…read moreplans for the day. We were a bit far from home and our kid was getting restless, so I looked up nearby indoor playgrounds and ended up here. It was $25 since it was a weekend until they closed at 6pm. Our kiddo had a fun time! It's not as gargantuan as some other playgrounds, but they have a baby and toddler area, and it's multi-story so there's a lot of climbing and sliding. They also have an area with a bunch of riding vehicles, and most fun of all was the ball room. I thought a place called ball factory would have more...balls? But the ball room is basically a room with air cannons that let you load and shoot these soft play balls around the room. It's surprisingly pretty fun even for the adults to fire off a few rounds. And as someone who has been to a few of these indoor playgrounds, I'm grateful you don't have to buy their proprietary socks. Like I went to one place that wanted grippy socks - and we had grippy socks, but they weren't theirs! Some places need better insurance policies I guess, so I'm glad the Ball Factory isn't insanely strict. What's also nice is there's a Polish grocery next door, so I grabbed a few items while my wife stayed here. Our only gripe is there could be more seating in the play area for us parents to catch up on our phones, but at least the food area has a lot of space. And kids even get a free ball on the way out! Overall I think we'll come back, but we'll be sure to eat lunch before and dinner after since outside food isn't allowed.

We've had very few hot days this summer, but when we're lucky enough to have one we head to the…read morepool. There are so many pools in the North Shore to choose from and this is where my fam most recently chose to cool off. When we first arrived the main pool was closed for swimming lessons so we made our way to the toddler play area, which is basically a park and sprayer in the middle of very shallow water. I was about to make myself comfortable on a lounge chair when an announcement was made that the main pool was open to the public (around 11am on a Saturday). My 4 yr old dragged my husband over, which meant I had to go too since my 2 year old insists on doing everything that his big sister does. Sigh. The water was absolutely freezing and no area was shallow enough for my kids to stand. More work for me, but (of course) the kids had a blast. I personally prefer Hidden Creek in Highland Park for swimming while my kids are young and not swimming perfectly on their own. The main pool has both shallow and deep ends so one of us can hang w/ my 4 yr old in the deeper water, while the other can hang w/ my 2 yr old in the shallow water...and he's perfectly content being in the same pool as his sister. The water slide in the shallow end is also a big draw for both my kids (and many others) at Hidden Creek. However, as my kids get older I could see myself loving Meadowhill as much as my kids did. There's also an additional side with a very impressive water slide and diving boards as the kids grow. Also worth noting that Glencoe residents pay Northbrook prices here making it one of the more affordable pools in the North Shore for my fam

This is my absolute favorite place to swim in the summertime! I just can't wait until they open for…read morethe season. The large main pool is divided into areas for family use, lap swimming, and adults. There is a separate, well equipped "kiddie" pool for children, a diving pool, and two water slides with a splash down pool. One slide is for use with a flotation device and the other is for use without. There is a refreshment stand that is open during certain hours, and vending machines for use at other times, You can't bring food into the pool area; you must eat in the designated eating area, which is very nice. There are nice areas around the pool for relaxing on the deck chairs. In recent years, Meadowhill pool has been expertly maintained and kept beautifully clean. They have certain hours for lap swimming. The hours change from time to time, so it is important to check with the front desk for up to date information. They generally keep one or two lanes open during the afternoon "rush hour" when the rest of the pool is in use for swimming lessons. Aesthetically, Meadowhill Aquatic Center is one of the nicest outdoor pools I have ever seen. It is landscaped beautifully with native plants along the south side of the pool next to the family picnic area, which can be rented for parties and other events. A couple of times each summer the Park District sponsors a special night at the pool. Usually they will have a DJ, refreshments, games, and prizes. Signs for these activities are posted in advance. The only issue I've run into is weather, which affects all outdoor facilities. They make everyone leave the pool area at the first indication of an approaching storm, so be prepared if you come on a cloudy day.