Summer Sports Camps for Kids of All Ages

Google “Chicago-area summer sports camps” and more than 600 million results pop up in less than one second. But don’t let that overwhelm you!

To narrow down the field, we’ve teed up these local options for your youthful swimmer, slugger or spiker.

The Pros

Whether your junior athlete wants to take his or her game to the next level or maintain conditioning during the off season, the roster of privately run camps is packed with heavy hitters. Keep in mind, the specialty camps fill up fast and have limited openings, so be quick out of the gate to claim a spot.

For baseball enthusiasts, The Strike Zone in Glenview and Northfield has camps for baseball and softball players. From pitching to hitting, they cover the intricacies of the game.
The North Shore Baseball Academy in Vernon Hills has a 13,000-square-foot academy in which it hosts camps and clinics. The fundamentals and mechanics of play get fine-tuned by these pros.
If hoops is your child’s game of choice, check out RMG Hoops, which runs advanced training camps for kids in third grade and up at its Northfield location. The week-long sessions are pay-as-you-go, so it’s easier to grab a ball and get in the game here.
Joy of the Game in Deerfield runs morning and afternoon sessions of its week-long camp. Focusing on offense, defense, skills and shooting, Joy of the Game runs girls-only programs and caters to players age 8 and up.
Elementary school fans of all games will love Good Sports! in Evanston. Wrestling, tennis and volleyball are among the games to be played for campers in grades K-6.
3Point Athletics runs after-school sports programs throughout the year, but in the summer, they take it up a notch. For kids ages 6-14, 3Point’s focus on productive, positive fun means competitors learn to be good players and good sports.

Photo courtesy of 3Point Athletics.

Rounding out the lineup is Hi-Five Sports Clubs in Northfield. This veteran player is in its 24th season, introducing local kids in grades pre-K-8 to the finer points of a range of games. A full-day, four-, six- or eight-week session will keep your camper in top form.

Play Like a Girl? You Bet!

Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls is a multi-sport week-to-week day camp for girls only. Conducted on the Lake Forest College campus, Game On! offers a broad range of activities, including hip-hop dance, horseback riding, cricket and yoga.

High School Sports Camps

From Evanston and Wilmette to Lake Forest and Libertyville, area high schools host summer sporting options for school-age athletes.

Most schools not only run athletic programs geared toward those already in high school, but also weekly coaching camps for younger kids. Evanston Township High School has sports running for kids as young as 3 years old. Lake Forest High School’s Future Scouts camp has week-long opportunities for fifth- through eighth-grade boys and girls in sports including wrestling, field hockey and lacrosse. New Trier hosts two two-week sessions of sports camps.

Park Districts Get in the Game

Soccer, tennis, lacrosse, golf, volleyball, sailing—you’ll find lessons and coaching at a local park district. Glencoe Park District offers all of those mentioned; add gymnastics and you’ll know what’s happening at the Park District of Highland Park. In Northbrook, kids can try ice dance or hockey, too.

The Winnetka Park District hosts an array of specialty camps for athletes, including the Illinois Baseball Association’s mini-camp, Chicago White Sox baseball camp, and the Illinois Girls Lacrosse Assocation week-long program.

The Deerfield Park District gives competitors non-coed sports camp options for grades three through eight.

Photo courtesy of Park District of Highland Park; Top photo: Courtesy of Game On! Sports Camp 4 Girls.