Chicago Park District Day Camps
About
Chicago's citywide municipal day camp program
Chicago Park District operates day camps at parks across the city - over 200 parks run some form of summer programming. Central administration sits at 4830 S Western Ave, but camps themselves run at neighborhood parks from Rogers Park to Beverly, Lakeview to Austin.
Full-summer day camp programming
Camps follow Chicago Public Schools summer calendar. Offerings include:
- General Day Camps (typically ages 6-12, varies by park)
- Sports-focused camps
- Arts camps
- Nature/outdoor camps
- Wellness and movement camps
- Specialty camps (cooking, coding, STEM) at select parks
- Full-summer and weekly session options
- Extended-care before/after camp
What's Included
- City-subsidized pricing (well below private camp costs)
- Trained Park District camp staff
- Use of park facilities (pools, playgrounds, fields)
- Many parks offer lunch/snacks
- Scholarships available for qualifying families
Experience
This is where most Chicago kids do their summer - scale and affordability make CPD camps the default option. Quality varies by park and neighborhood, but the network breadth means almost every family has a camp within walking or short-bike distance. Register early; popular parks fill fast.