For the last two summers, Claire Hart has progressively honed her acting, singing and dancing skills at the Northbrook Park District’s Theatre Arts Workshop camp, an experience her mother highly recommends.

Camp gave her daughter Claire, now 10, a platform to explore her creative side in a supportive and collaborative environment, J.J. Hart said.

“We are super big fans of the program,” she said. “They (staff) created a really great safe zone to explore things that could potentially be nerve-wracking, overwhelming or anxiety inducing. It teaches kids they can overcome anything. And the end result is always an amazing show!”

Theater is one of the park district’s 23 summer camp options for children ages 3 to 14 from June to August. The lineup also includes soccer, golf, visual arts, STEM, ice skating and dance, chess, skateboarding and hockey, along with general recreation and variety sports camps that provide opportunities to learn, move and play in multiple ways.

Many camps offer the option to attend for one week at a time, which allows children to explore different activities and families to find the best fit for their schedules.

Camp takes place at park district facilities and local schools with activities in parks, playgrounds and swimming pools, as well as field trips.

According to the National Camp Impact Study published in 2023 by the American Camp Association, high-quality camp experiences promote in children an affinity for nature, independence and social awareness, as well as long-term grit and willingness to try new things,