Registration open for Kendall County Forest District summer camps

Here is a list of all 2024 summer camps provided by the Kendall County Forest Preserve District excluding camps that are filled up. Camp registration is ongoing.

Camps for ages 1-3:

All camps take place from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and last three days. Cost of attendance is $45.

Forest Babies: On June 3, 5 and 7, young campers will explore and observe different babies within nature and compare the differences and similarities they share. Different activities will take place each day. Activities may include hikes to find baby animals and splashing in water.

Forest Communities: On July 15, 17 and 19, campers will explore different areas and explore similarities and differences between their community and communities within nature. Participants will observe plants and animals, and different activities will be provided each day.

Camps for ages 4 to entering kindergarten:

All camps take place from 9 a.m. to noon and run for a week, excluding weekends. Cost of attendance is $145.

Dirt Detectives: From July 15 to July 19, campers will learn about dirt and what organisms live in it. They’ll create mud art, play games and explore the soil beneath their feet.

Animal Architects: Two sessions of this camp are available. Session one will take place from June 24 to June 28, and session two will take place from July 22 to July 26. Both sessions will teach campers how animals make their homes, and they will then be challenged with creating their own home for their favorite animal using biomimicry.

Camps for children entering grades 1-3 are full.

Camps for children entering grades 4-6:

All camps run from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and last a week, excluding weekends. Cost of attendance is $220.

Look Mom, No Spine: Two sessions of this camp are available. Session one will run from June 24 to June 28, and session two will run from July 22 to July 26. Both sessions will teach campers about spineless creatures, including centipedes, pill bugs, slugs, snails, spiders and worms.

Stealth & Survival: Two sessions of this camp are available. Session one will run from July 8 to July 12, and session two will run from July 29 to Aug. 2. Both sessions will include campers hiking and completing hands-on activities along the way. Activities include animal tracking, fire making, first aid, plant and animal identifying and more.

Camp for children entering grades 1-6:

This camp runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for one day. Cost of attendance is $45.

Crazy for Creek Creatures: On July 3, campers will have the opportunity to catch crayfish, fish, frogs, tadpoles, water insects and more. This camp offers morning and afternoon creek explorations for those interested.

The camp for children entering grades 7-9 is full.

Counselor in Training program for ages 14-16 or grades 8-10: For those interested in being outdoors and working with children kindergarten to third-grader aged, the CIT program is available. This program will last throughout the summer and costs $220 for attendance. The application deadline is May 6. For more information, email kadams@kendallcountyil.gov.

Equestrian summer camps:

For those interested in learning the basics of horses and how to care for them, Ellis Equestrian Center will host summer camps for several ages. Ellis Equestrian Center is located at 13986 McKanna Road in Minooka.

Parent and Tot Day Camps: Two sessions of this camp are offered. Session one will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 10. Session two will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. July 8. This camp allows parents to accompany their young child in learning about horses. Cost of attendance is $66 for Kendall County residents and $72 for out-of-county attendees.

Three-Day Camps: Ellis Equestrian Center offers a three-day camp which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. Camps will provide campers with hands-on horse care, feeding, handling and riding lessons. Each camp will also provide a daily craft and explorations of Baker Woods Forest Preserve. The camp will cost $260 for Kendall County residents and $270 for out-of-county residents.

The three-day camp for ages 6-8 has two sessions available. One session will run from June 18-20, and the other will run from July 16-18.

The three-day camp for ages 9-13 also has two sessions available. One session will run from June 25-27, and the other will run from July 23-25.

Overnight Camp: This camp is for ages 8-14 and runs from July 28-30. Parents must drop campers off at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 28, and they must be picked up by noon Tuesday, July 30. The camp will focus on what it’s like to own and ride a horse, and it will provide campers with classroom lessons on basic horse care and horse knowledge, different disciplines of riding, movie nights and horse crafts. Cost of attendance is $475 for Kane County Residents and $525 for out-of-county attendees.

All camps, unless specified, will be at Hoover Forest Preserve located at 11285 W. Fox Road in Yorkville.

Campers’ spots will not be reserved until payment is accepted. To learn more about camps or to register, go to kendallforest.com/pdf/summer-camp-24.pdf. For more questions, contact Kimberly Adams at 630-553-2292 or email kadams@kendallcountyil.gov. For any questions regarding equestrian camps, contact Kris Mondrella at 815-475-4035 or email kmondrella@kendallcountyil.gov.