Day Camps

2025
Day Camps

Summer Adventures Await!

Kids entering first through eighth grades can connect with nature through a variety of summer camps, many featuring science, technology, engineering, and math. (Look for the light bulb icon! ) With opportunities for teamwork, hands-on discovery, and outdoor exploration, they'll be having so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning.

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= STEM Camp

Entering Grades 1 & 2

Discover the world of rocks, minerals, and fossils! Learn about Illinois rocks, make your own rock and fossil collection, and explore how people use rocks and minerals every day.

Dates:

June 16 – 20
July 7 – 11
July 21 – 25
Aug. 11 – 15

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook

Capacity: 15 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Dig in the dirt, discover the secrets of seeds, investigate amazing plant adaptations, and grow your own container garden.

Dates:

June 9 – 13
June 23 – 27
July 14 – 18
Aug. 4 – 8

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook

Capacity: 15 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Entering Grades 3 & 4

Be an ecologist for the week and learn about endangered animals (turtles, owls, and bees – oh my!) that live in our preserves. Go on daily outdoor adventures, and make your own field notebook.

Dates:

June 16 – 20
July 7 – 11
July 21 – 25
Aug. 11 – 15

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook

Capacity: 15 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Experience how kids lived in the 1890s with games, crafts, and chores. Make new friends while caring for the animals, playing in the woods, and learning old-fashioned string games.

Dates:

June 9, 12 & 13
June 16, 19 & 20
June 23, 26 & 27
July 7, 10 & 11
July 14, 17 & 18
July 21, 24 & 25
July 28 & 31 and Aug. 1

Time: Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago

Capacity: 16 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Learn conservation and stewardship through nature play, hiking, fishing, crafts, and outdoor games.

Dates:

June 23 – June 27
July 14 – 18

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Herrick Lake in Wheaton

Capacity: 20 campers

Fees:

$275 DuPage Resident
$320 Nonresident

Observe, paint, sculpt, draw, and create using colors, textures and patterns inspired by nature. Spend each day outdoors actively exploring and making art in curious ways.

Dates:

June 9 – 13
June 23 – 27
July 14 – 18
Aug. 4 – 8

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook

Capacity: 15 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Learn how kids lived and worked on the early Illinois prairie through chores, games, and crafts.

Dates:

June 10 & 11
June 17 & 18
June 24 & 25
July 8 & 9
July 15 & 16
July 22 & 23
July 29 & 30

Time: Tuesdays & Wednesdays • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: St. James Farm in Warrenville

Capacity: 8 campers

Fees:

$100 DuPage Resident
$150 Nonresident

Entering Grades 5 & 6

Experience how kids lived in the 1890s with games, crafts, and chores. Make new friends while caring for the animals, playing in the woods, and learning old-fashioned string games.

Dates:

June 9, 12 & 13
June 16, 19 & 20
June 23, 26 & 27
July 7, 10 & 11
July 14, 17 & 18
July 21, 24 & 25
July 28 & 31 and Aug. 1

Time: Mondays, Thursdays & Fridays • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago

Capacity: 8 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Develop the skills needed to identify, locate, and catch different species of fish at this ranger-led camp. Learn ethical angling, and practice fishing techniques on ponds, rivers, and lakes using different types of rods, reels, and tackle.

Dates: Aug. 4 – 8

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Blackwell in Warrenville

Capacity: 10 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

This horse-themed camp provides hands-on experiences with horses and the daily activities of a working barn as well as supervised lead-line rides on the horses (staff walk the rider and horse), stable chores, horse-related games and crafts, and Friday Family Day.

Dates:

June 2 – 6
June 16 – 20
July 7 – 11
July 21 – 25
Aug. 4 – 8

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton

Capacity: 16 campers

Fees:

$275 DuPage Resident
$320 Nonresident

Learn about paddling safety, equipment, strokes, navigation, rescues, and handling a kayak on lakes. Develop and practice techniques while playing games and completing challenges on and off the water.

Dates:

July 7 – 11

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Hidden Lake in Downers Grove

Capacity: 10 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Step back into the past and out into the preserves for a week full of crafts, games, and exploration. Make everything from candles to cornbread after tracking down animals and reeling in fish — all the old-fashioned way!

Dates:

June 16 – 20
June 23 – 27
July 7 – 11
July 14 – 18

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: Graue Mill in Oak Brook

Capacity: 15 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Learn how kids lived and worked on the early Illinois prairie through chores, games, and crafts.

Dates:

June 10 & 11
June 17 & 18
June 24 & 25
July 8 & 9
July 15 & 16
July 22 & 23
July 29 & 30

Time: Tuesdays & Wednesdays • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: St. James Farm in Warrenville

Capacity: 8 campers

Fees:

$100 DuPage Resident
$150 Nonresident

Explore and connect with nature while learning outdoor skills, including archery, paddling, fishing, navigation, and
teambuilding.

Dates:

June 9 – 13
June 16 – 20
July 21 – 25
July 28 – Aug. 1

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Herrick Lake in Wheaton

Capacity: 20 campers

Fees:

$275 DuPage Resident
$320 Nonresident

Entering Grades 7 & 8

Dates:

Aug. 4 – 8

Time: Monday – Friday • 1 – 4 p.m.

Location: Blackwell in Warrenville

Capacity: 10 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Learn what it takes to be a wildlife keeper as you go behind the scenes to help prepare food, clean, and care for different animals. (Please note that food prep involves handling and chopping whole prey such as mice, rats, fish, and quail.)

Dates:

June 23 – 27
July 7 – 11
July 28 – Aug. 1

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – Noon

Location: DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center in Glen Ellyn

Capacity: 12 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Dates:

July 7 – 11

Time: Monday – Friday • 1 – 4 p.m.

Location: Hidden Lake in Downers Grove

Capacity: 10 campers

Fees:

$175 DuPage Resident
$200 Nonresident

Enjoy all the horse-themed fun of Horse Sense — horse related games, crafts, stable chores, Friday Family Day — plus the wonders and challenges of a single, daily small-group riding lesson with Western tack led by one of our instructors.

Dates:

June 9 – 13
June 23 – 27
July 14 – 18
July 28 – Aug. 1

Time: Monday – Friday • 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Location: Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton

Capacity: 12 campers

Fees:

$440 DuPage Resident
$500 Nonresident

To ensure that every child can experience camp, qualifying DuPage families are eligible for a 50% discount for one session per child per calendar year. To apply by mail or fax, download our financial assistance application in English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF).