Allerton Campers spend as much time as possible outside! We hike a different trail and explore a different garden every day. We can also be found in the Meadow playing tag, capture the flag, or dodge ball. These weekly themes let us explore the art and nature that defines Allerton Park! Each camper will create their own nature journal, which will be a keepsake of their week spent at camp.

June 4-8: Model My Mansion
Robert Allerton spent a summer searching for the perfect architectural style for his mansion. Campers will go through the same process of planning, designing, and creating THEIR own mansion, just much smaller! Campers will use a collection of reused materials (think I.D.E.A. Store) as well as natural objects to create a model of their ideal mansion… or cottage or farm house or tree house, whatever they choose!

June 11-15: Surviving Outdoors (See Registration Form for availability)
Think you have a tough kid at home? We’ll find out this week! Campers will take their outdoor skills to a new level. We will learn such skills as how to navigate outdoors (without GPS), read the weather, and prepare our own campsite. Be prepared to welcome a survival expert back home!

June 18-22: Midwestern Safari (See Registration Form for availability)
We know Emperor Penguins live in the Antarctic, we know a zebra’s stripes are as unique as human fingerprints, we know koalas eat eucalyptus – but what do we know about the animals in our own backyard? After this week, campers will be much more familiar with the wildlife that lives in Central Illinois. But we’re not satisfied just talking about them… we’re going looking for them!

June 25-29: Art in the Garden (See Registration Form for availability)
Robert Allerton used the landscape to create a work of art. His vision became the gardens we enjoy & admire today. Campers will use this inspiration to create their own great works of art. Projects include print-making, watercolor, plaster casts, jewelry-making and much more! Don’t miss the last day Art Exhibit on Friday, June 29th – where campers will display their art for parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles… anyone who loves art!

(NO CAMP JULY 2-6)

July 9-13: Gardening
Dig a hole, plant a seed, and water thoroughly. Sounds simple, right? This week, we will get our hands in the dirt to discover just how complex growing plants can be. Soil, pollinators, compost… there is so much to discover! We will watch a bean plant attempt a maze, create a wormery, and of course, campers will come home with their own planted seeds, ready to germinate!

July 16-20: Fort Week (See Registration Form for availability)
If there’s one thing kids know how to do, it’s build forts. From imagining all the way to finishing touches, campers will flex their engineering muscle this week… and architectural muscle and teamwork muscle! We collect natural objects at Allerton to create home base like never before. You bring the ideas, I’ll bring the twine.

July 23-27: Water! (See Registration Form for availability)
At the end of Water week, campers will know why we put an exclamation on it. We will be floating boats on the Sangamon, net dipping in the Reflecting Pond, and maybe even finding a sprinkler or two! Leave your umbrella, it’s going to be wet out here.

July 30-Aug 3: Outdoor Investigation (See Registration Form for availability)
Whether it’s scavenger hunts, animal tracking, or science experiments, this week is all about asking questions. We have clues, but not the whole picture. Campers will work individually and in groups to put the pieces together and solve the mysteries.

Aug 6-10: Art in the Garden (See Registration Form for availability)
Robert Allerton used the landscape to create a work of art. His vision became the gardens we enjoy & admire today. Campers will use this inspiration to create their own great works of art. Projects include print-making, watercolor, plaster casts, jewelry-making and much more! Don’t miss the last day Art Exhibit on Friday, Aug 10th – where campers will display their art for parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles… anyone who loves art!

Aug 13-17: Spy Camp (See Registration Form for availability)
We can’t say too much about this TOP SECRET camp. But campers should be prepared to leave their old identities behind and devote themselves entirely to completing their missions. Take this envelope…

*To be added to the waitlist for a particular week or weeks of camp, please contact Mindy Brand at brand@illinois.edu.

For more information on Summer Day Camps, click here.