Steve & Kate's Camp
LaSalle II Magnet School, 1621 W Wabansia Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
About
Steve & Kate's Camp is a summer and holiday day camp where campers choose their own activities and plan their own days. Campers spend their time designing, building, creating, playing, eating, and clowning on their own schedule. The camp was built so kids are in charge of their choices, and all campers must be fully toilet trained, able to speak up for their needs, and get through the camp day without a nap.
• Ages: 4–13 years old
• Schedule: Long camp hours, 8am–6pm, included in the camp fee
Steve & Kate’s Camp offers summer day camps for kids aged 4–12, with some states having slightly higher age requirements, and holiday camps for kids ages 4–12. The camp age limit is 13, and if a camper turns 14 while attending summer camp, they may finish out the summer. All-inclusive rates include all camp hours from 8am to 6pm, snacks and lunch, and any activities that interest the child.
Families can buy any number of days to use whenever and wherever they would like throughout the summer, or choose a Summer Pass for unlimited use. Parents can buy any number of day passes, attend camp any time, and get automatic full refunds for any unused purchased Day Passes at summer’s end. If a Summer Pass is not used enough to justify the cost, the difference versus the daily rate is automatically refunded, and no processing fees are charged on refunds. Drop off and pick up can happen at any time during camp hours, and meals and snacks are included. A Virtual Orientation is provided before camp.
Steve & Kate’s Camp offers mentorship programs for children aged 14 and 15, with availability that may vary by location. No paperwork is required for age verification during registration. Steve and Kate Susskind are real people and the founders of Steve & Kate’s Camp, which started in Mill Valley, California, in 1980. The camp was created because traditional camps had kids participate in activities based on age rather than interests, and parents had to pay non-refundable fees.
Over time, Steve & Kate’s Camp has grown to more than 70 locations and also has references to more than 90 locations, described as “glorious islands of freedom from Manhattan to Manhattan Beach.” The leadership team includes founders Steve Susskind and Kate Susskind, along with Kevin, a former Steve & Kate’s camper who became an operations leader, and Mike, who started as a counselor in 1998 and has been with the camp ever since. The organization states that it is staffed with people who share a talent for connecting with kids, and that it is not about telling kids what to do but about showing them what can be done. The mission emphasizes empowering kids to make their own choices and be their own bosses, and celebrating the individual by enabling campers to express themselves freely while staff cheer them on.
Steve & Kate’s Camp is included in Bright Horizons Back-Up Care benefits. Testimonials describe children blossoming and discovering a “freedom of identity” at Steve & Kate’s, and one parent notes that kids “find their thumbprint” there. Apple’s Hot News wrote that if kids ruled the world, it might look something like Steve & Kate’s Camp. Variety magazine noted that many children of people working at Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic attend, given the camp’s philosophy. The Washington Post described Steve & Kate’s Camp as blending a traditional camp experience with a modern, tech-savvy touch and a laid-back aura with innovative approaches to programming and payment. The Chicago Tribune wrote that working parents’ worries dissipate as they contemplate Steve & Kate’s model.
Last updated April 30, 2026.
• Ages: 4–13 years old
• Schedule: Long camp hours, 8am–6pm, included in the camp fee
Steve & Kate’s Camp offers summer day camps for kids aged 4–12, with some states having slightly higher age requirements, and holiday camps for kids ages 4–12. The camp age limit is 13, and if a camper turns 14 while attending summer camp, they may finish out the summer. All-inclusive rates include all camp hours from 8am to 6pm, snacks and lunch, and any activities that interest the child.
Families can buy any number of days to use whenever and wherever they would like throughout the summer, or choose a Summer Pass for unlimited use. Parents can buy any number of day passes, attend camp any time, and get automatic full refunds for any unused purchased Day Passes at summer’s end. If a Summer Pass is not used enough to justify the cost, the difference versus the daily rate is automatically refunded, and no processing fees are charged on refunds. Drop off and pick up can happen at any time during camp hours, and meals and snacks are included. A Virtual Orientation is provided before camp.
Steve & Kate’s Camp offers mentorship programs for children aged 14 and 15, with availability that may vary by location. No paperwork is required for age verification during registration. Steve and Kate Susskind are real people and the founders of Steve & Kate’s Camp, which started in Mill Valley, California, in 1980. The camp was created because traditional camps had kids participate in activities based on age rather than interests, and parents had to pay non-refundable fees.
Over time, Steve & Kate’s Camp has grown to more than 70 locations and also has references to more than 90 locations, described as “glorious islands of freedom from Manhattan to Manhattan Beach.” The leadership team includes founders Steve Susskind and Kate Susskind, along with Kevin, a former Steve & Kate’s camper who became an operations leader, and Mike, who started as a counselor in 1998 and has been with the camp ever since. The organization states that it is staffed with people who share a talent for connecting with kids, and that it is not about telling kids what to do but about showing them what can be done. The mission emphasizes empowering kids to make their own choices and be their own bosses, and celebrating the individual by enabling campers to express themselves freely while staff cheer them on.
Steve & Kate’s Camp is included in Bright Horizons Back-Up Care benefits. Testimonials describe children blossoming and discovering a “freedom of identity” at Steve & Kate’s, and one parent notes that kids “find their thumbprint” there. Apple’s Hot News wrote that if kids ruled the world, it might look something like Steve & Kate’s Camp. Variety magazine noted that many children of people working at Pixar and Industrial Light & Magic attend, given the camp’s philosophy. The Washington Post described Steve & Kate’s Camp as blending a traditional camp experience with a modern, tech-savvy touch and a laid-back aura with innovative approaches to programming and payment. The Chicago Tribune wrote that working parents’ worries dissipate as they contemplate Steve & Kate’s model.
Last updated April 30, 2026.