Park District of Oak Park Youth Camps and Afterschool Programs
Indoor Playground at Stevenson Center, 218 Madison, Oak Park, IL 60302
About
Park District of Oak Park Youth Camps and Afterschool Programs offers activities such as swim lessons, ice skating, cooking, yoga, dance, aqua exercise, and Summer Day Camp. The programs also include Special Olympic training and competition, general recreation and social programming like social clubs and movie nights, overnight trips, and access to Lekotek, a toy lending library.
• Schedule: Many camps are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), which includes annual review of day camp operations and specifies staff-to-camper ratios for different age groups.
• Price: The Park District offers a Scholarship Program for those in need of financial assistance and a Childcare Discount Membership Program for all full-day camps.
Once a child is registered for camp, a health and emergency contact form must be completed and submitted before camp begins, and parents or caregivers are required to sign children out of camp daily unless written permission is provided for a child ages 10 and up to sign themselves out. For ACA-accredited camps, the staff-to-camper ratio is 1:6 for campers ages 3–5, 1:8 for campers ages 6–8, and 1:10 for campers ages 9–13, and parents or caregivers must sign children out of camp daily unless written permission is provided for a child ages 10 and up to go home on their own and sign themselves out.
The Park District of Oak Park states that its mission is, “In partnership with the community, we enrich lives by providing meaningful experiences through programs, parks, and facilities.” West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA), which supports inclusive programming and staff inclusion training for the Park District of Oak Park, states that it exists to provide year-round quality recreation services for persons with disabilities. The Park District of Oak Park has been a partner with WSSRA since 1976 and has also partnered with WSSRA to create the Imaginarium Sensory Room, which features essential aromatherapy oils, calming music, and sensory toys and is described as offering decreased anxiety, fewer disruptive behaviors, and mental relaxation.
Many of the Park District of Oak Park camps are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). The Park District of Oak Park has received the Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency Award, earned National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation, was awarded the Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, earned the 2025 Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award, was named a 2025 National Gold Medal Award Finalist, and was awarded the GFOA Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
The Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center used by the Park District is a LEED Platinum certified facility and is listed among Illinois’ 200 Great Places by the Illinois chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and it is described as energy-efficient, high performance, and sustainable, with geothermal heating and cooling, a rooftop photovoltaic array with net zero projected energy use, a greenroof, storm water harvesting through a cistern, raingarden and bioswales, and very energy efficient mechanical systems. Austin Gardens includes a wildflower woodland habitat, a serpentine perimeter pathway, sprawling green space, and outdoor art installations titled “Well” and “Pillow,” and it is used during the summer months by the Oak Park Festival Theatre.
The Park District of Oak Park is part of a group of eight Park Districts and four Village Recreation Departments served by WSSRA, including Oak Park. Since 1976, WSSRA has provided year-round quality recreation services for children and adults with disabilities.
Parent and participant comments about Park District of Oak Park programs include statements that the Park District “fills so many gaps of childcare, personal wellness, and happiness,” that a participant “fell in love” with figure skating after learning to skate there and changed jobs to spend more time at the rink, that buying a pool pass was “a refreshing, fun way to enjoy the summer,” that a teen pool night was “sold-out” and “a truly memorable experience” with an obstacle course in a supervised environment, and that weekly stained glass classes built a sense of community among participants.
Last updated May 23, 2026.
• Schedule: Many camps are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA), which includes annual review of day camp operations and specifies staff-to-camper ratios for different age groups.
• Price: The Park District offers a Scholarship Program for those in need of financial assistance and a Childcare Discount Membership Program for all full-day camps.
Once a child is registered for camp, a health and emergency contact form must be completed and submitted before camp begins, and parents or caregivers are required to sign children out of camp daily unless written permission is provided for a child ages 10 and up to sign themselves out. For ACA-accredited camps, the staff-to-camper ratio is 1:6 for campers ages 3–5, 1:8 for campers ages 6–8, and 1:10 for campers ages 9–13, and parents or caregivers must sign children out of camp daily unless written permission is provided for a child ages 10 and up to go home on their own and sign themselves out.
The Park District of Oak Park states that its mission is, “In partnership with the community, we enrich lives by providing meaningful experiences through programs, parks, and facilities.” West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA), which supports inclusive programming and staff inclusion training for the Park District of Oak Park, states that it exists to provide year-round quality recreation services for persons with disabilities. The Park District of Oak Park has been a partner with WSSRA since 1976 and has also partnered with WSSRA to create the Imaginarium Sensory Room, which features essential aromatherapy oils, calming music, and sensory toys and is described as offering decreased anxiety, fewer disruptive behaviors, and mental relaxation.
Many of the Park District of Oak Park camps are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). The Park District of Oak Park has received the Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency Award, earned National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation, was awarded the Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, earned the 2025 Platinum International Aquatic Safety Award, was named a 2025 National Gold Medal Award Finalist, and was awarded the GFOA Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting.
The Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center used by the Park District is a LEED Platinum certified facility and is listed among Illinois’ 200 Great Places by the Illinois chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and it is described as energy-efficient, high performance, and sustainable, with geothermal heating and cooling, a rooftop photovoltaic array with net zero projected energy use, a greenroof, storm water harvesting through a cistern, raingarden and bioswales, and very energy efficient mechanical systems. Austin Gardens includes a wildflower woodland habitat, a serpentine perimeter pathway, sprawling green space, and outdoor art installations titled “Well” and “Pillow,” and it is used during the summer months by the Oak Park Festival Theatre.
The Park District of Oak Park is part of a group of eight Park Districts and four Village Recreation Departments served by WSSRA, including Oak Park. Since 1976, WSSRA has provided year-round quality recreation services for children and adults with disabilities.
Parent and participant comments about Park District of Oak Park programs include statements that the Park District “fills so many gaps of childcare, personal wellness, and happiness,” that a participant “fell in love” with figure skating after learning to skate there and changed jobs to spend more time at the rink, that buying a pool pass was “a refreshing, fun way to enjoy the summer,” that a teen pool night was “sold-out” and “a truly memorable experience” with an obstacle course in a supervised environment, and that weekly stained glass classes built a sense of community among participants.
Last updated May 23, 2026.
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