Peppermint Stick Children’s Center Summer Camp
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center – Round Lake Beach Center, 1124 N. Cedar Lake Rd., Round Lake Beach, IL 60073
About
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center Summer Camp includes weekly themes such as wild west, orient express, fiesta, carnival, yankee doodle, and luau. Camp days feature activities like picnics, sprinkler fun, storytellers, magic shows, a pajama party, an ice cream social, arts and crafts, music, science and math, large and fine motor activities, games, roller skating, swimming, sports activities, live theater, traveling plays, and “behind the scenes” tours.
• Ages: 2–12 years old
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center Summer Camp uses Creative Curriculum®, a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning. The program is described as a summer program with an emphasis that shifts from the classroom to outdoor activities and offers a variety of fun-filled experiences. It is a private, for-profit early care and education center with a play-based learning environment and room arrangements that maximize space and encourage creativity and cognitive thinking.
Both locations of Peppermint Stick Children’s Center are DCFS licensed, and the facilities are inspected by the Health Department annually. The staff is described as mature and qualified teachers, with a leadership team of highly experienced professionals fully committed to providing high quality care and education, and a combined experience of over 120 years dedicated to early childhood education. The Round Lake and Grayslake schools are owned and operated by a mother–daughter team with a combined 40 years of experience working with young children and their families, and the staff average of longevity is 5 years, which is stated as 3 times longer than the industry average.
The leadership team includes Ms. Tiffany Beckett, Executive Director / Owner (May 1986 – Present); Ms. Karen O’Neill, Administrative Director / Owner (March 1992 – Present); Ms. Jessica Medina, Grayslake Program Director (August 2011 – Present); Ms. Kaylee Peters, Grayslake Assistant Director (August 2011 – Present); Ms. Maria Rodriguez, Round Lake Program Director (August 2001 – Present); and Ms. Jessica Solano, Round Lake Assistant Director (June 2007 – Present). The mission of Peppermint Stick Children’s Center is to provide a safe and stimulating early care and education experience that promotes each child’s social emotional, physical, and cognitive development, to support children’s desire to be lifelong learners, and to promote quality care, education, cultural and social programming. The center states that it is a center of opportunity and diversity and is committed to preparing life-long learners and responsible citizens while utilizing community resources and partnerships with parents.
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center has had its roots in the Lake County area since the 1960s, with a second location started in 1971 in Round Lake Beach. The center states that it utilizes community resources and partnerships with parents as part of its early care and education for children and families in the community. The program also uses LifeCubby®, an app that keeps parents and teachers connected during the day.
Parent testimonials describe class sizes as “perfect,” the kindergarten program as “top notch,” and the environment as “truly a family environment.” Several families mention children with special needs and severe medical conditions and state that they feel their children are in good hands with caring staff. Other testimonials describe teachers as genuine, caring, loving professionals, say that children are not treated like a number, and refer to the curriculum as well-rounded, with learning described as a lot of fun for the kids. Multiple families mention feeling peace of mind, not having to worry about their children while they are at Peppermint Stick, and describe the program as a “home away from home” with warmth, love, great care, flexible hours, and reasonable fees.
Last updated January 11, 2026.
• Ages: 2–12 years old
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center Summer Camp uses Creative Curriculum®, a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features exploration and discovery as a way of learning. The program is described as a summer program with an emphasis that shifts from the classroom to outdoor activities and offers a variety of fun-filled experiences. It is a private, for-profit early care and education center with a play-based learning environment and room arrangements that maximize space and encourage creativity and cognitive thinking.
Both locations of Peppermint Stick Children’s Center are DCFS licensed, and the facilities are inspected by the Health Department annually. The staff is described as mature and qualified teachers, with a leadership team of highly experienced professionals fully committed to providing high quality care and education, and a combined experience of over 120 years dedicated to early childhood education. The Round Lake and Grayslake schools are owned and operated by a mother–daughter team with a combined 40 years of experience working with young children and their families, and the staff average of longevity is 5 years, which is stated as 3 times longer than the industry average.
The leadership team includes Ms. Tiffany Beckett, Executive Director / Owner (May 1986 – Present); Ms. Karen O’Neill, Administrative Director / Owner (March 1992 – Present); Ms. Jessica Medina, Grayslake Program Director (August 2011 – Present); Ms. Kaylee Peters, Grayslake Assistant Director (August 2011 – Present); Ms. Maria Rodriguez, Round Lake Program Director (August 2001 – Present); and Ms. Jessica Solano, Round Lake Assistant Director (June 2007 – Present). The mission of Peppermint Stick Children’s Center is to provide a safe and stimulating early care and education experience that promotes each child’s social emotional, physical, and cognitive development, to support children’s desire to be lifelong learners, and to promote quality care, education, cultural and social programming. The center states that it is a center of opportunity and diversity and is committed to preparing life-long learners and responsible citizens while utilizing community resources and partnerships with parents.
Peppermint Stick Children’s Center has had its roots in the Lake County area since the 1960s, with a second location started in 1971 in Round Lake Beach. The center states that it utilizes community resources and partnerships with parents as part of its early care and education for children and families in the community. The program also uses LifeCubby®, an app that keeps parents and teachers connected during the day.
Parent testimonials describe class sizes as “perfect,” the kindergarten program as “top notch,” and the environment as “truly a family environment.” Several families mention children with special needs and severe medical conditions and state that they feel their children are in good hands with caring staff. Other testimonials describe teachers as genuine, caring, loving professionals, say that children are not treated like a number, and refer to the curriculum as well-rounded, with learning described as a lot of fun for the kids. Multiple families mention feeling peace of mind, not having to worry about their children while they are at Peppermint Stick, and describe the program as a “home away from home” with warmth, love, great care, flexible hours, and reasonable fees.
Last updated January 11, 2026.
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