Activities: Our traditional camp experience encourages campers to try everything! Artists-in-residence visit weekly to teach magic, juggling, percussion, cooking and more. Campers participate in a wide variety of activities ranging from arts and crafts, sports, drama, swimming, martial arts and gymnastics to name a few! And everyone comes together for Friday Shabbat celebrations, cookouts, theme days and our annual Maccabi games.

Swim Program: Kids are taught how to swim at Apachi with the program that helps them feel comfortable learning to swim and progress at their own pace. The well-respected Lenny Krayzelburg Swim Academy is praised by parents for its effective, multi-step approach. Safety is our priority and all members of our aquatics staff are certified lifeguards with CPR training.

Testing, placement, progress reports: Campers are tested at the beginning of summer and placed in an appropriate swim level based on their skills. They pass through levels based on both formal and informal testing. Progress reports are sent home during the summer with a summary of skills your child is working on and those already mastered.

Transportation: Campers are transported to and from camp by bus, which is included in your fee. Routes are based on safety, efficiency and enrollment. (If registering after April 15, campers will be incorporated into existing routes). Buses are driven by licensed, professional drivers, and staffed by JCC bus counselors who make sure campers stay buckled in their seats at all times.

Friendship requests: Campers can submit friendship requests in the spring and we will do our best to accommodate mutual requests as long as campers are the same gender and entering the same grade (with the exception for Juniors as groups are co-ed).

Food: A pizza lunch is provided on Wednesdays and there is a hotdog cookout every Friday. The remainder of the week, please send along a sack lunch that we’ll refrigerate. With water stations at each activity area, campers can stay hydrated throughout the day. We also offer kid-friendly snacks, like popsicles, every day.

Food allergies: Safety and inclusion are top priorities at JCC Chicago Day Camps. Our camps are committed to being allergy-safe. While our camps are not allergen-free, we strive to make our camp environments as safe as possible for children with food allergies using a customized approach and working closely with each family to develop an action plan for the child. More information can be found in JCC Chicago’s Day Camping Food Allergy Policy.

The nurse is in: Our full-time registered nurse is on-site all summer to treat minor injuries and prescribe campers a little “tlc” when needed. If your child visits the nurse, you will receive a note describing the treatment. In the rare event of a serious injury, you will be notified immediately and, if you are unavailable, we will contact those on your emergency calling list.