Patch Picks: Five Best Summer Camps

This week's Patch Picks are about places to park your kids while you work, play or hang out at the pool (by yourself). If you sign up for any of these camps, you’ll keep your monkeys in business all summer.

1. Rewire your toaster. Camp Invention, Burr Ridge. 800.968.4332. This summer camp curriculum is designed to foster life skills through engineering challenges. Subjects include science, technology and math for 1st through 6th graders.
2. Have a blue summer. Blue Moose Sports Camp, Western Springs. 708-829-1236. Kids 1st through 6th grade learn how to play sports and be good sports. Each day ends with game play.
3. Got ear plugs? School of Rock, Naperville. 630-750-ROCK (Western Springs area coming soon). Kids ages 9+ with musical experience will learn to rock and roll playing music from the Clash, Nirvana, the Rolling Stones and many other bands.
4. If your kid is a “smarty pants.” The Center for Gifted, Burr Ridge. 847-901-0173. Half-day programs for gifted children PreK – 8 include creative writing, Lego robotics, Mandarin and chemistry. The application process requires a teacher recommendation.
5. Put mom and dad in “time-out.” Camp MacLean, Burlington, Wisconsin. (262) 763-7742. A YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago “sleep-away” camp close enough to drive to, and far away enough to give your kids a break. Activities include swimming and sports for campers ages 7-16.