Ultimate Guide: What to Do With Kids When School Is Closed (2025–2026 School Year)

Here at Friend of a Mom, we try to make your life a little easier wherever we can. When we first looked at the school calendar and saw all the days off of school, we had a mild heart attack and then immediately got to work.

We sourced the best single-day, drop-off camps across Chicago to help save your sanity, and paired them with family-friendly ideas for every break and holiday.This guide brings you two things every mom needs to survive no-school days:

1. The best single-day and drop-in camps across Chicago.

2. The CPS 2025-26 no-school calendar with family-friendly activity ideas tied to each date.

Bookmark this page now, it will get you through every long weekend and school break!

Best Single-Day & Drop-In Camps in Chicago

These are the spots to bookmark for when CPS is closed — all offer single-day registration or flexible passes so you can cover long weekends, holidays, or breaks without committing to a full week.

Sports & Active Play

Lil’ Kickers Soccer (Multiple Locations)

High-energy soccer camps focused on skill-building and fun.

Fit City Kids (Lincoln Square)

Flexible holiday camps centered on fitness and movement.

Chicago Fire FC Youth Fire Pitch (North Center; ages 6–14)

Soccer-focused day-off camps led by Chicago Fire FC coaches, designed to keep kids active and building skills on school closure days.

Altitude Chicago (West Town & Roscoe Village; ages 5+)

Trampoline park day camps packed with jumping, games, and structured activities to burn energy during school holidays.

ClimbZone (North Center; kids must be 5+)

Rock climbing adventures designed for kids of all ages.

Shredder Chicago (Irving Park; ages 3–10)

Half-day ski and snowboard camps that let kids practice skills indoors year-round, a fun and active option for no-school days.

Blazing Stars School of Dance (Irving Park Neighborhood)

Holiday dance camps and workshops with high-energy choreography.

My Gym (Lincoln Park & South Loop)

Gymnastics-style play and camps for toddlers through elementary ages. Check for dates available.

Lakeshore Sport & Fitness (Lincoln Park & Illinois Center; must be a member)

Day-off adventure camps with swimming, sports, and games.

STEM & Enrichment / Performing Arts

Purple Monkey Playroom (Bucktown; Pre-K +)

Play café with mini camps for toddlers and young kids. Focused on STEM activities

Chicago Children’s Theatre Day Camps (West Loop; grades 1-5)

Theater-based day camps for kids in grades 1–5, building confidence and imagination on school days off.

Stages Chicago Day-Off Camps (Lincoln Park; kids 3+)

Performing arts camps for PreK–5th graders, with storytelling, music, and creative expression.

Kids Science Lab (Multiple Locations; kids 2-12)

Hands-on science experiments and projects in a real lab setting.

Old Town School of Folk Music (Lincoln Square; ages 6-12)

Day Off Camps with music, dance, and creative play in a fun, artistic environment.

Bitspace Chicago (Lincoln Square; ages 8–14)

Maker-space style day-off camps where kids explore coding, robotics, woodworking, and design through hands-on projects.

Creative Arts & Cooking

Junior Chefs Kitchen (Lincoln Park; kids 4+)

Cooking camps where kids learn confidence and skills in the kitchen.

Unicoi Creative Arts Studio (Lakeview)

Playful art classes and mini camps with a magical twist.

Abbey Ryan Art Camp (Lakeview; kids 4+)

Boutique art-focused holiday camps.

Easel Art Studio (Bucktown & Ravenswood; kids ages 5-11)

Arts & crafts camps for every holiday and break.

Bunny Ears Arthouse (Lincoln Square; ages 5+)

School Day Off Camps with hands-on art projects, painting, and creative exploration in a bright, playful studio space.

Lillstreet Art Center (Ravenwood)

Camps with ceramics, painting, and printmaking.

My Art House Studio (Ravenswood; ages 3–8)

Art-focused day-off camps with themed projects, painting, and creativity designed for younger kids.

Play Spaces & Mixed Activity Camps

Bubbles Academy (Multiple Locations)

Creative arts, dance, and play-based camps.

Bash Kids Club (Lakeview; Pre-K - 3rd grade)

Flexible camp-style programming with crafts, movement, and play.

Day Off Camp (Uptown, Chase Park; kids 4+)

Full-day program built around CPS closures with games, sports, and enrichment.

Luna y Cielo Play Café (Logan Square; ages 4–8)

Spanish-immersion play café offering themed day-off camps with crafts, play, and learning in a warm, community setting.

Edgewater Playhouse (Edgewater)

Drop-off play and enrichment programs in a cozy neighborhood setting.

Chicago Park District (Citywide)

Affordable local camps with sports, crafts, and play.

YMCA (Multiple Locations)

Neighborhood branches offer day-off and holiday camp coverage.

Did we miss one of your favorite drop off camps? Send us a note - we would love to include it!

2025–2026 No-School Calendar + Things to Do

Now that you know where you can drop kids off, here’s the full CPS school closure calendar paired with family-friendly activity ideas — so you’re covered whether you need childcare or want quality family time.

Labor Day – Sept 1, 2025 (Monday)

Kick off the year with one last summer outing: the beach, Maggie Daley’s Play Garden, or a lakefront picnic.

Drop-in idea: Fit City Kids (Lincoln Square) or Lakeshore Sport & Fitness (Lincoln Park).

Indigenous Peoples’ Day – Oct 13, 2025 (Monday)

Visit the Field Museum or the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston. At home, read picture books by Indigenous authors.

Drop-in idea: Stages Chicago Day-Off Camps (Lincoln Park; kids 3+) or Purple Monkey (Bucktown).

Veterans Day – Nov 11, 2025 (Tuesday)

Take a trip to the Pritzker Military Museum or make thank-you cards for local veterans.

Drop-in idea: Day Off Camp (Uptown, Chase Park; kids 4+) or Kids Science Lab (Multiple Locations; ages 2–12).

Thanksgiving Break – Nov 26–28, 2025 (Wed–Fri)

Wednesday: Cook together — kids can prep pies or stuffing.

Thursday: Family games and parade watching.

Friday: Kick off the season at ZooLights or Morton Arboretum’s Illumination.

Drop-in idea: Junior Chefs Kitchen (Lincoln Park; kids 4+) or Easel Art Studio (Bucktown & Ravenswood; ages 5–11).

Winter Break – Dec 22, 2025 – Jan 2, 2026

Break it up to avoid cabin fever. Week 1: Holiday magic — Christkindlmarket, Lightscape, ice skating. Week 2: Indoor play cafes, museums, and drop-in camps.

Drop-in idea: Lillstreet Art Center (Ravenswood), YMCA (Multiple Locations), or Purple Monkey Playroom (Bucktown; Pre-K+).

Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Jan 19, 2026 (Monday)

Volunteer together or read kid-friendly books about MLK and civil rights.

Drop-in idea: Day Off Camp (Uptown, Chase Park; kids 4+) or My Gym (Lincoln Park).

Lincoln’s Birthday – Feb 9, 2026 (Monday)

Explore Lincoln exhibits at the Chicago History Museum. At home, bake gingerbread cookies.

Drop-in idea: Kids Science Lab (Multiple Locations; ages 2–12) or Unicoi (Lakeview).

Presidents’ Day – Feb 16, 2026 (Monday)

Make it a museum day at MSI or spend the day at an indoor play space.

Drop-in idea: Fit City Kids (Lincoln Square) or Bash Kids Club (Lakeview; Pre-K – 3rd grade).

Spring Break – Mar 30 – Apr 3, 2026

Staycation fun: Brookfield Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, or pajama-and-baking day. Mix in a few camp days for balance.

Drop-in idea: Chicago Children’s Theatre Day Camps (West Loop; grades 1–5), Stages Chicago (Lincoln Park; kids 3+), or ClimbZone (North Center; ages 5+).

Memorial Day – May 25, 2026 (Monday)

School’s almost out so head outdoors to the 606 Trail, the lakefront, or a picnic in the park.

Drop-in idea: Little Kickers (Multiple Locations) or YMCA (Multiple Locations).

Planning Ahead for No-School Days

Mark these dates in your calendar now and book drop-in camps early, they fill fast. Even if you’re staying home, planning a few outings or activity kits makes no-school days smoother.

✨ If this guide was helpful, share it with a fellow mom — because we’re all in this together when school is out!

Link to CPS 2025-2026 calendar