Ultimate Guide: What to Do With Kids When School Is Closed (2026–2027 School Year)
- Admin
- Jul 27
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 28
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:
The best single-day and drop-in camps across Chicago.
The CPS 2026-27 no-school calendar with family-friendly activity ideas tied to each date.
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What to Do with Kids When School Is Closed
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
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.
La Casa Playroom (Brighton Park)
A cozy bilingual playroom on the Southwest Side offering flexible day-off camps in a warm, community setting. Call to book at 312-529-0491.
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.
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2026–2027 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 7, 2026 (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 12, 2026 (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).
Election Day, observed in lieu of Veterans Day – Nov 3, 2026 (Tuesday)
CPS closes so schools can serve as polling places. Talk to kids about how voting works, then head 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 26–27, 2026 (Thu–Fri)
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 21, 2026 – Jan 1, 2027
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 18, 2027 (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).
Presidents’ Day – Feb 15, 2027 (Monday)
Make it a museum day at MSI, explore presidential history at the Chicago History Museum, 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 22–26, 2027
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 31, 2027 (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).
Other No-School Days to Mark on Your Calendar
CPS also closes for teacher professional development days and parent-teacher conferences throughout the year. These don’t come with a theme, but they still mean no school, so it’s worth checking your favorite drop-in camp’s availability early for each one:
September 25, 2026 – Professional Development Day
November 2, 2026 – Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 11, 2026 – Professional Development Day
January 4, 2027 – Professional Development Day
January 29, 2027 – Professional Development Day
February 23, 2027 – Professional Development Day
April 6, 2027 – Professional Development Day
April 12, 2027 – Parent-Teacher Conferences
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!
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