Dear Families,

What a whirlwind, joyful, and beautifully chaotic start to our summer! We officially kicked things off on Thursday, June 4 with a massive milestone—the first full day for our preschoolers and a beautiful kindergarten graduation. By Friday, June 5, the Chicago Public Schools break was officially underway, and our camp family was complete.

Mother Nature threw everything she had at us this week—heat, rain, fierce thunderstorms, and brilliant sunshine—but we didn’t miss a beat. We built our daily routines together, met new friends, and dove headfirst into the magic of summer.

Here is a look back at the highlights from our incredible first week:

🍓 Eats, Treats, & Outdoor Feats

We kept our energy high and our bellies full all week long. The kitchen and the playlot were buzzing with activity:

• The Menu: We fueled up on delicious waffles, mountains of fresh green apples and green grapes, crisp veggies, popsicles, and plenty of juicy watermelon.
• Playlot Play: When the heat turned up, out came the water hose! The kids cooled down with epic water play, filled the lot with vibrant sidewalk chalk hopscotch, and jumped rope until they tired themselves out.
• Forts & Sports: From massive imaginative forts built from scratch to tons of sports, the kids utilized big spaces to move and quiet spaces to relax.

🗺️ Walking Adventures & Showtime Magic

We didn’t just stay bounds to the camp doors; we took our adventures on the move!

• Picnic in the City: We took a walking field trip to Tescler Park, followed by a classic Chicago picnic lunch under the trees by Bacino’s.
• The Concession Stand of Love: To celebrate Friday’s Skyline Theater Descendants show, the campers got creative and set up a themed concession stand featuring homemade “love potion cookies” and “love punch.”
• Appreciating Our Team: The kids poured their hearts into creating a gorgeous, collaborative ribbon of origami butterflies for our favorite Play Specialist, Ms. Anna, to show her just how much she is loved.

🧠 The Magic in the Method: Why We Play This Way

You might hear your kids talk about building forts, dancing, or even being “bored” for a few minutes. To the untrained eye, it just looks like a good time. But there is a deep, beautiful science to what happened here this week.

Research shows that child-led play—steeped in independence and wrapped in a culture of care—is exactly how children thrive. By introducing small, calculated tasks of risk and adventure, and coaching them through challenges with compassion, joy, and resilience, we are unlocking something huge.

The Executive Function Connection: Managing mixed-age play, navigating interpersonal squabbles, resolving boredom using their own imagination, and balancing big physical movements with quiet storytimes are the exact ingredients required for executive skill development (mind and body).

Watching our older campers instinctively find their leadership skills by stepping up to help the younger ones has been nothing short of inspiring. This is joy and learning combined. This is the ultimate gift of youth: giving today’s kids the kind of classic, unstructured, adventurous summer we grew up loving.

💙 A Huge Thank You

None of this is possible without our incredible team. Our caring counselors have spent the week celebrating small victories, wondering alongside your children, holding them when they’re tired, and ensuring fierce safety through every single thunderstorm and hose fight.

Week 1 is officially a wrap, and we are just getting started. Thank you for trusting us with your kids—we can’t wait to see what Week 2 brings!

Sincerely,

Kimberly Brown, Founder and CEO, and the Family Room Summer Team