Our camp is built on the hallmarks of safety and fun. Each of our summer programs is tailored to be age-appropriate and flexible, and your child will receive individualized attention and care in a loving, Jewish environment. No matter which enrollment option you choose, your child will encounter new adventures and excitement every day.

Expanding Horizons
This is the classic Junior Gan Israel experience for children ages 2 ½ to 6 years old. This complete summer package includes crafts and games, professional sports instruction and special events. Field trips are carefully selected for age and safety. Private swim-time is held at Oakton Water Playground. Each week we highlight a different Jewish theme, which is conveyed through the songs, crafts and other activities of the week. Children who are ages 2½ to 3 may be enrolled in either  Bright Beginnings or Expanding Horizons.

Bright Beginnings
This option is JGI designed specifically for your toddler, ages 2-3. From water and outdoor play to art and music, these campers are introduced to a broad range of enriching activities in a setting created just for them. In Bright Beginnings, the staff-child ratio is lower and warm & loving early childhood professional focus on developing your child's motor skills and social interactions at an appropriate level.

Mindful of their tender age, we do not take our Bright Beginners on field trips or to swim at Oakton Water Playground, and we offer flexible days and hours so you can customize your little one's camp attendance to best suit his needs. Children may attend 2, 3, or 5 days per week and can be picked up at 12:00, 1:00, or 3:30 if enrolled in Afternoon Enrichment. 

Afternoon Enrichment
Our optional Afternoon Enrichment Program enhances the fun your children have had all morning, and extends until 3:30 p.m. Afternoon Enrichment campers enjoy an array of enrichment activities. Both Bright Beginnings and Expanding Horizons campers enjoy Wiggleworms Music Appreciation with Miss Julie, and Gymnastics with Coach Ilyce of Stretch-n-Grow. Expanding Horizons campers also enjoy Creative Movement with Miss Julianna of Old Town School of Folk Music.
Snacks are served.
Parents of Bright Beginnings afternoon campers can choose for their child to nap, in a room especially designated for napping.

Sports with Coach Ilyce of Stretch-n-Grow Sports 
These weekly sessions are conducted by Certified Youth Fitness Coach and master early-childhood teacher, Coach Ilyce, owner and director of the Stretch-n-Grow Franchise of the North Shore. Coach Ilyce brings over 20 years of creativity and experience in engaging young children in movement activities. Children are intrigued by Coach Ilyce's joyful, high-energy personality, and her well-organized, age-appropriate sessions. 

Our All-Star Sports Instruction program provides an opportunity for Expanding Horizons Campers to experience a variety of sports. Each week’s activities are fresh and exciting adventures that children look forward to. We focus on the skills and techniques used in a mix of sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer, football, field hockey and track & field.  Activities are tailored to the campers' ages and ability levels. Campers develop confidence to succeed in each sport in a non-competitive, fun atmosphere, while developing skills that they will build on in the future. 

Throughout each session, exciting, unique and size-appropriate equipment is used. Coach Ilyce’s big bags are always full of fun, and the kids are excited to see what Coach Ilyce is going to pull out next. Her use of joyful Jewish music adds to the magic.

Gymnastics with Coach Ilyce of Stretch-n-Grow Sports
Expanding Horizons Afternoon Enrichment campers participate in weekly Gymnastics adventures with Coach Ilyce. Our gymnastics program is theme-based, focusing on balance, agility, core strength and flexibility. Using a variety of age-appropriate equipment, energetic music, and imagination, the children are captivated by the activities while developing early gymnastics skills.

Parsha Alive with Morah Yonina Yovits
We are thrilled with our unique, weekly Parsha Alive sessions with Morah Yonina Yovitz, for Expanding Horizons Afternoon Enrichment. Morah Yonina is a highly acclaimed early-childhood educator with over four decades of experience inspiring young children, both as a teacher at Arie Crown Hebrew Day School and as a Junior Gan Israel Division Head.  Using a variety of media and techniques, Morah Yonina brings the Torah Portion of the week to life for our wide-eyed campers. Campers are excited to see, hear and experience something fresh and intriguing each week. 

Wiggleworms Music Exploration with Miss Julie of Old Town School of Folk Music
Morah Julie of Old Town School of Folk Music is a classically trained musician with a captivating voice and decades of experience introducing children to the beautiful world of music. Miss Julie is passionate about making music engaging and hands-on, by allowing our campers to express themselves using various instruments and methods. 

Afternoon Enrichment campers sing and play instruments including rhythm sticks, hand drums, tambourines, ukuleles, triangles and more. Miss Julie leads the groups in an exploration of music concepts such as melody, dynamics, tempo and rhythm, while introducing special “big kid” instruments, and discovering the uniqueness of various musical families. As our campers enjoy Miss Julie's lively activities, they do not realize how much they are absorbing about pitch, rhythm, beat, composition, and more.

Creative Movement with Miss Aimee of Rock 'n' Kids
Rock 'n' Kids believes in teaching through musical play and incorporates all developmental domains into its curriculum—physical, sensory, cognitive and social-emotional. Using rhythm instruments and assorted movement props, campers develop fine and gross motor skills, including balance and coordination. Miss Aimee is an expert in Early Childhood Movement, with years of experience joyfully singing, playing, learning and imagining together with her young students. Rock 'n' Kids' approach of weaving learning into the fabric of fun captivates our campers, fostering natural development and an environment of excitement. 

 

Before- and After-care
Early drop-off and late pick-up are available by prior arrangement only. Click here to contact Mrs. Posner and make arrangements.

Click here to read the JGI Parent Info for this summer.

For More Information
Please contact Camp Director Mrs. Zeesy Posner at 847-677-1770 #1 (office) or 947-452-7770 (cell).

Junior Gan Israel is for children up to age six. Visit www.GanIsraelChicago.com for children over six years old.