Chicago Children's Theatre

Name: Chicago Children's Theatre
Address: 100 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA, Chicago, IL, US
Telephone: (773) 227-0180
Price range: $$
Rating: 4.7

100 S Racine Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA

Overview

Category:New Year's Eve Kids Activities

Location:Chicago, IL

Expert Summary

Detailed Insights

Chicago Children's Theatre excels as a nurturing performing arts venue, offering engaging camps and events that build confidence, foster creativity, and are exceptionally inclusive, particularly for diverse learners and children with special needs.

Key Highlights

✓Summer camps culminate in a full performance (acting, singing, dancing) on Fridays after just one to two weeks of practice, providing a quick and tangible achievement for participants.
✓Staff members, like Sivan, are consistently praised for being kind, patient, and helpful, especially with diverse learners and children with autism.
✓Successful toddler birthday parties are offered, with the 'Bubble Jams' add-on explicitly noted as 'worth every penny' for a memorable experience.
✓Children are encouraged to actively participate in the production process, including contributing ideas to scripts, songs, and funny parts of the story.
✓The environment is highly inclusive, fostering social connections where children make friends 'of all stages' and receive strong coaching and encouragement for stage nervousness, leading to successful performances.

Standout Features

⭐Structured performing arts programs (acting, singing, dancing) with a focus on a final performance, building confidence and stage presence.
⭐Exceptional staff patience and kindness, explicitly beneficial for 'diverse learners' and 'children with autism'.
⭐Opportunities for children to contribute creatively to productions, including writing parts of scripts or songs.
⭐An inclusive social environment that supports children in making friends and overcoming performance anxieties with encouragement.
⭐The 'Bubble Jams' add-on for birthday parties, highlighted as a high-value enhancement.

Perfect For

Toddlers: Ideal for birthday celebrations, as successfully hosted for a 'toddler' (Review 2).

Preschoolers (5yo): Well-suited for summer camps focused on performing arts, with positive feedback on a '5yo' attending and putting together an 'awesome show' in 2 weeks (Review 3).

School-aged children: Excellent for summer camps focusing on acting, singing, dancing, and building self-confidence, offering an inclusive environment for making friends 'of all stages' (Reviews 1, 4).

Ideal For

Children eager to explore performing arts, build confidence, and participate in a final show.

Families seeking highly inclusive environments that cater to 'diverse learners' and 'children with autism' with patient and encouraging staff.

Toddler birthday parties looking for professional staff and valuable add-ons like 'Bubble Jams'.

Summer camp options for preschoolers and school-aged children interested in creative expression.

💡Pro Tips from Reviews

→Consider for summer camps if your child loves acting, singing, or dancing, as they build confidence quickly with a performance opportunity.
→Ideal for parents seeking inclusive environments for their children, especially those with special needs or who are diverse learners, due to highly patient staff.
→If planning a toddler birthday party, strongly consider the 'Bubble Jams' add-on due to its high value and positive parent feedback.
→Be prepared for potential travel, as some families are willing to drive '25 minutes each way' for the quality programs, indicating the value justifies the commute.

Price & Value

While specific prices for camps or events are not mentioned, the 'Bubble Jams add-on' for birthday parties is explicitly noted as 'worth every penny', suggesting good value for optional enhancements. The overall high perceived value for camps and programs is reflected in families' willingness to travel significant distances (e.g., 25+ minutes each way).

♿Accessibility & Special Needs

•Highly recommended for children with special needs; staff members are noted for having 'so much patience for the kids and diverse learners, too' and explicitly 'encourages kids with autism'.

🚗Parking Info

•No specific details on parking facilities are provided, but one family drives '25 minutes each way' to attend, implying the program's value outweighs potential travel inconvenience or that the location is accessible from various points.

Pricing/Package/Events

Pricing & Packages

Season Package

Duration: 20th Anniversary Season (Sep 27, 2025 - Jun 7, 2026)

Provides ticket access for one patron to the 20th Anniversary Season mainstage shows. Special events are separate from this subscription.

Includes:

•Ticket access for one patron to season shows (Leo Lionni’s Frederick, The Beatrix Potter Holiday Party, Goodnight Moon)

Red Kite Friendship Tour Performance

Starts at $1,000 per performance

Duration: 30-minute multi-sensory experience

A touring performance tailored for youth on the autism spectrum, featuring the story and songs of Red Kite, Green Mountain. Can be hosted at client's location.

Includes:

•Multi-sensory theatrical performance
•Participatory sensory activities
•Social story provided before the tour

Ages: Youth on the autism spectrum