Summer Lab - University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Summer Lab 2023

Summer Lab enrollment is open to all rising Nursery 3–grade 8 students who will be in the Chicago metropolitan region this summer.

At Lab, we know that learning is a year-round experience, which can, and should, take many forms. Summer Lab builds on over 70 years of summer programming at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, bringing together the resources and faculty of the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools with exciting programs offered by experts from across the city. All of this takes place in and around an unparalleled university setting that enriches our summer fun in incomparable ways.

In an environment that focuses on kids, Summer Lab students and campers make new friends, learn new skills, connect, play, make art, explore the environment, perform, and much, much more. The programs are fun and like everything at Lab, they are designed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence in each child.

At Summer Lab, the love of learning never goes on vacation.

Join us!

Dates, Deadlines, and Important Information

Registration, Payment, and Cancellation

Registration window
February 15, 9 a.m.–April 15, 11:59 p.m.
A $200 non-refundable deposit per class is due at the time of registration.

Payment due date
May 1
Outstanding balances will automatically be charged at this time to the credit card on file.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be received in writing no later than May 15 for a full refund minus the non-refundable fee. If a family has to cancel for any reason after May 15, no refund will be issued.

Summer Calendar
Full Session: June 20–July 28
Session I: June 20–June 30
Session II: July 5 - July 14
Session III: July 17–July 28
Closed June 19, July 3, and July 4 in observance of holidays

Summer Lab Scholarship

We are excited to begin offering scholarship assistance for our 2023 Summer Lab program. The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion for Lab students and the community in which it resides. We strive to fully appreciate the role of diversity in education and to define the crucial and continuous commitments we must make as a community to foster diversity at the Laboratory Schools. The Summer Lab Scholarship is designed to give any student an opportunity to experience the summer programs that allow children to learn, connect, and discover— regardless of financial resources.

Recipients will be notified by May 15, 2023.

Due to the overwhelming response, the Summer Lab Scholarship for Summer Lab 2023 is now closed.

Times & Locations

Nursery–Grade 2	Grades 3–8
Earl Shapiro Hall 5800 South Stony Island Ave Arrival: 8–8:25 a.m. Classes start at 8:30 a.m. Dismissal: 3:30–3:45 p.m. Late Day: 3:30–5 p.m. Dismissal: 5–5:15 p.m.	Historic Campus 1362 East 59th St Arrival: 8–8:15 a.m. Classes start at 8:15 a.m. Dismissal: 3:30–3:45 pm Late Day: 3:30–5 p.m. Dismissal: 5–5:15 p.m.

Late Day childcare is available to all children in Nursery–grade 8

Plan your day at Summer Lab

Grades Nursery-Kindergarten will select one program to register for a full day of fun. Some classes run for the full 6 weeks and others run for 2 weeks.
Grades 1-2 will select one program to register for a full day of fun. Some classes run for the full 6 weeks and others run for 2 weeks. Each program will consist of one or two classes and the rest of the day will have a weekly rotation of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play.
Grades 3-8 click here to see the programs at a glance and how to build your daily schedule.

Image Navy Pier Field Trip for Summer Lab

Summer Calendar

Full Session: June 20–July 28
Session I: June 20–June 30
Session II: July 5–July 14
Session III: July 17–July 28

Closed June 19, July 3, and July 4 in observance of holidays

Contact Us

Please check meeting times and dates in each listing that follows, and feel free to contact the Summer Lab office with questions about structuring your child’s days:
summerlab@ucls.uchicago.edu
773-834-7766

2023 Programs

Full Session: June 20–July 28 | Session I: June 20–June 30 | Session II: July 5 - July 14 | Session III: July 17–July 28

Sort by grade level

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Acting Adventures

For children entering grades 1–2
Using the frameworks of legends, myths, fairy tales, and more, your child will learn the basics of acting and more

Coding / Robotics

For children entering grades 1–2
Build coding skills and explore robotics with weekly rotations of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play

Continents, Cultures and Bread! / Multisensory Math

For children entering grades 1–2
Students learn to make bread from multiple cultures while they balance learning a variety of math strategies along with a weekly rotation of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play

Cooking / Gardening

For children entering grades 1–2
Hands-on cooking and gardening with a weekly rotation of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play

Cooking / Greeking Out

For children entering grades 1–2
Adventures in cooking and Greek mythology with a weekly rotation of sports, library, art, and outdoor water play

Foundations for Learning to Read

For children entering grade 1
This class is designed for readers who continue to work on letter-recognition skills, sight-word memorization, or beginning blending skills

Improv / Art

For children entering grades 1–2
Fun on-your-feet games with improv, in-depth mix of arts and crafts, with a weekly rotation of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play

LEGO® / Chess

For children entering grades 1–2
Students will create LEGO® films and stop action video, and become ultimate chess players (beginner, continuing, and advanced players welcome), with a weekly rotation of sports, music, library, art, and outdoor water play

Literacy Lab

For children entering grade 2
Come have fun while learning with us and get excited about this reading and writing class

Nature Explorers

For children entering grades 1–2
Designed to build self-discipline, confidence, and increase concentration and focus—all while having fun