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Writing Programs for Kids & Teens

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Child's Play Touring Theatre:
Child's Play Touring Theatre, based in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, is a private touring theatre company offering workshops, residencies, after school programs and summer camps across the USA. Child's Play Touring Theatre travels all over the country performing stories and poems written by children. Our mission is to share, encourage and validate the creativity of children by performing original works of theatre, music, and dance adapted from literature written by young authors.

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Our History:

Photo of Writing Programs for Kids & Teens Victor and June Podagrosi founded Child's Play while Victor was teaching theatre at Parkland College in Champaign, Illinois. Asked to stage a performance of children's writings for a Young Author's awards ceremony, Victor was delighted with the sophistication and storytelling abilities he discovered in children's writing. Believing they had identified a unique form of educational theatre, the Podagrosis formed Child's Play Touring Theatre and began traveling to rural schools in east central Illinois.

They developed workshops for classroom instruction and toured throughout the area before moving to Chicago as the base for the organization in 1982. From there they continued to evolve and have now traveled throughout the country, visiting 38 states from Alaska to Florida and Maine to California, to bring their programs to the nation’s youth.

Our Audience:

As Child's Play is a touring company, it has reached, through performances, workshops and intensive residencies, an audience of over 4.2 million children, teachers and parents in 38 states from Alaska to Florida. We see arts as an educational tool with lifelong benefits and teach not only in the schools, but at our studio and our summer camps. Child's Play Touring Theatre is a not-for-profit organization.

Our Studio:
Our Studio is the perfect place to hold rehearsals, classes, children’s parties and private events. Well-lit, safe and clean, this loft-like space measures 21.5’ x 36’. Blue walls provide a blue screen background for video/film productions or photography shoots. Access to refrigerator and prep room for events with food. Child’s Play costumes and props can be added for children’s parties.

Education Workshops / Programs:

- Young Author workshops
- Artists-In-Residence programs
- The Writing Our World workshop
- After school programs
- Summer camps
- Performances
- Teen classes
- Sunday “FunDay” classes

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Address: 2518 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, Illinois , USA
Some interested visitors submitting program inquiries to our school up to 2023-10-05 were from:

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Related Schools & Programs. Inquire to our admissions team today:
St. Benedict Elementary School, Chicago
Courses / Programs
St. Benedict Elementary School (SBES), a Catholic educational community serving grades Pre-K-8, inspires and cultivates a balance of faith, academic excellence, and individual talents in a diverse, personalized setting. We are located on Chicago's North-Side, near Western Ave, serving Roscoe Village, Irving Park, Avondale, Lakeview, DePaul and surrounding communities.

St. Benedict Elementary School enjoys Full State of Illinois Recognition for non-public schools, as well as certification from the Office of Catholic Schools. We are a member of the National Catholic Education.

For just over 100 years, St. Benedict has provided quality education, and continues to teach and encourage Catholic traditions. Given this history, St. Benedict has proven its on-going commitment to faith-based education and community building in Chicago's North Center. The St. Benedict graduate is well rounded, dedicated to the service of others and prepared for the future.

As a community, St. Benedict Elementary School is committed to service, both to our peers and to those less fortunate. In addition, we seek to enrich the educational experience of our students through extensive extracurricular offerings.
Catholic Education Programs for Pre-K through Grade 8:

- Elementary Program
- Authentic Portfolio Assessment Program
- Athletics Program

- Our amazing and dedicated teachers provide educational opportunities that employ the best methods.

- This includes our Authentic Portfolio Assessment Program and cutting-edge technology.

- In addition to our core classes, students receive Spanish, Art, Computers, Music and Religion.
Lincoln Park Preschool
Courses / Programs
Lincoln Park Preschool (LPP) is a private, early childhood program / day care center located on W. Belden Avenue, at Belden and Lincoln Park West in Chicago, Cook County, IL. We have another school, Lincoln Park Preparatory School, located at Germania and Clark Street – just south of North Avenue in the city. Our early childhood programs (for children ages 2 - 6 years) primary focus is the growth and well being of the child. We provide this best by having a warm, open, nurturing atmosphere that is conducive to learning.

Our school is a place where children can develop self-confidence and build a commitment to learning. They take part in discovery-based activities that are developmentally appropriate. We provide a healthy balance between teacher-directed and child-directed activities.

Children are encouraged to build upon problem solving skills, as well as their creativity and socialization skills. Our teachers take into account the individuality of each child. Activities that are stimulating to the child’s imagination and creative development can then be provided.

LPP is NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) accredited and state and city licensed.
Early Childhood Programs for children ages 2-6 years:

- Programs for children ages 2-5 years at Belden location.
- Programs for children age 2 years through to Kindergarten at Germania location.
- 2, 3, and 5 day schedules
- Hours 7:30 am – 5:30 pm, Monday - Friday
- Theme based learning activities with developmentally appropriate learning in math, science, language arts, dramatic play, music, gross & fine motor, art & sensory
- Foreign language immersion program – Language Stars Spanish instruction
Smart Love Preschool
Courses / Programs
Located in North Side Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, near Irving Park and the Lake, Smart Love Preschool offers a play-based curriculum within an eco-friendly environment as five day or half day (morning and afternoon) care programs for toddlers and children of 3-5 years. Families from Lakeview, Ravenswood, Irving Park, Avondale and surrounding Northside communities can be sure of the strength of our Smart Love philosophy which has been successfully applied by trained professionals in a broad range of settings for over three decades.

We have created a unique and inspiring toddler program involving spacious motor play and lively group times, designed especially for your child's optimal development. In our preschool section, theme-based, age appropriate content is taught in an engaging way that stimulates children's natural curiosity about the world around them and incorporates early math and literacy skills.

The Smart Love Preschool provides a setting that promotes young children's long-term academic success by strengthening their social-emotional health and inspiring their intellectual creativity through play-based learning.
- Five day and half day (morning, afternoon) care programs for toddlers and preschool children

- Toddlers Exploration program for children 15-36 mths

- Preschool program for children from 3-5 years

- We follow a theme-based curriculum that stimulates the children's natural curiosity about the world around them and incorporates early math and literacy skills
Adirondack Learning Academy - Accredited Homeschool Online Programs
Courses / Programs
• Enroll in an accredited online homeschool course from Adirondack Learning Academy (ALA), and give your child or teenager the opportunity to benefit from quality online education from the comfort of their own home in Illinois and throughout the U.S

• We deliver comprehensive, NCAA-approved study-at-home academic programs to kindergarten, elementary school, middle school & high school students. 

• A homeschool diploma is awarded to high school seniors on successful completion of the program, and an official transcript that states that they have completed the requirements for graduation in their state.

• We provide anytime online access to our online courses. Tailored to appeal to today’s web-savvy kids, this makes studying convenient for all schedules.

• Our staff is skilled at easing the transition from high school to college. We have experience in what it takes to get you accepted at the college of your choice.

ALA is accredited by the National Independent Study Accreditation Council (NISAC) and approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Online K-12 Homeschool Programs:
For kindergarten, elementary school, middle school & high school students

• Core courses, electives & and career-technical courses
• College entrance assistance
• Advanced Placement (AP) classes
• Individualized curriculum with each student assigned a personal learning coach
• Programs for students with special needs

A homeschool diploma is awarded to high school seniors on successful completion of the program
The Children's House Lake Meadows, Chicago
Courses / Programs
The Children's House Lake Meadows provides distinct and proven Early Education Experience programs for children ages 6 weeks through to 12 years of age. The Children's House is privately owned, and currently operates 4 facilities in Cook County, Illinois, including Chicago City, Park Forest and Markham. The Children's House Lake Meadows is fully licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

We employ only qualified teachers and teachers aides, and keep our class sizes small to provide your child with a comfortable environment that is conductive to learning. Our endeavor is to provide parents, regardless of their hours of work or school schedule, with quality care for their children. Because of our desire to accommodate the many schedules incurred in the 21st century, The Children's House is open 130 hours a week, versus the normal 60 hours at most child care centers.
Early Education Experience Programs:

- Infants program
- Toddler program
- Kindergarten program
- Afterschool program

* Our Early Education Experience programs are for children ages 6 weeks through to 12 years of age.
* Summer Programs also available.
St. Cornelius Catholic School, Chicago
Courses / Programs
St. Cornelius School in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois is dedicated to providing children an excellent education rooted in the Catholic Christian tradition through our preschool and elementary / middle school programs through Grade 8. By our focus on education driven by faith, students learn and act with integrity and kindness. Our goal is to educate children to become dedicated and productive people in our world. The St. Cornelius learning program is geared to meet the needs of today and the demands of tomorrow.

Cornelius School is an integral part of the St. Cornelius Parish and community at large. In conjunction with the evangelizing mission of the church and parish, St. Cornelius School is called to teach the message of Jesus in a Catholic context. Our unique role is to instill in the children the future responsibility of becoming loving adult disciples of Jesus.
Catholic Educational Programs from Preschool through Grade 8:

- Catholic Preschool program: Classes for 3 and 4 year old children
- Catholic Elementary & Middle School program (Grades K-8)
- We also offer an extended day option until 6:00 pm
- Registrations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

St. Cornelius is dedicated to providing an education for the student inside and outside of the classroom.