Camps at The Little Bits Workshop are a collage of creativity, ingenuity, learning, upcycled projects, outdoor explorations and fun with friends. The underlying theme of each camp is to learn the necessary skills to create useful beauty and to be good stewards of the natural beauty all around us. 

   We are a bunch of nurturing, creative moms & “mums” who love teaching kids to use their hands, not just their thumbs!! Our goal is to develop independent and confident MAKERS who have skills for life so they don't bring their pants home from college to be hemmed!!! We believe they should be able to DO IT THEMSELVES!

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CAMPS

 

2019 Summer Camp

Registration is OPEN!



MakerNature Camps are a partnership between The Little Bits Workshop and the FPCC Trailside Museum of Natural History and are based in the Thatcher Woods Pavilion.


MakerNature Camp Week 1:

June 17-21 The Happy Camper, ages 7+

in the Thatcher Woods Pavilion 9am-3pm

This week’s camp will be ALL about camping tips,  using tools, survival skills and having fun outdoors. The  Campers entering 1st -3rd grade will make a hammock and 4th - 6th  will make a campfire chair. Trailside Naturalists will take kids kayaking, do archery, go pond dipping, do nature ID, learn all about fire and how to cook camp food. The Forest Preserve of Cook County has 5 camp grounds. Campers take home information about all that is available: gear, tents, kayaks, programing and more!  $325 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER



MakerNature Camp Week 2:

June 24-28 Art in the Forest, ages 7+

in the Thatcher Woods Pavilion 9am-3pm

During this camp, young crafters and artists will have many projects to chose from as we create outdoor art exhibits that will be on permanent display: yarn bombs, felted birds, painted stones, wood critters, map-making and geo-cached Info-Boxes will become the ultimate nature scavenger hunt for Trailside visitors...all the while, campers will learn fascinating facts about our native plants, animals, birds and insects. Did you know that you can figure out the air temperature just by listening to a cricket? Each day will be filled with creativity, outdoor adventures, creature encounters and discovery. $325 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER




MakerCamps...
...listed below are a based at The Little Bits Workshop located at 411 Park Ave in River Forest.


June 12-14 Summer Cottage Camp, ages 7+

9am-noon

The Little Bits Cottage is a launching point for imagination. Half the fun of making a Little Bits Cottage is when kids discover objects in your recycle bin, junk drawer or jewelry box that could actually become a burner on a stove, a knob on a faucet or a dining room chair. We have plenty of bits, but kids are always welcome to bring items from home. This camp is a skill-builder: measuring, designing, considering proportion, using sharp tools and learning how to sew. $160


June 17-21 Camp Runway, ages 10+

9am-2pm

Kids will make and show their own outfit from start to finish while learning how to read a pattern and implement all the instructions. Patterns are included in the camp fee. Materials are not part of the camp fee. Prior to camp, an email will be sent regarding measurements and a shopping list. $325



June 24-28 Sew Enchanted, ages 8+ (7 with sewing experience)

9am-noon

Campers will  learn to sew magical creations by hand and machine...an enchanted castle pillow and a unicorn. Sewing basics such as seam allowance, following a pattern, and hand embellishments are just a few of the skills that campers will  master. $269


July 1-3 Summer Cottage Camp, ages 7+

9am-noon

The Little Bits Cottage is a launching point for imagination. Half the fun of making a Little Bits Cottage is when kids discover objects in your recycle bin, junk drawer or jewelry box that could actually become a burner on a stove, a knob on a faucet or a dining room chair. We have plenty of bits, but kids are always welcome to bring items from home. This camp is a skill-builder: measuring, designing, considering proportion, using sharp tools and learning how to sew. $160


July 5 Summer Cottage Camp, ages 7+

9am-noon

Add on one more day of Cottage Camp to fill the week! $53



July 8-12- Jr. Camp Runway, ages 8-9

9am-noon

For the beginner fashionista! Campers will learn the basics of hand sewing, how to run a sewing machine and how to cut out a simple pattern. What is seam allowance? How to sew a straight line? How to thread a machine? Friends & Family are invited to attend a FASHION SHOW on the last day!  $269


July 15-19 Extreme Knit & Crochet: Woodland Friends

9am-noon

Kids will learn to knit and crochet while creating absolutely adorable critters: badgers, raccoons and foxes...OH MY! Plus a few other whimsical habitat items like mushrooms and flowers. The perfect skill to learn for those lazy days of summer or rainy days at the lake house. $250


July 22-26 The Good Guerilla Artist, ages 7+

9am-noon

Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky....highly classified and clandestine art projects that will be slipped around town... Tricky, whimsical, harmless fun! Sorry, we can’t tell you what we have up our sleeves! But we guarantee your kids will have a blast placing these silly compositions for passersby to discover and smile. $250


July 29-August 2 Sew Cool (and sweet!) ages 8+
(7 with sewing experience)

9am-noon

Imagine a giant ice cream cone, a popsicle, an ice cream sandwich....giant plushy, sweet, irresistible pillows. Fun to make and kids will learn skills for life. $269



August 5-9 Camp Runway, ages 10+

9am-2pm

Kids will make and show their own outfit from start to finish while learning how to read a pattern and implement all the instructions. Patterns are included in the camp fee. Materials are not part of the camp fee. Prior to camp, an email will be sent regarding measurements and a shopping list.  $325



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