Summer Guide 2012: Outdoor Musical Concerts

It doesn't get much better than sitting on a blanket on a warm summer night, listening to a band play while kids dance up around the stage. 

The DuPage Symphony Orchestra performs at Cantigny in 2010. Photo by vxla on Flickr.Here's the 2012 version of the Go West Young Mom Guide to Outdoor Musical Performances, divided by days of the week. For full details, check the Go West calendar or click on the links provided. Don’t forget your lawn chair or blanket, some bug spray and for the daytime shows, your hats and sunscreen. All shows are free unless mentioned otherwise.

MONDAYS

The Wheaton Park District offers a free Summer Entertainment Series select Monday nights in July at the Memorial Park Bandshell at 7:30 p.m. First up is Johnny Russler & the Beach Bum Band on Monday, July 9.

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Updated 2012 Go West Preschool & Daycare Directory

Shopping for preschool or childcare for your child can be stressful. Go West wants to help you get started by letting you know about options in and near your particular western suburb.

The Go West Preschool & Daycare Guide is a permanent feature on the home page -- you'll find a button for it in the left sidebar, along with links to the Summer Camp Guide and Indoor Play Guide, and soon to come, a Birthday Party Guide!

But there have been some important updates and additions to the guide, which is meant to serve as a starting point for parents researching their preschool and childcare options.

It includes separate pages for Aurora and North Aurora; Geneva and Batavia; St. Charles; Oswego and Montgomery; the Elgin area; and DeKalb and Sycamore, with more suburbs in the works. Some of the schools solely offer preschool classes, and there's several "Mom's Day Out" programs, too. Others offer childcare for infants through school-age children and before- and after-school care. (The guide only includes in-home daycares if they are licensed by the state.)

One of the sponsors of the guide is St. Peter Catholic School, located in Geneva on Kaneville Road, about 1/2 mile east of Randall Road. St. Peter School offers classes in preschool through 8th grade. Its preschool classes feature between 15 and 18 students, and it offers classes for 3 year olds, 4 year olds and pre-kindergarten, as well as full-day and half-day kindergarten classes.

You'll find more info about St. Peter School in the Geneva and Batavia section of the guide. The school is also hosting an Open House for families with children of all ages  on Sunday, May 6, at 12:30 p.m. If interested, you can RSVP to Toni at 630-232-0476. (Make sure you let her know Go West sent you!) Lunch will be provided.

I want to thank St. Peter School for helping make the Go West Preschool & Daycare Guide possible.

Finally, if you know of a preschool or childcare provider that is not in the guide -- or if you are a provider interested in learning how to advertise in the guide -- please contact biz@gowestyoungmom.com.

Earth Day Events in Chicago's Far Western Suburbs

Earth Day is Sunday, and there are a number of opportunities this week for you and your family to mark the occasion. These are in chronological order and note that some do require pre-registration.

Photo by FlyingSinger on Flickr.

WEST CHICAGO: The West Chicago Public Library is offering an Earth-friendly craft, using recycled materials, on Friday, April 20, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This does require advance registration; if you're not a West Chicago Public Library cardholder, then call the Youth Services Department at 630-231-1552 to register over the phone.

AURORA AREA: The Fox Valley Park District is hosting a "Spring Spruce-Up" on the morning of Saturday, April 21. Scout groups, church groups, friends and families are invited to help spruce up local parks including Blackberry Farm, Montgomery Park, North Aurora Island Park, O'Donnell Park/Prairie Path, South Broadway Park and Waubonsie Creek Park. Call Debbie Smith at 630-966-4555 to sign up.

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The Go West Summer Camp Guide: 2012 Edition

I'm very happy to debut the Go West Summer Camp Guide - 2012 Edition! 

This guide will be updated throughout the spring, so please check back regularly. This guide will have a permanent home under "Good Times" as well as in the left sidebar on the home page, next to the Indoor Play Guide, Go Guide, etc.

If you know of a camp or a Vacation Bible School that should be listed but is missing, please send the info (or even just a tip) to editor@gowestyoungmom.com. If your organization is interested in an expanded, featured listing, which includes premium placement, please also contact editor@gowestyoungmom.com.

Also, I hope you'll join me in thanking two organizations that are helping make the Go West Summer Camp Guide possible. 

Bright Horizons is the world's leading provider of employer-sponsored childcare, back-up care, early education and work/life solutions. It has a number of centers located around the Chicago area, including Elgin, Naperville, Wheaton, Lisle, Schaumburg, Oak Brook, Arlington Heights and many more. Bright Horizons also offers summer camps. "Our World Our Backyard" is designed for preschool-age children, in which preschool environments are transformed into distinctive summer spaces. "Camp Explorations X-treme Summer" is for school-aged children and includes a focus on fitness and technology. You can learn more about Bright Horizons' Summer Camps here.

Waubonsee Community College is a longtime sponsor of Go West Young Mom, and it offers summer camps at its campuses in Aurora, Plano and Sugar Grove, as well as West Aurora High School and the Kendall County Outdoor Education Center in Yorkville. The "Xcelerate Enrichment Camps" focus on such topics as LEGO Robotics, science, computers, movie making, fashion design, cooking, rock music and secret agents. Waubonsee also has camps just for preschoolers, too. You can learn more about Waubonsee's summer camp options here.

So thanks to the support of Bright Horizons and Waubonsee, I'm sure you'll find some wonderful camps to help make sure your children have a happy, safe, exciting and enriching summer.

CAMPS DIVIDED BY GEOGRAPHY

Summer Camps in Geneva, St. Charles and Batavia

Summer Camps in the Greater Aurora Area, including Oswego and Montgomery

Summer Camps in the Greater Elgin Area

Summer Camps in the Wheaton and West Chicago Areas

A Guide to Mother-Son Events in the Western Suburbs

When I brought you the list of Father-Daughter Dances last month, I promised a similar guide to Mother-Son Dances. But it turns out not all of them have a "dance" component -- witness the creative "pig-themed" event the Oswegoland Park District has dreamt up!

Also, I could only find about half as many events for moms and sons as I did for dads and daughters, although maybe some are held at a different time of year. Here's what I could dig up so far ... if you know of an event that should be featured here, please add it in the comment section.

Photo by Alain Wibert on Flickr.ST. CHARLES: The St. Charles Park District is hosting a "DINO-Mite Party" on Friday, Feb. 10, from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Pottawatomie Community Center. The night will feature entertainment, dancing, game, food and more. A special memento of the evening is included. This event is aimed at boys ages 3 and older, along with their mothers. The cost is $12 per person for residents and $18 per person for non-residents. Click here for more info or call 630-513-6200.

GENEVA: The Geneva Park District is sponsoring a "Mom & Son Night" on Saturday, March 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Geneva High School. You'll be able to dance, enjoy snacks and activities in between songs as well as check out the entertainment by Side Swipe Extreme Martial Arts. The cost is $10 per person for residents, or $15 per person for non-residents. For more info, call 630-232-4542 or download the recreation guide at genevaparks.org.

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