Compare 17+ Space & Aviation programs in Chicago — day camps, summer programs, and university pre-college options for kids, teens & high schoolers. Free directory with prices & dates.
Refreshed weekly · Last updated Jun 11, 2026
A structured, college-level foundation course in aerospace engineering, taught live online over 6 weeks. Every session pairs strong concept-building with a hands-on lab in college-level simulators, and students design and defend a capstone mission at the end. No prior aerospace experience required.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Research Ignited Online Platform
Phone
+1 (919) 213-1821
Advanced 1:1 mentor-guided fellowship where high school students conduct an original aerospace research project — from aviation safety and drones to satellites, space medicine, and sustainable aviation — and produce a serious deliverable for college applications, with optional journal-publication support.
Age Group
High School
Location
Research Ignited Online Platform
Phone
+1 (919) 213-1821
High school students explore aviation through interactive learning, flight experiences, career exploration, and field trips to aviation facilities, gaining firsthand industry exposure.
Age Group
High School
Location
Harold E. White Aviation Center, Lewis University, One University Parkway, Romeoville, IL 60446
Phone
N/A
Students aged 13-18 learn about aviation careers, flight safety, take orientation flights, and visit airports and control towers, meeting aviation professionals.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Lewis University, One University Parkway, Romeoville, IL 60446
Phone
(630) 878-8608
Teens aged 14-18 explore aviation and aerospace through flight simulator and actual flight time, covering pre-flight inspections, radio communications, and flight planning.
Age Group
High School
Location
32w751 Tower Road, West Chicago, IL
Phone
(630) 513-2224
Students aged 13-18 gain hands-on experience in aviation history, aerodynamics, government's role in aviation, and diverse aerospace career opportunities.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Chicago, IL
Phone
N/A
Young learners immerse in aviation with professional flight simulators, drone operations, hands-on engineering projects, and tours of real aviation facilities at Lewis University.
Age Group
Middle/High School
Location
Lewis University | 1 University Pkwy, Romeoville, IL 60446
Phone
N/A
Students build Mars rovers, explore how rovers move and collect samples, and design and build mini spaceship models during a themed week.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
(773) 895-1565
Students become astronauts, learn about space travel, explore the universe, and build rockets through hands-on activities with NASA-collaborated curriculum.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
Multiple Locations
Phone
(312) 273-4026
Campers embark on an out-of-this-world adventure, building rockets, coding moonwalks, and navigating galactic challenges.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
Nettelhorst Elementary School, Chicago
Phone
(773) 904-7471
Campers embark on a mission inspired by NASA and SpaceX, engaging in hands-on activities to explore space and build serious STEM skills.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
620 W. Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
Phone
(888) 854-2267
Young learners delve into the wonders of space through hands-on art, science, and play, building rockets and painting planets.
Age Group
Elementary
Location
1362 E. 59th St., Chicago, IL 60637
Phone
(773) 702-9450
Students spend a week learning about the skies, space, and wonders of the universe, studying the solar system, gravity, satellites, and constellations with experiments and demonstrations.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
1076 W. Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608
Phone
1-800-433-6060 ext 1
The Adler Planetarium offers space-themed summer camps for children and teens. Camps cover various topics, including astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration. Students participate in hands-on activities, explore exhibits, and learn from planetarium educators.
Age Group
Middle School
Location
1300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605
Phone
(312) 922-7827
High school students engage in hands-on science exploration, visiting research labs and learning about superconductivity, 3D printing, quantum science, and astronomy.
Age Group
High School
Location
University of Chicago
Phone
N/A
A multi-year science enrichment program for high school students underrepresented in STEM, featuring weekly labs and summer institutes focused on astronomy and astrophysics, cultivating future scholars.
Age Group
High School
Location
William Eckhardt Research Center, 5640 South Ellis Avenue, Room 599, Chicago, IL 60637
Phone
773-702-8203
An invitation-only four-week summer camp for admitted Illinois Tech students, including a rocket project, robot wars, and challenges in math, physics, chemistry, and computer science.
Age Group
High School
Location
Illinois Tech's Mies Campus in Chicago
Phone
N/A
Summer camps are great, but the real portfolio comes from competing. See every FIRST Robotics team in IL — plus pathways, deadlines, and pick lists for math, coding, science, and research competitions.
Looking for a STEM summer camp near you? This free Chicago directory lists 140+ local and online programs across the Chicago metro area — including AI, coding, robotics, science, and math camps for kids, middle schoolers, and high school students. Compare prices, dates, age groups, and formats, then filter by focus area above to find the closest match for Summer 2026.
We list 140+ STEM summer camps in Chicago, IL across AI & machine learning, coding, robotics, science, math, space, and cybersecurity. Top picks vary by your child's age and interests — use the category filters above to compare programs by price, duration, and format.
Prices in our Chicago directory range from free community programs to $3,000+ for university-hosted pre-college tracks. Most full-day weekly camps run $400–$900 per week; specialized AI and research programs typically run $1,000–$2,500 for the full program. Click any camp for current pricing.
Camps in our Chicago listings cover elementary (typically ages 6–10), middle school (11–13), high school (14–18), and selective pre-college research programs for rising seniors. Filter by age group to see only programs that match your child.
Yes — many of our listed programs offer fully online or hybrid formats, especially in AI, coding, and research. Online options are open to students nationwide, including Chicago-area kids who can't travel to an in-person camp. Look for the “Virtual Camp” filter or any program tagged Online / Hybrid in the details.
Yes. Several listings are pre-college programs hosted by universities — including residential and commuter options. These are competitive admissions with applications often closing in March/April for summer cohorts. Use the Pre-College filter at the top to see only these programs.
