Youth Organizations & Centers in Illinois

YMCA is a leading nonprofit dedicated to community youth, health and social responsibility. The Lake View YMCA features an expansive fitness center with modern cardio and weight equipment, a personal training center, racquetball and squash courts and a full size pool. Adult-only locker rooms feature saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms. It offers more than 250 different programs and classes, including licensed after-school and preschool care, summer day camps, free Friday family night activities, teen nights, and various activities, contests and events. The Y is also a popular and convenient location for birthday parties with many different theme options. Membership privileges extend to all metropolitan Chicago YMCA facilities.

The Bridge Teen Center is a unique place where both teens and adults can enrich themselves and build strong relationships with their families and communities. Located in the northeast area of Orland Park, the Bridge Teen Center opened up in June and has been "building a bridge to families, schools and communities" with quality programming and resources ever since.

Clinics have been held at the center to teach teens how to apply for college and how to handle finances such as car payments. Parents have had the benefit of talking with doctors and therapists about how to cope with their teens' stress. Fridays are for live entertainment such as music and culinary demonstrations.

The Kroehler Family YMCA in downtown Naperville is housed in a historic building and dedicated primarily to three things: building strong kids, strong families and strong communities. Here you and your kids can come to enjoy activities such as working out, swimming and playing racquetball. The Y in downtown Naperville also offers childcare and a variety of different classes.

Located in downtown Lemont, Kids First Sports Safety hires, trains and certifies coaches that go on to run summer camps, sports teams and other recreational sports leagues at various places around the Chicagoland area. The company, which was incorporated in 2002,  has lesson plans for 28 sports that teach "safety and skills preparation through fundamentals." It offers services that range from personal training and camps to coach clinics and evaluations. Many area park districts take advantage of Kids First Sports Safety's services.

This park, located near the Chicago River and canal, features dog-friendly areas, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, pools, gyms, volleyball courts and water playgrounds.