Camp Crayon Preschool

Recognizing that play is a very important aspect of a child’s development, the Camp Crayon Preschool is based on the concept of learning through play and simple structured activities.

Our program is a social program for 2, 3, 4 and 5 year olds. It is often a child’s first experience away from the home environment. The children in our program will be provided with the opportunity to develop emotional, social, physical and intellectual skills through a variety of creative and fun learning activities.

Classes will begin in September and will run through mid-May. To be considered for registration, children must be the correct age by September 1. All classroom materials are linked below (calendar, manual, snack list, etc.). The teacher to student ratio is 1:7.

Camp Crayon Forms and Applications

Class Options

2.6-3.6 Year Old Program

The 2.6-3.6 year old students learn through a fun relaxed play environment. This class will help these early learners how to transition from activities, understand directions and waiting their turn. A typical day would include free play, that is encouraged to play with another student and not alongside. There would be circle time that would include the songs and talk of the theme of the day, craft and story time. Each day the children have gym time which gives them the opportunity to work on coordination and large motor skills. The 2.6 class is the start for a child’s love of learning.

Maximum Students: 12
Days: Mon/Wed OR Tues/Thurs
Time: 9-11am
Location: Parks Building; Upper Classroom
Address: 806 Holbek Drive
Phone: 847-395-2160

Instructor: Katy Balaban

3 Year Program

The Camp Crayon 3 year old program is the perfect place to introduce your child to a preschool setting. Our primary goal is to help children become secure in an environment away from the comfort of their parents. We focus on building social skills such as making friends, taking turns, sharing and listening to others. We provide opportunities for children to practice developmentally appropriate fine and large motor skills through indoor and outdoor activities. Children will be introduced to math and literacy concepts such as letter recognition, rhyming, sorting and counting. A typical day includes free playtime, “learning through play” centers, snack time, story time, crafts, music, and outdoor play.

Maximum Students: 20
Days: Mon/Wed/Fri OR Tues/Thur
Times: 8:45-11:15 am
Location: Scout House
Address: 770 Cunningham Drive
Phone: 847-395-2160

Instructor: Kelly Wilske

4 Year Program

The four-year-old class is your child’s last step before entering school. With that in mind, this class will focus on teaching your child the skills needed to be successful in kindergarten and throughout their whole school career. These skills include: following multi-step directions, developing positive social skills such as sharing, waiting your turn, making friends, taking responsibility for tasks such as completing center work, and cleaning up, also basic pre-reading and pre-math skills which include number and letter recognition as well as an introduction to phonics. We accomplish this by exposing your child to a play based learning environment. Our themed units are designed to inspire four-year-olds to be inquisitive, excited about learning, and receptive to new concepts. We develop fine motor skills through daily journal writing and crafting with small manipulatives such as beads, blocks, paint, paper, scissors and glue. We work on gross motor skills in the gym, jumping, running and throwing balls. Our lessons inspire an interest in the natural world through outdoor play, nature walks and science units. We invite visiting experts to the classroom to help us to delve deeper into topics we cover. Most importantly we aim to provide a warm, loving and safe environment for your child to learn and grow.

Maximum Students: 20
Days/Times: Mon-Fri 9-11:30 am OR Tues/Wed/Thur 12:30-3:00 pm
Location: Parks Building, Lower Classroom
Address: 806 Holbek Drive
Phone: 847-395-2160

Instructor: Nancy McConnell

MEET OUR TEACHERS

Katy Balaban

Miss Katy is so excited to be back for her 2nd year in the 2.5’s class! She grew up in central Illinois and earned her degree in early childhood education from Illinois State. After teaching Kindergarten in Kansas for a few years, she and her husband moved back to Illinois and chose Antioch to raise their three children and two rambunctious pups. Now that her kids have graduated from Camp Crayon and moved onto elementary, junior high, and high school, she’s delighted to be back in the classroom and can’t wait to meet you!

Kelly Wilske

Hello, my name is Ms. Kelly and I’m thrilled to be teaching the 3’s at the Scout House. I live in Antioch with my husband, three children and our dog Sawyer. When I’m not teaching I love to bake, travel and watch True Crime Documentaries.

I have been working at Camp Crayon for over 8 years. I believe learning is promoted through play and is not just a form of entertainment but a fundamental part of a child’s growth. Play supports various aspects of development and lays the foundation for future learning and well-being.

I’m excited to meet all my new Camp Crayon friends and looking forward to an awesome year!

Nancy McConnell

Miss Nancy has been at Camp Crayon since 2015 and she loves being the lead teacher in the fours class. She has a degree in Elementary Education and a passion for teaching young children. She’s married, with three grown children and a grandchild. In her free time she enjoys writing, reading, gardening and baking. Her goal is to instill in her students an appreciation for learning that will continue throughout their lifetime. She looks forward to each new school year with excitement and joy. See you in September.

Contact us

Director of Parks & Recreation	Mary Quilty	847-395-2160	x1404
2 Year Old Classroom	Katy Balaban	847-395-2160
3 Year Old Classroom	Kelly Wilske	847-395-2160
4 Year Old Classroom	Nancy McConnell	847-395-2160

Parks Department	806 Holbek	847-395-2160
Scout House	770 Cunningham	847-395-2191
Program Manager	Alison Hurtado	847-395-2160	x1401