What do you get when you mix rainbows, creativity, technology, and a whole lot of fun? The new Doodles x CAMP Chicago experience in Lincoln Park! My family and I were so excited to check out this immersive exhibit, and it did not disappoint. As soon as we entered the CAMP store, my kids were buzzing with excitement; when the magical door in the store opened and revealed a secret room, they were hooked on the story of the colorful Doodle named Hap and his cute cat, Mello. The magic continued as they traveled through a rainbow portal into Doodle World.
The Doodles x CAMP Experience
When we first entered the CAMP store, which is a permanent location in Chicago, we were surrounded by toys and activities for sale. My 6-year-old and 4-year-old gravitated towards scooters that were on display and happily bounced around to check everything out.
When I checked in at the registers, I was given wristbands with “doodads” on them for each member of my family. Each doodad synched up with an avatar that we got to create and was used to check our progress toward earning new clothes and accessories for our avatar once we were in the exhibit.
The Doodle experience itself is located behind a magical door that opens near the cash registers at scheduled times. While we were waiting for our entrance time, we kept busy by exploring a vintage pickup truck with a custom basketball game set up in the back, as well as checking out the different add-on activities that were available to purchase. There was a splatter room, craft room, and an impressive slime station.
When our time approached, one of the staff members (counselors) called everyone over to the magical wall and had us help open the door by wiggling our fingers, stomping our feet, and shouting “Doodles!” My kids were so excited as the door opened and we entered a narrow room with a screen along one side. Another counselor was waiting for us; she explained the story of an animated Doodle named Hap and his cat, Mello. Hap was known for inventing interesting things (like beehive pants!), but was sucked into a rainbow portal.
To help find Hap, we were taken into his work lab. Using tablets around the room, we each created a custom avatar that was linked to the doodad on our wristbands. After a series of funny computer commands, another door opened and we walked through a rainbow path into the bright, magical Doodle World.
Inside the exhibit, there were post-its all over that each had a sensor on them; when we touched our doodads to them, they made a noise. As we found and tapped more post-its, our avatars gained new clothing and accessory options. Although my daughter’s doodad was experiencing glitches, my son thought it was so fun dressing his avatar in silly new accessories.
Once we entered Doodle World, my kids were free to roam around. They loved exploring the different sections of the venue! I was impressed by how much there was to see. A large, colorful rainbow painted on the ground wound its way throughout the exhibit. On an interactive display screen, there were dull, sad cartoons walking around; we threw rainbow balls at the screen to add color to the images and made them happy.
A crashed spaceship section had many buttons to push and video games to play. My daughter’s favorite area was the bright yellow ball pit; she jumped in at least a dozen times.
My son loved going down a tall rainbow slide and then jumping onto huge beanbag “clouds.” There was also a large space with 12-foot-tall flowers. Under the flowers were different craft activities, including pipe cleaners with beads and drawing materials.
There were many counselors throughout the exhibit; they were friendly and truly enjoyed interacting with our kids. They encouraged them to find post-its, explained different parts of the exhibit, and celebrated their artwork.
After about an hour of playing and exploring, we viewed our finished avatars with their silly new swag on a display wall as we left the exhibit and headed back into the CAMP store.
Back in the store, we tried out the Schmutz Slime Station. It was very cute! The counselors were great at walking my kids through the process. My littles choose what color they wanted their slime to be, what they wanted it to smell like, and up to four add-ins to take their slime to the next level. When they finished, the staff members put their slime in durable containers.
After such a fun adventure, my kids didn’t want to leave! They talked about the exhibit and the slime station the entire car ride home. The next morning, they were already asking when we were going back.
Personally, I loved the creativity of the exhibit. I thought it was cool that there was a story behind the adventure. Beyond the narrative, the decor and activities were so engaging that everyone had a great time.
Bathrooms
There are two all-gender individual bathrooms located through a door in the CAMP store. Both include changing tables, as well as paper towels, manual-flush toilets, and stools so that kids can easily reach the sink.
Hours
CAMP is a permanent store, but the Doodles x CAMP exhibit is open from August 19 – October 14, 2023 every day but Tuesday. Tickets are available:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: beginning at 10:00am, with the last admission at 6:00pm.
- Saturday: beginning at 9:00am, with the last admission at 6:00pm.
- Sunday: beginning at 9:00am, with the last admission at 5:00pm.
Check their website for holiday hours and schedule changes.
Prices
Ticket prices vary based on the day you attend. Children under 2 years old do not need a ticket.
- $28/ticket Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
- $32/ticket Friday
- $36/ticket Saturday, Sunday
There are also many add-on options for the exhibit.
- Ceramic painting: $20-45
- Wooden toy painting: $15-25
- Beaded jewelry: $15-25
- DIY party light: $30-35
- Schmutz (slime): $25-35
- DIY drawstring bag: $15
- Color Me plush: $20
- Paper mache: $15-30
- Splatter room experience: $40
*Updated on August 17, 2023; prices subject to change and availability.
Recommended Ages
Doodles x CAMP primarily appeals to kids ages 4-10, but my husband and I really enjoyed ourselves, too. I didn’t bring my 1-year-old with, as I thought she might be a bit overwhelmed by all the excitement.
Best Days/Times To Go
Weekdays will be the least crowded. Tickets are timed-entry to prevent the space from becoming too crowded.
Accessibility
This exhibit is colorful, with flashing lights and sounds. I noticed that the hallway near the bathrooms was spacious and quiet, so if your child (or you!) needs a minute to regroup, that was a good spot.
For kids or adults with sensory needs, CAMP offers noise-cancelling headphones and sunglasses. They also recommend choosing a time or date to go when there are less people there. You can email hi@camp.com if you would like additional information.
The experience is wheelchair accessible. If you have a baby, note that they recommend bringing in a baby carrier instead of a stroller, as there aren’t many places to park a stroller.
Parking
Free parking is available in the North+Vine parking garage right next to CAMP, located at 633 W. North Avenue. Drive straight ahead when you enter the parking lot, and you will see signs for “Retail Parking.” Do not park in the Presence Center for Health parking lot next door.
Food
There is no food at the Doodles x CAMP experience. However, the exhibit is right on the border of Lincoln Park and Old Town, with incredible restaurants all around. If you’re looking for a casual stop, the nearby shopping area at North & Sheffield has a bunch of counter-service spots, including Potbelly, Roti, Epic Burger, and Burrito Beach.
Discounts for CAMP
You can sign up for CAMP Chicago news and offers on their website to receive a 10% discount on purchases.
If you have a group of 10 or more, you can also receive a group rate for the exhibit. Email hi@camp.com for more information.
Doodles x CAMP
647 W North Avenue
Chicago, IL 60610
(872) 296-8548
