Up a Creek - Madison

Up a Creek has been an amazing experience for our boys for over 3 summers and going on our 3rd year of aftercare. We never get sick of it because they also have the coolest birthday parties.

Pros you’re likely looking for:
Consistent staff- each summer and school breaks our boys look forward to all her consistent college aged staff coming home to help with camps. During the school year, year after year we have built strong relationships with consistent faces. They always appear pleasant and our kids have kind things to say.

Safety: from transportation to facility to field trips, I have never questioned the crazy places my children have been with UAC. They respect our wishes to use boosters when our little ones were small. Staff is always actively engaging with them to keep an eye on them.

Communication: with either the remind app or a direct text to Jennifer, we’ve never had an issue getting any questions answered. Routine communication comes out about camps and locations of your child.

Organization: Jennifer has her camps down to a science. You get detailed information about what your child is doing each day ahead of time. Fees and expenses are laid out up front with no surprises.

Fun: your children will literally be crying if you pick them up too early or drop them off too late! I know that has to mean something is going right!

Can't say enough good things about Up a Creek! My 6 year-old son attends the after school care and summer program! They are extremely organized and keep the kids busy during camp days and after school. From playgrounds, creek stomping, swimming, indoor play places - it's perfect for my son who has a lot of energy to burn. So thankful for Ms. Jennifer and her staff for giving my son a summer to remember!

Highly recommend Up a Creek Madison for birthday parties! The two hosts were so kind and helpful and helped clean up/set up. The only downside was the 15 minute set up time. Kids had a blast!

We first came across Up A Creek in 2021 when we were looking for a place to host a joint birthday party for our children. It was amazing to have one location (to ourselves!) and not have to worry about anything. We had 15 minutes to set up (and I was a little nervous about so little time). The 15 minutes was perfect because the party hosts jump in and help you decorate in any way they can help.

I tried to book a birthday party for the next year, but it was booked over three months out. Completely understandable because this place is one of a kind and everyone loves it!

We had another joint birthday party there and again, it was amazing! The hosts did a great job that time too!

When we were trying to figure out plans for after school care for our kindergartener, I found out Up A Creek had After School Care! They pick up from the schools, go to a park on beautiful days and then to Up A Creek afterwards. I prefer for my son to have a booster seat, and they accommodate this need. The after school staff is always so friendly, all know my child by name, and give high fives on the way out the door. The first week of school, I picked my child up “early” (like 4:50) and was met with tears because he didn’t want to leave! (A GREAT problem in my opinion and speaks volumes of the job they do.) He looks forward to going every day and has made lots of new friends. Oh and they offer pick up for half days! And have camps during school breaks! A working parent’s dream to not have to scramble to figure out childcare at those times.

So when we were looking for summer care/camps, there was no question as to what our plans would be. The activities have been thoughtfully planned and always a back up plan in case of weather. Mrs. Jennifer has thought of EVERYTHING and it shows. Safety if a top priority. Children know the rules and expectations and are held accountable. Communication is above and beyond expectations. You are told exactly where they are and what they will be doing. If plans change, parents are updated immediately. You have a direct texting ability to Mrs. Jennifer and if there’s anything you want to ask, let her know, you have the ability to message her at anytime! The Summer Camp staff LOVES what they do, and it shows. Several of the staff also work the after school care (nice to see familiar faces), and again are always smiling, engaged with the kids, and cheering them on.

I am so thankful for Up A Creek, the services they provide, and the love they have for my kids. They are truly a treasure in our community!

Up A Creek Madison is an amazing place to hade a birthday party! The 2 hosts were so helpful during set up, the party and clean up. They made everything so easy, which was so helpful. The kids had a blast. Having each party privately was perfect! We will definitely be back!

Up A Creek has been awesome for my family! We have held a birthday party there and it went great. My children also attend the after school program and summer camp. They really enjoy it.

My younger child is autistic and started summer camp in 2023. Once I informed Up A Creek of potential areas of struggle, they worked with us to figure out how my child could attend. He got some accomodations and had a great summer. It was so successful that he was able to attend the after school program with less support.

I really like this business and Mrs. Jennifer. When we reached out to UAC about potential accommodations for my son, they could have decided that was too much work and said, "we don't do that." Instead, Jennifer met with us and listened to what we thought he needed to be successful. It would have been easier to allow my son's spot to go to someone without disabilities. Instead, we heard, "let's try it!" For this reason, I highly recommend UAC!

I have been so impressed with the staff and facilities at Up A Creek. We moved here 5 years ago, and my kids have been to several daycares, after school programs, summer camps, and day camps and none of them have been equal to our experience with Up A Creek in Madison.

My kids have a blast every day, and have made so many friends here. We previously used Up A Creek for drop-ins and on days school let out early. This past summer we enrolled our kids for a week at either end of the break because their other summer camp was closed those weeks. My kids had so much fun we decided to enroll them for after school care. They come home telling me about all the fun things they did, the places they went, the friends they made, and most importantly how much the adults engage and interact with them. Our previous after school care had very little engagement, and seemed to just be a low-key job for some young adults.

My kids are also being rewarded for good behavior, and disciplined for not following rules. The staff make us aware of both. Ms Jennifer at the front desk is always a pleasure to speak with. She makes sure every parent is up to date on what's going on with their kids. She really has her eye on the kids, and I get the feeling very little happens that she is not aware of. The other adults are all great as well, and everyone there is friendly.

I could go on and on about all the great things going on at Up A Creek, but really it comes down to the facts that I feel like my kids are treated well, watched over, and they are safe. I feel well informed about what's going on with my kids, and the location, hours, and after school transportation are convenient. It's also a huge plus that the staff is friendly, and they treat my family like we're valued.

AMAZING place for a birthday. Set up and clean up is so streamlined and easy. Stuff kids walking-10 would really love but even older kids would have a lot of fun. Easy booking and great communication. The staff we had help us were SO nice and so so helpful and incredibly patient with our big party. They offered to help with everything and had a smile the whole time. This is literally the only place we will have birthday parties for now on. Absolutely loved our experience!

My boys love their summer camp and look forward to it throughout the year. As a parent I'm so thankful for the great staff and all the activities they provide.

This camp has it all! Fun, adventures, and an AMAZING staff. They truly care for the kiddos and always make sure they are well-taken care of from the time they arrive until they go home.

My six-year-old son just completed a week of summer camp at a Up a Creek. He had a fantastic experience there! The staff genuinely cares and connects with the kids really well. It was the first time my son was in an environment outside his normal pre-school center and Jennifer quickly put him at ease. She is a natural at creating a kids-friendly atmosphere. In addition, the environment is safe and well kept. My son had so much to say about what he did each day. He loved the level of activity and variety of places they visited. There was also a good balance between indoors and outdoors as well as wet and dry fun! I highly recommend Up a Creek to anyone looking for a fun safe place for the kiddos. Side note: I appreciate the fact they reapply sunscreen on the kids later on in the day.

Up A Creek is the best option in Madison for After-School, Summer, and birthday parties. When the kids say pick us up as late as possible, you know they are having a blast. We are so thankful for the staff, facility and all of the activities they get to do during the full day camps offered during school breaks. We will be using UAC for years to come.

The staff was AMAZING! They had a cart and helped me load all my decor in and set it up! We had zero issue with the 15 minute set up! I had a huge clean area to work with! We easily held 20 plus people! It kept all the kids busy and adults! I was Shocked at how accommodating they were, she saved the day with a cake tool and spoons we forgot! Did I mention They help clean up?! It was the absolute best day and venue for our one year old party as you had access to the ball pit and play are but also slides and bounce house for the big kids! 10/10 recommend hosting a party here!

Tonight we had my sons 8th birthday party at the Up A Creek Madison Location. The two lovely ladies working were absolutely amazing !!! My son has several disabilities but for one night he was just another kid and they let him have his best party yet. No judging or side eye. While he’s non verbal they still communicated with him like any other child because he can hear and understand he just cannot speak and uses a talking device. I couldn’t recommend this place enough but honestly it was the party host ladies that made the party ! So kind and helpful !

If you have a child on the spectrum or special needs having the ability to rent the whole place was amazing and the staff went over and beyond my expectations not the typical “party host” they really jumped in and helped. Very impressed !

We decided to enroll our 8-year-old son in UAC's after-school program after we attended a very well-organized and incredibly fun birthday party at the facility last year. The place is packed with well-maintained and safe equipment that's perfect for active play. Our son has also attended several weeks of summer camp there too.

The staff are amazing and several of them, including the director, Ms. Jennifer, bring years of expertise in education and childcare into their role, and you can really tell. They value every child and the lines of communication are always open should there be an issue.

Lots of emphasis is put on outdoor play and there are always opportunities and physical space for the kids to read, do homework, and decompress quietly, too. When it rains, the indoor facilities are so good (bounce houses, a climbing wall, foam ball pits, climbing frames) that even the most super-energetic kids will have an outlet for their desire to move. The staff are always on the go, too. They don't sit around and watch. They're in there with the kids, interacting, organizing games if needed, and helping to settle any conflicts if the kids can't do so on their own.

Summer camp activities and field trips are varied, imaginative, and well planned. You get regular group updates to your phone during the day along with a few photos of the kids, so you know where they are and how they're doing. Our son has had experiences with UAC this summer that we certainly wouldn't have been able to give him because of work, etc.

We're enrolled for the after-school program for 2022-23, too. 😊

We had my son's 4th birthday here. It was very easy to schedule. The staff are very responsive to emails and were great during the party. It was a very easy birthday party for our group of about 60 people. The kids loved playing and I received lots of compliments that it was a great party. Thanks to Up a Creek for making this birthday an awesome one!

Up a Creek has been the best afterschool experience that my children (4 and 8 year old) absolutely love. First and best reason as a parent, they pick my children up from 2 different schools, which saves me so much time in the afternoons for a central pickup location. Their play areas and trips to various playgrounds keeps my kids begging to go back each day. Also, they are fantastic at communication via text, app and email. We are so happy with our experience and hope to use them for years to come. P.S. the expense is not much more than Extended Day Care offered at the schools, but provides so MUCH MORE.

Both of my boys go here every day after school and we absolutely love it. I think the park hopping is brilliant and the facility itself is a blast too. I also can't say enough good things about Jennifer as she bobs and weaves with these unprecedented times and is always happy to open or set up a full day camp when school is unexpectedly canceled. So thankful for UAC Madison!

Up a Creek Madison is truly fantastic. From the staff to the facilities. My two boys have been going to there for over two years, both after school and throughout the summer. I couldn’t ask for more!

My son attends their after school program and it has been a total game changer for our whole family. All the staff have such an amazing attitude towards after school activities. After spending the whole day in school they get to go to a place that is designed for them to just be kids! They are encouraged to play and have fun. My son is sad to leave everyday. His previous after school program was very rigid and he would come home everyday telling me he was bad, his very first day I asked if he had a good day and he told me that he had been bad. He was immediately corrected by staff explaining to him that doing something he didn’t know he shouldn’t do was not bad, he stopped as soon as he was asked which means he was good. This has been their approach every time. I can’t tell you what it means to me to know my son is somewhere he is cared about, and taught to be kind. Not just by words, but by the staffs example.