Summer Camp at the Sciencenter (designed for rising 1st through 6th graders) is all about adventure, discovery, and hands-on learning! Every day at Sciencenter Summer Camp offers a unique blend of fun and education to keep campers engaged and excited about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of a day at Sciencenter Camp:
From the moment they arrive, campers are immersed in a world of science. Our camps are staffed by dedicated educators and experienced camp counselors who ensure a safe, supportive, and stimulating environment. Each day, campers participate in a variety of hands-on activities that align with the week’s theme. Whether it’s exploring the mysteries of space, conducting chemistry experiments, or engineering innovative contraptions, there’s something for every budding scientist.
One of the highlights of Sciencenter Summer Camp is museum exploration. Each day small groups of campers and staff enjoy dedicated time to really get to know the Sciencenter and explore our interactive exhibits together. A week at camp means campers have the luxury to go back and visit favorite exhibits over and over–learning at their own pace and diving deeper into the experience.
Exhibits team member giving a tour of the Sciencenter’s workshop.
An especially unique camp experience is the behind-the-scenes tour led by our exhibits team. Campers get an exclusive peek into the museum’s workshop, where new exhibit parts are designed and manufactured. This tour introduces them to the tools and processes involved in creating our exhibits.
Inventor Hour is a camper favorite, featuring a display table loaded with loose-part toys. During this time, campers let their imaginations run wild, assembling these parts to create new and exciting inventions. This activity not only encourages creativity but also flexes cognitive skills like spatial reasoning and logic as campers figure out how to bring their visions to life with the available materials.
Campers watching a dry ice Cold Show and exploring a sublimation bubbles activity.
Camp would not be complete without our exciting science demonstrations and experiments. Campers play with chemistry in action during our dry-ice Cold Show, which explores states of matter and how temperature affects materials. The hands-one sublimation bubbles experiment encourages campers to observe the transformation of dry ice into carbon dioxide gas, creating bubbles that float and burst in fascinating ways.
This summer, our Counselor in Training (CIT) program offered middle schoolers a chance to develop leadership skills and gain hands-on experience in a camp setting. This program extends our Future Science Leaders (FSL) program during the summer. Our CITs play a crucial role in the camp community, facilitating hands-on science activities for younger campers and taking a leadership role in camp. A favorite activity among CITs is introducing campers to the Tidepool Touch Tank inhabitants, where they learn about marine life through direct interaction with the ocean-dwelling creatures.
For more information and to enroll your middle schooler in the Fall Future Science Leaders program, where they can explore STEM, make new friends, and participate in real scientific research, please register here. This program is free and open to Sciencenter members.
CITs introducing campers to touch tank inhabitants.
Sciencenter Summer Camp is more than just a camp! It’s an adventure that fosters a deep connection to the Sciencenter and a lifelong love of science. With a mix of structured activities, free exploration, and behind-the-scenes insights, our campers leave with new knowledge, skills, and memories that last a lifetime.