Kids' College (Summer Camps)

From Dinosaurs to Spaceships

How did dinosaur bones help find the age of Earth? How did ancient Egyptians build the pyramids? Why does a medieval catapult work? What science is behind a rocket launch? We look at key moments in history where science has advanced technology and our understanding of the planet. This program, designed specifically for young children, explores many science facts through fun, hands-on activities.

• Dates: Monday, June 18 - Friday, June 22
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $175
• Registration Deadline: June 11

Build It Better/Let’s Learn Some Science

During this week kids explore numerous types of introductory sciences including but not limited to anatomy, ecology, physics, and engineering. Kids work in the engineering field on several small projects known as build-it-better. It is a fun-filled, thought-provoking week to get boys and girls alike interested in the sciences.

• Dates: Monday, June 25 - Friday, June 29
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $175
• Registration Deadline: June 18

Science and Engineering for Kids

This camp is set out to show young ones the science that surrounds their daily life, leading girls and boys through lessons that they are reminded of everyday. During the camp kids begin to understand what it means to be an engineer, an astronaut, a biologist and more. Over the course of the camp, well thought-out projects, examples, games and lessons cover the science behind the phases of water, water quality, gravity, geology, solar energy, bridges, how soap works, plant life, bugs, cooking and much more!

• Dates: Monday, July 9 - Thursday, July 12
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $140
• Registration Deadline: July 2

123 STEM

In this camp, students will work with age-appropriate materials to learn various STEM principles and skills. Students will discuss robotics, simple chemistry, aerodynamics of airplanes and cars, 3D modeling of geometric shapes, and other additional topics. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

• Dates: Monday, July 16 - Thursday, July 19
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $140
• Registration Deadline: July 9

CSI Loretto

CSI and other television shows have made forensics a very popular word in the American vocabulary. In this camp, kids conduct experiments based on some forensics procedures to solve simulated crimes.

• Dates: Monday, June 18 - Thursday, June 21
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $140
• Registration Deadline: June 11

STEM K’NEX Camp & Robotics

During the hands-on STEM K’NEX camp students in grades 4-6 will build K’NEX  catapults, K’NEX bridges, K’NEX wind powered cars, the tallest K’NEX tower that can hold the most amount of weight and finally a Rube Goldberg K’NEX contraption. This camp gives the students hands-on experience and helps students to find out why things happen to get them interested in STEM and hopefully get them to explore STEM fields in their future. 

• Dates: Monday, June 25 - Friday, June 29
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
• Program Fee: $175
• Registration Deadline: June 18

Energy Camp: Supercharged!

Children attending this camp will learn all about energy and electricity. Participants will explore the many ways in which energy impacts their daily lives, from the food they eat to the electricity used to light their homes and the fuels used to move from place to place. Hands-on activities and experiments will include projects like using solar energy to make s’mores, building solar and wind powered cars, designing electric circuits and touring local energy plants (weather dependent). The program will conclude with students designing their own city, powered by the energy sources of their choice, to demonstrate all they have learned about the amazing world of energy.

• Dates: Monday, July 9 - Thursday, July 12
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $140
• Registration Deadline: July 2

All About Medical Detectives

Television shows, like CSI, have made crime scene investigation a popular career choice for young people. This program covers the basic ideas of DNA, allowing kids to extract their own DNA and create their own DNA model. Students will also learn a lot about cells and basic human anatomy.

• Dates: Monday, July 16 - Tuesday, July 17
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
• Program Fee: $80
• Registration Deadline: July 9

All About Flight and Space

This program covers the history of flight from early hot air balloons to the latest in space exploration. Students will have the opportunity to create several types of flying machines including hot air balloons, delta dart planes and rockets that use various propellants. Are you up to the challenge?

• Dates: Wednesday, July 18 - Thursday, July 19
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 
• Program Fee: $80
• Registration Deadline: July 11
  
  

Space Camp

In this camp, students learn constellations, stars and the nature of light. The campers progress from discovering why we see rainbows, a blue sky, and green grass to figuring out the chemical composition of distant stars. Among the activities offered in this camp, students conduct experiments to investigate fundamental properties of light, conduct solar observations of the sun, compare the sun to other stars, and discuss solar activity and its effect on our everyday life on Earth. This camp is designed to introduce children to a wide range of concepts and laws in astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth sciences.

• Dates: Monday, June 18 - Thursday, June 21
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $160
• Registration Deadline: June 11

Fantastic Sea Beasts and Where to Find Them

Believe it or not, you can learn all about Marine Biology in Central PA! In this hands-on camp, students will get to touch, feed, and learn to care for a variety of living marine organisms; learn in detail about our 1,500 gallon public-aquarium-quality aquarium that is so big it is cleaned by a SCUBA diver; and discover a wide array of marine life using our collection of preserved specimens including some dissections.

• Dates: Monday, June 25 - Thursday, June 28
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $160
• Registration Deadline: June 18

Robotics + Mathematics

In this camp, students learn about the basic principles of computer programming, engineering, and mathematics associated with modern robotics. The camp relates theories of different math and physic concepts to several hands-on activities, providing students the ability to make more permanent, lasting connections. Students will also have the opportunity to work with several types of robotic components, learning both the potentials and limitations of this exciting field. 

• Dates: Monday, July 9 - Thursday, July 12
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $160
• Registration Deadline: July 2

3D Printing World

In this camp students will gain experience in modeling 3D objects using Tinkercad, Autodesk 123D, Sculptris, and Meshmixer computer software. By the end of the camp, students will bring their creations to life using 3D printers. During our camp students will discover that the only limit to what can be printed is the limit of imagination.

• Dates: Monday, July 16 - Thursday, July 19
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Program Fee: $160
• Registration Deadline: July 9