Summer Camps & Enrichment Opportunities
Camps and STEM Extensions
Summer Camps
Below are some summer opportunities that I am aware of. If you are looking for something specific, please let me know.
Tiger Lilly Stem Camps STEM camps for grades K-12! Themes include Amazing Architects, DIY Maker, Nature Lovers, School of Wizardry & more!
Des Moines Art Center Various art classes for elementary-high school
Unicorn Camp, Painting with a Twist- 3 days of unicorn magic! Ages 5-12
Sustainability Day Camp (Central College) 8 to 12-year-olds, week-long camp. Campers will explore prairies and forests, wade in streams and marshes, and spend an evening trying to catch endangered bats. Transportation to and from Des Moines is $25 for the week.
Des Moines Botanical Center Ages 5-9 Using the gardens as unique classrooms, children are inspired to create and explore with hands-on activities. Guest speakers from a wide range of expertise will participate.
Polk County Conservation Ages 6-16 Day camps designed to encourage hands-on learning through outdoor explorations, activities, games, crafts, and more. Camps will be led by naturalists.
Girl Scouts of Iowa Summer Camps Girls K-12
Pied Piper Studios Camp Ages 2-6
Camp Brainiac Ages 6-12 Brainiac campers will spend their days immersed in experiential learning designed around a different theme each week.
Belin Blank Center Ages 2nd-11th grade: Classes offered in coding, chemistry, fan fiction, computer science, mathematics of games, engineering, invention, 3-D printing, creative writing, wonder woman, fine arts, leadership, revolutions, psychics, and more!
Iowa State Summer Programs Grades 3-11: Biotechnology, microbiology, library sciences, history, anthropology, business, neuroscience, genetics, coding, pet training, engineering, physics, mixed media and much more!
Laketrails Base Camp Ages entering 7th grade-12th grade: Wilderness survival camp in Northern Minnesota
4-H Camps Ages 5th-12th Grades: Shooting camp, young women in business, Spanish immersion, and more!
Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship: entering 5th and 6th interested in business
UNI Summer Camps: Youth-High School
Science Center of Iowa Summer Camps
Living History Farms History Day Camp
Des Moines Playhouse Summer Camps K-12
Des Moines Performing Arts Camps Grades 3-12 Education programs at Des Moines Performing Arts engage learners of all ages, inspiring creative thinkers who are able to see the world -- and their place in it -- in new ways.
JA Biztown Camp Ages 10-13 JA BizTown Summer Camp is an indoor, academic camp geared towards kids ages 10-13 that combines classroom-style teaching with hands-on activities.
Camps and Extensions
Iowa City Children Museum Summer Camp
Junior High Opportunities
Washington University in St. Louis Summer Challenge
Project Fashion: July 1-July 14th in Los Angeles, CA
Game Experience Summer Camp: Ages 12-17 Los Angles and Seattle (financial aid available)
4-H Youth conference for students who have finished 8th-12th Grade: "Start your future here" camp with animal science round-up, entertainment, recreation, camera corps, and community service.
High School Opportunities
Luther Pre-college environmental studies program
Belin Blank NSI and SSTP programs
4-H Youth conference for students who have finished 8th-12th Grade: "Start your future here" camp with animal science round-up, entertainment, recreation, camera corps, and community service.
Washington University in St. Louis Summer Institute
Young Women's Fire Academy: Available for girls ages 15-19
Institute for International Business (learn a language and learn about business at this two week course in Indiana!)
American History Camp at College of William and Mary in Virginia: Study Jamestown-American Revolution or American Revolution-Civil War
Central College Business Horizons: Work-based learning programs to develop career opportunities and develop 21st century skills in Pella, Iowa.
Project Fashion: July 1-July 14th in Los Angeles, CA
Game Experience Summer Camp: Ages 12-17 Los Angles and Seattle (financial aid available)
FBI Academy : 14-16 year old Youth Leadership program
Gettsyburg College:
Camp Psych - Campers will get hands-on experiences that introduce them to research in psychology during this fun, challenging, and engaging introduction to the field.
Sunderman Piano Institute - Pianists 12-17 years old who desire to improve their performance skills, collaborate with other pianists, and dive deeply into related music subjects of their choice. Pianists will have opportunities to perform in daily studio class, and the final Friday concert will showcase pianists in both solo and ensemble works.
Writing Camp - Students gain an in-depth introduction to all four genres of creative writing: fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and writing for stage and screen.
3D Object Modeling and Printing Camp - Students will study 3D object modeling and printing starting with the basics of a 3D printer. After learning the fundamentals, they will practice designing objects.
Coding for Robotics & Electronics Camp - Students will gain hands-on experiences in coding, wiring, hardware, and building robots through the open source software known as Arduino. Throughout this camp, campers will learn basic electrical engineering, the physics behind electricity, and how to think like a scientist.
Civil War Institute Summer Conference - The High School Student Scholarship component of Gettysburg College's annual Civil War Institute summer conference provides high school students an opportunity to explore the history of the Civil War era on the site of the war's most decisive battle.
Duke University ( North Carolina)
Other Community Opportunities
Iowa State Fair Spelling Bee