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Location
Tecolote Nature Center
5180 Tecolote Road
San Diego, CA 92110
New for Summer 2026!
San Diego Youth Science is excited to launch our first Summer Labs—a new way for students to continue exploring science beyond the school year! Traditionally, SDYS programs take place during the academic year, but this summer we’re bringing hands-on, immersive science experiences to students in a fun and engaging camp setting.
Learn by Doing
SDYS Summer Labs are hands-on, interdisciplinary science experiences that let students learn by doing and engage directly in the process of science. Incorporating ecology, chemistry, physics, geology, engineering, animal behavior, and more, students investigate real phenomena, ask questions, test ideas, and explore the natural world with curiosity and creativity.
The Process of Science
Science is not a collection of facts—it’s a way of thinking about the world through curiosity, observation, and evidence. SDYS Summer Labs encourage hands-on investigations, data collection and analysis, collaboration, and learning from trial and error, using setbacks as opportunities to generate evidence-based explanations.
By engaging in this authentic process, learners are scientists, making connections between what they observe and how systems work. This approach fosters creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and a deeper appreciation for the ecosystems and communities around them.
Summer Labs Schedule
Time: All Labs are Half Day (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Enrollment: Limited to 20 students per lab program
Cost: Include all materials, live specimens, and take-home projects.
Week-Long Labs
Marine Biologist for a Week
Grades: 1st - 3rd | June 1-June 5 | $320
Dive into the incredible world just beneath the waves and investigate ocean habitats, observe and touch live marine animals, and explore how ocean life survives and thrives.
Watershed Explorers
Grades: 3-5 | June 8th-June 12th | $320
Follow water from creek to coast through hands-on investigations of geology, ecology, live animal encounters, and human impact.
MORE DATES AND LABS COMING!
Two-Day Labs
Bio-Inspired Engineering
Grades 2-5 | July 27th-July 28th | $130
Design and build solutions inspired by nature, exploring how organisms solve real-world challenges.
Single-Day Labs
Tidepool Explorers
Grade K | July 29th | $60
Investigate how live animals survive crashing waves, predators, and constant change in the rocky tidepool habitat.
Tidepool Explorers
Grades 1-2 | July 30th | $60
Investigate how live animals survive crashing waves, predators, and constant change in the rocky tidepool habitat.
Arthropod Adaptations
Grades 1-2 | July 31st | $60
Examine the unique inhabitants of the coastal salt marsh ecosystem of Mission Bay.
Location & Directions
Tecolote Canyon Natural Park and Nature Center ➜ serves as our primary field station for ALL SDYS SUMMER LABS.
Arrival Instructions: Exit I-5 at Tecolote Rd. and head east. Continue past the recreation fields and the golf course until the road dead-ends at the Nature Center parking lot.
Meeting Point: Our research team will meet scientists at the main entrance of the visitor center.
Tecolote Nature Center
5180 Tecolote Road
San Diego, CA 92110
Logistics & Safety Protocol
To ensure the safety of our scientists and the efficiency of our field investigations, please follow these arrival and dismissal procedures:
Check-In (Drop-Off): Time: Check-in begins 10 minutes prior to the lab start time.
Location: Please walk your scientist to the main entrance of the Tecolote Nature Center to meet our Science Educators.
Check-Out (Pick-Up): Signature Required: For the safety of all participants, a parent or authorized guardian must physically sign each scientist out with an instructor before departure.
ID Check: Please be prepared to show a photo ID during the first few days as our team gets to know your family.
What to Bring: To prepare for a day of field-based inquiry, please ensure scientists arrive with a reusable water bottle, snack, closed-toed shoes (essential for canyon exploration), and sun protection.
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