Camps at Engineering For Kids of Central Virginia

The Fun, Educational Camp Your Child Is Bound to Enjoy!

At Engineering For Kids, our camps are carefully structured to provide your child with the enrichment he or she needs to grow and thrive. Our camps run in the spring, winter, and summer for your convenience. Our programs come in many varieties to accommodate your schedule, such as half-day camps, full-day camps, and holiday break camps. We also host camps on scheduled days off for reasons such as professional work days, teacher conference days, etc.

Just a few of these beneficial opportunities include:

Teamwork: Most of our camps schedule fun and engaging teamwork activities that teach children the value of investing in others.
Resilience and motivation: Our challenging programs help to teach kids how to keep trying. This also helps them feel accomplished when they succeed, which develops their will to learn.
Decision-making: Our uniquely structured activities help children establish and build upon great decision-making skills, which can help build confidence.

In addition, the wide range of activities and classes that we offer encourage children to try new things, which is a beneficial skill that can be applied in several instances throughout adulthood.

ENGINEERING FOR KIDS SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS

Time:
9:00am -12:00pm (Morning Session)
1:00pm - 4:00pm (Afternoon Session)
Where: Discovery United Methodist Church; 13000 Gayton Rd, Richmond, VA 23233
Who: Amazing fun and creative kids ages 5-14
Cost:
Half Day: $199 (Registration till 5/15), $215 (5/16 onwards)

JUNE 27 – JULY 1

Morning Session: JR ROBOTICS – WE DO WILD ANIMALS

Using LEGO® bricks and motors, children investigate the behaviors of wild animals as they build and program their creations to move. Students join the LEGO® story characters of Max and Mia and find themselves encountering various animals in their natural habitats. Using the WeDo® software, children will build and program lions, monkeys, birds, and alligators to move and make sounds. Through the use of open discussion, students discover how animals behave and interact with their environment. Everyone in this class will have a ROARING good time!

Afternoon Session: AEROSPACE ENGINEERING – OUT OF THIS WORLD!

As an Aerospace Engineer, the campers will get to explore straw rockets, airplanes, parachutes! They will use the Engineering Design Process to design, create, test, and refine a variety of flying machines. The campers will plan and build a straw rocket to land in a target zone or fly the farthest distance! Get a firsthand look at the basic mechanics of flight by constructing a foam flyer and whirligig and testing the different components that allow it to stay airborne the longest! Design a parachute for a test jumper that must descend gracefully after being dropped from various heights. Campers will learn the importance of aerodynamics and material selection as they use the engineering design process to create a world of fun!

JULY 5 - JULY 8

Morning Session: ROBOTICS – ROBO BATTLE!

Robots have the ability to go places and do specific tasks that humans either cannot perform, or do not wish to perform. Robots have been sent into space, programmed to explore the depths of the ocean floor, and have performed precise medical procedures. In this camp, the campers will begin to investigate the world of building and programming using LEGO® MINDSTORM robots to complete specific tasks. On the first day of the camp, everyone will build a basic robot followed by some basic programming. During the next four days, robots will perform a variety of battles or challenges including Tug of War, Jousting, Sumo Wrestling, and building a Catapult to throw a ball the greatest distance. May the best robot win!

Afternoon Session: ELECTRONIC GAME DESIGN – NINJA WARRIORS

What’s more fun than playing an interactive electronic game? Writing one! During this camp, students will create their own games, graphics, and motions, while exploring coding foundations. We will create our own version of the game to defend against Ninja Attack. The campers will be able to access their games at the end of the camp by downloading them onto a flash drive to take home. This class is great for introducing kids to coding and to spark their interest in more advanced skills in computer programming.

JULY 11 – JULY 15

Morning Session: MINECRAFT – THEME PARK MANIA

This camp will have the campers build their own Minecraft amusement parks! The campers will have to navigate a number of engineering and teamwork challenges to do so. The campers will draft blueprints and plans for their parks on paper before beginning to create in Minecraft to make it as much like the process of designing a real amusement park. Students will design simulation roller coasters and other amusement park attractions in Minecraft making them run as autonomous as possible.

Afternoon Session: ELECTRONIC GAME DESIGN – SHARK ATTACK

Watch out! It’s a shark attack! In Invader Defense: Shark Attack, the campers will create their own version of an invader defense game that will allow them to protect a coral reef from hungry sharks. You will use the Engineering Design Process to create a storyboard and outline the rules of play for the game. At the end of camp, you will have a game that is ready for you and your friends to play.

JULY 18 – JULY 22

Morning Session: JR. MECHANICAL – LET’S MAKE TOYS

The Jr. Mechanical Engineering of Toys camp introduces our youngest engineers to the fundamental concepts of energy, materials, and movement. The campers will explore and construct various toys throughout this camp including spinning tops, candy catapults, roller coasters, buzzer and toy poppers! The campers will get to take several of their mechanical toys home each day!

Afternoon Session: CHEMICAL ENGINEERING – CRAZY CONCOCTIONS

Do you like to mix ingredients and create your own interesting concoctions? Then this camp is for you! You will have a chance to examine how the physical and chemical properties of materials can change as you create your own play-dough in the Making Lots of Dough activity! During the Chromatography session you will analyze chemical properties of ink and see how one color can be separated into the primary colors that create it. You will also have a chance to use your artistic side to create a Sun Painting using only sun print paper, an object of your choice, and the ultra violet rays of the sun! And last, but not least, you will make your own Ice Cream! Observe how ice absorbs energy to melt and how particles added to water will lower the freezing point. Plus – you get to take the recipe home so you can make ice cream any time you want! Come and join your friends for exploring the chemical and physical properties of materials in a fun and hands-on setting!

JULY 25 – JULY 29

Morning Session: GAME DESIGNING - KODU KART RACING

Race to the finish and create your own racing game in Microsoft’s Kodu gaming environment. From terrain design to enemy selection, students are placed at the wheel and given full control to design their own video game while exploring the foundations of coding. Kick your creativity in gear with Kodu Kart Racing. The kids will have a lot of fun while learning programming concepts.

Afternoon Session: JR ROBOTICS – AMAZING MECHANISMS

This camp is a perfect mixture of fun and learning. The camp will introduce the students to the concept of what Robotics is as well as learn how to program their creations. Using Lego bricks, the campers will build Goal Kicker, Smart Spinner, Seesaw, Ferris Wheel, and Carousal, and then program and operate their creations. The campers will then discuss and explore more programming modifications to create a truly unique experience.

AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 12

Morning Session: MINECRAFT GALACTIC CRAFTING

This camp will immerse students in a fascinating world of designing extraterrestrial buildings and structures. Using Minecraft, campers will be challenged to design and build a self-sustaining habitat for themselves on the moon. The campers will learn to use the Engineering Design Process to work through a simulated version of the challenges of space travel in the relatively familiar setting of Minecraft. They will walk away from this camp with a basic understanding of how potential moon bases could be designed and some of the difficulties presented in space travel.

Afternoon Session: ELECTRONIC GAME DESIGN – AIRPLANES

In this camp, students will create their own games, graphics, and motions, while exploring coding foundations. The kids will design their own game to defend their airplane against the enemies. Eliminate the enemies & score points. Higher the score, the tougher the game gets. The campers will be adding more complexities to the game as the camp progresses. At the end of camp, the campers will have a game that is ready for them and their friends to play.