Summer Camps

Kidzeum STEAM Camp 2026

Looking for a summer full of fun and learning? Look no further! At our full-day camp, your child will dive into the exciting world of STEM/STEAM through hands-on exploration and play! Our certified STEAM educators are ready to ignite your child's curiosity and keep their minds and bodies active all summer long.

Click on each title to register your child for summer camp!

Registering more than one child? Use code SIBLING at checkout for 10% off!

June 8-12: Eco Explorers

This isn't just a nature walk. It's five days of real field science. Campers head into Southwind Park to investigate living pollinator gardens, a pond ecosystem, and natural habitats, collecting data, running experiments, and engineering solutions to actual conservation challenges. They'll leave understanding how plants, insects, water, and soil all depend on each other and why that matters. A great week for kids who are curious about the living world and want to do more than just read about it.

Science: Ecology, pollinator biology, water and soil systems
Technology: Environmental data collection using digital tools
Engineering: Design challenges modeled on real conservation problems
Art: Nature-inspired art projects drawn from field observations
Math: Measuring growth patterns and analyzing collected data

June 15-18: Bio Blast Lab

Where does your yogurt come from? Your medicine? Your fuel? This week, campers find out by doing it themselves. In partnership with the Illinois Fermentation and Biomanufacturing Hub, kids run real fermentation experiments, work with microbes, and explore how biology and automation power some of the most important industries in the world. It's hands-on, it's surprising, and it's the kind of behind-the-scenes access most adults never get.
Bio Blast Lab is a FOUR-DAY camp to observe Juneteenth on June 19.

Science: Microbiology, fermentation, and how living organisms transform materials
Technology: Exploring the machines and automation behind modern biomanufacturing
Engineering: Design challenges that simulate real production problems
Art: Creative visual projects connecting biological processes to design thinking
Math: Data analysis and measurement throughout experiments
Partner: Illinois Fermentation and Biomanufacturing Hub

June 22-26: Thinkin' About Tomorrow

Energy, water, waste, sustainable building. The problems are real, and this week campers actually dig into them. Through engineering challenges, science investigations, and creative problem solving, kids will model solutions, measure environmental impact, and even make art from reused materials. Less doomsday, more "let's figure this out." A great week for kids who want to feel like they can actually do something about the world's big challenges.

Science: Energy systems, water conservation, and waste reduction investigation
Technology: Digital tools to model and test sustainability solutions
Engineering: Collaborative challenges focused on sustainable building and design
Art: Creative projects made entirely from reused and recycled materials
Math: Calculating and comparing the real-world impact of sustainable choices

June 29 - July 3: Happy 250th Birthday, America!

America turns 250 this summer, and this week makes the celebration mean something. Using resources from the Smithsonian, the National Park Service, and America250, campers explore how communication, transportation, architecture, and civic systems have changed over two and a half centuries, then build, test, and create their way through that history. There's even a kid-friendly democratic simulation thrown in. History, civics, and STEAM together in one week that just happens to land right on the holiday.

Science: Investigating historical inventions and how they changed everyday life
Technology: Exploring how communication and transportation technology evolved over 250 years
Engineering: Design and test structural models inspired by different eras in American history
Art: Era-inspired art projects drawing from American visual culture and design
Math: Timeline analysis and mathematical concepts applied to historical change
Partners: Smithsonian Institution, National Park Service, America250

July 6-10: 3-Dreaming

Campers will spend the week learning the full engineering design process: sketching, digital modeling, prototyping, testing, refining. They go home with a custom 3D printed creation they made themselves. They'll use real design software, explore the science of materials, and apply artistic principles to make something that's both functional and uniquely theirs. A great week for kids who like to make things and want to understand how ideas become objects.

Science: Properties and behavior of different materials used in 3D printing
Technology: Hands-on use of real design software and 3D printers
Engineering: Full design process from first sketch through final printed prototype
Art: Artistic principles of form, function, and aesthetics applied to original designs
Math: Precise measurement and spatial reasoning throughout the modeling process
Take-home: A custom 3D printed creation designed by your camper

July 13-17: The Great Outdoors, Indoors

Camping skills, survival strategies, wildlife science, and navigation, all explored indoors. They'll build structures, read maps, investigate plants and animals, and solve real outdoor problems without the heat. Whether your kid is a nature lover or just someone who thrives when they're moving around and building things, this week has something for them.

Science: Wildlife biology, plant investigation, and ecosystem survival strategies
Technology: Navigation and map reading using digital and traditional tools
Engineering: Structural challenges including tent and shelter building
Art: Outdoor-inspired creative projects connecting nature and visual expression
Math: Calculating distances, designing structures, and solving measurement problems

July 20-24: Magic for Muggles

The premise is simple and it works: what if Hogwarts was actually a science lab? Campers attend themed classes including Potions, Charms, Herbology, and Astronomy while doing real chemistry, physics, botany, and space science underneath the magic. It's a perfect entry point for kids who love fantasy and haven't quite discovered yet that real science is pretty spectacular on its own. Spoiler: they'll figure it out by Friday.

Science: Chemistry, physics, botany, and astronomy through themed hands-on experiments
Technology: The real tools and technology behind scientific discovery
Engineering: Creative design challenges inspired by each themed class
Art: Imaginative design projects that bring the magic aesthetic to life
Math: Measuring reactions, calculating results, and finding the numbers behind the magic

July 27-31: Camp Cosmos

Drawing from NASA's STEM resources, this week covers the sun, moon, planets, constellations, and the technology behind space travel. Campers model gravity and motion, engineer and test rocket designs, simulate missions with digital tools, and grapple with the math of just how big the universe actually is. Space has a way of making kids think bigger about science, about the future, about what's possible. A great note to end the summer on.

Science: Sun, moon, planets, constellations, gravity, and the physics of motion
Technology: Space travel technology and digital mission simulations using NASA resources
Engineering: Rocket design, building, and testing
Art: Space-inspired creative projects exploring the visual wonder of the universe
Math: Scale, distance, and the surprisingly beautiful numbers behind outer space
Partner: NASA STEM resources

SUMMER CAMP 2026 FAQs

Getting Registered

How can I register?
Each summer camp listing includes a button that will take you to the registration page. You can begin registering now.

Do I need to sign up for the whole summer? Can I sign up for one day?
No, you do not need to sign up for the whole summer. Registrations are for each individual week and cannot be broken up by day.

Planning for Camp

When are your camps?
Our camps run weekly, June 8- July 31, from 8:30am - 3:30pm each day. There will be no camp June 19 or July 4 in observance of the holidays.

Is lunch provided?
No, lunch is not provided. Please send a bagged lunch with your child.

Already Registered?

What if I already registered?
Those who wish to receive this benefit but have already registered must have their current registration canceled and re-register when the camps open. If you choose to be refunded at this time, you will receive the full amount back.

Am I still guaranteed a spot in the summer camps if I cancel my registration?
No, our summer camp spots are only available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A waiting list will be posted on our website when camps reach maximum capacity.

How do I cancel my registration?
Contact education@kidzeum.org by April 17^th at 4:00pm CDT to cancel without penalty. After this time, you will be subject to our normal refund policy.

You should see the refunded amount reflected in your card or bank statement in 5-10 business days.

What is your refund policy?

Until April 20, 2026, refunds will be issued at 85% of the original purchase price.
Until May 11, 2026, refunds will be issued at 70% of the original purchase price.
Until May 25, 2026, refunds will be issued at 50% of the original purchase price.
Refunds will continue to be made at the 50% rate, as long as you cancel two or more weeks before the camp start date. Refunds will not be issued for cancellations within two weeks of the camp or no-shows. No-shows are responsible for the full registration amount.
To request a refund, please contact us at education@kidzeum.org or (217) 679-2123.