Summer Camps
Kidzeum STEAM Camp
Timing: June 10 - August 2, 2024
Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 3:30pm
Children may attend one or more weeks.
Two Age Groups Available:
- Children who have completed 1st & 2nd grade
- Children who have completed 3rd & 4th grade
Cost: $315 per student per week (4-day week $252 per student per week)
Hey, District 186 students...Your camp fee is covered!
You read that right. Springfield Public Schools District 186's Board of Education voted to approve using the remaining ESSER funds to pay for their students' Kidzeum summer camp registration fees.
Join us for a full-day camp focusing on STEM/STEAM, literacy, and social-emotional learning through exploration and play!
Camps are sold out.
JOIN THE WAITLIST
2024 themes:
June 10 - 14: Eco Camp @ Southwind Park
Float like a butterfly? Sting like a bee? You’ll enjoy this camp about ecology! Our popular pollinator camp is expanding to include the rest of our ecosystem. Campers will spend 5 days exploring Southwind Park’s beautiful pollinator gardens, pond, and playgrounds. Campers will meet with experts and learn how they can help native pollinators and plants thrive. They will have the opportunity to learn how living organisms and non-living things interact in the world around us. Activities will include starting an aquaponics garden, investigating insects/plants, starting a compost pile, creating nature inspired art, and much more! Join us for our 5-day camp Monday to Friday at Southwind Park.
June 17 - 21: Sports Science (6/19 - No Camp) @ Southwind Park
Most kids like to play sports, but did they know you can use sports to learn about science? Our sports science camp will give campers the opportunity to conduct experiments while playing their favorite games. Campers will also learn the importance of teamwork, play sports they have never played, and meet with professionals that work with athletes! Southwind Park is the perfect location to run their experiments and has plenty of room to stretch those legs. Join us for our 4-day camp Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at Southwind Park.
June 24 - 28: Flight School @ Southwind Park
Calling all engineers, pilots, and mechanics! Does your child love looking at airplanes or ask questions about how these amazing machines fly. This camp will walk campers through the history of flight from birds to modern day rockets. The skies above Southwind Park are full of flying objects and our campers will learn all about them! Activities will include designing model flying objects, meeting real pilots, and flying drones! Join us for our 5-day camp Monday to Friday at Southwind Park that includes a behind the scenes tour of the Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport!
July 1 – 5: Survivor Camp (7/4 - No Camp) @ Southwind Park
It may be a short week, but our Survivor Camp is jampacked with a full week's worth of fun! This weeklong competition will have campers face-off in a series of challenges in a fun and friendly environment. Challenges and competitions will include design challenges, brain teasers, and outdoor games! Southwind Park is the perfect environment for a week outside before the holiday weekend. Join us for our 4-day camp Monday-Wednesday and Friday at Southwind Park.
July 8 - 12: Superhero Science @ Kidzeum
With great power comes great responsibility. Do you know what comes with a week of camp at Kidzeum? Fun! Our superhero themed camp will be fun while campers learn how superpowers would work in the real world and create their own superpowers using science! Campers will have super strength using simple machines, freeze water right in front of their eyes, and learn how flight works! Campers will also create their own superhero and design their own comic book! Join us for a 5-day camp Monday-Friday at Kidzeum of Health and Science.
July 15 - 19: Deep Sea Adventures @ Kidzeum
It’s said that space is the final frontier, but did you know that 75% of the ocean floor is undiscovered? In our Deep Sea Adventures camp our campers will have the opportunity to learn how the ocean is explored and the creatures that live in the harshest environments on earth. Activities will include designing a submersible, interacting with aquatic animals, and discovering the mysteries of the ocean.
July 22 - 26: Cardboard Carnival @ Kidzeum
Everybody loves carnival! Back by popular demand, our Cardboard Carnival camp takes the fun and whimsy of a carnival and brings it to Kidzeum. The Cardboard Carnival is filled with learning opportunities inspired by a carnival. Activities include designing a roller coaster, constructing a carnival game, and creating art inspired by carnivals. Join us for a 5-day camp Monday-Friday at Kidzeum of Health and Science.
July 29 - Aug 2: IMSA Fusion: You Be The Judge @ Kidzeum
You Be the Judge introduces students to some basic principles involved in chemistry, the application of chemistry as well as process skills required to create and carry out meaningful investigations. After students have experienced the concepts in a lab setting, they will have a chance to apply their knowledge and lab skills in a variety of simulations throughout the unit. Students will take the role of experts and identify problems, develop methods of testing, and conduct the tests. After gathering, analyzing, and interpreting results, students will make and share evidence-based decisions in a variety of settings. Join us for a 5-day camp Monday-Friday at Kidzeum of Health and Science.
For more information, email: Tarika Roberts, Director of Learning & Public Programs, at tarika.roberts@kidzeum.org.
SUMMER CAMP FAQs
Getting Registered
What does District 186's funding mean for me?
If your child attended a District 186 school this year, they are eligible to attend our summer camps at no cost to you. The district will cover your cost of your registration fee and there are no additional purchases necessary.
How can I register?
A button to take you to the registration form will appear on this page. You can begin registering Thursday, April 11th at 12:00am CDT.
Can my child attend your summer camps, even if they don't go to a District 186 school?
Absolutely! We have temporarily disabled access to our registration through our website but staff can still register you. Please give us a call at (217) 679-2123 for more information.
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 10 - August 2, 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?
Yes, lunch is provided. We will provide alternatives for dietary restrictions and allergies, but you may also bring a bagged lunch. A weekly lunch menu will be sent out closer to the start date.
What is your attendance policy?
We understand that free summer camps are a huge need for many families and available spots at Kidzeum are limited. While we understand things happen, we have been stood up many times before and thus, take our attendance policy seriously. Campers who do not show without notice take away valuable spots that are essential to others.
We ask that parents call to give notice of a camper's absence each day. Campers who are absent without notice will be contacted. If we do not hear back within 24 hours, we will consider the camper a no-show and cancel your spot for the week. Failure to give notice for a second week may result in all of your camps being cancelled. Campers from 186 who are no-shows are responsible for the full camp registration fee.
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 us at info@kidzeum.org by Wednesday, April 10 at 2:00pm 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 19, 2024, refunds will be issued at 90% of original purchase price.
- Until May 17, 2024, refunds will be issued at 75% of original purchase price.
- Until May 27, 2024, refunds will be issued at 50% of original purchase price.
Refunds will continue to be made at the 50% rate, so 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.