Summer Camp Explorations

Posted

Popular local options include St. Paul Academy, Friends School of Minnesota, and Como Park

Feat3_15SummerCamp

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN

Adventure awaits your kids this summer. Construct a castle out of cardboard. Be a junior sleuth. Learn what it’s like to be a nurse or figure out how to do 3D printing. Monkey around with primate pals. Canoe, paint and innovate. Step back in time.

That’s just the start of the camp options available in the Twin Cities area. Browse below for more information on some of the camps offered locally.

IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

BLACKHAWKS OF ST. PAUL

Blackhawks offer several exciting half- and full-day soccer camps for players ages 5-18 that encompass a wide variety of activities and skills. Specialty camps focus on specific skills such as ball control, shooting, and goalkeeping. Cost: $75-175. 651-894-3527. http://blackhawksoccer.org

Feat3_15ComoCampCAMP COMO

Spend some time Monkeying Around with your primate pals; discover your creative side with Adventures in Art; take an African Adventure right at Como; or try on the hat of a zookeeper or gardener in Behind-the-Scenes! Como’s camps include “behind-the-scenes” experiences and meeting Como’s plant and animal ambassadors up-close! Five-day, half-day sessions. Extended care available. In partnership with the Autism Society of Minnesota (AuSM), Como also offers summer camp opportunities for youth, ages 8-18, with autism. Cost: $117-150. 651-487-8272. http://www.tinyurl.com/p3u4lqv

Feat3_15FriendsSchoolCREATE SOMETHING GREAT AT FRIENDS SCHOOL

From junior sleuths to budding lawyers to young artists, there are seven weeks of adventures and summer fun planned for grades 2-12 at the Friends School of Minnesota. Weekdays, half- and full-day. Cost: $100 to $280. 651-621-8941. http://www.fsmn.org

Feat3_15LeonardosLEONARDO’S BASEMENT

Girls and boys ages 6 to 17 can design and build their creative ideas, mixing art, science and technology during partial-day, weekday camps. There are more than 88 classes available over 10 weeks. New this summer: an overnight camp for teens. St. Paul and Minneapolis locations. Cost: $185, scholarships available. 612-824-4394. http://www.leonardosbasement.org

ST. PAUL ACADEMY

Make Rube Goldberg machines. Take a writing workshop entitled: “A Week at Hogwarts.” Learn about 3D printing and movie-making. Debate, play chess, take competitive math, debate, or learn how to be a better leader. Twelve options at SPA cover a wide range of academic, arts, and enrichment activities for grades 2-12. The Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth offers the ExplorSchool for students in grades 4-6. Cost: $169-425. 651-698-2451. http://www.spa.edu/ about_spa/summer_programs_2015

IN THE TWIN CITIES

Feat3_15CardboardADVENTURES IN CARDBOARD

Construct giant castles, get lost in colossal mazes, build suits of armor and more during these five-day, full-day sessions for ages 8-14. Eight weeks offered at 5 different parks. Cost: $299. 612-532-6764. http://julianmcfaul.com

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE MPLS/ST. PAUL

Half-day, three- and five-day French language day camps for beginners and experienced students from age three through high school offering hands-on and artistic expression in an immersion setting. Cost: $175. 612-332-0436. http://www.afmsp.org

ANIMAL HUMANE SOCIETY

Unleashed summer campers entering grades 3-10 spend a full week immersed in animal learning and fun. Camp sessions are held in St. Paul and Golden Valley (as well as three other locations). Cost: $295. 763-489-2220. http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/camps

ARTICULTURE

A variety of art disciplines and mediums with themes like Claymation, theater, art car, or food as art offered for ages 4-18. Five-day, half- and full-day sessions available. Cost: $135-260. 612-729-5151. http://www.articulture.org

ALEXANDER RAMSEY HOUSE

Solve mysteries of the past in this three-day History Detective Camp for ages 11-13. Or, young ladies ages 9-12 can step back in time in a unique Finishing School for Young Ladies day camp. Cost: $200-$220. 612-341-7555. http://www.mnhs.org/summercamps

CAMP SUNRISE

Camp and canoe while learning leadership and teamwork skills in a seven-day resident camp for youths age 13-18 who live within the city limits of Minneapolis or St. Paul. Held on the St. Croix River in Rush City and organized by YouthCARE. Cost: free. 612-338-1233. http://www.youthcaremn.org

CIRCUS JUVENTAS

Explore international circus arts at Circus Juventas. Five-day, full-day sessions offered for ages 6-18. Or make your own camp with Circus Sampler Days. Cost: $395 or $85/day. 651-699-8229. http://www.circusjuventas.org

CONCORDIA LANGUAGE VILLAGES

Experience cultural and language immersion; 15 languages to choose from. Resident camp for ages 7-18 and half-day programs offered. Cost: $870-$4,570. 1-800-222-4750. http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org

COOKS OF CROCUS HILLS

Learn kitchen skills and safety along with basic techniques to get cooking, with an international flavor. Three-day, half-day sessions for ages 8-13 in Edina, Stillwater and St. Paul. Cost: $195. 651-228-1333. http://www.cooksofcrocushill.com

DODGE NATURE CENTER

Explore prairies, wetlands and woodland trails during full- and half-day, four-day camps offered for students entering 1-8 grades. Shorter sessions available for ages 3-6. Cost: $42-255. 651-455-4531 http://www.dodgenaturecenter.org

FORT SNELLING

Be an adventurer like Davy Crockett. Explore like Huck Finn. Experience the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Be a soldier for a day. Or, try out what life as an archeologist is like. Camps range from one day to one week. $60-$250. 612-341-7555. http://www.mnhs.org/summercamps

GIBBS MUSEUM OF PIONEER AND DAKOTA LIFE CAMPS

Travel back in time and learn about life in the 1800s. Three- and five-day, half-day camps. Two-hour day sessions for ages 6-13 only $19. Cost: $99. 651-646-8629. http://www.rchs.com

HAMLINE YOUNG WRITERS

High school students ages 15-18 can explore the craft, prepare for college, and connect with other young writers in the Twin Cities, while working closely with Hamline Creative Writing faculty and published authors. Register by April 15. Cost: $400. 651-523-2476.

http://www.hamline.edu/gls/youngwriters/

KNIGHT FOR A DAY

Learn about history while creating models of period armor, examining real medieval artifacts and more. Five-day, full-day sessions for ages 7-14. New this year: Attend a Medieval, Roman or Viking-themed camp. Three sessions offered. Cost: $325. 612-719-1954. http://www.oakeshott.org

Feat3_15MinnAcademy1MINNEHAHA ACADEMY

A variety of athletic, academic and enrichment programs are offered, including woodworking, Lego robotics, puddle-stompers, geocaching, movie making, sailing, painting, rocket science, guitar, and more. Half- and full-day, one- to three-week weekday sessions. Camp Minnehaha, a full day camp for pre-k to grade 8, includes daily devotions, games, indoor and outdoor activities, daily swimming lessons and a weekly off-campus activity. Cost: $175-750. 612-728-7745, ext. 1. http://www.minnehahaacademy.net

MINNESOTA BOOK ARTS

Bring your imagination to life by creating characters and inventing new worlds. Five-day, full-day camp for ages 6-11. Cost: $250-300. 612-215-2520. http://www.mnbookarts.org

MILL CITY MUSEUM

Play music, get creative, bake bread and construct books while exploring the rich culture along the Minneapolis riverfront district. Campers aged 9-11 will explore a new experience each day at four arts centers, including Mill City Museum, the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Center for Book Arts and MacPhail Center for Music. $225-$250. 612-341-7555. http://www.mnhs.org/summercamps

NORTHERN CLAY CENTER

Half-day or full-day weeklong camps are offered in a variety of themes (from teapots and dog bowls to spaceships and garden gnomes) for ages 6 and up.  Cost: $170-$305. 612-339-8007. http://www.northernclaycenter.org/education/summer-clay-camps

SCIENCE MUSEUM OF MINNESOTA

Summer programs for youth ages 3 to 16 combine science, art, drama, and literature in ways that encourage kids to actively discover and examine concepts for themselves. Programs also offered at the Lee & Rose Warner Nature Center, the state’s oldest outdoor environmental education facility. Cost: $60-345. 651-221-4511, 651-433-2427. http://www.smm.org/classes

SCRUBS CAMP

Explore careers in health with hands-on sessions for grades 9-12. Full-day five-day session in Minneapolis or four-day session in St. Paul. Middle School camp offered in Dakota County. Cost: $415-460. http://www.healthforceminnesota.org

YMCA

Explore the variety of Y Summer Programs at over 60 metro-area locations. Programs include flexible three-, four-, and five-day options. There’s something fun for everyone from preschool through grade nine. Cost: $80-350. http://www.ymcatwincities.org/child_care_preschool/summer_programs/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is not a comprehensive list of every camp in the Twin Cities. If you would like to be included in next year’s guide, please send us detailed information on the camp.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here