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
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
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
A variety of athletic, academic and enrichment programs are offered, including woodworking, Lego robotics, puddlestompers, 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
YMCA
The Eureka! program for girls focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Held during the summer at the University of Minnesota. Session runs June 15 - July 10, Mon.-Fri. from 8:30am to 5pm. Only 35 spots available. Cost: free. https://www.ywcampls.org/_asset/fqw1se/Eureka-Brochure_updated.pdf
IN THE TWIN CITIES
ADVENTURES 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
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
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
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
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
CHICAGO AVENUE FINE ARTS CENTER CAMPS
Take hands-on classes to learn blacksmithing, metal arts sampler and oxy-acetylene found object sculpture classes. Four-day, full-day sessions offered for ages 8-18. Cost: $235-280. 612-294-0400. http://www.cafac.org/classes/youth
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
CREATE 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
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
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 Apr. 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
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
LEONARDO’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
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
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
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
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.
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