Children's Discovery Museum revamps summer camp
Homemade slime, "rubber" eggs, pirate's maps, art and drama are all part of the programming at the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert this summer. The museum's revamped summer camp offers 39 themed classes over six weeks, and there are still spaces available to sign-up.
This year, the Children's Discovery Museum redesigned their camp programs to offer more variety, emphasize hands-on learning, and provide more flexibility for families. The redesign, which divided the summer classes into half-day programs organized by grade-level, has allowed the museum to help kids continue learning over the summer in a playful, activity-based way.
"We want it to be fun and exciting and a little different of an experience than school," said Kyle Pong, director of programs and exhibits.
On a recent morning, kindergartners crafted papier-mâché animal masks, decorating them with scraps of fabric, colorful feathers or yarn. Later in the day, they would learn about cars, trains and planes through art projects and science experiments, while first and second graders sought out pirate's treasure by reading maps and making a compass. The oldest students, third and fourth graders, also got their hands dirty, dissolving eggshells in vinegar until only a thin membrane kept the egg together. Eventually, they would build structures to cushion the eggs for an egg drop, writing down their observations in a science journal.
Museum offers art, history summer camp for valley kids
Most campers tell their parents not to pick them up early, said programs coordinator Emily Culhan. The activities keep kids engaged, and that's the point, Culhan said. The camps' educational component is grounded in play-based learning.
"Instead of sitting and lecturing and talking, you're really giving them the space to explore, to play, to discover with the materials, with the subject matter. It makes for a more rich experience because we give them things and let them try and figure it out – how does it work, what do you think," Culhan said. "It's really about them being an active participant in their learning."
Parents have responded positively to the changes at the camp, and some former campers remember their camp experience so fondly they've come back as volunteers. Angie Rodriguez, 12, is one of those campers. She started going to the Children's Discovery Museum camps when she was 6 years old and returned as a volunteer after she became a fifth grader and aged out of the program.
"I remember loving the camps so much and this was a way to give back," Rodriguez said. "I always wanted to be a volunteer and it's really cool to be able to do it."
Each camp class, which holds 15-20 children, has a primary instructor, an instructional aide and two volunteers, allowing the museum to provide the kids with individualized attention if they need it. Local teachers, museum staff and experts in the field lead the classes.
"I think people are really happy that we still have a lot of the play and the fun and the joy of being here in camp. But also with the themes they can choose the things that their kids are interested in," Culhan said. "We have astronomy, we have bugs, we have dinosaurs and art and drama and acting, so there's a little bit of everything that helps make a really well-rounded summer for the kids."
Children's Discovery Museum camp details
Half-day camp: $115 per week for museum members and $135 for non-members.
Full-day camp: $200 per week for museum members and $215 for non-members.
The morning session: 9 a.m. to noon and afternoon session: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The Children’s Discovery Museum also offers single-day cooking, science and art classes on certain Saturdays that cost between $10 and $15 per person. For more information, call Emily Culhan at 760-321-0602 ext 111.
Kristen Hwang is the education reporter for The Desert Sun. Reach her at kristen.hwang@desertsun.com or follow her on Twitter @khwangreports.