Summer Camp Projects

Our class is over for summer and one of the moms wanted to discuss summer camps.  Summer is the time for STEM.  One theme I would love to implement is Engineering or a Maker Lab with Electronics, Building Projects, Catapults, Robotics, and Flight.  The Squishy Circuits  and the Paper Circuits would make great Camp activities along with Snap Circuits, which I would station on tables for the kids to explore.  Snap Circuits have detailed project plans which are easy to follow.  PBS Kids has a good design guide directed toward kids 9-12.  The leader notes include cost estimates and interesting challenges: watercraft, paper table, a zip line, paddle boat, and a 'helping hand'.  There are 100 Engineering ideas from the Homeschool Scientist.  When I plan summer camps around a theme, I like to offer a mix of more and less expensive activities around a theme, such as building.  For Engineering, I would include loads of team challenges.  I think building a paper table (PBS Kids), the Gumdrop structure, and one of these five construction challenges.  I would mix these less expensive challenges with a huge table of Legos and a series STEM challenge cards or any of these Lego Club activities.  When I have large groups of kids, I try to work in teams with rotating stations.  A huge Lego Table with loads of idea cards is a good management tool for kids who arrive early, stay late, eat snack quickly, etc.  Catapults are another STEM activity kids love.  Teach Engineering has detailed plans to introduce catapults.  Make a bunch of different catapult designs.
Robotics is another high interest sub-theme.  Here are 16 Robots Kids Can Actually Make.  Try these in advance or enlist an expert!  Buy a bristlebot kit to try.  For Flight, start with a host of flyers: Roto-copters,  Hoopster,  and paper airplanes, such as these designs from MIT.  Rockets go well with flight.  I start with Water rockets and Foam rockets, or even stomp rockets.  Whenever possible, we try to launch rockets with an expert.  We have had a lot of fun with Alkaseltzer rockets.  Are you ready for Camp?