Pre-School Camps
Kinder Camps
Camp Discovery
Camp Discovery- Avanti's Lunch
Program Registration
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- Online Registration- March 12, 2020
- Call In or In Person- March 31, 2020
**If you don’t see the program you would like to register for, it may be full. Please sign up on our wait-list and we will notify you if a spot becomes available or if we have added an additional section to the class.**
Pre-School Camps
Age: 4-5 yearsTime: 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $35 members and Museums for all / $40 non-members
Two-day Pre-School Camps are a great introduction for your child to experience a classroom setting. Camp begins with circle time, setting classroom expectations, singing a Hello song, and listening to a story to introduce the day’s topic. Campers enjoy themed hands-on activities, music and movement, and center-based learning.
June: Backyard Explorers
Dates: Monday, June 29 & Tuesday, June 30
We will be creating masterpieces all week working with all kinds of art mediums! Lots of learning is sure to occur in addition to our creativity as we will also be incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math concepts into some of our projects!
July: Junior Engineer
Dates: Monday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 14Join us as we learn about the power of magnets and how catapults throw objects through the air! We will be reading Rusty Rivets Magnet Power by Tex Huntley and Rusty Rivets Cupcake Catapult by Frank Berrios.
August: Pete the Cat
Dates: Monday, August 3 & Tuesday, August 4On the first day, we will read Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and create button art and practice our counting skills. On the second day, we will read Pete the Cat and the Supercool Science Fair by Kimberly and James Dean and will do some science experiments!
Kinder Camps
Ages: Entering Kindergarten (5-6 years)
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Cost: $88 members and Museums for all / $98 non-members
Kinder Camps are designed specifically for children preparing to enter Kindergarten. Camp begins with circle time, setting classroom expectations, singing a Hello song, and listening to a story to introduce the day’s topic. Campers enjoy themed hands-on activities, music and movement, and center-based learning. This camp also includes a small snack.
Workshop Art
Dates: Monday, June 8 through Friday, June 14
We will be creating masterpieces all week working with all kinds of art media! Lots of learning is sure to occur in addition to our creativity as we will also be incorporating science, technology, engineering, and math concepts into some of our projects!
STEAM Discoveries
Dates: Monday, July 27 through Friday, July 31
Join us for week-long discoveries that relate to science, technology, engineering, art, and math! Each day, we will read a biography from the Ordinary People Change the World series by Brad Meltzer and then we will do hands-on activities that relate to each person that we learn about. Some of the people and topics we will be exploring include Leonardo DaVinci and inventions, Marie Curie and science experiments, Amelia Earhart and flight, and more!
Camp Discovery
Cost includes camp, snack and materials. Payment must accompany registration. Registration deadline 1-week prior to camp. Camps fill quickly so register early. 72-hour cancellation required for refund. Bring a packed lunch or pre-order an Avanti’s lunch for $5. All lunches must be ordered when registering. To order Avanti’s Lunch, click here.
Outdoor Explorers
It's time to get outside! Campers will have an opportunity to experience, discover and explore the great outdoors. We'll focus on many nature related topics through hands-on investigations including insects, plants and more. We'll keep journals of what we discover and use nature to make art. Grades: Entering 1st – 6th
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $170 members and Museums for All/ $195 non-members
Dates: Monday, June 15 through Friday, June 19
Upcycled Art: Taking the Old and Making It New
Grades: Entering 1st – 6th
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $170 members and Museums for All/ $195 non-members
Dates: Monday, June 22 through Friday, June 26
STEAM Camp
Explore activities designed by to spark your imagination and curiosity. During this week of camp, we will explore your curiosity and inventiveness as we use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to design and create your own projects.
Grades: Entering 1st – 6th
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $170 members and Museums for All/ $195 non-members
Dates: Monday, July 6 through Friday, July 10
Science of Sound and Waves
Partnership with ISU Physics Dept.
Sound travels as a wave. It can be used not only to speak or make music, but even measure earthquakes! Light, radio, and water waves on the ocean or in a swimming pool are examples of other kinds of waves, and you may have even been part of a crowd wave in a stadium. During this summer camp, you will be able to explore the fascinating science of sound and waves. You will experiment with different types of waves through hands-on activities by using springs, seeing your own voice, and even composing your own music!
Grades: Entering 4th – 8th
Time: 9:00 a.m. – Noon or 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Cost: $75 members and Museums for All/ $100 non-members
Dates: Monday, July 13 through Friday, July 17
Location: Illinois State University, Moulton Hall
Mini Golf Design
This camp is designed to teach campers STEM principles of physics, energy and friction though playing, planning and building our own mini golf course. We will even take a field trip to a local mini golf course for inspiration!
Grades: Entering 1st – 6th
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Cost: $170 members and Museums for All/ $195 non-members
Dates: Monday, July 20 through Friday, July 24
Education Programs
Registration is required one week in advance for all museum classes. Payment must accompany registration. Cancellation must be received at least three business days prior to the start of the program to receive a refund.