Summer Tinkering Camp - DuPage Children's Museum

Summer Tinkering Camp

Building Creative Problem-Solvers

Children are capable of so much!

 

Over the course of one week (or three!), Tinkering Camp provides an immersive opportunity to build with real tools to solve real problems. Budding engineers will find joy in the challenges, knowledge in the failures, and the confidence and ability to keep trying.

Tinkering promotes creative problem solving, flexible thinking, a failure-positive mindset, and to top it off. . . it is incredibly fun! Working with other like-minded children and adult collaborators, Campers will have a chance to bring their imaginations to life.

Each week’s challenge offers multiple entry points for the youngest to most advanced problem solvers – making sure Tinkerers stay curious and dedicated to the project as it unfolds throughout the week. The process is more important than the end result; imagination and ingenuity will guide the outcome each week.

 

Location: The majority of Tinkering Camp will be held outdoors at DuPage Children’s Museum. We will have access to outdoor work space as well as playtime in the Museum.

 

Group Breakdown: 8 to 10 children per group*

  • Ages 4 – 6 years
  • Ages 7 – 10 years

 

Junior Collaborators: 11 – 15 years

Junior Collaborators (JCs) build even more! At Tinkering Camp, JCs have the opportunity to contribute to awe-inspiring collaborative projects while experiencing what it’s like to be in a leadership role. They will mentor younger children as they build their communication, negotiation, leadership, and social skills.

*Campers will remain with the same group of children and camp staff for the entire week.

 

Adult:Child Ratio: 1:5

 

Week 1: Monday, July 12 – Friday, July 16 | Registration Deadline: Monday, July 5

Week 2: Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 23 | Registration Deadline: Monday, July 12

Week 3: Monday, July 26 – Friday, July 30 | Registration Deadline: Monday, July 19

 

Summer Tinkering Camp | 9 am – Noon

Member: $125/wk | Non-member: $160/wk 

Pricing is per child/per week

 

Receive $10 Off per Camp: Register multiple children or register for multiple camps and receive $10 off per camp. Use code: TINKER10 at checkout to receive discount.

 

Get More Details: Click Here for Summer Tinkering Camp FAQs

 

Please Note: Images used on this page were taken pre-Covid. Campers and staff will be required to wear masks at all times with the majority of camp taking place outdoors.

Join Us for One Week or Three!

Available Tinkering Camps:

Week 1

Launchpad


Monday, July 12 – Friday, July 16
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 5

Tinkerers will create moving, spinning, flying creations that propel their prototyping powers to the outer limits!

Launch means many things: get going, start, begin, embark on, initiate, originate, create, pioneer, mastermind, commence… Tinkerers will build unbelievable gadgets and gizmos that will reach new heights of creativity.

Projects:

  • Paint Balloon Art: Build moving targets, launchers, and mix colors
  • Stomp Rockets: Build launchers, rockets, and scenery

 

Register Today! Button

 

 

 

Week 2

Crazy Contraption


Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 23
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 12

Have you ever heard of a Rube Goldberg machine? (Google it!) What better way to learn about cause and effect while exploring the necessary interconnectedness of all the pieces and parts that make machines work. Tinkerers assemble! (And also disassemble!)

Projects:

  • Marble/Ball Run
  • Simple Machines – Levers and Pulleys
  • Mini Zip-line for materials

 

Register Today! Button

 

 

Week 3

Let it Roll – Make it Fly


Monday, July 26 – Friday, July 29
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 19

This week Tinkerers will create their own wheeled vehicles to test on a track of our very own creation! Then take flight; explore all things that fly and make the world’s greatest paper airplanes, cardboard boomerangs, gliders and kites!

Projects:

  • Let it Roll: Design and build cars (things with wheels) and a track for them to race on
  • Make it Fly: Paper airplanes and cardboard boomerangs and your very own DIY kite

 

Register Today! Button

 

 

Join us for one week or all three! Attending all three weeks of Tinkering Camp will provide the ultimate opportunity for young engineers, designers, and inventors to expand their creative problem-solving skill set. Children will build self-confidence through a platform of innovative collaboration with peers and perseverance through challenges.

Tinkering Camp Curriculum

Think. Tinker. Make. Repeat.

When children arrive at Tinkering Camp, they are met with real tools, real materials, and adult collaborators who are ready to help them grow, learn, and build. The curriculum is born out of children’s perceptions of what those materials can become. Each week, an overarching challenge helps to propel the Campers in the same direction. After a morning of tool training, the project is revealed and oftentimes building and testing will begin right away. Other times, Tinkerers will need to dwell in the design phase, exploring concepts and ideas on paper before diving into the work.

 

Tinkering is the playful precursor to the more serious activity of engineering. Tinkering starts with very simple questions like: “What can I do with this?” or “How does this work?” and often leads to making something. When children tinker, they are learning about the properties of materials, the capabilities of tools, and the way to identify unique solutions to problems.

SAFETY

Each camp session will begin with some safety tips. Keeping children safe while using a variety of materials and building involves letting them take and manage risks. Working on and completing projects is very empowering to young children and promotes a sense of independence.

Tinkering Camp is Incredibly Fun!

Fun & Learning

Daily Milestones

  • Learning how to collaborate in small and large groups
  • Formulate ideas and communicate them effectively
  • Learning from and teaching other children
  • Trial and error, failure, and persistence leading to new knowledge
  • Building unique creations that only exist thanks to Tinkering Camp
Every Day is Something New

Schedule

EACH WEEK

MONDAY: Tool Training, Project Challenge Reveal, Planning

TUESDAY: Work Day

WEDNESDAY: Walking Field Trip (See FAQ for details)

THURSDAY: Work Day

FRIDAY: Project presentation & Disassembly | Caregivers are invited to attend

 

EACH DAY (Sample Schedule)

9:00 am: Campers Arrive

9:15  am: Project Introduction, Safety Training

9:45  am: Design, Build, Prototype

10:30 am: Snack Break

10:45 am: Design, Build, Prototype

11:30 am: Finish up, Clean up, Play, Pick up

Pricing

Summer Tinkering Camp | 9 am – Noon

Member: $125/wk | Non-member: $160/wk 

Pricing is per child/per week

Receive $10 Off per Camp: Register multiple children or register for multiple camps and receive $10 off per camp. Use code: TINKER10 at checkout to receive discount.

 

Cancellation Policy:

  • No portion of the enrollment fee will be refunded to participants as of the morning of the day camp begins.
  • Participants withdrawing one week (5 business days) prior to the beginning of camp will be charged a 50% administrative fee
  • Cancellations must be requested by email to edbookings@dupagechildrensmuseum.org.

 

Join us for one week or three!

 

Questions?
Contact Dustin Thacker, Arts & Maker Specialist
dthacker@dupagechildrensmuseum.org

Week 1: Launchpad

Monday, July 12 – Friday, July 16
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 5

Register Today! Button

 

 

Week 2: Crazy Contraptions

Monday, July 19 – Friday, July 23
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 12

Register Today! Button

 

 

Week 3: Let it Roll – Make it Fly

Monday, July 26 – Friday, July 29
Registration Deadline: Monday, July 19

Register Today! Button

Thank you to our program supporters:

Awesome Prestation
Awesome Prestation