Hands-On Science Camp

Pre-K Classes

Explore the scientific wonders of the world with your child! Our parent-and-child classes focus on scientific themes with exciting hands-on activities and crafts. Each fee covers one Pre-K child (age 3 to 4)* and one parent or “big buddy” (18 years and older). Additional adults or campers must register separately at the full fee. *Campers must be age 3 by the start of class.

Printable Pre-K Catalog

Me, Myself, and I

Look at yourself from the inside out. Take an adventure through your body and learn all about the parts that make you YOU! Become the subject as you investigate everything from your five senses to the sound of your own heart.

CHEM-Mystery

From the kitchen to the laboratory, reactions happen all around us! Join us as we try to solve different CHEM-mysteries. Find out what chemicals you have to mix to make slime, and explore the states of matter.

Kindergarten Classes

Introduce your child to the exciting world of science with our kindergarten programs! Children will explore and experience science with fun, hands-on activities. All children enrolled in kindergarten programs must be entering kindergarten in fall 2024. Children must be comfortable with a classroom environment and be able to stay without a parent or guardian for the 2 ½-hour class.

Printable Kindergarten Catalog

Ingenious Engineers 

Engineer, we have a problem here! Put your problem-solving skills to the test and see which solution works best. Campers will use simple classroom materials to build structures, toys, and other crazy contraptions as they bring their imaginations to life!

Vet Detectives (NEW)

Calling all animal lovers! Join us on an adventure to explore how animals stay healthy.  Help Alex the alligator discover the secrets of caring for his teeth, assist Brenda the bird in getting out of an oily situation, and even perform mockup checkups. It's going to be a turtle-y great time!

1st & 2nd Grade Classes

Printable 1st & 2nd Grade Catalog

3,2,1, Blast Off!

Experience the thrill of building your own rocket prototypes! Explore distant planets and create your own mini solar system. Discover what it takes to launch your own air-powered rocket!

Big Lab Scientist

Let’s build it, race it, and fly it! Test the limits of your imagination when you have the whole Big Lab to work with. Drop melons from the Mega Tower, sail boats across the Water Works pool, and launch a tennis ball over 100 feet in the air!

Chemical Chaos

Chemistry is everywhere! Learn how chemicals react to make something new as you create cool, slimy, and bubbly reactions. Observe how pigments separate to create a burst of color. Chemistry is not just fun, it’s chaotic!

Science Stew

Get your mixing bowls and oven mitts ready for some culinary creations! Science takes center stage as you discover the connections between cooking and chemistry. Learn about your sense of taste while creating dishes designed to make those taste buds go crazy!

Storybook Engineering

Help some of your favorite storybook characters solve once upon a time engineering challenges. Protect Humpty Dumpty from a great fall, grow your own beanstalk to help Jack get a golden egg and help the Three Little Pigs survive the strongest of winds. This class will be a tale to remember!

Wizard Science

Is it magic or science? You don’t have to take a mysterious train to find out in this wizard academy. Investigate the science behind growing beasts, disappearing water, and much more. Amaze your family and friends in a magic show on the last day of class!

3rd & 4th Grade Classes

Printable 3rd & 4th Grade Catalog

Bio, Bio, Everywhere!

From the plants growing in your homes to the bacteria growing on your hands, you can find life everywhere on Earth! Explore the different branches of biology by dissecting a squid, looking at microorganisms, and making a terrarium. Grow your own cell culture to discover the microscopic organisms that surround us every day. Discover the secrets of life on your journey through the wonders of biology.

Build It!

Put your engineering skills to the test as you use simple classroom materials to build mammoth structures, unique toys, and other crazy contraptions. Find out what it takes to be an engineer as you see the things you imagine appear!

Chemical Connection

Ever wonder what would happen if you mix two substances together? Find out in this fun (if not exactly tidy!) class as you test various ingredients to create cool chemical reactions. You’ll even make your own tie-dye shirt!

Rocket Factory

Ready for lift off in 3…2…Houston we have a problem! Join us as we try to figure out what challenges NASA scientists face when trying to launch a rocket to space. Conduct your own experiments and trajectory tests, and experience the fun of launching your own engine-powered rocket on the last day.

Rockin’ Robots

How does a robot work? What are some ways robots can help us? Roll your way into robotics and take an introductory course to answer these questions and much more. Make different kinds of robots that can lift, push, and even create artistic masterpieces. Dive into the world of coding and learn to code a robot that can recognize different colors and navigate its way through a maze.

Science Cook-Off (NEW)

Ready? Set? Cook! Mix different flavors, using science to overcome daily challenges in our cooking labs. Learn how your taste buds communicate with your brain, experiment with heat to change flavor, discover the secret to making the perfect pasta, and much more. Take what you learn and compete with yourself to create a Franken-science cookie. Your creations are not just fun, but also delicious!

5th & 6th Grade Classes

Printable 5th & 6th Grade Catalog

All Cooked Up!

Do you love science AND cooking? Add a pinch of chemistry and a dash of science in this fun culinary class. Learn about molecular gastronomy, the newest frontier in culinary arts and science. Watch food transform from typical to unexpected forms using scientific laboratory techniques. And don’t forget to eat your experiments!

Bountiful Biology

BIOLOGY. It grows on you! Find out what organisms require to exist. Explore human and animal anatomy through animal dissections. Visit our Cell Theater to see how single-celled organisms survive and grow. See the world from a new perspective!

Chemical Meltdown

Watch science in action through a chemical reaction! Test different reactants to uncover how chemical reactions work. Discover the difference between a physical reaction and a chemical reaction. Get ready to get messy and have a chemical meltdown!

Eclectic Engineering (FULL DAY)

How do we make a robot arm move? What makes structures strong enough to withstand earthquakes? Answer these questions and more while drafting new designs and perfecting problem-solving skills. Draw on multiple sciences as you develop the skills to construct the future!

Propulsion Lab

Step into our Rocket Propulsion Laboratory and engineer your very own rocket. Test designs, fuel choices, payload weights, and more to find the perfect combination. Ignite your engines on the last day of class and watch your creation fly over 215 feet in the air. It IS rocket science!

Skate Science (FULL DAY)

Carve out time this summer to explore the mechanics of skating. Put your “goofy foot” forward as you dissect ollies, vert skating, and all the other physics of fun on wheels. We’ll highlight engineering as you design, build, and decorate your own customized skateboard that will be yours to keep.

7th & 8th Grade Classes

Printable 7th & 8th Grade Catalog

a-MAZE-ing Robots (FULL DAY)

Design and build an independent robot that can navigate its way through a maze. Watch as your robots perform a dance you choreograph just for them. Now if you could only teach them to clean your room!

Biolo-Gee Whiz (FULL DAY)

What does your brain really look like? How does your circulatory system work? Find the answers to these questions and more as you explore human anatomy. Delve into the medical industry and learn how various organs function by dissecting fetal pigs. By the end of the week, you will earn your M.D. certificate--Museum Doctor, that is!

Marine Adventures (FULL DAY)

Become a marine biologist at the California Science Center. Experience marine life firsthand with behind-the-scenes tours and special experiences with our aquatic staff. Explore our 188,000 gallon kelp tank, experiment with water quality testing, dissect marine animals, and much more.

Radical Reactions (FULL DAY)

Take chemistry to a whole new level! Be a chemist and experiment with elephant toothpaste, freeze fruit in liquid nitrogen, and discover the chemistry used in rocket engines by creating your own combustion reactions.

Living in Space (FULL DAY) (NEW)

Find out what it takes to live and work in space! Camp astronauts will discover the difficulties of living beyond the atmosphere as they explore weightlessness, solve engineering challenges, and work together to navigate the dangers of other planets. Dive into the depths of our solar system to find out if you can survive the harsh conditions of living in space.