DISCOVERY KID'S SUMMER CAMPS 2009

Science, Art, History, Drama, and Interactive Outdoor Play!

8 weeks of camp fun to choose from!
Monday through Friday, July 6- August 28

Camper Age Groups: 5-7 years, 8-12, 10-12 (New!), 12-14 and Internships for 13-15 year olds!

Hours: Half day programs with the option for a full day of fun with our back to back programming!

Mornings: 9:00a.m.-12:00p.m. or Afternoons: 1:00p.m.-4:00p.m.

Camp Fee: Members-$55 a week for a half day session, non-members- $60

$10 Registration fee includes a Discovery Kids Summer Camp T-Shirt.
One registration for the 2009 summer required for each camper.

Supervised Lunch-Bring your own bag lunch please!
With exploration of our interactive exhibits 12:00-1:00 for campers registered for both morning and afternoon sessions!

Early drop-off and late pick-up available
For an additional fee of $15 a session for early drop-off
$15 a session for late pick-up
Early drop-off: 8:00a.m.-9:00a.m.
Late pick-up: 4:00p.m.-5:30p.m.

Registration ongoing- call 773-8661 for additional information

Click here for the Summer Camp Registration Form
& the Child Information sheet you will need to download, print and fill in to bring with you or send in to register for this year's summer camps.

Click here to download a Summer Camp brochure in PDF form

Consider a membership to receive a discount on Summer Camps.
Download Membership Form

To jump down to different age groups click links below or scroll down page to read about all our Summer Camps!
Camp Programs for 5-7 Year Olds
Camp Programs for 8-12 Year Olds
Camp Programs for 10-12 Year Olds
Dramatic Arts Programs for 12-14 Year Olds!
Discovery Interns: for 13-15 year olds!

The Galumpha gang – summer performance camp
Mark your calendars & plan your vacations around Galumpha Gang. You won’t want to miss out on the wildly amazing children’s performance camp instructed by the internationally acclaimed acrobatic dance company, Galumpha! This two weeks of collaborative choreography, dazzling acrobatics & teamwork will have your child center stage at Binghamton University’s Watters Theater! Participants need not know a thing about acrobatics or dance, the fun is in the learning! Children will create a genuine professional performance all their own! Geared for children 7-13 years of age, with 14-18 year old interns performing & lending a helping hand. The camp will be held at BU’s Watters Theater & dance studios located in the Fine Arts Building. Dates: 2 weeks, Mon-Fri, July 20 – July 31. Performance will be held the evening of July 31st in BU’s Watters Theater. Cost: $375 for members, $400 nonmembers.

Camp Programs for 5-7 Year Olds
Session #1: July 6-10
Mornings
Under the Sea
Come join us on a deep sea diving adventure as we learn about the creatures in our very own salt water tank.
Get ready to get a little messy as we create ocean themed projects and crafts to take home by the end of the week. You will actually be able to handle a starfish and a sea urchin as we learn about these and many other fascinating creatures that live beneath the ocean’s waves!

Princess Camp
Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a princess? Play games and make crafts sure to
show you a royal good time. Do you use your manners? What is etiquette? All of this will be put to test at the princess ball the final day of camp.

Afternoons
Music to Your Ears!
Music from Beethoven to the Beatles will have you feeling the beat as you learn how to compose your own music with an exploration of the science of sound. Learn fun musical facts with hands on activities and create your very own musical instruments!

Color Me Wonderful!
Just what makes you tick? Learn about human organs through games, experiments and the arts! Investigate the five senses, healthy eating and fun with movement.

Session #2: July 13-17
Mornings
Story Book Adventures
Do you love to read? Then this is the camp for you! Books will come alive as we explore timeless classics and introduce you to new fun ones. Meet Skippy Jon Jones as he heads off for ancient Egypt and go under the sea with Mr. Seahorse to explore live sea creatures.

Mis Amigos!
Yo hablo espanol? Make some new friends while investigating the Mexican and Latin culture. Taste the food, create ethnic crafts, make a little music and end with a fun filled fiesta all while learning the Spanish language!

Afternoons
Homemade Science
Have you ever wanted to do science experiments, but didn’t know where to start? Come and explore the world of science by doing hands on activities with materials all found at home. You will learn the basic principles of the scientific method so bring the scientist in you for a week full of experimental fun!

Safari
We are going on a safari! Come along and explore the jungle and the amazing animals that call it home! Learn about African culture through crafts and music and end your week with a visit to the Zoo!

Session #3: July 20-24
Mornings
Grossology
Oh that is soooo gross! That is what you will be saying as you learn about just how interesting the disgusting can be as you experiment with ooey, gooey, stinky, smelly, gross things. Many of the activities will be based on the popular children’s book series by Sylvia Branzei looking at the science behind our body’s somewhat gross bodily functions!

Unplugged Fun!
Explore what kids did for fun before the days of electronics. Make toys using household items and learn to play using a whole new outlet!

Afternoons
Take It Outdoors!
What better way to spend your summer than playing games with friends outdoors? Play some old favorites like tag and steal the bacon and learn some new ones that will have you kicking up your heels with fun!

Camp Cosmic!
This camp is out of this world! Learn about the constellations and create your own universe during this week of star studded fun!

Session #4: July 27-31
Mornings
Pet Camp
Have a pet? Want a pet? What is your favorite pet? We’ll have special furry, scaly, and feathered visitors while we learn all about cats, dogs, lizards, birds, fish and other creatures. Enjoy a pet picnic with your favorite stuffed animal, create animal puppets, and make special treats for your pet and some to donate to an animal shelter. A visit from a local veterinarian technician will teach you how to care for and “Talk” with your pet.

Bon Appetite
Put on your chef’s hat and stir up some fun in our DC cooking challenge. Will you be an ace of cakes or an iron chef? Try out your culinary talents and learn how to make healthy food choices with instruction on nutritious eating with a few sweet yummies thrown in for good measure. You will need your sneakers because being healthy can be fun and games too!

Afternoons
A Day in the Park
There is just so much to explore in The Discovery Center’s very own back yard! Spend the week hiking the Ross park wooded trail, collect creepy crawlies in The Discovery Center’s Story Garden and enjoy plenty of outdoor play during this week of fresh air fun!

Surfs Up!
Enjoy a week of sand and sun with an investigation of oceans and beaches. It is going to smell a little fishy as we learn about fresh water and salt water fish with games, arts and crafts.

Session #5: August 3-7
Mornings
Bubbles, Bubbles , Bubbles!
Explore the magic of bubbles! Make your own bubble solution, paint with bubbles, make bubble gum bubbles and much more! Come dressed for a mess.

Rainforest Explorers
Travel to the Amazon with a study of the regions plants and animals. Learn about the geography of the rainforest and the people who live there. Find out through hands-on activities how important the rainforest is and how we can conserve it. Wear comfy shoes because we will be going outside and taking a trip to the zoo.

Afternoons
Super Heroes!
Practice the science of Spiderman, the bravery of Batman and the strength of Superman through challenging games, experiments, and activities!

We’ve Got Spirit: Cheerleading
Give me a D!...D! Give me a C!...C! Come cheer on The Discovery Center as we learn to jump and dance our team to victory! Show off your team spirit the final day of camp with a P-E-P R-A-L-L-Y !

Session #6: August 10-14
Mornings
Kitchen Science
Do you love to play with your food? Do you enjoy gooey, slimy creations? Then this is the camp for you! Learn simple science and food chemistry facts as we experiment with acids and bases, test our five senses, eat “play dough” and homemade butter, and then blow up soda! Explore the laws of physics as we create our own fort from recycled food boxes and enjoy a picnic inside it.

Pirates
Yoho, yoho…you are invited on a pirates adventure! Come aboard the Discovery Dabloon and sail the seven seas if you dare! All hands are on deck for a week of pirate fun. Make your own flags, eat pirate foods and search for buried treasure!

Afternoons
Star Wars Camp
Jedi training camp is now in session! Every day Star Wars fans will enjoy some out of this world fun with Star Wars themed fun! Costumes, games, crafts and fun will prepare you for the next Clone War!

Forest Friends
Who lives in a tree? Learn about the forest and the furry and not so furry animals that live above and below ground. What do they eat? Do they sleep during the day or at night? Answer these questions and more as you hike the Ross Park wooded trail collecting items for crafting, play games and read stories.

Session #7: August 17-21
Mornings
The DC’s Wide World of Sports
Take a closer look at traditional (and some not so traditional) sports such as football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, cycling as we learn about their history and how they came to be the sports we know and love today. Become familiar with famous sports figures from yesterday and today as we create some athletic themed arts and craft projects before participating in some of these sports ourselves!

Books Alive
Stories will come alive with as young writers and illustrators create their own story characters from animal life drawing and create their own story cells. Animal charades, drawing and painting will make your stories jump right off the page! The wonderful books of Dr. Seuss, Jan Brett and Norman Bridwell will be investigated.

Afternoons
The Royal Court
Have a royal good time in the kingdom of fun! All princesses, knights and princes are hereby invited to The Discovery Center’s Royal Court. Costumes, crafts, games and food will have you feeling like royalty!

GREEN THUMBS!
Spend a week of outdoor fun in the DC Story Garden getting to the roots of gardening through an exploration of plants, bugs, and all things growing! You will give this camp a green thumbs up as you play games, do scientific investigations and arts all while learning about flowers, fruits, vegetables, and even some garden creep crawlies!

Session #8: August 24-28
Mornings
Penguin-Paluza
Penguins are more than just cuties in tuxedos! Did you know there are 16 types of penguins?! Come dive into the world of penguins from around the world. Our virtual tour will include the Arctic and the Galapagos, and the cost of Africa where we will explore their environments and learn the science behind how they live. We will be visiting our penguin friends right here at our own Binghamton Zoo, too! Come and release your inner penguin!

Afternoons
Express Yourself-Painting
Paint to Music and learn about Kandinsky and why his art looks like it’s dancing. Pack it up and go outside for an exploration of light and shadow like Monet and then express yourself with a self portrait in the style of Van Gough. A variety of mediums will be used to give young artists plenty of opportunity to express themselves!

Camp Programs for 8-12 Year Olds

Session #1: July 6-10
Mornings
Fun-dant: Baking
Do you like to mix it up and have a little fun? Well, basic baking is just the recipe you need for a sweet week. Come and learn about basic baking techniques and measurements. Decorate cupcakes and a fancy cake using frosting and fondant. You will amaze family and friends with your tasty creations!

Dangerous Camp for Boys
If you are a boy who loves a challenge then this is the camp for you! Make a bow and arrow and a fishing pole. Fly your own rubber powered plane that you make yourself and play games that will challenge your physical strength and stretch your mind! Activities based on Hal Iggulden’s book “Dangerous Book for Boys”.

Afternoons
Blast Through The Past
Travel to a new place and time each day as we explore some of America’s most famous figures through history.  Learn what it takes to be a kid growing up during these times as we create cultural crafts, play games and try foods from each different time period.  Get ready for some good old fashioned fun!

Session #2: July 13-17
Mornings
Rainforest Explorers
Travel to the Amazon with a study of the regions plants and animals. Learn about the geography of the rainforest and the people who live there. Find out through hands on activities how important the rainforest is and how we can conserve it. Wear comfy shoes because we will be going outside and taking a trip to the zoo.

Afternoons
T.V. Time
Can you imagine not having television? What is the history of our favorite past time? Learn television’s early personalities and how programs have changed over the years. Then cast off on a 3 hour tour each day as you create your own reality television series “Camp Discovery”.

Session #3: July 20-24
Mornings
Native Wisdom
Celebrate the art, culture and history of the native peoples of the Americas. Catch your dreams in a dream catcher you make yourself, make a totem pole, and face paint traditional designs. We will listen to stories and learn just how Native Americans treat our planet- a lesson that needs to be retold over and over!

Afternoons
CSI Discovery
Learn how detectives solve crimes using forensic science. Find fingerprints and learn how to analyze soils, cloths, and much more. Campers will work as a team to solve the mysteries using these forensic tools.

Session #4: July 27-31
Mornings
Play International
Join us on a cultural adventure as we explore what kids around the world do for fun. Make toys, play games, celebrate new holidays, and learn how some fun words in different languages!

Afternoons
Forensic Science
Become a modern day Sherlock Holmes as you explore the history of forensic science and learn its use in criminal investigations. Practice taking fingerprints, testing chemical properties of evidence, checking teeth impressions, and creating foot casts to examine the perpetrators height. Campers will get to extract DNA from fruit while learning a little about chemistry and laboratory safety. Put your new skills to use as you attempt to solve a crime scene. Will you be able to identify the real culprit? Campers will also learn what type of fingerprint they have as they create their own Safe Child ID card with an officer from the Broome County Sheriff’s department.

Session #5: August 3-7
Mornings
Earth Heroes
The Earth is in trouble and it is up to us to save it! Kids will go green in this part science, part art, all fun camp. We’ll make recycled paper, clean “polluted” water in our cleanup experiment, and make fun crafts that use recycled materials. By the end of the week you are sure to be an earth hero!

Afternoons
Bon Appetite
Put on your chef’s hat and stir up some fun in our DC cooking challenge. Will you be an ace of cakes or an iron chef? Try out your culinary talents and learn how to make healthy food choices with instruction on nutritious eating with a few sweet yummies thrown in for good measure. You will need your sneakers because being healthy can be fun and games too!

Session #6: August 10-14
Mornings
Whistle While You Work
What do you want to do when you grow up? The possibilities are endless! Not to worry you have plenty of time to decide. Join us on a week long look into various careers as guest visitors introduce you to their field. Meet a veterinarian to learn how animals are cared for. Learn the exciting things a nurse sees. Each day will bring a new guest! Then, we will do experiments and activities just like our visitors do in their jobs to see just would make you whistle while you work! Guests are subject to volunteer availability.

Afternoons
Illustration
Paint and draw pictures from your own story! Design your own characters and create story cells.

Session #7: August 17-21
Mornings
Native Americans
Spend the week learning the life of America’s First People. Receive a new name and explore several different tribe cultures, including theIroquois, Mohawk and Sioux and how they were different. Catch your dreams in a dream catcher you made yourself, try your hand at intricate beadwork and hear the beat of the drum on your own home-made drum. Make masks, sand paintings and so much more!

Afternoons
Wild Water and Weather
We all need water-let’s have some fun with it! Join us as we make bubble art, experiment with wacky water spinners, play crazy water games that are sure to soak you, and do some water color paintings in unlikely places. Learn about water conservation as we turn dirty water into drinkable water and test each other in our water trivia competitions. With our weather program, you’ll not only learn the facts but also how to: pull water out of thin air, create a working water cycle, and make a rain gauge. It is sure to be a splash!

Session #8: August 24-28
Mornings
The DC’s Wide World of Sports
Take a closer look at traditional (and some not so traditional) sports such as football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, cycling as we learn about their history and how they came to be the sports we know and love today. Become familiar with famous sports figures from yesterday and today as we create some athletic themed arts and craft projects before participating in some of these sports ourselves!

Afternoons
History’s Mysteries
Do Big foot and the Loch Ness Monster really exists? Was the city of Atlantis real? How were the pyramids of Ancient Egypt or Stonehenge built? Learn the answer to these questions and many more as we examine some of history’s most famous mysteries.

TV Stars
Have you ever wondered what it is like behind the scenes of your favorite television show? Join us as we learn the history of television and some of its most popular shows. Kids will write, create and star in their own television program.

Camp Programs for 10-12 Year Olds
Session #1: July 6-10
Afternoons
Watercolor Basics
Learn to paint with watercolors. Find out what reticulation means and try out your hand at wax resist and watercolor layering. Come dressed for a mess!

Session #2: July 13-17
Afternoons
Graphic Arts
Learn why certain things catch your eye in a magazine. Create your own font styles, and packaging for a product! Test if your product will successfully make it from the warehouse to the shelves to homes! Come prepared with your creative juices flowing and your thinking cap securely fastened--this camp will have your head spinning with ideas!

Session #3: July 20-24
Afternoons
Acrylic Painting
Ever wonder how people paint outdoors? Learn about landscape painting by experiencing it yourself! What about cool abstract shapes and colors? Create your own paintings using acrylics! Come dressed for a mess and prepared for indoor and outdoor fun! Bring a dry set of clothing to change into after class.

Session #4: July 27-31
Afternoons
Photography: Pinhole to Digital
Create a pinhole camera, use a disposable, snap away with a digital. Learn what silver halite is and what makes that click noise when you push the button. Capture your summer with photography and discover just how cool negatives can be!

Session #5: August 3-7
Afternoons
Art Movements
Move through time through an artist’s eyes! Work with a variety of media including pencil, charcoal, paint and collage. Learn about art from Renaissance paintings to Modern Art.

Session #6: August 10-14
Afternoons:
Dancing Like the Stars
Learn the fancy footwork of your favorite stars from movies such as High School Musical, Grease, Mamma Mia and many more! The week will conclude with a fun filled movie montage dance routine!

Dramatic Arts Programs for 12-14 Year Olds!
Two sessions available sign up for just one or both full day programs!
Mornings and afternoons: 9:00a.m.-3:00p.m.
Session #1: July 6-10
Session #2: July 13-17

Create a Scene
With imagination, fun, costumes and scripts…all created by you! Join professional actor, Heidi Weeks, for a week of theater games, writing scripts and performing! Everyone can be an actor center stage at The Discovery Center Theater! *Please note this is a morning and afternoon program. All actors will need a bagged lunch!

Discovery Interns: for 13-15 year olds!
Explore the arts, science, history, drama, and outdoor fun with an inside look at the workings of a children’s museum. Aid with summer camps, try your hand at fun filled activities and meet new friends.
Hours: 8:45a.m.-4:30p.m.
Dates: sign up for any one of our 8 week camp sessions M-F, July 6-August 28.
Cost: members $20 per week, non members, $25 per week.

Registration ongoing- call 773-8661 for additional information

Click here for the Summer Camp Registration Form
& the Child Information sheet you will need to download, print and fill in to bring with you or send in to register for this year's summer camps.

Click here to download a Summer Camp brochure in PDF form

Consider a membership to receive a discount on Summer Camps.
Download Membership Form

60 Morgan Road, Binghamton, NY 13903
Phone: 607-773-8661 Fax: 607-773-8019
email: help@thediscoverycenter.org