Discovery Kids Summer Camps
Mark your calendars! Discover the magic of play this summer in our 8 week summer camp from June 30-August 22, 2025 (no programming July 4 or July 18), offering a variety of engaging programs for ages 4-9. Full summer registration for our play-based camps opens on March 24, 2025. Families will need a Discovery Center membership in order to register.
Your child will spend sunny days learning and playing in our award-winning Story Garden and taking hikes on the trails within Ross Park. They will also have plenty of time to explore the region’s one and only children’s museum. What better place is there for your kids to spend their summer?
Our talented camp instructors are devoted to enhancing learning and adventure through projects, experiments, art, music, dance, creative expression, game play, outside adventures, and numerous hands-on activities. We are striving to ensure each camper has a full and enriching experience while still remaining diligent with our safety and health protocols. Your child’s safety is our top priority.
Pre-k (Age 4)
Our full day camps are open to 4 year olds and will help your child adjust to a school-like setting and prepare them for Pre-k or kindergarten in the fall.
Your child will learn new skills as they interact with their peers and adjust to classroom routines.
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 8 children with a total of 16 children total.
*To participate in this camp, your child must be toilet trained. You will also need to supply proof of immunizations and last medical physical to complete your registration.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 4.
Good Vibrations
Get ready to shake, rattle, and roll as we make beautiful music together. Students will play games inside and out as they explore movement through music and group activities, making their own instrument, yoga, hula hooping, and so much more!
The Great Outdoors
Come explore the great outdoors! Your little ones will learn about their world through nature-inspired games, creative arts, songs, and experiments. And of course, plenty of time playing in our Story Garden and exploring Ross Park!
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 18.
The World of Dinosaurs
Dinosaurs have taken over the Discovery Center! We need to learn as much as we can about our new Jurassic neighbors. What do they look like? What do they eat? Are they friendly? We’ll spend the week making cretaceous creative arts, playing gigantic games, and excavating ferocious fossils!
Out of This World!
Your rocket is ready to launch into space as we explore the never-ending galaxies up above. Planets, stars, moons, and meteors await us on our exploration of space!
Pirates
Yoho, Yoho! The pirate’s adventures continue. Ahoy Mateys! Come aboard the SS Discovery and sail the seven seas if you dare! All hands on deck for a week of learning about Blackbeard and searching for his treasure.
Storybook Summer
This week will be inspired by beloved children’s books. Stories will come alive through art, active adventures, and group activities.
Whoosh, Zap, Shazam
Calling all future superheroes! Make your own costume, Discover your superpowers, prepare power-filled nutritious snacks, and more!
Goodbye Summer
We’re celebrating the end of summer by bringing back all of our favorite games and activities. Ending our time together with a picnic. See you all next summer!
Ages 5-6
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 children with a total of 20 children total.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 4.
Storybook Summer
This week will be inspired by beloved children’s books. Stories will come alive through art, active adventures, and group activities.
Astronaut Adventure
T-Minus 5..4..3..2…1… It’s time to blast off and explore the vast galaxies above. Is there life on Mars? What lies beyond the Milky Way? Remember to pack your space suit for this space adventure!
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 18.
Under The Big Top
Come one come all to the spectacular Discovery Center show! We have clowns, rides, snake charmers, and so much more. Take your spotlight after training to be a trapeze artist. You won’t believe your eyes!
Unplugged
Travel back in time to days before playing with iPads, tablets, and phones. Grab your friends for a game of kick the can, exploring the woods and stream, and other camp favorites! Explore all the awesome things you can do unplugged in this super fun throwback camp!
Artful Antics
Get your creative juices flowing with Tie Dye, glue, paint, watercolor, and so much more! All can be found as we embrace our inner artists during our artful antics week.
Play Cafe
Join fellow chefs in the kitchen and learn to make simple, tasty recipes together. Campers will learn their way around a kitchen and why it is important to be safe. Create your own apron and set up a restaurant for all to enjoy.
Tinkers Town
Put on your thinking cap and get ready to create during this week of tinkering! Each day the tinkerer’s idea box will be open to expose the new project of the day. How you choose to solve the problem is up to you!
Goodbye Summer
We’re celebrating the end of summer by bringing back all of our favorite games and activities. Ending our time together with a picnic. See you all next summer!
Ages 7-9
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 children with a total of 20 children total.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 4.
Tinkers Town
Put on your thinking cap and get ready to create during this week of tinkering! Each day the tinkerer’s idea box will be open to expose the new project of the day. How you choose to solve the problem is up to you!
Adventure Awaits
“Helloooo traveler….. your adventure awaits!” In this Dungeons and Dragons-inspired camp students will need fate on their side. Choose your character, roll the dice, and may the odds be in your favor!
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 18.
Unplugged
Travel back in time to days before playing with ipads, tablets, and phones. Grab your friends for a game of kick the can, exploring the woods and stream, and other camp favorites! Explore all the awesome things you can do unplugged in this super fun throwback camp
More Than Crayons
Art is more than just coloring with crayons. Be inspired, be creative, and be yourself! We will learn about different artists, styles, and mediums used throughout history. What will inspire you?
Born to Move
Let’s get your body in motion with this active camp. Learn about the human body, which muscles we need to exercise, and why it is important to be active. We will be power-walking our way through the week.
Final Frontier
Put your space suit on as we explore Earth’s atmosphere, our sun and moon, our solar system, and our vast universe. Through pretend play and hands-on activities we will become space adventurers and scientists.
Bon Appetit
Put on your chef’s hat and stir up some fun in our DC cooking camp. Will you be an ace of cakes or an iron chef? Test out your skills and learn to make healthy food choices with a few sweet treats thrown in for fun!
Goodbye Summer
We’re celebrating the end of summer by bringing back all of our favorite games and activities. Ending our time together with a picnic. See you all next summer!
2025 Camp Structure
Summer Camp 2025 will run Monday-Friday 9AM-4PM from June 30 – August 22, 2025. (Please note that there is no camp on July 4 or July 18.) Our full day camps are divided into three different age groups: Pre-k, Ages 5-6, and Ages 7-9. This summer we will open our registration to families in need of a summer camp for all 8 weeks of camp as this has been shown to be a need of our community. All campers must hold an active Discovery Center Membership to enroll in Summer Camp.
2025 Camp Rates
Ages 5-9 Camps: Full Day (9AM – 4PM)
8 week session: $1,600
Age 4 (Pre-k) Camp: Full Day (9AM – 4PM)
8 week session: $1,700
Childcare subsidies through the Department of Social Services (DSS) will only be accepted for currently enrolled full time children. Please contact Ciara Heatherman at 607-773-8661 ext 209 for details.
Extended Camp Options
We offer before-camp care (8-9AM) and after-camp care (4-5:30PM) for 5-9 year old campers. There is no before or after care available for our pre-k campers.
Families can purchase 8 weeks of before-camp care for $240 and after-camp care for $320.
Registration Fee
The registration fee is included in tuition this year and will cover classroom supplies and any special events or field trips.
Membership Requirements
In order to qualify as having a Discovery Center Membership for Summer Camp enrollment, your family membership must be current at time of registration through August 2025. If your membership will expire before September, you must renew it before completing your camp registration. When you renew your membership now, your new membership year is activated when your current membership expires. To purchase or renew a membership, click here or call 607-773-8661.
No refunds will be given for memberships purchased after camp registration is completed.
Membership benefits are not transferable, and membership discounts for camp cannot be used to register extended family members.
A Typical Day at Camp
Adventure and learning are waiting around every corner at the Discovery Center! Every morning, campers will gather in their classrooms and settle in with their instructors. From there they’ll take part in all kinds of engaging activities designed to encourage children to be creative, engaged and active!
Each week is a new theme and a new set of things to learn about. We will play in our one of a kind hands-on children’s museum, award-winning Story Garden, or the woods of Ross Park. Children will participate in structured games, story time, an art enrichment curriculum and of course have plenty of chances to be active and keep moving. There will be new friends to make and social skills to develop each and every day!
Food
Waitlist and Late Registration
Our camps typically fill up early, so we do maintain waitlists when they reach capacity.
Cancellation Policy
If The Discovery Center’s camps are open and running, we will be unable to issue refunds for any fees paid.
Questions?
For more information, email directorofed@thediscoverycenter.org or call (607) 773-8661 ext 209.
