Discovery Kids Summer Camps
Discover the magic of play this summer in our 8 week summer camp from June 29 – August 21, 2026 (no camp July 17), offering a variety of engaging programs for ages 3-10. Families will need an active Discovery Center membership in order to register.
Full summer registration for our play-based camps opens at 9AM on March 16 2026.
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 3-4)
Our full day camps are open to 3 and 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.
Dino Detectives
Attention all dinosaur lovers! This week is all about discovering the land lost to time. We will be learning all about different kinds of dinosaurs, where they lived, and what they ate. Will you be a predator or prey? This week is sure to be jam-packed with crafts, games, and adventure.
Secret life of Bugs
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be as small as an ant? Or as wiggly as a worm? Join us as we explore what lives in the grass and dirt beneath our feet. Be sure not to get caught in the webs that Miss Spider left while we learn to fly like flies. Our activities will be sensory-filled, touchy-feely, and bug-tastic!
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on Friday, July 17.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Turn trash into treasure! Build, stack, and create using boxes, tubes, and all kinds of recycled fun. They will build and try new ideas. Along the way, they learn how to help care for our Earth through creative play.
Community Heroes
Is it a bus? Is it a plane? Or is it… Blossom the Bull? The Discovery Center puts its spin on the classic superheroes we love. Including our everyday community helpers, let’s embark together to find out what makes them super!
Flavor Town
Peter Rabbit grew the vegetables, and now it is our turn to think like a chef! We will take a tour of our garden and come up with recipes to embrace different vegetables, tastes, textures, and so much more. This is a hands-on experience for our campers to be in the driver’s seat as we cook together
Beyond the Crayon
Paint flies, colors swirl, and messy hands make the best masterpieces! Art is more than just crayons and paper. Our little artists will explore textures, shapes, and colors through playful, hands-on fun. Every day is a chance to create, imagine, and proudly say, ‘I made this!’
Little Astronauts
Fuel your rockets as we launch into space and explore the never-ending galaxies up above. Planets, stars, moons, and meteors await us on our exploration of space!
Wheels of Wonder
Rev your engines and get ready for a week of high-speed fun! From big rigs to speedy race cars, campers will discover how these amazing machines are full of surprises and magic!
Ages 5-6
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 children with a total of 20 children total.
A Galaxy of Stories
Join the Jedi Temple! Create your own character, practice Jedi moves, and play games with other younglings. Go on epic adventures, hear exciting stories, and complete fun missions as you learn the ways of the Force. By the end of camp, every youngling will see how strong they can be!
Eco Art
Investigate the world around you and create earth-inspired works of art! Create beautiful art from wood, paint, clay, and more using textures, patterns, and colors found in nature.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 17.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Turn trash into treasure! Build, stack, and create using boxes, tubes, and all kinds of recycled fun. They will build and try new ideas. Along the way, they learn how to help care for our Earth through creative play.
Going for the Gold
Kids’ spirits unite under the Olympic rings with an investigation of good sportsmanship and friendly competition. Discover the origins of the Olympics at Mount Olympus and explore how the games have evolved. The torch is lit for fun, games, and crafts that will take you on an adventure of Olympic proportions.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Turn trash into treasure! Join us for a hands-on engineering adventure where recycled materials become bridges, robots, gadgets, and more. Solve challenges, invent eco-friendly creations, and learn how engineers make a real impact—one recycled item at a time.
Flavor Town
Peter Rabbit grew the vegetables, and now it is our turn to think like a chef! We will take a tour of our garden and come up with recipes to embrace different vegetables, tastes, textures, and so much more. This is a hands-on experience for our campers to be in the driver’s seat as we cook together.
Community Heroes
Is it a bus? Is it a plane? Or is it… Blossom the Bull? The Discovery Center puts its spin on the classic superheroes we love. Including our everyday community helpers, let’s embark together to find out what makes them super!
Adventure Zone
Packed with action, imagination, and exploration for kids who want to experience it all. Become an animal expert, dip into the world of dinosaurs, experiment with hands-on science and discover the magic behind movies, race with cool cars, and splash around in exciting water activities. Every day is a new adventure!
Ages 7-8
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 children with a total of 20 children total.
Adirondack Experience
Often it is said,” The Adirondacks are right in our backyard.” This week, we are going to pretend that it is so. You will experience the Adirondacks right on the Discovery Center’s Campus! Hiking through the trails with backpacks, having animal encounters, bug collecting, and identifying edible plants. We will be exploring the history and life of the Adirondacks through stories, crafts, and exploration.
SPLAT!
Creativity will be in full swing as kids investigate gravitational and applied forces through creative play. Pendulum drawing, magnetic forces, and friction painting will be used to create individual and collaborative works of art.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on July 17.
Going for the Gold
Kids’ spirits unite under the Olympic rings with an investigation of good sportsmanship and friendly competition. Discover the origins of the Olympics at Mount Olympus and explore how the games have evolved. The torch is lit for fun, games, and crafts that will take you on an adventure of Olympic proportions.
A Galaxy of Stories
Kids’ spirits unite under the Olympic rings with an investigation of good sportsmanship and friendly competition. Discover the origins of the Olympics at Mount Olympus and explore how the games have evolved. The torch is lit for fun, games, and crafts that will take you on an adventure of Olympic proportions.
Play Cafe
Join us in the kitchen as we chop, prepare, and cook simple recipes from around the world. Children will make aprons, set up a restaurant for families, work as a team, and build their confidence in the kitchen!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Turn trash into treasure! Join us for a hands-on engineering adventure where recycled materials become bridges, robots, gadgets, and more. Solve challenges, invent eco-friendly creations, and learn how engineers make a real impact—one recycled item at a time!
Invention Convention
Imagine if your house could shrink down to the size of a ring! What if your dog had a collar that helped you understand him? Join us as we look into inventions that have already been created and embrace our own creative thoughts to come up with new ideas!
Adventure Zone
Packed with action, imagination, and exploration for kids who want to experience it all. Become an animal expert, dip into the world of dinosaurs, experiment with hands-on science and discover the magic behind movies, race with cool cars, and splash around in exciting water activities. Every day is a new adventure!
Ages 9-10
This camp will have a ratio of 1 adult to every 10 children with a total of 20 children total.
Going for the Gold
Kids’ spirits unite under the Olympic rings with an investigation of good sportsmanship and friendly competition. Discover the origins of the Olympics at Mount Olympus and explore how the games have evolved. The torch is lit for fun, games, and crafts that will take you on an adventure of Olympic proportions
A Galaxy of Stories
Kids’ spirits unite under the Olympic rings with an investigation of good sportsmanship and friendly competition. Discover the origins of the Olympics at Mount Olympus and explore how the games have evolved. The torch is lit for fun, games, and crafts that will take you on an adventure of Olympic proportions.
During this week, Summer Camp will be closed on Friday, July 17.
Adirondack Experience
Often it is said,” The Adirondacks are right in our backyard.” This week, we are going to pretend that it is so. You will experience the Adirondacks right on the Discovery Center’s Campus! Hiking through the trails with backpacks, having animal encounters, bug collecting, and identifying edible plants. We will be exploring the history and life of the Adirondacks through stories, crafts, and exploration.
Candy Shop Wars
Step into the sweetest competition of the summer! This hands-on experience, where kids become candy creators and entrepreneurs. Campers will create delicious treats, design their own candy shop “brands,” and learn how to market and sell their sweets like real business owners.
Box City
This camp will be a real walk around the block as you create the town of your dreams out of boxes. You and your Box Town neighbors will hold town meetings and decide on the city ordinances that meet the needs of all the Box Town residents. Hold elections, name a town mayor, and design neighborhoods and business districts. Urban planning and community pride will be what make this town the happiest place on the cardboard planet.
Get Cooked!
Ready to turn up the heat? From practicing knife skills to whipping up mouthwatering dishes, campers will explore cooking techniques, experiment with recipes, and create meals they can be proud of. With team challenges, cooking competitions, and hands-on activities, every day is a delicious adventure! By the end of camp, campers will not only have new skills but also the confidence to take over any kitchen.
Invention Convention
Imagine if your house could shrink down to the size of a ring! What if your dog had a collar that helped you understand him? Join us as we look into inventions that have already been created and embrace our own creative thoughts to come up with new ideas!
Adventure Zone
Packed with action, imagination, and exploration for kids who want to experience it all. Become an animal expert, dip into the world of dinosaurs, experiment with hands-on science and discover the magic behind movies, race with cool cars, and splash around in exciting water activities. Every day is a new adventure!
2026 Camp Structure
Summer Camp 2026 will run Monday-Friday 8AM-3PM from June 29 – August 21, 2026. (Please note that there is no camp on July 17.) Our full day camps are divided into three different age groups: Pre-k (Ages 3-4), Ages 5-6, Ages 7-8, and Ages 9-10. Registration will be open 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.
2026 Camp Rates
Ages 5-10 Camps: Full Day (8AM – 3PM)
8 week session: $1,650
Pre-k Camp: Full Day (8AM – 3PM)
8 week session: $1,768
Childcare subsidies through the Department of Social Services (DSS) will only be accepted for currently enrolled full time children. Please contact Director of Education, Kadence Malinowski, at 607-773-8661 ext 209 for details.
Extended Camp Options
We offer extended after-camp care (3-6PM) for all age groups. Availability is limited.
Families can purchase 8 weeks of before-camp care for $400.
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 2026. 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.