Summer Camp Offers Nature- and Technology-Driven Programs

Maritime Explorium, which offers nautical-themed, science-based exhibits and activities year-round, is offering a new ecology and technology nature-based summer camp, and a movie-making camp.

This summer, the Maritime Explorium at Port Jeff Harbor will offer a Makers and Explorers program to children ages 3-9. Children will use creativity to test ideas and develop solutions while exploring ecology and technology. During the weeklong sessions, held Monday-Friday from 9am-3pm, children will participate in indoor and outdoor activities.

“Our educational model is based on a constructive learning theory,” says Lauren Hubbard, director. “So it’s about meeting people where they are in their knowledge and helping them build on it. I think that makes us very unique.”

Students will explore the environment and map wildlife, among other science-based programs. With an activity such as cleaning dirty water, children create water filters, trial their designs, and combine efforts to be successful in their solutions.

Children can register for multiple sessions and are eligible for member, sibling, and friend discounts. Four sessions will be held: June 29-July 3, July 6-10, Aug. 24-28 (this session will only be offered for kids ages 3-6), and Aug. 31-Sept. 4. During the third session, an alternative Special Kidoyo Film Making and Coding Week will be offered for kids ages 6-9.

The Kidoyo program allows older children to use technology to design, produce, and edit their own movies relevant to animals in the area. By taking pictures, writing scripts, and recording audio, children have the opportunity to learn code with a purpose. According to Hubbard, activities always include science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and literacy.

Main photo: At the Maritime Explorium, children learn to build by using creative and innovative designs.