Our campers will embrace science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to build the skills that will serve as their tool set for the future. In our camps, we work together to ignite curiosity and get excited about STEM in our everyday lives. With fun themes, new curriculum each summer and sessions for all interests, there is something for everyone. Give your child a camp experience that will unlock their potential.
1 hour Zoom Meeting with lesson/activity, animal encounters or science demonstrations
1 hour Daily Challenge time & Open Zoom for assistance if needed
1.5 hour Zoom Meeting to present daily challenge, follow-up activities and lessons
Each day of virtual camp will consist of three hours of a structured Zoom session with fun science games, hands-on activities and an exciting science demonstration, animal encounter, or behind-the-scenes at the Lab experience led by our expert STEM educators.
Any questions about this program, please contact us at virtualprograms@childsci.org.
Keep the STEM going safely all summer long – with our weeklong virtual summer camps! Stay safe and stay connected with our 4 fun themes of hands-on science activities, experiments, build challenges, and more!
Each camp will run Mon-Fri from 9:30 am to 12: 30 pm and will consist of a structured zoom session with fun science games, hands-on activities and an exciting science demonstration, animal encounter, or behind-the-scenes at the lab experience led by our expert STEM educators. Camps are designed for children in rising grades 2 - 6.
A list of suggested supplies to gather will be sent upon registration for each camp, though all activities will have alternate recommendations and can be done with items you already have on hand! Part of the fun will be getting creative with different materials!
Join us for a week of fun and hands-on chemistry experiments! From color changing experiments to bubbling and fizzing reactions! Create your own experiments while learning the science behind the chemical elements that make up our Periodic Table, and how they interact with one another
Calling all coders! Join us for a week of all things robotics and see your ideas become a reality as we use technology to create robotic solutions for real world challenges.
Crash, bang, boom! What makes a clock tick? Or a volcano explode? Explore the amazing world of cause and effect with chain reactions! From intricate Rube Goldberg machines to racing roller coasters, this camp has it all!
Calling all campers! The Children’s Science Center is open again – for summer STEM camps only! Join us for a summer of hands-on STEM learning by exploring the entire Lab, from testing hovercrafts in the Tinkershop to creating chain reactions in the Inspiration Hub to experimenting at the Experiment Bar!
Our 4 fun and exciting themes, designed for rising grades 1st - 5th grade, consist of all things ChildSci – creating catapults, making slime, meeting animals, and designing a new museum!
Make this a summer they won’t forget by making each day chock full of hands-on experiments and activities with our expert STEM educators.
It is our goal to have all staff members at the Lab and serving our campers vaccinated before camp season. We recognize that the pandemic has brought on many challenges and therefore we are offering a generous cancellation and refund policy this summer. If for any reason the Children’s Science Center cancels a camp or the camper needs to cancel due to Covid-19, we are happy to issue a full refund. We will continue to follow safety protocols and take extra measures to ensure a successful camp season. Our staff will be wearing masks and we ask that campers wear masks except when eating or drinking. The Children’s Science Center Lab will NOT be open to the general public when camps are in session to maintain the safety of all camp and staff. As a result, campers will enjoy the entire Lab to themselves!
Member discounts are applied at checkout. Please see your Member Newsletter for codes
Are you excited to make a mess somewhere other than your kitchen? Do you love all things slime? Are you curious as to how and why slime creates such a sticky-icky bond? Then this is the camp for you! Join the Children’s Science Center as we explore the science behind slime, oobleck, and other Non-Netwonian Fluids!
Did you know the Children’s Science Center is building a new museum? Join us for a week of camp to get a behind-the-scenes look at all the science and design that goes into building a large museum from scratch! From exhibits, to architecture, to landscape, and more – we will explore all aspects of the process, and dream and build our own museums!
Join us as we dig down into the dirt to discover all things rocks, fossils, dinos, and more! In this camp, we will do a different “dig” every day, exploring different types of dirt and sands, identifying rocks, finding fossils, and learning all about dinosaurs.
Travel back in time with us as we explore the scientific beliefs and engineering feats of the Middle Ages! From the “magic” of alchemy to the technology of drawbridges and trebuchets, we will experience all things Medieval science by building castles, mixing potions, and more!
Our camps are specifically designed for children in rising grades 2-6!
All camps are held in secured zoom rooms with two or more STEM Educators.
STEM kits included for hands-on activities (including slime), group discussion & daily challenges, STEM kits provided!
Themes include Science Magic, Under the Sea, Spy Camp, Robotics, and more!
Summer registration opens on May 29!
Curious about camps but need more information? Check out our FAQs or email us at camps@childsci.org
“The camp staff were awesome and the kids looked forwardto exploring different parts of the museum every day. Camp exceeded ourexpectations and I will recommend it to others!”
"We are so impressed and pleased with the Virtual Camps offered by the Children's Science Center. Our 9-year-old daughter attend three weeks of sessions and loved them all. The live video gatherings are extremely well organized and run by the skilled and upbeat team. The CSC has a strong grasp of how to use virtual technology for educational programming, while keeping the kids highly engaged. I was really impressed how quickly they rolled out top notch virtual programming when in-person gatherings shut down. Honestly, this is exactly the pick-me-up experience were looking for during these difficult times and we are grateful to the CSC for meeting the needs of our 3rd grader."
Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall and STEM programs traveling to schools and other community venues across the region. The Foundation is also developing the Northern Virginia Science Center in Dulles, VA, a world-class, interactive regional science center for families, students and learners of all ages made possible through a pivotal public-private partnership. Learn more about our mission today at childsci.org and our vision for the future at novasci.org.
