June and July will be packed with discoveries.
Are you a kid who loves to immerse yourself in the world of underwater creatures? Want to learn about a career? Be a spy or pirate?
Sign up quickly for the most amazing summer camps around at the museums of Fair Park: The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park, the Museum of Nature & Science, The African American Museum and The Women’s Museum. Explore nature, foreign languages, habitats, heritages—you name it!
African American Museum SANKOFA Summer Camp
The African American Museum will present “SANKOFA: We must retrieve the past in order to move forward” as the theme for its 6-week summer camp (June 9 – July 18). The camp will expose children to African American music, drama, visual arts, craftsmanship of 18th and 19th century African American artists, literature, history and much more. SANKOFA is also the title of a permanent museum exhibit.
“Kids have been coming to our camps for years,” says Dr. Emma Dawson, Summer Camp Coordinator for the museum. “Often older siblings tell them about the wonderful experience they had. Many of the things these students learn tie back to their own families, such as heritage activities.”
What’s unique is that students are taught in English, Reading, Math, Science, Spanish and Art. In addition, students get to participate in a leadership development project, special projects and interactive presentation that highlights camp experiences. Scholarships are available for students who qualify for federal lunch assistance. For more information and online applications, visit the African American Museum web site.
The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park and The Dallas Zoo Animal Adventure Camps.
Solve mysteries of the wild, travel the world and get an up-close look at animal adaptations this summer. Half-day and full-day camps for kindergartners through 3rd graders let campers dive into all kinds of animal explorations at both The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park and The Dallas Zoo.
- Zoo Sleuths (K-1) - Mysterious happenings are going on and must be solved. Follow the clues to find the surprising answers.
- Animal Adaptations (K-1) - Answer questions like why some animals go for lengthy periods of time without eating or drinking while others can’t seem to get enough food.
- Globetrekkers (grades 2-3) - Tour and investigate animals of different continents each day, complete with passport.
The Dallas Zoo offers other camps for 4th-8th graders, which only take place at the Zoo.
“These are such cool and very diverse experiences,” believes Lucy Hale, Education Coordinator, Public Programs for The Dallas Zoo and The Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park. “Students go outside and learn about above-ground creatures. Then they get to come inside to learn about fascinating underwater animals.” For more information, call 214-670-7501 or visit the Dallas Zoo's Conservation, Education and Science web site.
Girl-powered Science and Career Camps at
The Women’s Museum
The Women’s Museum wants to give young girls, 11-16 years old, plenty of confidence this summer with camps that challenge and spark imaginations.
“Adventures in Science” is a weeklong June enrichment experience packed with cool labs, experiments, environmental activities and the latest technology. “Our objective is to expose girls to science without the pressure of grades or tests,” says Denita Powell Malvern, Education Programs Manager for the museum. “Not only will they see what’s new in science, engineering and other areas, but they will explore career possibilities in these fields and get a better understanding of the preparatory classes they need to take in high school.”
Speaking of careers, the very popular “Girls Can Do Anything—Dream Your Career” camp is back in July. Each session focuses on a different career interest daily, and girls get exposed to what it’s like to be a fashion designer, chef, architect, actress, journalist and many other professions. Says Ms. Malvern, “Girls may learn debating skills (Law), re-enact a play (Theater), even create a small museum exhibit (Museum Studies). They’ll also learn self-confidence, critical thinking skills and teamwork along the way.”
For more information, please contact Ms. Malvern at 214-915-0890 or denita.powell@thewomensmuseum.org Also visit The Women's Museum Education web page.
Explore, Discover and Grow at Museum of Nature & Science Discovery Camps
Children from infants to 12 years can find adventure at any one of the MNS summer programs this year. Robots, Egyptology and Cold Case Files are just a sampling of the fun in store at MNS Discovery Camp (for 5- to 12-year-olds), Discovery Camp, Jr. (3- to 4-year-olds) and Little Explorers (parent/tot classes for those 6 months to 3 years).
Here are just a few of the incredible weekly camp sessions:
MNS Discovery Camp
Cold Case Files
Kitchen Concoctions
A Pirate’s Life for Me
City Spies
Dinosaur Days
Under the Sea
A World of Robots—a special event for 10- to 12-year-olds!
Discovery Camp, Jr.
Great Expectations to Egypt
Science Detectives
Mayans, Aztecs and Incas, Oh My!
Little Explorers
Scribbles and Dribbles
Shake, Rattle and Roll
Science Buddies
Steve Hinkley, Director of Education, is especially excited about “A World of Robots.” “This camp is an awesome special event that teaches campers how to program, drive and play interactive games with a robot that they design, assemble and program! Students from the UTD Engineering program are the instructors. It’s just amazing!”
To get in on all the not-to-be-missed fun, visit the Museum of Nature and Science's Summer Fun 2008 web page or call 214-429-5555.
