2020 Camp Details

Penn State Altoona Kids' College goes totally remote for summer 2020. A complete list of Penn State Altoona's online camps is available below. Remote camps are available from other Penn State locations.

It was a difficult decision to cancel face to face camps this summer, but ensuring the safety of our campers and staff is always our highest priority. We hope to see everyone back on campus next year. Thank you for your continued support of our programs. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sherri McGregor at 814-949-5047 or [email protected].

Camps

Elementary

Cupcake Creations (Ages 7-11) $99

Monday through Friday, 9:00-10:00 a.m., July 13-17
Instructor: Kathy Brua, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

This camp is too sweet to pass up! During our daily live Zoom session, you will learn different decorating and piping techniques to create your own cupcake creations.  Each day you will create a new design using the cupcake platform provided.   Are you excited for this yummy workshop?  Fee includes a kit complete with all the supplies needed for each daily lesson. Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Cupcake Creations

Awesome Art (Ages 7-11) $99

Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m.-noon, July 13-17
Instructor: Kathy Brua, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

This art camp will unleash your imagination this summer. During our daily live Zoom session, you will work on a new project using different art media.  Projects include drawing, painting, clay sculpture, optical illusion art, and much more. Fee includes a kit complete with all the supplies needed for each daily lesson.  Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Awesome Art

Junior Geologists (Ages 8-12) $125

Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m.-noon, July 20-24
Instructor: Veronica Berry, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

Do you like digging in the dirt, looking for rocks, and exploring the environment? Then this class is for you! During our daily live Zoom session, we will be looking at how the earth was formed, identifying rocks and minerals, and conducting many at-home experiments to explain how rocks and minerals form including creating some of our very own crystals. Come explore the world of a junior geologist. Fee includes a kit complete with all the supplies needed for each daily lesson. Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Junior Geologists

Scratch Gaming and Programming (Ages 8-11) $99

Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m.-noon, July 27-31
Instructor: Stephenie Schroth, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

Are you interested in gaming and programming? If you said yes, then you are going to love this camp! Using the program language Scratch, you will create and program your own animations, games, and interactive stories. During our daily live Zoom lesson, you will learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively which are all essential skills in today’s world. Participants will be required to sign up for a Scratch account prior to the first day of camp. Upon registration, you will receive an email with your classroom link and instructions on how to create a Scratch account.

Register for Scratch Gaming and Programming

Sense-ational Endeavors Camp (Ages 4-8) $125

Monday through Friday, 9:00-9:45 a.m., July 27-31
Instructor: Kim Parker, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

Sensory integration is an important tool in facilitating learning and sensory processing in all children. A combination of sensory experiences including touch, sight, sound, smell, taste, and bodily movement promotes learning in new and exciting ways. Structured modules will provide sensory activities that allow children of all ages, with or without disabilities, to explore, engage, and create using their six senses. Activities can be modifiable for each child’s abilities, skills, and strengths. Children will have a blast engaging in sensory activities in the comfort of their own environment! Campers will meet with the instructor during a live zoom session to review the daily module. Modules will then be completed off-line at camper’s own pace. Opportunities to share each camper’s progress will be provided. Fee includes a daily 45-minute zoom session, camp t-shirt, and supply kit including all supplies needed to complete each daily module. Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Sense-ational Endeavors

Sense-ational Endeavors Camp (Ages 8-15) $125

Monday through Friday, 10:00-10:45 a.m., July 27-31
Instructor: Kim Parker, Daily check-in -  virtual delivery live via Zoom

Sensory integration is an important tool in facilitating learning and sensory processing in all children. A combination of sensory experiences including touch, sight, sound, smell, taste, and bodily movement promotes learning in new and exciting ways. Structured modules will provide sensory activities that allow children of all ages, with or without disabilities, to explore, engage, and create using their six senses. Activities can be modifiable for each child’s abilities, skills, and strengths. Children will have a blast engaging in sensory activities in the comfort of their own environment! Campers will meet with the instructor during a live zoom session to review the daily module. Modules will then be completed off-line at camper’s own pace. Opportunities to share each camper’s progress will be provided. Fee includes a daily 45-minute zoom session, camp t-shirt, and supply kit including all supplies needed to complete each daily module. Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Sense-ational Endeavors
 

Middle School

Scratch Gaming and Programming (Ages 12-15) $99

Monday through Friday, 1:30-2:30 p.m., July 27-31
Instructor: Stephenie Schroth, Virtual delivery live via Zoom

Are you interested in gaming and programming? If you said yes, then you are going to love this camp! Using the program language Scratch, you will create and program your own animations, games, and interactive stories. During our daily live Zoom lesson, you will learn to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively which are all essential skills in today’s world. Participants will be required to sign up for a Scratch account prior to the first day of camp. Upon registration, you will receive an email with your classroom link and instructions on how to create a Scratch account.

Register for Scratch Gaming and Programming

Sense-ational Endeavors Camp (Ages 12-15) $125

Monday through Friday, 10:00-10:45 a.m., July 27-31
Instructor: Kim Parker, Daily check-in -  virtual delivery live via Zoom

Sensory integration is an important tool in facilitating learning and sensory processing in all children. A combination of sensory experiences including touch, sight, sound, smell, taste, and bodily movement promotes learning in new and exciting ways. Structured modules will provide sensory activities that allow children of all ages, with or without disabilities, to explore, engage, and create using their six senses. Activities can be modifiable for each child’s abilities, skills, and strengths. Children will have a blast engaging in sensory activities in the comfort of their own environment! Campers will meet with the instructor during a live zoom session to review the daily module. Modules will then be completed off-line at camper’s own pace. Opportunities to share each camper’s progress will be provided. Fee includes a daily 45-minute zoom session, camp t-shirt, and supply kit including all supplies needed to complete each daily module. Registrations must be received at least 7 days prior to the start of camp to ensure kit is received for the first day of camp.

Register for Sense-ational Endeavors

Activity Kits

Lions Learning Lab Science Kit (Ages 7-12) $35

Instructional Videos by Lynn Dalby and Justin Huffman

Science kits from Lions Learning lab will encourage kids to explore and augment their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) skills via projects rooted in science and engineering through hands-on learning. This is a kid-friendly and fun lab kit that includes six pre-prepared materials that will be supplemented with various at-home-supplies. Give your child the awesome gift of STEM projects that will be sure to keep them busy throughout the summer! Pre-recorded instructional videos for each activity are included.  Fee includes instructional videos, printed materials, and a supply kit.
Activities included in the kit:

  • Barbie Bungee: Determine the correct amount of rubber bands needed to construct a bungee cord so that Barbie/action figure doesn’t hit his/her head but safely bungee jumps!
  • Marble Run: Make a fun and exciting roller coaster on your wall and use physics to create a maze of twists, turns, loops, and jumps!
  • Potato Launcher: Build a really cool potato launcher and learn how air volume and pressure work together to send a small piece of spud flying!
  • Motorized Car: Design a fan motorized car with the challenge of using only a few supplied materials and your creativity and ingenuity!
  • Goldenrod Paper: A mixture of both art and science, use acid/base chemistry to make really cool artwork!
  • Cabbage Juice: Learn how to split a molecule of water and discover acid/base changes in a solution using the plant pigment (anthocyanin) from red cabbage!

Order your Lion Learning Lab Science Kit

At this time, the Penn State Altoona Kids' College camps set to begin as early as June 15 will still be held as scheduled. We are closely monitoring the situation with the community’s best interest in mind, as part of Penn State’s efforts to maintain public health and safety in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. 

If any camps are canceled or postponed, we will notify you as soon as possible. For the latest Penn State updates and information, visit Penn State's Coronavirus Information site.

To Register or More Information

Register online. You may also call 814-949-5535 for more information or to request a registration packet be mailed to your home. There is no fee for online registration. 

Early Bird Discount

Register by May 29, 2020, and receive a 10 percent discount on your entire bill. To receive the discount, enter EARLYPSU20 in the discount box for each camp at the time of registration. Mail-in registrations must be postmarked by May 29, 2020, for the discount to apply. 

Scholarships

Each child in a family may attend one camp on a scholarship; camp fee not to exceed $200. Download and submit the scholarship application today at or call 814-949-5535 to have a copy mailed to you. Scholarship money is limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis based on financial need. Deadline to apply is Monday, May 29, 2020. 

Program Expectations/Releases

Children are expected to respect and be courteous to one another and all staff members. Disruptive or aggressive behavior will not be tolerated. Incidents will be handled as follows:

  • Incident One - warning and discussion with student
  • Incident Two - parent discussion
  • Incident Three - student will be expelled from the camp. 

Limited Enrollment

Enrollment is limited to ensure quality. Register early to ensure a place in the camp that fits your plans. The University may cancel or postpone any camp because of insufficient enrollment or unforeseen circumstances. No refunds are given after the first day of camp. 

Location and Lunch

All camps are conducted at Penn State Altoona, 3000 Ivyside Park, Altoona, PA 16601. Campers staying all day should bring a lunch each day. Supervision is provided and campers are walked to and from camps.