Soar into Summer Fun at the Museum of Aviation!

Thank you for an amazing 2026 Summer Camp Season.
REGISTRATION for 2027 Summer Camps will OPEN FEBRUARY 1, 2027!

All Camps are Monday – Friday from 9:30 am – 12 noon for Kindergarteners – 12th graders. Cost is $160.00/week, per camp  (+ Sawyer Service Fee calculated at Checkout).  Sibling discounts and multi-camp discounts are not available.

Ignite your student’s curiosity this summer at the Museum of Aviation!   Designed for curious minds and creative problem-solvers from elementary through high school, our hands-on camps blend fun and learning through engaging experiments, interactive challenges, and real-world science, technology, engineering, and math explorations. Students will experience fun and interesting topics in a dynamic museum environment that encourages curiosity, collaboration, and confidence. Guided by enthusiastic educators, students will build, test, discover, and create while making new friends and unforgettable summer memories.

Our summer camps are fast-paced, highly interactive programs that include frequent transitions, hands-on activities, and collaborative group work. While many students thrive in this dynamic environment, we recognize that it may be challenging for some learners—particularly those who benefit from more predictable routines, quieter spaces, or fewer transitions. We are committed to supporting students with diverse learning needs and encourage families to contact us in advance to discuss individual accommodations and determine whether our camp setting is the right fit for their student.

There are many different topics to choose from.  Please see the descriptions included.  

Click Here to Register for Summer Camps
Summer Camp Schedule for Print
GEAR Lab Summer Schedule for Print

Registration

Online Registration for 2026 Camps opens February 1, 2026

Please register your participant(s) for the grade(s) that they will be ENTERING in the 2026-2027 school year. Changes to the class lists are difficult to make on the first day of camp, and most often, because the classes are at full capacity, we are unable to make the change. For questions regarding registration, please email stem@museumofaviation.org PRIOR to completing your registration.

Camp Descriptions

Level Up Lab (Rising Kindergarten-5th Graders): Level Up Lab invites participants to play, build, and test all kinds of games while discovering how teamwork and creativity make every idea stronger. Through fun challenges, puzzles, and beginner‑friendly coding, participants explore how games work and learn to think like real designers and creators. With every activity, they experiment, solve problems, and level up their imagination—all while having a great time together. Participants will be grouped by grade level, with minimal grade differences prioritized.

Game Studio (Rising 6th-8th Graders): In Game Studio, participants don’t just play—they break games down and dig into what makes games fun, innovative, and competitive. Participants will use problem-solving skills to take on challenges, participate in mini-tournaments, and experiment with beginner-friendly tools to design, prototype, and tweak their own game ideas. From designing game mechanics to intro-level coding, this camp is built for young gamers to level up from player to creator.

Mission Quest: Flight Simulation I Camp (Rising 6th-10th Graders): Calling all aviation enthusiasts and future aviators! The Mission Quest flight simulation program is designed specifically for participants who dream of someday taking to the skies with a passion for aviation. Participants will learn the fundamentals of flight, from basic aircraft controls to navigation and instrument procedures.

Aero Systems Studio (Rising 9th-12th Graders): From concept to countdown, Aero Systems Studio makes participants the mission engineers. Through hands-on design challenges, simulations, and testing, they experiment with propulsion, navigation and materials. Participants explore how rockets launch, satellites stay in orbit, and space missions are planned and executed. AI tools are used to analyze performance data, compare design choices, and model outcomes—learning how real aerospace engineers solve complex, mission-critical problems where every decision matters.

Mimic Makers (Rising Kindergarten-5th Graders): Mimic Makers invites participants to explore how amazing animals and plants can spark big ideas for building and creating. Through hands‑on projects, simple mechanisms, and playful coding, participants experiment with nature‑inspired designs like gecko‑style grips, bird‑like gliders, and bug‑inspired crawlers. As they observe, tinker, and imagine, participants turn their curiosity into inventive creations that show how nature can help us solve real‑world problems. Participants will be grouped by grade level, with minimal grade differences prioritized.

Bio Bots (Rising 6th-8th Graders): Bio Bots dives into biomimicry—the art of borrowing ideas from nature. Nature-inspired. Tech-driven. Problem-solving powered. Participants will break down how animal adaptations and natural systems translate into robotic designs and next-level engineering. Through hands-on challenges, participants design, code, test, and demo bio-inspired creations—learning how nature-based engineering leads to smarter, more efficient solutions to real-world problems.

Mission Quest: Flight Simulation I Camp (Rising 6th-10th Graders): Calling all aviation enthusiasts and future aviators! The Mission Quest flight simulation program is designed specifically for participants who dream of someday taking to the skies with a passion for aviation. Participants will learn the fundamentals of flight, from basic aircraft controls to navigation and instrument procedures.

Mechatronics Foundations (Rising 9th-12th Graders): Mechanics, electronics, and code work as one to generate reliable machines! Participants investigate and explore real-world machines and robots. Through hands-on challenges and iterative testing, participants design, build, and refine systems using motors, sensors, circuits, structures, and embedded logic. AI concepts are introduced as tools for interpreting sensor data, improving performance, and exploring intelligent automation, helping participants think like engineers who design systems that adapt and respond.

Bubbles and Bots (Rising Kindergarten-5th Graders): Bubbles & Bots invites participants into a playful lab where they mix, make, and explore the wonders of science and robotics. Through hands‑on experiments—from fizzy reactions and stretchy slime to speedy robot races and beginner coding—participants test ideas, solve problems, and learn by doing. As they tinker and try new things, participants discover how creativity, curiosity, and teamwork help both chemists and roboticists bring big ideas to life. Participants will be grouped by grade level, with minimal grade differences prioritized.

Wonders of Aviation (Rising 5th-6th Graders): Calling all aviation enthusiasts! Delve into the marvels of flight where Students will apply STEM principles to real-world challenges and explore the principles of aerodynamics, design and build model aircraft. Students will tour the Museum of Aviation, go behind the scenes, and learn about the technological advancements that have shaped flight.

Gadgets and Goo (Rising 6th-8th Graders): Gadgets & Goo throws participants into hands-on experiments and DIY tech builds, from slime and color-changing reactions to blinking circuits and custom gadgets. Participants will experiment, break things down, rebuild smarter, and see what happens when chemistry and engineering collide. Expect bold ideas, creative builds, and controlled chaos.

Advanced Mission Quest: Flight Simulation II & Survivor Camp (Rising 6th-11th Graders): Calling advanced aviation enthusiasts! The Museum of Aviation invites all participants who have taken Mission Quest: Flight Simulation Camp I to take part in Advanced Mission Quest II: Flight Simulation Camp. Participants will become masters of the cockpit while navigating the art of piloting. Some air combat missions could be included.

Cyber Security (Rising 9th-12th Graders): This program will offer a week of cyber safety, exciting challenges, and real-world missions where cyber skills will be put to the test while equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the exciting world of cyber security.

Epic Engineers (Rising Kindergarteners-5th Graders): Epic Engineers invites participants to dive into exciting stories and then bring them to life through hands‑on building and creative problem‑solving. As they read, imagine, and construct, participants tackle fairy‑tale challenges, design simple machines, and build clever solutions together. With every story, they discover how curiosity, teamwork, and STEM thinking can turn big questions into fun, buildable answers. Participants will be grouped by grade level, with minimal grade differences prioritized.

Epic Engineers (Rising 6th-8th Graders): Participants go behind the scenes of the entertainment industry to uncover the engineering that brings jaw-dropping experiences to life. Participants explore the science, physics, and safety behind roller coasters and thrill rides as they experiment with motion, forces, and design. They also dive into the world of animatronics, discovering how engineers combine mechanics, electronics, and coding to make characters move, react, and amaze an audience. Through hands-on challenges, students design, build, and code their own creations while collaborating, problem-solving, and thinking like real engineers. Along the way, campers learn how smart engineering makes experiences not only safer—but even more epic.

Space and Rocketry (Rising 6th-10th Graders): Space & Rocketry launches participants into the science, engineering, and imagination behind exploring the universe. Through hands‑on rocketry builds, mission‑style challenges, and investigations into planets, propulsion, and orbital motion, participants learn how real aerospace innovators solve problems. As they design, test, and refine their creations, they gain the skills and confidence to think like future space engineers and explorers of the cosmos.

Immersive Media Pathway (Rising 9th-12th Graders): Level up from player to creator, understanding how modern games and simulations are engineered! Immersive Media Pathway fuses art, code, and sound into immersive worlds. Participants go behind the scenes of games, simulations, and interactive digital worlds, exploring how animation, physics, logic, and user input come together. Through creative design challenges and hands-on experimentation, they build and test interactive systems, tweak mechanics, and bring ideas to life on screen. AI tools are used to explore behavior modeling, decision-making systems, and procedural design.

Space Sparks (Rising Kindergarten-5th Graders): Space Sparks sends participants on an exciting STEM adventure as they explore planets, moons, and stars through hands‑on activities. Using light‑up materials, simple circuits, and kid‑friendly gadgets, participants create glowing constellations, build playful “space tools,” and guide beginner robots across maps of the Moon and Mars. With every experiment, they discover how space science and electronics come together to make learning truly out‑of‑this‑world. Participants will be grouped by grade level, with minimal grade differences prioritized.

Circuit the Cosmos (Rising 6th-8th Graders): In Circuit the Cosmos, participants explore the technology behind space exploration through hands-on investigation and design. They investigate real spacecraft, rovers, and space technology, then take on engineering-style challenges that push them to solve unique problems of space. Participants might code robots to navigate alien terrain, create light-up star maps to explore constellations, or design and test their own models of space habitats—all while discovering how electronics and engineering make space missions possible.

Advanced Mission Quest: Flight Simulation II & Survivor Camp (Rising 6th-11th Graders): Calling Advanced Aviation Enthusiasts! The Museum of Aviation invites all participants who have taken Mission Quest: Flight Simulation Camp I to take part in Advanced Mission Quest II: Flight Simulation Camp. Participants will become masters of the cockpit while navigating the art of piloting. Some air combat missions could be included.

 

Summer Camp Sponsors

  • W. Mansfield Jennings Jr. Charitable Trust
  • H3O Group

Registration:
  • Your receipt for payment is your confirmation. Separate emails will not be sent out.
  • A reminder email will be sent no later than the Friday prior to the camp’s start date. Please mark your calendars for the dates/times/camps that you are registered.
  • Please add education@museumofaviation.org to your safe senders list to ensure you receive emails
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
  • All Summer Camp Cancellations must be received in writing.  Please email education@museumofaviation.org for cancellations.
  • Refund Policy: Refunds are made if cancelled up to 2 weeks prior to start date of program.  Please mark your calendars for dates/times registered.
  • Account Credit Policy:  Account credits are made at the discretion of the National STEM Academy for cancellations made within the 2 week refund window on a case by case basis.  Account credits are not guaranteed.
  • No-Show Policy:  No-Shows and those cancelled less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the registered camp are not eligible for refunds or account credits.  It is the responsibility of the registered to remember the dates/times signed up for.

For safety measures, there will be no drop off or pick up inside the classroom(s). Only Museum staff and registered volunteers may enter the classroom areas. Parents/Guardians must remain in check-in/drop off areas.

At 9:15AM, our team will begin welcoming participants to programs. Instruction begins at 9:30 A.M.

Dismissal begins promptly at 12:00 P.M. and ends at 12:15 P.M. We do not offer care after programs conclude.

We kindly ask that you take five minutes to download the PikMyKid parent app for a safer and more efficient experience!

Your registered phone number is linked to your registered child(ren). For ease, your child(ren) will maintain the same ID for all Museum of Aviation education programs in which they are enrolled. Announce in the app when you arrive on campus or allow the app’s geofencing technology to announce your arrival for you.

Only the primary parent and the secondary parent listed at time of registration are recognized as verified pickup individuals. To add other family members/ friends you must download the app and select their contact information.

Grades 6 – 12 are approved to use a ‘Liability and Release Waiver’ for arrival/dismissal. The completed must be turned into the camp instructor or emailed in advance to STEM@museumofaviation.org. If you choose to utilize this form, the participant may walk into the education program beginning at 9:15AM and is released from our education teams at 12:00PM.

Please have a plan where to meet your student for pick-up. We kindly ask participants to remain on designated walking paths and remain alert for vehicles.

Printable Liability & Release Form

Please note which building your child(ren) ‘s camp will be in held in for corresponding drop off & pick up locations & instructions:

Printable Campus Map

We aim for every student to have a safe, fun, and engaging experience while enrolled in education programs with the Museum of Aviation. To help us create a positive learning environment, we use a simple 5‑step approach to address behavior when needed.  Instructors are encouraged to use positive, behavior modification steps such as listening, kindness, sharing and teamwork.   Positive reinforcement of good behavior, and good choices are highlighted.

Improvement Plan for Behavior Steps

  1. Reminder – A gentle verbal cue to positively correct behavior. Redirection is encouraged.
  2. Reset – A quick break or move to a different area; a student may sit out to redirect a challenging behavior.  A cool down moment/calm space is encouraged.
  3. Parent/Guardian Update – A brief verbal report at pick‑up, or phone call.
  4. Pick‑Up Required – If unsafe / unacceptable behavior continues, a guardian may be called to pick up the student.
  5. Removal from Program – For ongoing issues or serious behavior, the student may be dismissed from the program. No refund is issued.

Examples of Disruptive Behavior

Behaviors may be considered disruptive if they affect others’ experience or create safety concerns. Examples include:

  • Running when asked to walk / leaving the group
  • Throwing items / purposefully damaging other’s property or museum property
  • entering off‑limits areas or using off-limits equipment /supplies
  • using hurtful language and expressions / bullying
  • Misusing cell phones or inappropriate use of technology including earphones
  • Inappropriate touching / hurting others

Immediate Dismissal

Physical violence, derogatory remarks, or hate speech will result in immediate removal. A refund will not be issued for behavior dismissal from programs.

Medical and Special Needs

  • Participants must be fever‑free (below 99°F) and free from contagious symptoms.
  • If a child becomes ill during the program, a parent/guardian will be called for pick‑up.
  • Medications are given by parents/guardians.  Staff may use an EpiPen, help get inhalers or other life‑saving device if needed.   Staff are trained in basic first aid.
  • List all allergies and special needs during registration. Share any helpful instructions.
  • Provide any necessary devices (EpiPen, inhaler, etc.) at check‑in.  Participants must keep them.
  • In an emergency, staff will call 911 and contact parents as soon as possible.

4–5‑Year‑Old Programs

  • Participants must be able to use the restroom independently.
  • Participants must be able to stay in the classroom without a family member.

The Junior Volunteer Program is open for students entering Grades 11 or 12. A letter of recommendation is required when submitting an application to be considered for a Junior Volunteer position. Please note that the Museum of Aviation Junior Volunteer applicants over the age of 17 must consent to a background check completed by the Museum of Aviation as part of their application process.

Summer Camp Instructors are paid and trained professionals.  Junior Volunteers will assist instructors with classroom set-up, clean-up, and general assistance.

”The Summer Camp exceeded my expectations! The program was incredibly well run and organized, and my child came home excited about aviation. We will be back next year for sure!

PARENT