Camps for inventors-in-training!

Our camps provide a unique opportunity for students to dive deep into their favorite STEAM topics with hands-on, interactive learning experiences that foster an inventive mindset. Campers can expect to make life-long memories and ignite their sense of wonder at a Cade Camp.

Spring Break Camp

♻️ Reduce, Reuse, Create!

What do cardboard, a water bottle, and a tin can have in common? They can all be transformed into something new! Discover how the ideas of reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose can spark creativity as you design and build a one-of-a-kind sculpture from recycled materials.

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👨‍🎨 Art in the Wild

Have you ever wondered what happens when nature and art come together? Explore a world of possibilities as you draw, paint, and create your way through the patterns, colors, and textures of the natural world. Grab your art supplies and get ready to see nature in a whole new way!

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Summer Camp

🌌 Milky Way Explorers

Get ready to blast off and explore the Milky Way! See what wonders we have in our solar system and unlock new knowledge about our planets. So hold on tight as we explore our galaxy and dare to design our very own planet! 

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🧵 Daring Designers

Have you ever wondered what happens when nature and art come together? Explore a world of possibilities as you draw, paint, and create your way through the patterns, colors, and textures of the natural world. Grab your art supplies and get ready to see nature in a whole new way!

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✈️ Soaring to New Heights

Take off and soar to new heights as we explore the inspiration behind the wonder of flight! Discover the secrets to natural flight and turn them into aerodynamic designs to see which will rise into the sky! What flying machines can you imagine that could launch us to new heights in the future? 

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🎢 Roller Coaster Craze

Step behind the scenes of your favorite theme parks and examine the science and creativity that make them so much fun! Dream up rides, plan layouts, and apply design principles as you build your own theme park concept. Then, explore engineering and mechanics, solve challenges, and team up to bring your vision to life! 

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🦸 Superhero Science

Unleash your inner superhero as you explore the incredible powers of your five senses! From secret sounds to strange smells, discover the science of how every sense is super.  

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💡Mission: Inventivity

Your mission, should you choose to accept: invent a world-changing solution. Do you have the curiosity and courage to face this mission? Can you be resilient in the face of setbacks and humble enough to ask your team for support? Then join Mission: Inventivity and push your inventive mindset to the next level!  

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🤖 Robot Roundup

Let’s gather up our robot friends and have a chat! Together we’ll discover the different ways we can communicate with robots and use their language to explore, play, and solve. Can you learn to speak bot? 

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♟️Board Game Boss

Do you love chess, Checkers, or even Monopoly? Board games have been keeping people busy for centuries, and your challenge is to create the newest gaming sensation! Roll the dice and get ready to play with designing, developing, marketing, and promoting the greatest board game of all time.   

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🐉 Legends Come to Life

What inspired the stories of dragons, unicorns, mermaids, and other fictional creatures? Discover the connections between legendary beasts and the strange adaptations of real-world animals. Unleash your creativity when you dare to imagine your own monster of mythic proportions! 

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🤲 I Choose You!

Are you ready to be the very best, searching far and wide to catch them all? Begin your journey to becoming a Monster Master and uncover the real-world inspiration behind the regions and creatures you love. Grab your critter catalog and get inspired for your own pocket monster creation! 

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🏕️ Jr. Ranger Adventures

Embark on your Park Ranger training with the Cade! Get ready to learn about the amazing ecosystems rangers care for and take on the tasks real rangers do to keep them safe and thriving. From deserts to glacier landscapes, we will cover it all! 

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🌎 Biomes of the World

Have you ever wondered how we divide up the environments of the world? Discover the different climates, vegetation, and animal life that make up the ecosystems of our planet! Explore some of Earth’s beautiful biomes and design a terrarium to showcase your favorite one.  

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Scholarships

To ensure our camps to be accessible to everyone in our community, we offer scholarships that can help cover anywhere from 50%-100% of the cost of our camps. Scholarship applications for our Spring Break Camp are now open. Scholarship applications are due by 11:59pm on February 11th. Scholarship awards will be announced on February 12th.

Our scholarships are funded in part by:

Apply for a Scholarship

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a waitlist for sold out camps?

Yes! Please email camps@cademuseum.org to be added to the waitlist.

Where are camps held?

Camps are held in the labs of the Cade Museum, located at 811 South Main Street and at the Cade Annex located across the street at 904 South Main Street. Campers may also visit Depot Park for play, weather permitting. 

What time does camp begin and end?

  • Early drop off starts at 8:00 am
  • Camps run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
  • Late pick up is by 5:30 pm
  • Half day camps run from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm, with pick up at 1:00 pm

Do I need to pack lunch for my child?

Spring Break Camp and Thanksgiving Break Camp:

Yes, campers must bring a cold, packed lunch each day. Siblings attending separate camps may not be able to eat lunch at the same time, so each child’s food should be packed separately. One snack will be provided and water will be available for your child throughout the day.

 

Summer Camp:

The Cade Museum participates in the Summer BreakSpot food service program, providing free lunch to children ages 18 and under. You may choose to pack a lunch for your child each day if you would prefer. Siblings attending separate camps may not be able to eat lunch at the same time, so each child’s food should be packed separately. One snack will be provided and water will be available for your child throughout the day.

Can children bring personal items and electronics to camp?

To ensure every child’s safety, campers are not allowed to bring any toys, electronics, or other personal items to camp.

What should my child wear to camp?

Campers should wear comfortable, close-toed shoes and clothing they don’t mind getting messy in. Sunscreen may be applied prior to student drop-off, as campers may visit Depot Park or participate in outdoor play as weather permits.

Will I receive a refund if the museum cancels a camp?

Yes. If the Cade Museum cancels a camp, a refund will be issued within three weeks of cancellation.

What is the cancellation policy?

A full refund will be issued if requested a week prior to camp start date by contacting camps@cademuseum.org

If I have a child in each camp age group, will they get to see each other during the day?

Campers in different age groups will be together at early drop off and at pick up. The groups may also overlap during lunch and outdoor play/park times, depending on the daily schedule.

Will you perform a health screen on students before they are admitted into the camp?

The Cade team will take every camper’s temperature at the time of morning check-in, and no child with an above-normal temperature (>100.4 degrees F) will be permitted to attend camp that day, nor for at least 24 hours after any sign of fever. To protect the safety of all of our campers, any child with a fever or any other signs of illness must remain home.

What is the Cade Museum's Tax ID?

81-1234271

How does the scholarship program work?

Our scholarship program is available for families in need, and will help cover anywhere between 50-100% of the cost of camp. We set aside up to 30% of our capacity for scholarship spots and they are selected in a lottery process. Applications open around the same time as registration but typically close about a month before the first week of camp.

The only way to guarantee a spot for a specific camp is to register at full price. If you are awarded a scholarship you will receive a refund based on your award.

What are the rules that my camper will be expected to follow at camp?

The Cade Museum is committed to providing a welcoming, engaging, and safe experience for every participant in our programs. Whether your child is attending a camp, class, or other museum program, we expect all participants and staff to follow shared guidelines to ensure a positive and respectful environment for everyone.

You can review our Guidelines and Expectations here.

We want to provide you and your child with the best camp experience possible! If you have any questions that weren’t answered in the FAQ, please contact us at camps@cademuseum.org or (352) 371-8001.

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