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 & Summer Camps

🐜 Insect Investigators

There’s a mysterious kingdom scuttling right below your feet that makes the world go round, but without a magnifying glass and a curious mind, you might miss it! As you unravel the secrets behind cryptic grasshopper chirps, enchanting butterfly flight, and the stealthy strength of ants, you’ll discover the hidden roles insects play in their homes all over the world. Become a science sleuth as you solve the mystery behind the secret life of insects at the Cade! 

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🌿 Bloom & Beyond

Enter the magical world of plants and pods! Learn how a tiny seed transfigures into a towering plant, how they stay healthy, and discover the unique plant parts that make it all possible. Uncover a whole new realm as you explore the enchanting flowers, trees and plants that grow in your backyard and across the globe. 

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🏡 Where the Wild Things Live

Your home probably has a bed, toys, and a fridge full of tasty foods, but have you ever wondered what creepy crawlies and furry friends need to create their home sweet home? Find out where living things go to unwind after a long day in the wild as you tour their habitats

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🏡 Where the Wild Things Live (Half Day)

Your home probably has a bed, toys, and a fridge full of tasty foods, but have you ever wondered what creepy crawlies and furry friends need to create their home sweet home? Find out where living things go to unwind after a long day in the wild as you tour their habitats. 

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🔋 Tech Explorers

Channel your inner Tony Stark to ignite your creativity and invent the future you want to see! Explore innovative robotics, hand-on coding, and cutting-edge technology to design your next big idea. Will your future be filled with lightsabers and droids or ender dragons and diamond pickaxes? Suit up and get ready to level up in Tech Explorers!  

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🧬 DNA: The Science of You

DNA may be what makes Captain America strong and Peter Parker’s spidey senses tingle, but did you know that DNA is also responsible for what makes you uniquely you? Learn how genes and DNA shape who we are, from freckles to taste buds.  

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🧬 DNA: The Science of You (Half Day)

DNA may be what makes Captain America strong and Peter Parker’s spidey senses tingle, but did you know that DNA is also responsible for what makes you uniquely you? Learn how genes and DNA shape who we are, from freckles to taste buds.  

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✏️ Sketch to Screen

Have you ever wondered how your favorite cartoons go from sketch to screen? Find out how SpongeBob and Patrick came to life as you learn to write a story, develop a character, and animate a cartoon! Check out the technology that makes animation possible as you work with Scratch to design your own computer animation.

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💦 Aqua Expedition

What makes rain fall, snowflakes form, and puddles disappear after a storm? Join water in its journey from tiny dewdrops to mighty ocean waves. Try your hand at becoming a real-life water bender with fun hands-on experiments.  

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💦 Aqua Expedition (Half Day)

What makes rain fall, snowflakes form, and puddles disappear after a storm? Join water in its journey from tiny dewdrops to mighty ocean waves. Try your hand at becoming a real-life water bender with fun hands-on experiments.  

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🌊 Ocean Odyssey

Get ready for an ocean-deep dive as you explore under the sea! Zoom through Nemo’s home, identify the real-life versions of Dory and Crush, and explore inventions that create renewable energy using the power of the sea. Is life really better down where it’s wetter? Find out for yourself in Ocean Odyssey! 

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⛓️‍💥 Chain ReACTION

Lights, camera, chain reaction! Work together on one giant contraption as your designs leap off the page to ignite a chain reaction machine! Be a part of a team that sets everything in motion as you all explore the forces that control our world.  

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⛓️‍💥 Chain ReACTION (Half Day)

Lights, camera, chain reaction! Work together on one giant contraption as your designs leap off the page to ignite a chain reaction machine! Be a part of a team that sets everything in motion as you all explore the forces that control our world.  

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🏢 Startup City

Ever wonder how Walt Disney went from farm worker to creating the most magical place on earth? Meet some of the world’s most successful creatives as you learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship. Explore how to design a website, manage finances, and market your brand. Develop a product and build a business plan to create the next great sensation. 

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🧠 Inside-Out Adventure

The processes and systems that make your body work are as complex as they are unique. Explore how your body laughs when you experience joy, what makes your heart thump when you feel fear, and why your stomach gurgles when you feel disgust. There’s a whole family of characters who work together to keep your body running; get ready to meet them on this adventure through the body! 

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🧠 Inside-Out Adventure (Half Day)

The processes and systems that make your body work are as complex as they are unique. Explore how your body laughs when you experience joy, what makes your heart thump when you feel fear, and why your stomach gurgles when you feel disgust. There’s a whole family of characters who work together to keep your body running; get ready to meet them on this adventure through the body! 

Register

👹 Puppet Palooza

Hi ho! Puppet bonanza here! Learn all about character design and performance by constructing your very own puppet. Explore puppetry styles from all around the world as you take a stroll down Sesame Street, wave hello to Pinocchio, and discover the magic of puppetry! 

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🧑‍🚀 Cade Astronaut Academy

Do you have what it takes to graduate from the Cade Astronaut Academy? Gear up and put on your space boots to train like a true Star Lord. Discover the special clothes astronauts wear to stay safe in space, how they travel, and what it’s like to call outer space home sweet home! 

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🧑‍🚀 Cade Astronaut Academy (Half Day)

Do you have what it takes to graduate from the Cade Astronaut Academy? Gear up and put on your space boots to train like a true Star Lord. Discover the special clothes astronauts wear to stay safe in space, how they travel, and what it’s like to call outer space home sweet home! 

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🚀 Mission to Mars

Houston, we have a problem. Can you help save the mission to Mars? Become a regular Han Solo as you train to travel the galaxies and channel your inner explorer. Learn what it takes to become a NASA astronaut and get ready to embark on an intergalactic voyage.  

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Scholarships

We want our camps to be accessible to everyone in our community! Our scholarship program can help cover anywhere from 50%-100% of the cost of our camps.

Applications for Spring Break camp must be received by 11:59 pm on February 13.
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Volunteers

For those ages 18+ that interested in volunteering during a Cade Camp, please email volunteers@cademuseum.org.

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. Campers will also visit Depot Park for lunch and play, weather permitting, and visit the Cade Annex located across the street at 904 South Main Street.

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?

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 as weather permits.

Will my child be required to wear a face mask at camp?

We ask that visitors comply with local and state standards, which can be found here: http://alachua.floridahealth.gov/ & https://www.flgov.com/covid-19/​

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 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 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.

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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