It’s never too early to start the search for interesting and fun summer camps for kids. Across Pittsburgh there’s a variety of specialized summer camps, covering numerous topics and interests.
PITTSBURGH ZOO & AQUARIUM
Spend a wild week exploring some of the most amazing creatures on the planet at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s Zoo Camp programs. The week-long camps are packed with animal encounters, exclusive tours, exciting classroom lessons, crafts and more. Program themes, such as Wild Destinations, Creating Wild Spaces and Photos for Conservation, are designed to be engaging for each age group.
Prices vary with half-day and full-day options. Discounted rates and a presale are available for zoo members.
“It is our hope that providing children with a fun Zoo Camp experience with unique hands-on opportunities will reinforce their natural love of animals, help them to develop a deeper respect for the world around them and promote a lifelong interest in conservation,” said Jenn Torpie, vice president of education and community engagement.
For more information, visit www.pittsburghzoo.org.
SEWICKLEY ACADEMY
Sewickley Academy’s Summer Programs offer a robust variety of enriching and impactful programs through visual and performing arts, technology, athletics and academics. The programs run for seven weeks throughout the summer, including half and full-day options.
The half-day programs are offered at $235 for students in Pre-K through fifth grade, $335 for middle and senior school students and $1,200 for senior school credit courses.
“We sincerely hope the children will foster their creativity and imagination, challenge their minds and expand their knowledge,” said Delaney Beaver, director of summer and after school programs at Sewickley Academy. “And most importantly, we encourage the students to cherish the moments that they make with their friends and instructors.”
Check out more on the academy’s website by visiting
SWEETWATER CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Located in Sewickley, the Sweetwater Center for the Arts hosts a variety of year-round classes for all ages. For summer camps, children and teenagers of all levels are welcome to join classes focusing on visual, literary, music and culinary arts. Specific courses for visual arts camps include ceramics, drawing, painting, mixed media, metalsmithing, 3D animation and other STEAM-based programs.
Culinary camps are also available throughout the summer. Children and teens will learn kid-friendly cooking skills, as well as the cultural origins of the foods they are learning to prepare. Culinary camps start at $245 for the week, and new information will be posted in March.
“We strive to teach cultural education, personal empowerment and positive reinforcement for each attendee and the other students they are cooking with,” said Andrew Alvarez, culinary coordinator at Sweetwater Center for the Arts. “Knowing that people from different communities and backgrounds can come together and achieve amazing things is a selfless service. This positive energy should be shared and helps grow the confidence of students.”
Visit https://sweetwaterartcenter.org which will be updated with pricing and more information this spring.
CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF ART
This summer, Carnegie Museum of Art’s summer camps will focus on the Museum of Art’s exhibitions with broader offerings in the mediums of photography and ceramics. Additionally, the museum will collaborate with experts at Carnegie Museum of Natural History to bolster camps with STEAM components. Programs for high school students will have an emphasis on helping burgeoning artists deepen their personal art practices, while also exploring the many ways to pursue opportunities in creative fields post-graduation.
Full-day camps will be $325 for Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Members, and $350 for non-members. Scholarships will also be available.
“Summer camps at Carnegie Museum of Art provide young artists with the opportunity to engage in active, exploratory and creative experiences using the museum and its collection as inspiration. Our camps aim to build the confidence, problem-solving skills and curiosity of children of all abilities by encouraging them to explore their own interests and experiment with new materials and techniques. All camper projects are built around our belief that creativity arises naturally through playful experimentation,” said Jena Schieb, manager of youth programs at the Carnegie Museum of Art.
Visit https://carnegieart.org for more details.
PITTSBURGH PARKS CONSERVANCY
Explore all that nature has to offer at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy summer camps. These age-specific programs take place in Frick Park for four-to-five days and are led by Parks Conservancy educators. Children and teens are encouraged to learn, play and grow in the city’s biggest classrooms: parks. Activities focus on connecting and engaging with nature, including hikes and camping skills for the older kids and planting seeds and more interactive outdoor games for the younger kids.
Prices for four-day camps start at $144 and $180 for five-day camps. Visit https://pittsburghparks.org for the breakdown of each camp.
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