I'm looking into summer camp options for DS and Camp Invention seems right up his alley. I wondered if anyone had been there to give a review? Also, the site states they place according to age but he gradeskipped & would prefer to be in that group. Just wondered if anyone had experience w/that?
If there are any other recommendations, I'd love to hear them.
Two of my three kids have gone to Camp Invention and the third will be going for the first time this summer, and they have really enjoyed it. I don't know how it's done nationwide, but here, kids are grouped according to grade, not age. My DD8 was gradeskipped this fall and was placed with the higher grade group in August. Here it is grouped 1st through 3rd and 4th through 6th (the grade they will be entering into in the fall).
Like I said, my kids have loved it. My kids are the type to collect recyclables and junk and create inventions with it anyway, so this is right up their alley. Every year there are different modules that are worked on during the week and all involve creativity, problem solving, and fun. One year my son designed amusement park games in one module. Another year my kids built different viking ships to sail across the sea (a small pool) and in the process learned about both the vikings and ship design. And always there is a module where the kids bring in a used appliance, take it apart, and then build something new with it. To us, it's a great learning experience and a fun way to spend a week in the summer.
If I were you, I would look into having your son in the group into which he has gradeskipped. If his school has deemed him academically and socially mature enough to be in that grade, then CI should also.
MON is right. The inventions they make usually don't work, and they do require that you remove cords and glass from the appliances you bring in. I could definitely see that this could be disappointing to some kids, while others don't mind.
I was planning on signing dd up this summer. Now, I'm not sure,
My son went last summer and begged to go again every week! We didn't let him go but have already signed him up for this summer. Ours is at his elementary school and they group by grade in the fall.
Yes, he did have to take apart an electronics object. He did a VCR. He was allowed to use anything on the inside he wanted. They were just not allowed to actually put any power to their inventions. He wasn't bothered at all and he made a Mars Rover prototype that he plans on building "for real life when he's in college. "
I loved the creative problem solving they did in the other units beyond the take-apart section. It was well worth every penny and one of the best camps he's been to.
DS did it at age 8 and was disappointed. He has always collected junk and made his own creations, some of them useful. That's all they did in this class. There are several different classes, but the one DS did was making something that didn't work. It was just a model. They took apart old electronics and used the casing, but not the electronics.
At age 7, I think, DS13 also felt that this was one of the worst summer camp weeks of his life for this very reason - he really had expected to make working inventions. He came close to staging a 'Gandhi - Style' sit down strike on the playground after recess on the 2nd to last day. I was so relieved with that week was over.
The camp is run by local site directors, and my guess is that the leader makes a huge difference in how the camp is run. Also, my DS7 didn't really understand about 'prototypes' at the time, and their role in the development process. He had just come off of his least-accommodated year ever, and can be rather literal.
I love hearing that other kids have loved this camp.
Grinity
GREAT question...we have been searching high and low for a camp in our area and we came across Camp Invention that will be offered at a local school...I was wondering just how good it was...we wish we could afford the awesome computer programming camp at Rollins this summer but we don't have over $500.00 for a week long summer camp!
Thanks for the replies! Despite the mixed reviews (which I also got when searching online) I think we'll try it & hope for the best. I do agree that the mgmt & teachers probably make a huge difference.
His sister is going to her first sleep away camp w/a friend. I'm trying to find him a good day camp that week & the lego robotics camp at the local college is already full.
Isn't it amazing the summer camp options can get fulled up by late February? I had to mark my calendar for Jan 1 to request catalogs and make down payments.
Sometimes YMCA camps will have 'lego week' or lego robotics as an activity option. Keep asking around Steph and good luck!
Grinity
Another vote in favor of CI. My son has gone the last two years and he loves it. The "take-apart" project is really more creative then technical, and while that is what brought us to the camp originally (my son is a "builder"), he actually enjoyed some of the other modules even more - and learned good social skills with the cooperative games and projects, which is really nice.
He has gone to 2 different locations, and will actually end up in a third location this summer (this is just because of scheduling for each summer). The locations can vary - his first summer was more organized, but the staff was less engaged. Last summer the high school helpers were really great.
He told me he wanted to go at least another 2 years - we will see if it continues to hold him (he is 8 this summer).
Cat
Just found this and am bumping it up!
My son went for the first time this year and he said it was boring and didn't want to return on day 3. Not going back next year.
DS11 went to one when he was eight and didn't like it. He would rather have been building the whole time than do all the activities, and the counselor he had was really more of a "babysitter" and didn't know much about building or electronics. Like OP, he also was disappointed in the not-working aspect of things.
Ugh.... My DS just did it in PA. He liked it well enough and enjoyed it for the most part. And I believe it COULD be very good... BUT I was pretty unhappy with what I observed. I never saw an adult it was middle-schoolers (12 year olds - I am not kidding) running the entire thing. It was chaotic and poorly run. DS said he and another kid did the projects while the others in his group did nothing yet at the "Inventor's Showcase" (which was a chaotic free-for-all, btw) random kids just ran in and took the inventions before us parents could even see the projects DS worked on. He was HEARTBROKEN. Honestly, it was WAY too expensive of a camp to only have middle schoolers running it and for it to be so poorly run. I gave them plenty of critisism on their survey/feedback form. Unless they do so major changes, I'll never send to DS to one again. Basically, like a previous poster said - it's just a bunch of middle-schoolers babysitting - not a real educational/creative experience. HTH!
Your experience is going to vary depending on the location. I have an education doctorate and I was looking forward to having my children enroll. Never again.
Essentially, the "home office" contracts with local areas and hires staff part-time. It's a "nationally acclaimed" program just like products are sold "as seen on TV". In Munster, Indiana, it's all about the money. You may or may not have people with a science background. My children were told to destroy (not take apart) the take-apart items - which I wasn't expecting.
The first day, I was told a refund would be issued if I did not continue to bring my children. I agreed and did not bring my children. The home office "changed their tune" and the local PT's refused to return my calls. It's all about the money - once they have it - you can forget it. This is a summer scam much like the other various summer scams (want a good deal on getting your driveway sealcoated?).
Our 10 year old went last year and really enjoyed it. We signed him and a friend up almost two months ago, for a session scheduled for next week. Just got an email that the camp is cancelled (one week notice) ; my friend was told they only had 13 (!) kids, hence the cancellation. Not only are the boys terribly disappointed, but we now have two working moms with no child care scrambling over the next 4 days to find a solution. Terrible customer service- we won't ever be doing this again.
My DS9 is signed up to go for this third time this summer. He went the past two years (this year he'll be in the 4th-6th group). They mix small groups of variable ages -- so you don't just have a team of third graders. Our first time was in another school district that had a lot of experience and a massive total group. He enjoyed it, but he did complain at first that the inventions weren't real -- but he embraced the prototype idea after that. He struggled a bit with the group being very loud when all together (same as during school). He also is a collector of all his creations, so I was impressed that he was okay with how his small group determined who got to take home which creations at the end.
Last year, it was offered at our local school, and new to our district. Definitely had a few kinks to work out, but the smaller size group was much better, far less chaotic.
DS has watched the demo videos about this year's modules and is already thinking about what's to come, and we're collecting random bits of reusable and recyclables in anticipation (things like worn out girls tights are oddly helpful when making inventions that move mechanically). He loves making things.
DD7 tried it last year (when rising to grade 1) and did not want to go again this summer. She said she did not like being directed, and wanted more time to create freely, as well as more help with the tools (loosening things) in the take-apart challenge.
For the price, for the amount of time they spend together, I think it's been worth it, but it sounds like it depends on the school. DS now has the opportunity to take some GT stuff, but the bulk of it happens during the same week we signed up for CI, or when we're traveling, which I didn't realize when we signed up. But those GT classes are twice as expensive anyway, so maybe next year. :-)