Superheroes

July 5-7 |  9am-12pm 
Limit 32 people (16 kids/16 adults)  |  $85/child 

Defy the laws of nature during this extraordinary camp experience for super kids! Create secret identities, earn superpowers, and lead rescue missions while testing your strength of body and mind. Don your capes and masks to save the day!

Kids, your favorite +1 adult is welcome to join you at camp so you can have twice the fun!

Sticky Icky

August 7-8 |  9am-12pm 
Limit 32 people (16 kids/16 adults)  |  $60/child 

Put on your goggles and get ready for some chemistry fun! Mix up some ooey, gooey slime and learn about icky substances found in nature!  Discover chemical reactions using your senses and clean up with some slippery soap bubble experiments. 

Kids, your favorite +1 adult is welcome to join you at camp so you can have twice the fun!

Blast Off

August 9-11 |  9am-12pm 
Limit 32 people (16 kids/16 adults)  |  $85/child 

Set your eyes to the skies and get to know the mysteries of outer space. Explore the worlds of our solar system, discover Mars, and launch a rocket that will make any astronaut proud!

Kids, your favorite +1 adult is welcome to join you at camp so you can have twice the fun!

Earn Your Wings

June 19-23  |  9am-12pm
Limit 24 people  |  $130/child

Take to the skies as you learn all about the science of flight. Young pilots will fly kites, gliders, and airplanes, and even get a chance to sit in some of the Air Zoo’s aircraft! Get ready to defy gravity and go up, up, and away!

Space Voyage

June 26-30  |  1pm-4pm
Limit 24 people  |  $130/child

Become an astronaut in training and get ready to launch into space! Explore the solar system and see the planets and stars in the STARLAB planetarium. Experience what it would be like on the moon by making craters and simulating the feeling of a moon walk. Design a paper rocket and launch a variety of rockets into the sky. 3…2…1…Blast off!

Animal Expedition

July 17-21 | 9am-12pm
Limit 24 people  |  $130/child

Be amazed by animal superpowers and learn about creatures that slither, fly, creep and run and in this wild camp. Get up close and personal with a live animal visitor and hunt for butterflies and other critters on the AirZoo campus. 

Earn Your Wings

August 7-11  |  1pm - 4pm
Limit 24 people  |  $130/child

Take to the skies as you learn all about the science of flight. Young pilots will fly kites, gliders, and airplanes, and even get a chance to sit in some of the Air Zoo’s aircraft! Get ready to defy gravity and go up, up, and away!

Space Voyage

August 21-25  |  9am-12pm
Limit 24 people  |  $130/child

Become an astronaut in training and get ready to launch into space! Explore the solar system and see the planets and stars in the STARLAB planetarium. Experience what it would be like on the moon by making craters and simulating the feeling of a moon walk. Design a paper rocket and launch a variety of rockets into the sky. 3…2…1…Blast off!

Coding Expedition

June 12-16 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Maximum 16 | $130/student

Set off on your first big coding adventure! Navigate the exhibit floor following a code from your friends and learn the basics of communicating with computers. Explore concepts like the “land of loops” and the "fields of if/then” and use block coding to pilot one of the Air Zoo’s Sphero robots through increasingly exciting obstacles along your fantastical journey!

Design and Destroy

June 26-30 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Try your hand at design and architecture and create your own awe-inspiring structures. Explore the science of shape as you plan, build, and test your constructions to see how much strain they can take before they crumble and discover the fatal flaws of structures throughout history.

Mission Possible

July 5-7 | 9:00am-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Campers will have the opportunity to explore a different science theme each day.

July 5- Space Science Adventurer- Get ready to explore outer space! Discover the planets up close in the Air Zoo’s STARLAB planetarium, and gaze at the moon and stars. Make a model solar system, learn about life as an astronaut, and imagine what life may be like on another planet!

July 6- Good Vibrations - Let’s make some noise at the Air Zoo! We will create some beautiful music together while we investigate the science of sound. Experience the vibrations that cause sound waves with tuning forks, rubber bands, thunder tubes, and more. Practice your pitch, volume, and rhythm with musical water glasses, drums, and Boomwhackers. Then put what you’ve learned to great “effect” by replacing some of the sound effects in a musical movie.

July 7- Sci-Fi Stars - Celebrate star science and star stories! Be wowed by constellations and nebulas in the AirZoo’s STARLAB planetarium. Learn about the birth, life, and death of stars, get a space telescope’s view of the universe, and explore the mystery of black holes. Hear star stories from cultures around the world and then write and illustrate your own star story. 

Test Pilot

July 10-14 | 1:00pm-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Train like a real test pilot while exploring aviation design, stealth capability, and drone technology through a series of exciting engineering challenges! Learn about the science behind how our beloved airplanes fly!

Design and Destroy

July 24-28 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Try your hand at design and architecture and create your own awe-inspiring structures. Explore the science of shape as you plan, build, and test your constructions to see how much strain they can take before they crumble and discover the fatal flaws of structures throughout history.

Coding Expedition

July 31-August 4 | 1:00pm-4:00pm
Maximum 16 | $130/student

Set off on your first big coding adventure! Navigate the exhibit floor following a code from your friends and learn the basics of communicating with computers. Explore concepts like the “land of loops” and the "fields of if/then” and use block coding to pilot one of the Air Zoo’s Sphero robots through increasingly exciting obstacles along your fantastical journey!

Test Pilot

August 14-18 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Train like a real test pilot while exploring aviation design, stealth capability, and drone technology through a series of exciting engineering challenges! Learn about the science behind how our beloved airplanes fly!

Exploration Space

June 19-23 | 9:00am-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $220/student

Ignite your love of science with cutting-edge experiences using the Air Zoo’s STARLAB planetarium, rocket building and launching, and solar observing! Discover the latest space missions to the Moon and planets, build a rover to drop on Mars, and train like a real astronaut!

Science Detectives

June 26-30 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

Learn all about the science that goes into solving a mystery! Put your logic and deduction to the test as you analyze crime scenes, look for clues, and investigate evidence that is left behind.

Lego Robotics -  Bash Bots

July 10-14 | 1:00pm-5:00pm
Maximum 16 | $160/student

Design, build, and program a Lego robot to complete daily challenges. Use your creativity in modifying your robot design to navigate a maze, play a song, and push your opponent off a challenge mat! Invite your family to be spectators at the final showdown on Friday afternoon! Note: Campers do not get to keep the Lego robot.

Mission Possible

July 17-21 | 9:00am-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $220/student

Campers will have the opportunity to explore a different science theme each day.

July 17- Diabolical Derby- Work as a team to develop the ultimate derby track and challenge others to race their cars through this unique course. Learn how design and engineering can streamline automobiles, making them more powerful and safer to drive. Create your own derby design and try your hand at piloting an RC car.  

July 18- All Hands on Deck- How do pilots take off and land airplanes on the short deck of an aircraft carrier?  Discover the secrets used by Naval aviators, like ‘Top Gun’s Maverick’, as you modify model aircraft for specific missions.  Perform the duties of the Deck Crew as your team launches our F-14 Tomcat and F-8 Crusader off the deck of the USS Kitty Hawk!

July 19- Electric Laboratory - Experience working with electric circuits by learning how a telegraph uses electromagnets. Create your own telegraph design and practice Morse code. Discover how electric generators and motors work using magnets, and then make your own!   

July 20- Game Master! - Roll those dice, shuffle those cards, and move your pawn here to the Air Zoo for an awesome fun day of exploring board games and toys! Learn the science behind a yoyo and try board games you may have never heard of or played before! Get creative in making your own world as we investigate tabletop role playing games!

July 21 Citizen Science Superheroes- You can be part of scientific investigations for real world research projects through people powered exploration. Researchers need the help of citizen science superheroes like YOU to identify animals from space imagery, discover new exoplanets and more! Data you discover and contribute to citizen science projects are used by researchers to make fascinating discoveries that couldn't happen without the power of crowd-sourced collaboration.

Future Engineers

July 24-28 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

What will engineering look like in the future? Explore futuristic innovations like solar panels, wind turbines, moving sculptures, and more. Try your hand at engineering your own creations to solve real world current and future problems.

Minecraft Mastermind

July 31 - August 4 | 9:00am-12:00pm
Maximum 16 | $130/student

Have you ever wondered how robots work or how to communicate with them? Jump in and learn about coding with us! Explore different coding languages, and how we use them to help us accomplish tasks that we humans can't do alone.  We'll dive into the Minecraft Education platform, and also program Sphero robots for fun challenges.

Kitchen Chemistry

August 7-11 | 9:00am-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $220/student

What happens when you mix a little bit of this with a whole lot of that? Find out in this fun and potentially messy camp! Experiment with the properties of matter and test various ingredients to create cool chemical reactions.

Lego Robotics - Challenge

August 14-18 | 1:00pm-5:00pm
Maximum 16 | $160/student

Work with teammates to complete challenges from FIRST Lego League’s Superpowered Challenge. Superpowered explores energy of the future, where our engery comes from and the impact of our energy choices. Introductory experience with Lego Robotics or familiarity with block programing is needed before enrolling, as this camp will focus on more sophisticated programming and complex problem-solving. Invite your family to be spectators at the final challenge on Friday afternoon! Note: Campers do not get to keep the Lego robot.

Future Engineers

August 21-25 | 1:00pm-4:00pm
Maximum 24 | $130/student

What will engineering look like in the future? Explore futuristic innovations like solar panels, wind turbines, moving sculptures, and more. Try your hand at engineering your own creations to solve real world current and future problems.

Minecraft Mastermind

June 12-16 | 1:00pm-4:00pm

Maximum 16 | $130/student

Have you ever wondered how robots work or how to communicate with them? Jump in and learn about coding with us! Explore different coding languages, and how we use them to help us accomplish tasks that we humans can't do alone.  We'll dive into the Minecraft Education platform, and also program Sphero robots for fun challenges.

Lego Robotics - Bash Bots

June 19-23 | 1:00pm-5:00pm

Maximum 16 | $160/student

Design, build, and program a Lego robot to complete daily challenges. Use your creativity in modifying your robot design to navigate a maze, play a song, and push your opponent off a challenge mat! Invite your family to be spectators at the final showdown on Friday afternoon! Note: Campers do not get to keep the Lego robot.

A in STEAM

July 10-14 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Maximum 12 | $250/student

Join the Air Zoo and several of the art studios in the Park Trades Center in downtown Kalamazoo to explore the A in STEAM! Each day will be a new experience in creating different types of art and discovering the importance of art and creativity in our world!
Monday: Intro to Art
What is art? Why is it important? Get in touch with your creative side and explore the elements of art including color, line, texture, and shape. Campers will also begin a 3-dimensional project they will work on all week. This day takes place at the Air Zoo.
Tuesday: Glass Art and Papermaking - at Park Trades Center  
Campers will spend the morning with Glass Art Kalamazoo to learn the art of glass. Campers will create their own fused glass decorative tiles and glass pendants. The afternoon will be spent at the Kalamazoo Book Arts Center where campers will make handmade paper to begin their own journal making project. This day takes place at the Park Trades Center.
Wednesday: Collaborative Art
Time to collaborate with your fellow artists to create some awesome art! Put your very own stamp on the Air Zoo with a collaborative project that will hang in the lobby for all to see! Plus, see what happens when you add a little bit of creativity from everyone on one canvas. This day takes place at the Air Zoo.
Thursday: Glass Art and Printmaking- at Park Trades Center
Campers will start the morning with a glass blowing demo before continuing their creations from Tuesday. In the afternoon they will return to Kalamazoo Book Arts Center to discover printmaking and continue their homemade journal. This day takes place at the Park Trades Center.
Friday: Dimensional Art
Explore the world of 3-dimensional art! Create a variety of sculptural pieces out of common household materials. Campers will also complete their handmade journal from Kalamazoo Book Arts, and wrap up the sculpture and collaborative project they’ve been working on all week! This day takes place at the Air Zoo.

Notes:

On Tuesday and Thursday campers are to be dropped off and picked up at the Park Trades Center rather than at the Air Zoo.

On Tuesday and Thursday campers must bring a SACK LUNCH. Weather permitting, they will walk with the camp staff to Bronson Park for a picnic lunch.

Minecraft Mastermind

July 24-28 | 9:00am-12:00pm

Maximum 16 | $130/student

Have you ever wondered how robots work or how to communicate with them? Jump in and learn about coding with us! Explore different coding languages, and how we use them to help us accomplish tasks that we humans can't do alone.  We'll dive into the Minecraft Education platform, and also program Sphero robots for fun challenges.

Forensic Investigations

July 31 - August 4 | 9:00am-4:00pm

Maximum 24 | $220/student

Learn how forensic scientists and crime scene investigators analyze evidence. Understand how science can shed light on mysteries by exploring fingerprinting, understanding DNA, analyzing trace evidence, and investigating clues left behind.

Lego Robotics - Cargo Connect Challenge

August 21-25 | 1:00pm-5:00pm

Maximum 16 | $160/student

Work with teammates to complete challenges from FIRST Lego League’s Cargo Connect Challenge. Cargo Connect explores the ins and outs of infrastrucutre - how cargo is transported, sorted, and delivered on time! Introductory experience with Lego Robotics or familiarity with block programing is needed before enrolling, as this camp will focus on more sophisticated programming and complex problem-solving. Invite your family to be spectators at the final challenge on Friday afternoon! Note: Campers do not get to keep the Lego robot.

Aviation Technology (Ages 13 to 18)

Aug. 16 - 17 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Maximum 24 | $80/student

Work with the Air Zoo’s professional restoration crew and learn just what it takes to bring aircraft closer to exhibit condition. Learn skills such as riveting, wing building and covering, safety wiring, and cable swaging. Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the Flight Discovery Center while learning about WWII airplanes recovered from the bottom of Lake Michigan and the F-117 stealth aircraft!