📍 LOCATION, AGES & PRICING

👦 What age/grade levels is camp designed for?

Our camps are designed for students entering:

✅ 4th Grade
✅ 5th Grade
✅ 6th Grade
✅ 7th Grade

We intentionally design activities to work well across this age range while still allowing opportunities for differentiation and challenge.

🧠 What if my child is very advanced for their age?

Perfect! 🎉

Many of our campers are highly creative, gifted, or advanced in STEM-related areas. Because our camp is teacher-led and project-based, we are able to:
✅ Differentiate activities
✅ Provide advanced challenges
✅ Encourage leadership opportunities
✅ Adjust complexity levels as needed

We LOVE students who are passionate about engineering, robotics, coding, Minecraft, science, and creative problem-solving.

😊 What if my child is younger or has little STEM experience?

That is completely okay!

Many campers are beginners, and our teachers are very experienced at:
✅ Breaking down concepts
✅ Supporting all skill levels
✅ Building confidence
✅ Helping students feel successful

No prior STEM experience is required.

📍 Where is camp located?

🏫 Parrish: Harvey Upper Campus (North River Ranch) 

🏫 Lakewood Ranch: Braden River Middle School

The camp uses the SECOND entrance to BRMS (not the entrance shared with Braden River Elementary).

Detailed directions and parking information will be included in your camp information packet.

💲 How much does camp cost?

Standard Camp Hours (9AM–3PM)

💲 $299/week

Wrap Around Care (8AM–4PM)

💲 $375/week

Wrap around care includes:
✅ Morning supervision
✅ Afternoon supervision
✅ Breakfast options
✅ Extended activity time

💳 Do you offer payment plans?

Yes! 😊

We understand summer camps are a large investment for families, so we do offer payment plans through Daily Connect.

💲 Is the $25 registration fee charged every week?

Nope!

The registration fee is:
✅ One-time only
✅ Includes your camp t-shirt

After that, families only pay the weekly tuition cost for additional weeks.

🎟️ Do camps fill up?

YES — many weeks fill completely each summer.

Because we intentionally keep camp sizes smaller for better engagement and supervision, we highly recommend registering early if there are specific weeks your child wants to attend.

📚 CAMP EXPERIENCE & ACTIVITIES

🤔 Will my child get bored if they attend multiple weeks?

Absolutely not!

🎯 Every week is COMPLETELY different with:

• New projects

• Different themes

• Different activities

Many campers attend multiple weeks every summer!

🔁 We attended last year — is it the same?

Nope! We refresh and improve curriculum every year.

We also try to differentiate activities for returning or advanced campers.

Some campers are returning for their THIRD summer! 🎉

🤖 What if my child has never done coding, robotics, or engineering before?

That’s completely okay! 😊

Many campers are beginners, and our activities are designed for ALL experience levels.

We provide:
✅ Step-by-step guidance
✅ Team support
✅ Beginner-friendly instruction
✅ Advanced extensions for experienced students

🧠 Will my child actually learn, or is it mostly just play?

Both! 🎉

Our camps are intentionally designed to combine:

• Fun

• Creativity

• Critical thinking

• Engineering design

• Collaboration

• Problem-solving

Students are constantly learning — they’re just having so much fun they often don’t realize it!

⭐ What makes STEAM Kids different from other camps?

We are not a daycare-style camp or a large franchise.

STEAM Kids is:
✅ Teacher-owned
✅ Led by certified STEM & Engineering educators
✅ Hands-on and project-based ALL DAY
✅ Focused on creativity, engagement, and critical thinking

Our goal is to create an unforgettable summer experience where students feel inspired, challenged, supported, and excited to learn.

💻 SCREEN TIME & TECHNOLOGY

💻 What is your screen time policy?

This is a TECH camp… but we actually believe strongly in screen-time balance.

Campers MAY bring phones:
✅ For emergencies
❌ Not for constant use

Even during Minecraft & Coding weeks:
🎮 Screen time is LIMITED and structured.

The majority of camp is:

• Hands-on

• Collaborative

• Engineering focused

• Creative

• Active

☀️ DAILY CAMP LIFE

🎒 What should my child bring to camp each day?

Please bring:
✅ Shelf-stable lunch
✅ Refillable water bottle
✅ Comfortable clothing
✅ Safe shoes for movement and activities

Optional:

• Extra snack

• Small sweater/jacket if your child gets cold indoors

We provide all STEM materials and supplies.

🥵 Do campers get breaks throughout the day?

Absolutely.

Students have:
✅ Snack breaks
✅ Brain breaks
✅ Movement breaks
✅ Social time
✅ Outdoor time when appropriate

We believe balance is important for student success and enjoyment.

☀️ OUTDOOR TIME

We DO go outside at times for:

• Nature activities

• Engineering challenges

• Brain breaks

• Supervised play

However, due to Florida heat, outdoor time is limited during the hottest parts of the day.

Thankfully, our classroom is HUGE and allows for lots of movement and activities indoors!

📅 REGISTRATION & SCHEDULING

💲 Is the $25 registration fee charged every week?

Nope!

The registration fee is:
✅ One-time only
✅ Includes the camp shirt

After that, you only pay weekly camp tuition.

🔄 Can I switch camp weeks later if our summer plans change?

We understand summer schedules can change unexpectedly. We do have a 14 day cancellation policy.

If space is available, we will absolutely try our best to accommodate schedule changes. However, some weeks fill quickly and availability cannot always be guaranteed.

 Do you still hold camp on Fridays, July 4th, and June-teenth?

YES! 🎉

We receive special permission to continue camp on Fridays and holidays because we know many parents still work. There are times where a location change may happen (to the local library or a local hotel) but we will notify parents prior to the week of camp.

❤️ HEALTH & SUPPORT

🩺 What if my child has allergies, medications, or special accommodations?

Please communicate any:

• Allergies

• Medications

• Sensory needs

• Behavioral supports

• Accommodations

ahead of time so we can best support your child and help them have a successful camp experience.

👩‍🏫 STAFF & SUPERVISION

👩‍🏫 Who teaches the camps?

One of the things that makes us unique:

⭐ ALL camps are taught by certified Manatee County STEM/Engineering teachers.

This means:
✅ Strong classroom management
✅ Safety training
✅ High-quality instruction
✅ Engaging experiences

We also carefully select high school volunteers who:

• Apply formally

• Receive teacher recommendations

• Interview with us

• Work well with children

🛡️ CAMPER SAFETY

Safety is ALWAYS our #1 priority.

Teachers provide:
✅ Safety instruction
✅ Supervision at all times
✅ Clear communication with families

We communicate ALL incidents — physical or emotional.

😊 What if my child is shy or nervous about camp?

This is VERY common, especially on Monday mornings!

Our teachers are experienced classroom educators who intentionally help students:

• Feel included

• Make friends

• Build confidence

• Feel safe and welcomed

By the end of the week, many campers don’t want to leave! ❤️

👯 Can friends stay together?

Most of the time 😊! We LOVE buddy groups.

We will pair friends together whenever possible while also encouraging new friendships.