EXPLORE: Camps & classes for kids
By Sofia Legaspi Dickens
Kids cooped up? With school out, summer activities can be a lifesaver for parents and guardians. We’ve compiled a list of day camps around the Des Moines area. Sign up soon — slots fill up quickly.
CLASS ACT PRODUCTIONS
201 First Ave. S., Altoona
captheatre.org/summer
Covering all aspects of theater through games, dance, activities, projects and design.
CLIMB IOWA
3605 S.E. Miehe Drive, Grimes
climbiowa.com/grimes/youth/camps
Kids will learn more than rock climbing at these camps. Through interactive games and activities, they’ll also learn the value of teamwork, trust and problem-solving. Climb Iowa offers weekly sessions of two different camps:
DES MOINES ART CENTER
4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines
desmoinesartcenter.org/classes
The Art Center offers summer camps for children of all ages, with many art forms to choose from: comic books, clay, manga, fantasy art, figure drawing and painting, fashion illustration, cartooning, abstract sculpture, printmaking, magical mixed media, character creations — and that’s not even all of it. Visit website for a full list of offerings and registration information.
LIVING HISTORY FARMS
11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale
lhf.org/events-and-programs/day-camps
Living History Farms offers multiple sessions for each age group, focusing on different aspects of culture, nature and history. Visit website for full schedule:
REAL FOOD 4 KIDS
1139 24th St., Des Moines
realfood4kids.com
Camps are four days of two-hour cooking classes for ages 6 and older. Kids make recipes as a group, enjoy their creation at the end of the day and take home recipes and leftovers. Offering 10 sessions this summer focusing on three areas:
SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
401 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Des Moines
sciowa.org/education/camps
If your little ones are interested in STEM, they’ll love the Science Center’s summer camps. The list of options is enormous, but includes architecture, game coding and animal biology, just to name a few. For children entering preschool through eighth grade. See website for details.
Kids cooped up? With school out, summer activities can be a lifesaver for parents and guardians. We’ve compiled a list of day camps around the Des Moines area. Sign up soon — slots fill up quickly.
CLASS ACT PRODUCTIONS
201 First Ave. S., Altoona
captheatre.org/summer
Covering all aspects of theater through games, dance, activities, projects and design.
- July 11-15: Summer Shorts Camp, ages 8-14
- July 11-15: Circus Camp, ages 6-12
- July 18-22: Storytelling Comes to Life, ages 6-12
- July 18-22: Hogwarts Camp, ages 9-14
- July 25-29: Tech Titans Camp, ages 11-18
- July 25-29: The Actor’s Toolbox, ages 9-14
CLIMB IOWA
3605 S.E. Miehe Drive, Grimes
climbiowa.com/grimes/youth/camps
Kids will learn more than rock climbing at these camps. Through interactive games and activities, they’ll also learn the value of teamwork, trust and problem-solving. Climb Iowa offers weekly sessions of two different camps:
- Ages 4-7: Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to noon
- Ages 8-12: Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
DES MOINES ART CENTER
4700 Grand Ave., Des Moines
desmoinesartcenter.org/classes
The Art Center offers summer camps for children of all ages, with many art forms to choose from: comic books, clay, manga, fantasy art, figure drawing and painting, fashion illustration, cartooning, abstract sculpture, printmaking, magical mixed media, character creations — and that’s not even all of it. Visit website for a full list of offerings and registration information.
LIVING HISTORY FARMS
11121 Hickman Road, Urbandale
lhf.org/events-and-programs/day-camps
Living History Farms offers multiple sessions for each age group, focusing on different aspects of culture, nature and history. Visit website for full schedule:
- Kindergarten: Busy Bees, Farm Life
- 1st grade: Visiting the Past
- 2nd grade: Kids in History, Get Up and Grow
- 3rd grade: Time Travelers, Technology Through the Years
- 4th grade: Outdoor Explorers, People of Iowa
- 5th grade: Celebrations Then and Now, Iowa’s Natural Resources
- 6th-7th grade: Power, Victorian Garden Party
- 7th-8th grade: Deer Run, Adventures of Lewis and Clark
REAL FOOD 4 KIDS
1139 24th St., Des Moines
realfood4kids.com
Camps are four days of two-hour cooking classes for ages 6 and older. Kids make recipes as a group, enjoy their creation at the end of the day and take home recipes and leftovers. Offering 10 sessions this summer focusing on three areas:
- June: Baking Bonanza
- July: Chef Camp
- August: Back-to-School Dinners the Kids Can Make!
SCIENCE CENTER OF IOWA
401 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Des Moines
sciowa.org/education/camps
If your little ones are interested in STEM, they’ll love the Science Center’s summer camps. The list of options is enormous, but includes architecture, game coding and animal biology, just to name a few. For children entering preschool through eighth grade. See website for details.