Spring Break Camp
At Thinkery – Meredith Learning Lab
Spring Break Fun in Mueller
Thinkery Camp is where learning happens through play, and kids have a whole lot of fun doing it! Whether it’s by using REAL TOOLS, engaging in HANDS-ON TECHNOLOGY, or getting our hands dirty with MESSY MAKING, we’re on a mission to Keep Austin Playful. And we can’t wait to have your camper join us for the ride!
Camp Location: Thinkery – Meredith Learning Lab
Camp date: March 17 – March 21
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 5th Grade
Camp Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 3 PM
Aftercare: No aftercare is available
Pricing: Member Price – $385; Standard Price – $425
Open Registration Dates:
Scholarship – January 14 | Member – January 20 | General Public – January 27
Did you know? Thinkery Members get first access to camp sign-up AND save 10% on all camps!
Join today to Learn, Play, and Save—and unlock a year of playful possibilities.
Spring Break Camps
Messy Makers
Grade: Kindergarten – 2rd Grade
Get ready for a week packed with hands-on experiments, creative projects, and exciting STEAM learning—don’t worry, we’ll handle the cleanup!
Your young scientist will:
- Dive into the scientific method by asking big questions like, “What if?”
- Explore messy science concepts through playful activities.
- Use critical thinking to determine cause and effect for various activities like slime making, bottle rockets, paint pendulums, and more!
It’s the perfect blend of discovery and fun, designed to ignite curiosity and bring science to life through play.
Let’s Play: Game Design
Grade: 3th grade – 5th grade
This week is all about games, creativity, and collaboration!
Your camper will:
- Play board, card, and field games while exploring the rules and components of game design.
- Get an introduction to video game design and coding, sparking curiosity in digital creation.
- Use tools, hands-on technology, and problem-solving skills to design and build their own games in small groups.
It’s a dynamic week of learning and play, perfect for young innovators ready to level up their creativity and teamwork!
FAQs
Pricing and Registration Information
What is the price of Thinkery Camp?
Thinker Member Price – $385
General Public Price – $425
(Learn more about how to become a Member)
Full payment is required at the time of registration to secure your child’s spot in camp.
What is included in the price of my child’s Thinkery Camp?
Your camp registration includes 30 hours of Thinkery Camp fun and learning, including hands-on activities and access to the museum exhibits.
Can I transfer my Thinkery Camp session to a different camper?
No. The camp you sign up for is uniquely yours. Sessions are not transferable to other campers.
What happens if the Thinkery Camp I want is full?
You will know a Thinkery Camp session is at capacity when there is no option to select a paid reservation on the website. You will have the option to select to be notified when camp spots become available.
Once camps are filled, a weekly email will be sent to those who select to be notified of any camp openings. Registration from that email notification will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. We cannot guarantee that spots will remain open.
Cancellation Policy
Camp fees include a $80 non-refundable fee. Refunds (minus the $75 non-refundable fee) are given for cancellations made at least two weeks prior to your camp start date.
No refunds will be given for cancellations made less than two weeks in advance of the start date of your camp. If your child is unable to attend, the cost of your camp will be converted into a tax-deductible donation to the museum.
If you are registered for camp and need to change weeks or sessions, there will be a $50 administrative fee once the change is approved. This request must be made at least two weeks prior to the date of the camp.
If the camp you are registered for is canceled due to low enrollment or health and safety-mandated closure, you will be refunded your full tuition payment.
The Thinkery Camp Experience
How do you handle the grade distinction?
The grades posted for each camp indicate the grade level your child is currently in.
Thinkery’s Spring Break Camp is broken into two age groups: 4 – 6 year olds & 7 – 9 year olds.
What does Thinkery’s Camp Experience look like in action?
At Thinkery, we like to story tell about our experiences. Here is an example of what our Camp experience might look like in action with a space theme.
One the first day of Camp, educators will lead campers in games, activities, and conversations to learn about excites them most about space. After learning that they are the most interested in space travel the rest of the week will be led by a prompt with corresponding activities like:
Educators present campers with an “email” from NASA asking them to complete tasks for an upcoming mission to Mars. This prompt would serve as the spark that will launch kids’ creative expression!
Real Tools: Campers might use felting machines or embroidery to create a patch for their space mission, inspired by NASA’s patches from the Apollo missions.
Hand-on Technology: Campers might code using Ozobots to plot the course through the solar system, avoiding asteroids and other obstacles.
Messing Making: Campers might make and study the slime of the extraterrestrials.
In addition to these playful activities, campers will explore Thinkery galleries throughout the day! There will also be intentional time for indoor and outdoor free play and friendship making!
What camper accommodations do you offer?
To the extent reasonably possible, Thinkery Camps will make every reasonable effort to serve campers who require special attention or consideration.
If you are interested in enrolling a child with a disability and may need reasonable accommodations to participate, please contact the Camp Management team (contact information below). Thinkery requests sufficient notice, when possible, to give time to arrange the accommodation. This will allow us to set up a meeting to discuss our program, any restrictions or specific needs the camper may have, and determine what reasonable accommodations can be put in place to best support your child. Reasonable accommodations are available to campers with disabilities so long as the accommodation does not create an undue hardship for Thinkery and can be provided without posing a substantial or imminent safety risk. We also welcome camper aides but require all aides who attend camp to complete a background check before camp begins.
Additionally, if your child has any other care needs (behavioral, medical, etc.), allergies, or any other needs you would like to discuss, please contact the Camp Management Team to discuss their needs as soon as possible. We want to prepare Thinkery Camp staff and educators in advance so we can make your child’s camp experience as safe as possible.
Camps Team Contact Information: thinkerycamps@thinkeryaustin.org
Health & Safety Guidelines
If your child is sick, please keep them at home.
Any camper showing signs of illness will be sent home. To save yourself an extra trip, it’s best to keep sick campers at home.
Work with your camper ahead of time to practice good hygiene.
Help your camper get familiar with important concepts like:
- Frequent washing of hands with soap and water for at least 15-20 seconds each time
- Avoid touching your eyes and face as much as possible
- Maintain physical distance from other campers as much as possible
- Cover your mouth and nose if you have to sneeze or cough. If you’re not wearing a mask, remember to cough and sneeze into your elbow (the “vampire sneeze”) or into a tissue, not into your hand.
Read all of the caregiver information in your pre-camp packet, which will be sent out two weeks before the start date of your camp.
Observe all written instructions and directions for curbside drop-off and pickup.
What safety procedures are in place during mealtimes?
Don’t forget to pack two snacks daily, as we also have morning and afternoon snack time!
Staff will supervise meal and snack times to ensure campers only eat the food they brought home.
Explore Thinkery Camps!
At Thinkery Camp, kids are the leaders in their own summer adventures. Campers will spend time exploring STEAM concepts through collaborative games and activities, growing their creative problem-solving skills by tinkering, and developing their tool fluency through exploration.