2026 Summer Camps
Get ready for a summer of adventure at Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum! Our camps are packed with hands-on fun, creativity, and excitement for kids ages 4–10. Each week brings a brand-new theme — like making magical worlds come to life, creating sensory art, or even producing your own movie! From science and nature to art and imagination, your camper will explore, discover, and play their way through unforgettable experiences with friends!
Camps for Ages 4-6
Book + Cook
June 15 – 18 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$110 members | $140 non-members
There are so many amazing children’s books about food! Using stories as inspiration, campers will use fresh ingredients to create kid-friendly cuisine that is fun to prepare and to eat. On Thursday afternoon, families are invited to share one last story and treat together.
*No camp on Friday, June 19th
Under the Sea
July 20-24 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$130 members | $160 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
Dive into a magical underwater adventure! Campers will discover amazing sea creatures, explore the mysteries of the deep, and learn how we can help protect our big blue planet through hands-on, splashy fun.
City Farmers
August 10-14 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$130 members | $160 non-members
Experience the life of a city farmer for the week! Each day, we will explore the garden, taking care of the plants and animals. We will also visit the local farmer’s market and learn about growing and selling food in our community. On the last day of camp, families are invited to shop our very own market hosted by the campers.
Puppet Palooza
June 22-26 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$130 members | $160 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
In this playful camp, kids will explore different styles of puppetry, from hand puppets to shadow shows, and bring their own characters to life. We’ll end the week with a special puppet show starring our campers’ creations!
Bug Brigade
July 27 – 31 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$130 members | $160 non-members
Discover the wide world of insects and how they help our garden grow. Learn to plant pollinator friendly plants, create crafts and recipes with insect inspiration, and identify garden critters. We will have a bug-tastic performance on Friday to share our knowledge!
Messes and Masterpieces
August 17-21 | 8:30a-1p
Ages 4-6
$130 members | $160 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
Each day, we’ll introduce a famous artist and style, using a variety of media. Activities will encourage hands-on exploration of art concepts and techniques all while embracing the fun and, of course, mess. Join us at the end of the week for a special art exhibit where your little artists can display their growing portfolios.
Camps for Ages 6-8
Thinkers and Tinkerers
June 15-18 | 8:30a-3p
*No camp on Friday, June 19
Ages 6-8
$136 members | $160 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
Calling all thinkers and tinkerers! In this camp, kids will embark on an exciting journey through the world of engineering. From designing structures to experimenting with new ideas, they’ll build confidence, spark their imaginations, and see how engineers shape the world around us. On Thursday, families are invited to the Innovators’ Showcase. *No camp on Friday, June 19th.
Can You Dig It?
June 29 – July 3 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 6-8
$170 members | $200 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
X marks the spot at the Children’s Museum! In this archaeology and paleontology camp, young explorers dig for fossils, uncover ancient treasures, and create a time capsule to seal at week’s end in a celebratory ceremony.
The Mythical Magical Mystery Camp
July 27-31 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 6-8
$170 members | $200 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
Hear ye, hear ye campers! Explore enchanted worlds filled with dragons, wizards, mermaids, and mysterious creatures of the forest. Campers will create their own fantasy realms and celebrate their adventures with a magical Renaissance faire at week’s end.
Art in the Garden
June 22-26 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 6-8
$170 members | $200 non-members
Using nature as our inspiration, we’ll explore a variety of techniques and mixed media to create pieces for our final art show on Friday.
Farmers Market
July 6 – July 10 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 6-8
$170 members | $200 non-members
Calling all aspiring farmers! Learn how to plant, harvest, make value-added products, and design your own logo to market your farm. We will also spend time in the kitchen classroom learning to cook with freshly grown produce for sampling on the final farmer’s market day!
Tasty Test Kitchen
August 17 – 21 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 6-8
$185 members | $210 non-members
Through hands-on recipes like jams, cookies, and simple breads, campers will observe chemical reactions, practice measuring, and learn how ingredients work together. They’ll make predictions, test ideas, and discover that mistakes are just part of a delicious experiment!
Camps for Ages 8-10
Movie Makers
July 13-17 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 8-10
$170 members | $200 non-members
SOLD OUT Join the waitlist
Storytellers unite! We’ll work in teams to work through the movie making 101 from storyboarding to sound effects. On the final day join us for a screening of a few of the short films made by our campers.
Trash to Treasure
August 10-14 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 8-10
$170 members | $200 non-members
In this camp, we are upcycling artisans! Campers will reinvent found objects into works of art, learning design techniques and creative thinking along the way. From sculpture to fashion to functional art, we’ll explore how creativity and sustainability can work hand and hand.
Kitchen Basics
August 3-7 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 8-10
$190 members | $220 non-members
Cooking 101 is officially in session — and class starts in the garden! In a fun, supportive environment, young chefs will harvest fresh ingredients straight from our Edible Schoolyard garden and turn them into delicious dishes. Campers will learn essential cooking skills, discover how food grows, how flavors develop, and how simple ingredients become something amazing.
Camps for Ages 11-14
Cooking Around the World
June 29 – July 3 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 11-14
$210 members | $240 non-members
Tap into your inner chef by learning how to make dishes from all over the globe. We’ll get to know our ingredients, their origins, learn new cooking methods, and how cultures and flavors collide! We will utilize our half acre garden for ingredients and host an Around the World Tasting on our final day of camp. No prior cooking experience required.
Kitchen Masters
July 20 – 24 | 8:30a-3p
Ages 11 – 14
$210 members | $240 non-members
Chop, dice, sauté, roast, bake, and more! This hands-on camp builds the core skills every young cook needs. Each day, campers will practice essential techniques, learn kitchen safety, and gain the confidence to follow and master any recipe!
General Camp Information
Campers are actively welcome to engage in hands-on, play-based, and frequently messy learning activities throughout the day. Camp activities take place indoors and outside utilizing the Museum exhibits and classrooms. Some camps will include a walking field trip to a location close to the Museum.
All campers will eat lunch & snack during camp. Please see ‘What to Bring’ section for more details.
Most summer camps have an activity or performance that welcomes families on the final day of camp. You will receive celebration times and details by mid-week.
- An unrefrigerated lunch – peanut free
- Water bottle
- An extra set of clothes
- Sunscreen – please apply before dropping off, we’ll give a reapplication reminder mid-day.
- Deet-free bug spray
*Please label all items with your child’s first and last name.
Drop-off
• On Monday, please walk your child into the Museum. A representative will have you look over your registration information to make sure that is all up to date and accurate. You will sign your child in and receive 2 placards for our pickup and drop off lane. An MBCM staff will walk your child from the lobby to the camp room for a smooth transition.
• Tuesday through Friday, MBCM staff will be located outside in our bus lane which is right alongside our building on North Church Street for easy drop off. Please stay in your vehicles until a staff member approaches you and you have signed in your child for the day. Make sure all children are prepared to exit on the right-hand side of your vehicle so that they exit onto the sidewalk. We will be there from 8:30am until 9:00am. If you arrive to camp after 9:00am, please park in our parking lot and walk your child into the Museum lobby where you will sign your child in. An MBCM staff member will be called to the front to walk your child to the camp classroom.
Pick-up
• Pickup will take place in our bus lane alongside our building on North Church Street. Please be sure to have your placard displayed on your windshield for easy identification. If someone is picking up your child without a placard, they will need to show a photo ID and their name must be listed under your camper pick-up contacts.
• All children must be picked up from our bus lane and signed out accordingly. If you wish to play in the Museum or are already in the Museum, you will still need to go out to our bus lane and sign out your child.
• Please note on Friday you must park in our parking lot and come into the museum lobby to sign out your child due to our end of camp celebration taking place inside the classrooms.
• Note: There is a $10.00 fee for late pick-up after the first 10 minutes and $1.00 for each additional minute thereafter.
Illness Policy
We are committed to providing a safe, fun, learning experience for all children through our camp
program. A child should stay home if they have:
• A fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
• Nausea/vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Coughing that disrupts normal activity
• Persistent pain (tooth, ear, stomach, etc)
• Eye inflammation or discharge
• Head lice
• Hand, foot, & mouth
Children that have a fever may return once they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medications. If they have experienced vomiting or diarrhea, they should have had no new episodes for at least 24 hours. Children should feel well enough to fully participate in camp activities.
Staff to Camper Ratio
Camps have a 1:5, camper to instructor ratio.
Commitment to Inclusion
At the Miriam P. Brenner Children’s Museum, it is our mission to serve all children and families. While we work hard to ensure that every child has the opportunity to have an amazing experience at the Museum, we understand that our summer camp program may or may not be the right fit for your family. If you would like more information about summer camp at MBCM, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] or 336.574.2898 ext. 309.