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Best Bets for Cerebral Summer Camps
Kids tend to welcome summer as a much-needed breather from the academic rigors of the school year. While most parents agree that a break is in order, they also want summer to be a season for learning. In this third look at local summer camps, Best Bets explores camps that stimulate the brain in fun and creative ways.
Challenger Learning Center Astronaut Camp
205 Brotherton Lane, Ferguson
314-521-6205
www.clcstlouis.org
Cost per session: $40 to $55 for single-day programs; $185 to $350 for weeklong sessions
If the youngster in your home dreams of galaxies far, far away, the Challenger Learning Center offers an out-of-this-world summer learning experience. The center’s “Summer Space Adventures” include programs ranging from one-day “Astro Tot” training for kids entering first to third grades, to a weeklong “Astronaut Training Camp” for students entering fifth to eighth grades. The programs offer hands-on training in a variety of otherworldly subjects, such as Mars, the moon, comets, rockets, robotic rovers and more. 
Spanish Immersion Camp at the International Schoolhouse – St. Louis
9723 Olive Boulevard, Olivette
314-374-7468
www.internationalschoolhouse.com/summercamps.html
Cost per session: $390 per two-week session
In today’s global economy, the ability to speak multiple languages is more important than ever. For parents interested in giving their kids a leg up in Spanish fluency, the answer is as easy as uno, dos, tres thanks to the Spanish Immersion Camp at the International Schoolhouse. Designed for kids ages 4 to 9, the summer camp is offered in two-week sessions with themes related to the Americas: “Texas and the Yucatan,” “Central America and the Caribbean,” “Galapagos and the Rainforest” and “The Andes and the Inca Empire.”
College For Kids through St. Louis Community College – Meramec
11333 Big Bend Road, Kirkwood
314-984-7777
www.stlcc.edu/continuing_education/College_for_Kids.html
Cost per session: Each class is generally $37
Boredom is a common complaint from kids during the long, hot days of summer. This can be especially true for academically gifted youngsters. The College For Kids program offered at the Meramec Campus of St. Louis Community College is designed to challenge and advance these students’ skills. Over the course of five days in early August, kids entering first to ninth grades study history, foreign language, science, engineering, math, computers, art, music and more. Like a college, students enroll in classes of their choice. Classes are held in hour and 20 minute blocks.
Mad Science Camps
Multiple Locations
314-991-8000
www.madscience.com/locations/stlouis/MadScienceCamps.aspx
Cost per session: $110 to $248 depending on location, camp length and subject matter
If your children view your home as one giant laboratory, chances are good that they’ll love Mad Science Camp. With 18 locations throughout the St. Louis area, the camps offer a dizzying array of science-related activities for kids ages 5 to 12. Campers can participate in everything from dinosaur digs to rocket launches. Camp sessions generally run four to five days. Some locations offer half-day sessions with others providing full-day programs.
Computer Bryte Kids Summer Camp
Multiple Locations
877-378-5600
www.computerbrytekids.com
Cost per session: $110 per session
Preparing young children for the high-tech world of tomorrow is a top priority for many parents. The Computer Bryte Kids Summer Camp aims to do just that by introducing kids ages 3 to 7 to a range of computer skills while enhancing their early reading and writing skills. The half-day camps are offered in four-day sessions at locations in Kirkwood, Chesterfield and Oakville. Campers each work on their own computers using software that adjusts to their skill levels. Parents are able to log in after each day of camp to access tips and online activities for reinforcement at home.
Reading Skills Programs through Saint Louis University
Multiple Locations
800-964-8888
www.slu.edu/x5058.xml
Cost per session: $299
Literacy remains the bedrock for all learning, and it’s the sole focus of the Reading Skills Programs offered through Saint Louis University. With locations throughout the St. Louis area and programs specifically designed for every age group, the programs have wide appeal to readers of all levels. Young readers learn phonics skills while building fluency and improving comprehension. Older readers build on these skills while increasing reading speed and developing note-taking and test-preparation skills. Sessions for the Reading Skills Programs are held once a week for five weeks during the summer.
Best Bets articles represent the views and the research completed by St. Louis Sprout & About journalists and are not driven by advertising or requests by vendors or venues.
