Does your child dream of becoming an astronaut when they grow up? Are they fascinated by the natural world? Or are they crazy about all things technology? If your child fits into any of those categories, they might just enjoy attending a science and STEM summer camp!
STEM camps encourage kids to create and learn and can help your child to develop a lifelong love of STEM. If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, there are plenty of amazing camps here where kids can learn everything about engineering, technology, science, and nature.
These top picks for STEM camps in Los Angeles might even shape their future studies and career choice.
1. PlanetBravo
If your child loves video games, Roblox, coding and all things tech, PlanetBravo is the camp for them! PlanetBravo offers a STEM summer camp where kids can let their imaginations run free and learn computer science and other tech skills in a fun atmosphere.
The camp consists of week-long sessions and you can sign your child up for as many sessions as you like. Each camp session has a different focus so that you can choose a course based on what your child wants to learn.
Courses include Roblox Game Design, YouTube, Robotics, Coding, and more. Throughout the day, campers participate in indoor and outdoor activities, as well as work periods where they learn and work on their projects.
Kids entering grades 2-9 are welcome to attend any of PlanetBravo’s camps. They have several locations across Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Burbank, Irvine, Pasadena, Westchester, Manhattan Beach, and Santa Monica.
New in 2024, PlanetBravo is now offering Junior STEM camp for younger campers entering Kindergarten-2nd grade. The same great camp experience is now tailored for young campers.
2. Steve & Kate’s Camp
Steve & Kate’s Camps all around the Greater Los Angeles area put kids in the driver’s seat of their own day camp experience. Pick up any number of day passes and they’ll go and enjoy activities and meals for the entire day between 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Kids will absolutely love the list of activities and you’ll have peace knowing they’re in good hands and learning during the summer break. Campers can choose from any related activity in STEM (coding and robotics), sports, arts and crafts, water games, and more!
Some camp locations also offer year-round programs so kids can enjoy themselves during the holidays and seasonal breaks. Not all locations offer these, so visit Steve & Kate’s website for the most up-to-date availability schedule.
Day passes can be used at any Steve & Kate’s Camp location around the country. Parents just need to select where they send the children to during early check-in. This provides a unique flexibility not often found in most summer camps.
3. Camp Integem
At Camp Integem, kids and teens aged 5-18 can transform their dreams into tangible, hands-on experiences and creations in various captivating fields, from artificial intelligence to coding, robotics engineering to AI drones, 2D/3D game design, animation, and much more!
Participants create interactive AR games, design intelligent AI robots, launch their AI space drones, ride spaceships to visit stars, explore deep oceans, bring their art to life, and step into the magical worlds they’ve created.
You don’t need any prior experience, with skill levels from beginners to advanced welcome to join. Classes are small, with a ratio of 8 students per teacher. Camp Integem emphasizes practical, hands-on creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, preparing students for a successful future.
The camps are accredited by ACS WASC, providing a chance to earn school credits. Camp Integem offers both online and in-person camps at 16 locations across Los Angeles, Irvine, Orange County, and San Francisco. They are an NVIDIA AI training partner and students can earn certificates from them as part of the program. Use code MAKER to save $50 per week at checkout.
4. Heights Christian Schools
Heights Christian Schools Summer Fun Program accepts students from grades K through 7th. The camps are held at three elementary school locations in Brea, Chino Hills, and La Mirada.
You can register your kids by the week or by the day. The week of learning features a mixture of fun indoor activities covering tech, art, and science, along with the Bible.
Children also go outdoors to enjoy the sun and play sports, water play, and waterslides. Campers go on one field trip each week to attractions like Infuzion Zone, American Ninja Warrior Park, and the Los Angeles Zoo.
They have a handy summer calendar for every location so your child will know exactly what to expect when they attend. You don’t need to be one of their students to attend, but current students do receive an extra discount. Heights Christian Schools also offers sibling discounts, making it great for parents with multiple children who are looking for a summer day camp.
5. Digital Dragon
Digital Dragon’s summer camp is located in Santa Monica and is designed for children ages 7-14. They also offer spring break camps and day camps during school holidays.
Some kids can spend hours in front of the computer gaming, drawing, and creating. If that sounds like your child, Digital Dragon might just be a good fit! They offer weeklong camps throughout the summer break, each with a different focus.
The summer programs include themes like Animation Studio, Minecraft: Survival Island, Game Design Academy, Roblox: World Building, and more. Each day, children can participate in tech activities and spend lunchtime at a local park.
In-person and online STEM classes are also available for students 5-18.
6. Rolling Robots Robotics and STEM Camp
If your child is a big fan of robots, Rolling Robots offers an amazing robotics camp with a flexible schedule.
Children learn about robotics, coding, and game design through hands-on learning. Depending on the camp session they attend, they can create their own game or gain the engineering and physics knowledge needed to build a robot. No experience in coding or robotics is required since they’ll get all the instruction they need at camp!
Rolling Robots has morning and afternoon sessions for kids ages 5-15. You can enroll your child for as many weeks as you like, for the morning or afternoon session, or both if you prefer.
Camps are available in several cities in Southern California, including West LA, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Glendale, and Newport Beach.
You should also read about STEM Camps in the San Francisco Bay Area.
7. Arboretum Nature Camp
At Arboretum Nature Camp, kids 5-10 can wander the gardens and participate in science and art activities. Each of The Arboretum’s weeklong sessions has a different focus.
Different themes include Seas the Daycamp, Garden Chefs, Mystery Science Camp 3,000, and more. The Arboretum is located in Arcadia, California, only 30 minutes from downtown LA. They also offer spring, autumn, and winter nature camps.
Students will find out about the strange animals that share our world with us and learn how to use different natural ingredients to create delicious meals. The Arboretum has a little of everything for the young creative artist to the science enthusiast.
8. Aquarium of the Pacific Summer Camps
The Aquarium of the Pacific offers summer camps for future marine biologists ages 3-12. Their Fish Fry Camp is a three-day camp for little ocean lovers 3-4 accompanied by a parent. Students learn about ocean creatures and explore the aquarium.
The Sea Squirts three-day camp is for age groups 5-6. They can build crafts, feed animals, and get to see beautiful exhibits. The aquarium also offers a five-day Ocean Adventure Camp with different themes.
Older campers 10-12 can attend the five-day Junior Biologist Camp, where they learn about animal habitats and the ocean, play games, and feed the fish and other marine life. The Aquarium of the Pacific is located in Long Beach.
9. AstroCamp
For young stargazers and future astronauts, AstroCamp has an awesome overnight STEM camp to encourage your child’s love of space. Kids can enjoy exploring the outdoors, participating in lab activities, and learning all about space, science, and technology.
AstroCamp offers three different camp options. Their one-week camp sessions are aimed at younger kids aged 8-13 and include science labs mixed with adventures like zip lining, rock climbing, and mountain biking, as well as exciting electives.
Kids 12-17 can sign up for two-week science camps, where they choose from over 40 different activities to create their ideal camp schedule. AstoCamp’s third offering, Geek Week, is open to children ages 10-17 and focuses more on creative and child-directed activities than science activities. You’ll find AstroCamp’s 80-acre campus near Idyllwild in the San Jacinto Mountains.
10. Professor Egghead Science Summer Camp
Professor Egghead Science Academy has fun science camps for your budding scientists. They use a STEM-based curriculum complemented by kinesthetic learning to keep kids engaged and develop in them a life-long love of science.
During each weeklong session, kids get to become a scientist by participating in awesome science experiments and projects. Camp themes include Rocket Camp, Extreme Engineering, Lego Amusement Park, and more. Activities range from playing with rockets and racing cars all the way to making snow.
Kids ages 4.5-9 can attend, with locations available in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Professor Egghead also offers after-school programs and parties, and events.
11. Destination Science Camps
Destination Science offers three different week-long science opportunities for young children ages 5-11. The BioBot & Roller Coaster Camp explores the scientific concepts of roller coasters, like Newton’s 3 Laws and mechanical engineering. Kids also get to build a BioBot that can help them explore the Earth’s major biomes.
At Rescue Robot Mystery Camp, kids learn about the concepts of robotics, build a Rescue Robot, and solve a mystery. Artemis Moon Mission Camp is for young space explorers. Campers can launch rockets, build lunar vehicles, and explore the moon and planets.
All science camps include three hands-on activities per day, and kids get to bring home their projects at the end of camp. Destination Science has locations across the country, with several options in the Los Angeles area and Orange County.