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Summer STEM Camps

This summer, the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education (CRESE) is offering an exciting lineup of hands-on learning experiences designed to inspire young minds through STEM. 

Why Choose ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ Summer STEM Camps?

  • Interactive, hands-on learning with real-world design challenges
  • Passionate STEM Ambassadors (undergraduate STEM majors) guiding campers
  • A fun environment that encourages collaboration and innovation
  • Experience STEM on a college campus—explore ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´â€™s maker spaces, and learning environments!
  • Unique weekly themes—attend multiple weeks with no repeats!

2026 Summer STEM Camp Offerings

STEM Maker Academy (4th–8th Grade)

Join us for hands-on STEM making at ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´, where participants dive into the exciting world of STEM through engaging, interactive projects. Campers will become inventors, engineers, and scientists as they tackle a variety of challenges in circuitry, engineering, coding, biology, 3D modeling, and more! Camp sessions run from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM daily, with an optional add-on afternoon session from 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM. Campers who opt-in to our afternoon add-on, will eat lunch and then embark on a new campus adventure each day, exploring sites like The Makery, Ethnobotany Garden, and other exciting ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ destinations.
Camp Cost: $275, Afternoon Add-On Option: $100

STEM Maker Academy Dates
*All 4 camp sessions are unique, with a different set of STEM activities
Session Dates
Session 1: Global Innovators June 22-26
Session 2: Wilderness Builders July 13-17
Session 3: Multiverse Makers July 20-24
Session 4: Ecosystem Engineers August 3-7

STEM Voyagers - Journey to Exoplanet Zeta (3rd–5th Grade)

During this four-day, story-driven STEM adventure, campers become space explorers on a mission to investigate a newly discovered planet. As members of an interstellar crew, students tackle hands-on engineering challenges, conduct scientific experiments, and design creative solutions to survive and explore life on Exoplanet Zeta. Each day unlocks a new chapter of the journey as campers launch rockets, build rovers, conduct soil and water tests and even discover alien life while developing real STEM skills through immersive, hands-on learning. Camp sessions run from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM daily. Campers who opt-in to our afternoon add-on, will eat lunch and then embark on a new campus adventure each day, exploring sites like The Makery, Ethnobotany Garden, and other exciting ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ destinations.
Camp Cost Per Session: $225, Afternoon Add-On Option: $80 

Session 1: June 15-18 (4 days)
Session 2: June 29-July 2 (4 days)

*Both camp sessions follow the "Journey to Exoplanet Zeta" space theme, and contain the same STEM activities.

Maker Tech Academy (9th-12th Grade)

This unique immersive, hands-on experience provides high school students the opportunity to dive into the world of coding, and problem-solving. Each week features a unique theme, challenging participants to think like engineers, work collaboratively, and bring ideas to life through experiential learning. Camp sessions run 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM daily and include lunch in our Campus Way Cafe dining hall, campus lab visits, and a family showcase at the end of camp. 
Camp Cost Per Session: $435 

Session 1: NASA Rover

July 6-10
Step into the role of a NASA engineer and design, build, and test rover wheels before programming mini rovers to conquer a sandy slope challenge. Campers will experiment with terrain adaptation, coding and wiring Arduinos, and mechanical design as they prepare for their final mission.

Session 2: Animatronics

July 27-31 
Step into the role of a robotics engineer and design, build, and program your own animatronic head complete with moving parts. Campers will experiment with Arduino coding and wiring, 3D modeling and printing, and mechanical design as they bring their characters to life.

Cancellation Policy
In the event you need to cancel your camp reservation, an email request must be sent to crese@csusm.edu.

  • If cancellation is received at least 14 days prior to the camp start date, a full refund will be issued.
  • If cancellation is received at least 7 days prior to the camp start date, a 50% refund will be issued.
  • Cancellations received less than 7 days prior to the camp start date forfeit the full registration fee.
Please note that refunds for cancellations may take 4–6 weeks to process.
ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ Faculty and Staff
Please request a coupon code from anelson@csusm.edu for a 10% savings. (Be sure and provide your ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ email address with your request.)
Scholarships for Escondido Residents
Scholarship support is available for children whose families have financial need. This application is currently open to residents of Escondido. Please follow one of the links below: