When school is out, Discovery Camp is in! From STEAM projects to hidden grottos, children ages 4 – 7 explore, create, and make new friends across our 7.5-acre campus. Browse our School Year Camp offerings below. To enroll of any of our camps, you first must be registered for our camp enrollment system: Campsite.
Veterans Day Camps – Monday, November 11
Feathers, Tales and Scales
Ages: 4 – 5 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
Calling all mammals, amphibians, and creatures of the sea and sky! Campers will embark on an animal adventure, exploring how creatures blend into their environments through the art of camouflage. From the rainforest to their own backyard, they’ll uncover how animals adapt to survive and even try out some sneaky tricks of their own!
Bubbles and Beakers
Ages: 6 – 7 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
Brain blasts ahead! Campers will unleash their curiosity in the laboratory of life with hands-on experiments that reveal how chemical reactions shape our world. From unearthing the secrets of nature to exploring science with real tools, fun is in full swing! They’ll get messy, make discoveries, and create memories along the way.
Thanksgiving Break Camps – Monday and Tuesday, November 25 & 26
Animal Adventures
Ages: 4 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $260
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $60
Campers venture through rainforests, tundra, deserts and their backyard of Fort Baker as they experiment with sensory play and learn about the animals that call these environments home.
Paint ‘N Play
Ages: 5 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $260
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $60
Imagination leads the way as your camper crafts a world of creative possibilities! Explore worlds of color, texture, technique and beyond! This week, campers will learn why creativity knows no limits, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents.
Chemistry Quest
Ages: 6 – 7-year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $260
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $60
Mix, bubble and fizz! Campers will step into the world of chemistry and watch as ordinary ingredients create extraordinary reactions. From growing rainbows to making slime, each experiment is a chance to explore, get hands-on and see the wonders of science unfold.
Winter Break Day Camps
Imagination Station Day Camp
Ages: 4 – 5 year-olds
Dates: December 23, 26, 27, 30 and January 2 and 3
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130/day
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30/day
Welcome to Imagination Station, where dreams become a reality through exploration and experimentation! Campers dive into their imaginations, trust their creativity and bring their ideas to life through art, engineering and nature!
Winter Wonders Day Camp
Ages: 6 – 7 year-olds
Dates: December 23, 26, 27, 30 and January 2 and 3
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130/day
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30/day
Winter is the season of endless possibilities at Discovery Camp! Campers explore their creativity, curiosity and imagination through hands-on, collaborative projects. Through programming that celebrates art, engineering and the great outdoors, Discovery Campers will cultivate a lifelong love of learning!
Day Camp – Monday, January 6
Inventor’s Workshop
Ages: 5 – 7 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
Campers lead with curiosity and imagination in the Think, Make, Try studio! Draw blueprints, make hypotheses, create prototypes of dream cars, planes, vehicles of the future and beyond, test it out, try again: this is the process of bringing dreams to life!
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Camp – Monday, January 20
Into the Wild
Ages: 4 – 5 year olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130/ day
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
Welcome wild ones! Campers become young explorers, venturing through rainforests, tundra, oceans and deserts to learn what makes the earth’s ecosystems (including the Bay Area’s) so wildly wonderful. Into the Wild is an epic blend of science, creativity, and hands-on exploration!
Bubbles and Beakers
Ages: 6 – 7 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130 for the day
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
Brain blasts ahead! Campers unleash their curiosity in the laboratory of life with hands-on experiments that reveal how chemical reactions shape our world. From unearthing the secrets of nature to exploring science with real tools, fun is in full swing! They’ll get messy, make discoveries, and create memories along the way.
President’s Day Camp – Monday, February 17
Planes, Trains and Boats
Ages: 5 – 7 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $130
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $30
All aboard the Discovery Train! Campers explore how we travel by learning off the rails and into the seas of experimentation. Explore how forces of wind, water and momentum lead to infinite possibilities when it comes to traveling from one place (or planet) to another.
Mid-Winter Break Camps – February 17 – 21
Farm Friends
Ages: 4 – 5 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $650
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $150
Welcome to the Bay Area Discovery Museum Barn! Becoming a farmer takes curiosity, creativity and a true love and respect for animals. Learn about chickens, sheep, cows and pigs and discover what it takes to run a farm from seed to harvest.
Melody Makers
Ages: 6 – 7 year-olds
Time: 9AM – 3PM
Price: $650
Aftercare: 3 – 4PM, $150
Silly, sad, strange and surreal, the spectrum of sound is infinite! Campers explore sonic soundscapes with curiosity and creativity as they compose their own music, listen to sounds all around and learn about the world of music!
School Year Camp FAQs
Do you offer extended care?
Extended care runs for an additional cost from 3-4pm each day of camp.
How do I register for Discovery Camps?
- Once registration is open, you can register and purchase camp online through the Bay Area Discovery Museum’s website.
- From the camps webpage, click on the “Enroll Your Camper!” button.
- If you haven’t already, you will need to create a Campsite account to enroll in camps.
- Once you create an account, you will be able to select camps and checkout online.
What are Discovery Camps?
Discovery Camps are available for children ages 3 through 8* and offer the best of the museum! Our educators provide a well-rounded STEAM experience and campers will get to participate in a variety of art, science, nature and engineering projects in each camp experience.
* School Year Break Camps are only offered for children ages 4 through 7
What are the requirements for campers to attend?
- Be fully toilet trained and able to use the restroom and change their clothes independently
- Have experience separating from caregivers in a drop-off setting, such as school.
- Be at least 4 years old by the camp start date for School Year Break Camps and 3 years old by the camp start date for Summer Camps
What does a typical day of camp look like?
- 9:00 Drop-off/Check-In
- 9:15- 9:30 Opening Circle Time
- 9:30-10:15 Themed stations/activities/museum exploration
- 10:15-10:45 Snack and Bathroom break
- 10:45-11:25 Activity time
- 11:30- 12:30 Lunch
- 12:40 – 1:40 Hike
- 1:40- 2:00 Snack
- 2:00 – 2:35 Game
- 2:35- 2:45 Cleanup and Pack Up
- 2:45-3:00 Pick-Up
Do you provide snacks or lunch?
Meals and snacks from the museum’s on-site cafe, Bean Sprouts, are provided only for week-long camp offerings in the spring and summer.
How will I learn more about what my child is doing?
At the end of each day, a summary of the day’s activities will be sent out via email. It will include a few questions to ask your camper and a hint about what to expect for tomorrow, if applicable.
Do you offer scholarships for camps?
At Bay Area Discovery Museum, we strive to make camp available to all. We offer a limited amount of scholarships for each session of camp. To apply for a scholarship for our School Year Break Camps, click here. Scholarship applications for Spring and Summer Camps will open in January.
What is your refund policy?
- Cancellations for Discovery Camp more than one month prior to a session’s start date are refunded, minus a cancellation fee of $100 per session cancelled.
- Cancellations within one month of a session’s start date will not receive a refund in any amount.
- Transfers between sessions or themes incur a $25 administrative fee per change.
- The museum reserves the right to cancel camps due to insufficient enrollment. If a camp is cancelled, transfers will be offered, or refunds will be issued with no additional fees.
What if I don’t see a camp scheduled for my child’s school break?
Our camp team may be able to run additional sessions of camp based on staff availability. Please reach out to us at camps@badm.org if you’re interested in an additional session.
What is your bathroom policy for campers?
3 Year Old Camps Toileting Policy:
- Our 3-year-old camp program is designed for those campers who are toilet trained. At the Bay Area Discovery Museum, toilet-trained means campers are non-diapered and capable of changing their own clothes on their own.
- Campers must do their own wiping.
- Our Camp Staff will support in the case of bathroom accidents and stand outside to coach young campers through the process but will not be permitted to be inside the restroom stall with campers during bathroom breaks.
4-8 Year Old Camps Toileting Policy:
- Our 4-year-old to 8-year-old camps are designed to be fun, learning opportunities for children who have turned four before the first day of camp, and are toilet independent. At the Bay Area Discovery Museum, toilet independence means campers are able to use the toilet on their own without assistance and can their own clothes in case of a toileting accident. To ensure everyone’s safety, Camp Staff are not permitted to aid in the restroom stall or with clothing changes.
In the case of a toileting accident, our Camp Staff will ensure soiled clothes return home with campers in a plastic bag.
Questions?
Have questions about Discovery Camps? Email us at camps@badm.org or call +1 415 339 3961.