Helping students keep their academic skills sharp during the summer is a challenge, but summer learning is much more enjoyable when using hands-on STEM tools. If you're designing a summer STEM camp for children this year, our team can definitely help. A lot of the time, this may mean you're searching for coding and engineering tools or robots for elementary students. Or, perhaps you'll be working on advanced coding and piloting drones for upper middle school or high school students. Whatever your situations, we can help you design summer camp experiences of any length, provide consultations on STEM products, and offer our suggestions for reliable tech tools to build summer programs, like these 12 from all different areas.
1. Ready, Set, Drone! Full Camp Set
As drones grow in popularity in both STEM education and public use, students may have interest in using them, too. Heading off to summer camps might even mean learning in a new location, and piloting drones can help them explore safely while still experiencing the benefits of STEAM learning. With the Ready, Set, Drone! Camp Set, campers receive 12 days' worth of drone education curriculum and fun summer STEM projects. Kids in Grades 4–8 will love experiencing the variety in these activities, which support as many as 30 students. Each takes about one hour and includes topics like flight safety, drones and the future, rules and ethics, and more—a creative and captivating way for summer campers to practice their STEM skills.
2. Tello EDU Drone Classroom Kits
Along with the Ready, Set, Drone! kit, the Tello EDU drones from DJI are a great option for summer camps. Among the best drones for education, the Tello EDUs are fully programmable in block or text languages. They come in single units or packs of five, 10, or 20, which are ideal for camps of various sizes. And, kids can program their drones individually or in swarms, so they can learn by themselves or collaboratively. With the Tello Classroom Kits, you'll get the educational drones, batteries, micro USB cables, propellers (guards included), mission pads, charging hubs, and even more accessories. The newest software update for 2023 also helps the drones respond to more advanced commands and AI functions. Their compact yet powerful design and versatile programming options make the Tello EDU drones great for summer STEM.
3. Discover Drones Club and Classroom Packs
Next, students can dig deeper into some inner workings of drones with the Discover Drones Club Pack or Classroom Pack. With these Discover Drones kits, students aren't just flying the drones. They'll also build them, which gives them a much more thorough understanding of how they work. After they assemble their drones, they'll explore flight safety, drone ethics, radio communication, and more with the included STEAM curriculum. This powerful curriculum also includes personalized quizzes along the way to help all students bolster their retention and track progress.
With these two different pack sizes, the Discover Drones kits can work across a variety of summer camps. The Club Pack helps camp leaders get students working together on building two drones, while the larger Classroom Pack includes five drones and supports up to 25 students. Kids could also build up their social skills while building the drones together, learn engineering and flight basics that can help prepare them for the future, and stay invested in learning all summer with the engaging Discover Drones activities!
4. Phidget Getting Started Kit
While effective, drones aren't the only option for working STEAM experiences into summer learning. For a more makerspace-oriented experience, students can try any of the Phidgets kits, which feature building blocks that can sense the world around them with some help from student-written programs. Even though students need a screen to write the code for controlling their Phidgets projects, these components are still incredibly versatile, since they're compatible with Windows and Mac computers, along with Android tablets and phones. With the Phidgets kits and components, students don't have to spend summer camps sitting at a desk. Instead, they could take them outside, using the assorted sensors for measuring light, humidity, temperature, distance, sound, magnetism, and more. Kids can get coding—and moving—while using the Phidgets kits to interact with the real world wherever they are.
5. Squishy Circuits
Continuing with the MakerEd theme, there are plenty of easy makerspace ideas leaders can incorporate in summer camps. The Squishy Circuits kits are great for combining simple, experiential DIY projects with learning important concepts of electricity and circuitry. With these affordable Squishy Circuits kits, students of all ages can form conductive dough into whatever shapes they can imagine. Then, by using the included LEDs, they can make their creations light up! Beyond that, the Deluxe Kit comes with various motors, fans, buzzers, switches, and more, so students can expand their ideas and create more complex designs. These kits provide more than just an approachable introduction to circuits—they empower young children to build confidence in their ability to realize their own ideas.
6. Snap Circuits Electronics Kits
There are too many great MakerEd tools to feature in one list, but one of our favorite product lines is Snap Circuits. They've been around for what seems like a century and include more specialized STEM kits than ever. For the purpose of summer camp learning, the Snap Circuits Pro 500 Kit is a great option. Kids can collaborate and build all 500 projects over the course of a summer. And, since the kit comes with detailed Snap Circuits project guides, there's hardly any down time. They'll get to explore electronics components, like sensors, buzzers, digital voice recorders, resistors, capacitors, an FM radio, and more. And, their kits are suitable for students as young as eight years old, making a great addition to hands-on exploration.
7. MakeDo Invent Kit
Among the most popular STEM tools for a makerspace curriculum, the MakeDo construction kits also work great in summer camps. They're perfect for low-tech makerspace activities with plastic versions of common makerspace tools, like screws, screwdrivers, and saws. Students use these plastic pieces with cardboard to help hold their designs and inventions together. They're also great for helping reinforce fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination for younger students. With the MakeDo Invent Kit, in particular, you'll get eight saws, eight fold-rollers, eight screwdrivers, 240 screws, 90 XL screws, 12 mini tools, and one toolbox to keep them all in. Since combining play with STEAM learning is always a hit, check out all the MakeDo offerings to see what's right for your group.
8. Edison Robot
As for practicing programming over the summer, the Edison Robot is a popular STEAM tool for screen-based and screen-free coding. It's compatible with different coding languages, like EdBlocks, EdScratch, and EdPy (Python) but also provides students with screen-free coding opportunities thanks to its ability to read barcodes. Kids can use this tool in camps over the summer, then keep experimenting come fall in an educational robotics club. Plus, with numerous accessories, like the EdCreate Kit and the EdSketch Bundle, they can incorporate everything from engineering and design to art and coding using one versatile and affordable STEM tool. There are individual Edison Robots and bundles of up to 30 on our store for all your unique summer camp needs.
9. Wonder Workshop Dash Robot
On the robotics and coding front, you can't go wrong with the reliable Dash Robot for elementary coding. The Dash is super simple to use, and it's compatible with a variety of coding apps. Using the Dash Robot, kids get to create their own Blockly programs, complete mazes, and progress on through additional coding challenges. Plus, if they have any makerspace supplies lying around their camp setting, kids could design obstacle courses and compete against other teams to see who can get the robot through their course first. Also, with Wonder Workshop's Class Connect LMS, camp leaders can find helpful puzzles and lessons for kids with all levels of coding experience. Or, they could simply code within the virtual Dash's Neighborhood platform to include campers remotely if necessary.
10. Terrapin Tuff-Bot
From the makers of the Bee-Bot, the Tuff-Bot is another coding robot kids love using, especially outside the traditional classroom. It allows for screen-free coding with its on-board buttons, or kids can program it on tablets using a free app. Best of all, the Tuff-Bot's rugged design and oversized wheels help it traverse uneven terrain, which is perfect for summer camps and educational play outdoors. It can even go into the woods! Further, its built-in obstacle avoidance capabilities help it maneuver around barriers, so you won't have to worry about its durability. As one of Terrapin's newest additions, the Tuff-Bot is an excellent STEM tool for summer campers to develop coding skills.
11. SAM Labs STEAM Solution
If you're interested in combining coding and maker tools in summer STEM programs, our recommendation is the SAM Labs STEAM Solution. One of the newer SAM Labs offerings, it is also perfect for summer camp environments and kids in Grades 1–5. It includes an assortment of lesson cards and the SAM Labs blocks, so up to 24 kids can collaborate and construct dozens of projects. The many SAM Labs projects all align with the latest education standards and include lessons written by teachers for teachers. With wireless electronic blocks, easy-to-use sensors, and a subscription to SAM Studio, the STEAM Solution is perfect for creating fun and impactful opportunities for students this summer. Plus, they can also program their SAM Labs inventions using the intuitive SAM Space app!
12. Strawbees STEAM School Kit
Finally, we have another low-tech STEAM solution that's equal parts popular and effective. The Strawbees line features a number of unique engineering kits, and students can build inventions from the plastic pieces known as straws. With various accessories, particularly the Robotics Inventions for micro:bit Kit, they're also able to program their Strawbees builds. In maker programs or summer camps in general, the STEAM School Kit is perfect for any students who hope to construct structures large or small using its over 4,000 pieces. The straws are all color-coded and incredibly durable, so you can use them all summer long. Plus, if you're interested in additional kits, check out the entire Strawbees product line on our store.
In addition to these tangible educational robotics and coding tools we've mentioned, there are plenty of digital platforms as well. Kids could try out the completely virtual Dash's Neighborhood, the virtual Root Robot, Tello drone simulator, or a variety of other easily accessible online coding platforms, like Scratch, Robotify, Codesters, or RepLit. And, check out some additional resources and STEAM activities from a trusted 21st-century educator, Jeremy Jorgensen!
Of course, we also offer additional summer camp solutions along with hassle-free quoting and one-stop shopping. To inquire about the best STEM solutions for your camp or ask questions, please reach out to us anytime. You can find these products below and dozens of others on our store, too. And, follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more.
