9:15-10:30am
Project #1

We dive into the theme of the week with hands-on projects.

10:30-10:45am
Snack Break

All innovators bring nut-free snacks and water bottle.

10:45-12:00pm
Project #2

Our innovators design and build another project while solve problems in a collaborative and creative way.

9:00am
Drop-off

Early Drop off: 8:15am-9:ooam

12:00-12:30pm
Lunch & Recess

Please pack nut-free lunch for your child :-)

12:30-1:30pm
PM 1 Activity

If weather permits, we go outside for active activities such as rocket launch and group games. When it's too cold (Nov-Feb) or rainy, we work on active activities inside the campus building.

1:45-2:45pm
Specialty Activities

Each day has a specialty activity including team projects and creative projects that support the weekly theme.

3:00pm
Pick-up

Extended care: 
3:oo-5:00pm

3-5 Y.O. Explorers

Welcome to the NORY Wormy Racecourse, where campers will come together to ask questions, learn about empathy and kindness, and build a racing worm!  Today’s camp will start with a story of a lonely stuffed worm, who is feeling a little sad and looking for some friends.  Our campers will embark on a hands-on mission to build their very own motorized stuffy companion to befriend our lonely NORY worm and then compete in the big race!  We can’t wait to see what our campers can bring to life with a little engineering magic and creative design! 

3-4 Y.O. Explorers, 5-7 Y.O. Inventors: Design Thinking Process

Six years ago, we embarked on an innovative journey by partnering with Loopkin, a leader in design thinking education. Our goal? To weave the principles of design thinking into the fabric of our STEM curriculum. Why? Because it is a mindset that nurtures empathetic problem-solving, collaborative skills, effective idea presentation, and the ability to prototype solutions. This holistic approach has upgraded how our learners tackle challenges, making them proactive and creative problem solvers – exactly what Generation Alpha needs.

This Monday, our Explorers and Inventors will delve deeper into this methodology. We have crafted a design thinking project, complemented by two additional science experiments, tailored for our Explorers and Inventors groups. We warmly invite your future changemakers to an opportunity to engage in process-driven, open-ended design solutions.

8-12 Y.O. Masters: Coder's Reinvention of Class Video Game

For our Masters, we’re spicing up classic arcade nostalgia by reimagining the game, Galaga, with a creative coding twist. Our coders will work on creative coding and sensor manipulation, as they build their own “PlayStation game controller” featuring three different sensor buttons, and programming each button to control their personalized version of Galaga. Join us for this special coding and game design session, that’s bound to inspire and captivate our young learners.

Design Thinking Process: Robot Rescue Mission with Human Powered Energy
Uh-oh, a robot city has been shaken up, and fallen blocks are covering the road. The power is out, so the giant robo dog cannot clear the path on its own. Campers will step into this rescue scene and move through the Design Thinking Process as they brainstorm ideas, test possible solutions, and improve their designs through trial and error. As they work together to help the robo dog clear the path, they will discover that hand cranks can turn their own motion into usable power, and that this same energy can be directed in different ways depending on how a system is built. Later, they will bring that same problem-solving mindset into their take-home robot by designing a system that turns one source of motion into light, airflow, or, for Inventors, movement. As their robots begin to glow, spin, and come to life in different ways, campers will see the classroom fill with the excitement of ideas that were not handed to them, but shaped through teamwork, iteration, and invention.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Sorting Algorithms: Inventing an Automatic Skittle-Sorting Machine
What if you could build a machine that sorts through a bag of Skittles and finds your favorite color in seconds? Masters will learn how to program an algorithm to detect the colors of different Skittles, then invent and design their own hardware to sort them automatically. As they build, test, and revise their sorting systems, they will experiment with AI logic, color detection, and physical engineering to solve a real challenge. This same kind of algorithmic thinking powers the way photo galleries group images, computers organize files, and digital tools manage constant streams of data. They will leave with a concrete understanding of how sorting algorithms shape modern technology, and the bragging rights of building a machine that does their snack sorting for them. 

Economics 101: Supply and Demand Modeling Robot
Why do prices rise when something is harder to get, and drop when there is plenty to go around? Through hands-on exploration, campers will take on this big real-world question in a simplified and intuitive way, building a model that helps them see how price changes as demand rises and supply shifts. Explorers will begin by learning the difference between abundance and scarcity, while Inventors will build on that foundation to understand supply, demand, and how it affects prices of goods. As they test and adjust their system, they will watch how one popular choice can become harder to get when too many people compete for it, while more available options can help balance the outcome. By turning an economics idea into something they can build, observe, and reason through together, campers will connect robotics, social science, and everyday decision-making in a way that feels concrete and memorable. They will leave with a clearer understanding of how supply, demand, and price shape the world around them.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Adaptive Algorithms: Type Racer App Development (+ Human-Powered Robotic Anglerfish Project)
How do apps like Duolingo or Quizlet know when to challenge you more and when to slow down? Campers will uncover the algorithmic logic behind adaptive technology by building a Type Racer game that responds to each player's skill level. As they code when the game speeds up, eases difficulty, and reacts to performance, they will see how algorithms can shape fairness, engagement, and progress. This connects directly to the learning tools and digital systems many families already use every day. They will leave understanding that strong algorithms do more than automate actions: they can make technology more personalized, supportive, and human-centered. Masters campers will also join Explorers and Inventors to control a giant robot using only mechanical energy and build a take-home robotic fish powered by smart design thinking.
Masters will also shift their gears into a hands-on robotic project in the afternoon. They will build anglerfish robots, which can be entirely powered by human energy. 

Reverse-Engineering Steering Wheels: Rebuild an F1 Racer
What makes a steering wheel turn a car left or right? Campers will chase that question by reverse-engineering the steering system behind their own F1-inspired racer, turning an everyday mystery into a hands-on engineering challenge. As they build a vehicle that drives forward automatically and responds to a giant steering wheel, they will see how a driver’s motion is translated into precise wheel movement for the car to change direction. Through testing, adjusting, and trying again, campers will develop a concrete understanding of how steering control really works and why engineers think carefully about every moving part in a system. Then, as racers speed across the track in a lively relay challenge, campers will watch their engineering decisions play out in real time through sharp turns, quick corrections, and the thrill of seeing a machine follow the path they designed.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Branching Algorithms and Decision Trees: Smart Guard Dog
Security cameras stay in one place, recording only a single spot. Campers will go further by building a smart guard dog that detects movement, tracks position, and chooses different behaviors based on what it senses. The key: they will learn how branching algorithms work by mapping out a logic tree where each condition they code changes what the guard dog does next. First, they will build and visualize their decision tree on a flowchart. Then, they will bring it to life by programming the guard dog to observe, interpret, and respond in real time. They will leave with a clear understanding that smart systems are built from decisions, not just steps, and the excitement of watching their creation outsmart an intruder on its own.

Marionette Circus Robot: Unicycle Racing!
How do performers stay balanced as they dance across a stage? In this circus-inspired engineering challenge, campers become performance engineers as they build a life-size unicycle robot that brings principles of rotation and balance to life. Campers learn how rolling motion, center of gravity, and gentle steering work together to keep their robot upright as it moves. Inventors take the experience further by designing custom reins and testing how material flexibility, strength, and tension affect maneuverability. The excitement grows as campers guide their unicycle robots across the room, turning their understanding of balance into smooth, controlled motion. Through a blend of engineering reasoning and kinesthetic confidence, every camper experiences what it means to design, test, and master a moving mechanical performer.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

AI Recycling Lab: Train a Smart Sorting Bin
How can machine learning help our communities recycle smarter - and reduce what ends up in landfills? In this AI-powered engineering challenge, campers design a smart recycling bin that uses a camera and machine learning image recognition to identify items and trigger the correct sorting action. They start by looking at how everyday habits create waste, then turn that problem into a prototype: training a simple model to recognize different objects, testing how accurate it is, and improving it by adjusting lighting, angles, and examples. Next, they connect their model’s predictions to real-world behavior using coding logic and a mechanical chute so the bin can automatically guide items to the right place. As campers iterate, they discover that “AI” isn’t magic - it’s something you can train, test, and refine. The breakthrough moment is when their bin recognizes an object and sorts it in real time, showing campers how machine learning can power practical inventions that make a real difference.

Animatronics: Birth of Robotic Dragon with Mechanical Magic
It’s time to bring your imagination to life - literally! How do movie wizards and theme park engineers make metal and silicone look like it’s breathing? In this blend of art and robotics, campers step into the "Creature Shop" to engineer their own moving beasts.  We’ll look past the wires to master mechanical linkages and automata, discovering how simple levers can create complex, lifelike movements. Whether it’s a snapping dragon or a waving alien, campers won’t just build a robot; they’ll engineer a character with personality, proving that with the right design, a machine can have a soul.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Build Your Own Claw Machine (+ RoboCrab Hunt!)
What if you could engineer your very own arcade claw machine - the kind that grabs, lifts, and drops prizes with precision? In this wildly fun engineering challenge, campers will design and build a working mechatronic claw system, discovering how motors, structure, and control inputs work together to create smooth, controlled movement. As they test their machines, they’ll see how small design tweaks change grip strength, accuracy, and timing - just like the real arcade games everyone loves (and tries to beat!).

Then the arcade chaos begins. In the afternoon, campers will unleash their bio-inspired robotic crabs and put their claw machines to the ultimate test in a high-energy RoboCrab Hunt. Can their custom-built claw grab the scuttling creatures? Its mechanical precision meets laugh-out-loud competition in the most unforgettable engineering showdown.

Material Science for Good: Insulation Lab + Winter Vest Design
What if your child could use material science to design real stay-warm solutions for people facing cold nights - using only simple, found objects? In this purpose-driven product design challenge, campers learn the science behind insulation by testing how different materials trap heat, block wind, and reduce heat loss. Working in teams, they build full-sized shelters and iterate after “storm tests” that simulate snow and wind, noticing how gaps, layering, and structure affect warmth. Explorers focus on hands-on discovery - touch, texture, layering, and teamwork - while Inventors make more intentional design choices, comparing materials for performance and strengthening their shelter designs. Then campers shift from protecting a group to protecting themselves by engineering a take-home padded winter vest, experimenting with how thickness, air pockets, and material choice change warmth and comfort. By the end, campers leave with a vest they designed and a clearer understanding of how smart insulation choices can turn everyday materials into practical warmth.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Holiday Movie Night App Development: Personalized “Rotten Tomatoes” (+ Dyson-Inspired Vacuum Robot Project)
What’s the toughest holiday challenge that every family faces? Picking one movie everyone actually wants to watch! In this app development session, campers build a “personalized Rotten Tomatoes” style app that helps a group decide fast by combining smart voting questions with real movie recommendations pulled from a movie API. Instead of asking “What movie do you want?”, they design guided prompts that capture what people feel like - funny vs. adventurous, cozy vs. thrilling, short vs. epic - then translate those preferences into clear filters and rankings. Campers prototype the full experience: a quick family-friendly voting flow, an algorithm that weighs everyone’s input fairly, and a recommendation page that serves up real titles with details that help people choose confidently. As they test and refine their app, they learn how great product design can turn messy opinions into a decision that feels fair, and keeps movie night joyful.
In the afternoon, Masters will also take on a hands-on product engineering challenge by building a Dyson-inspired vacuum cleaning robot, discovering how controlled airflow and smart form-factor choices turn simple parts into an effective mini vacuum. 

Nature-Inspired Sensors: The Robotic Seal Rescue
How do seals sense danger - and how can we design technology that helps them stay safe? In this nature-inspired engineering and design thinking challenge, campers build a take-home robotic baby seal that uses “whisker” sensors to detect wind and automatically scoot away from it, just like an animal reacting to a threat. Explorers focus on cause-and-effect discovery, testing how a tiny whisker movement can trigger a quick escape. Inventors go deeper by tuning the sensitivity and reliability of the sensor system, experimenting with placement, stiffness, and thresholds so their seal reacts at the right moment—not too early, not too late. Then campers shift into empathy-driven product design as they create protective shelters for seals, using the design thinking process to imagine what the seal needs, prototype structures, and test how well their shelters block wind. The moment the room comes alive is when a gust hits - and their seals sense it and dart to safety - proving how smart sensing and thoughtful design can protect a creature in a harsh winter world.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Sign Language (ASL) + Machine Learning: Build an AI Interpreter App (+ Robotic Seal Project)
How can technology help people understand one another when they communicate in different ways? And what about people who can’t use spoken words - how could machine learning turn hand signs into an app that helps them be understood instantly? In this communication-driven coding session, campers learn how a camera can interpret motion data as they train a Teachable Machine model to recognize ASL hand shapes and translate them into live game responses. Through ASL-based learning activities, they see how gesture patterns can be broken into logical structures, helping them understand how languages feel less foreign when viewed through consistent rules. As their system begins interpreting signs in real time, campers discover how machine learning and thoughtful interaction design can turn movement into meaningful communication tools - and start imagining how a sign-language translator could support clearer communication in everyday life.
Later in the day, campers explore biomimicry by building a robotic seal inspired by how real seals use whiskers to sense changes around them. As they design “whisker” sensors and test how their seal reacts to wind or approaching “danger,” campers discover how nature’s sensing systems help animals stay safe - and how engineers can borrow those ideas to build smarter robots.

Dental Robotics: The Giant Plaque Attack
Calling all Dental Engineers: We have a plaque emergency! Your mission is to design and build the ultimate robotic weapon to battle the nastiest, stickiest grime imaginable. In this high-stakes hygiene challenge, campers uncover the mechanical secret of oscillating motion, learning how to transform a motor's simple spin into powerful, back-and-forth scrubbing action. After engineering their own giant robotic toothbrushes, the real fun begins: a frantic, "gross-out" showdown where campers test their inventions on realistic dentures to see whose machine can scrub away the most simulated plaque. It’s messy, mechanical, and the most fun you’ll ever have brushing teeth!

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Game Design 201: Engineering Endless Levels with Scaling Excitement (+ Robotic Turntable Project)
What makes a game impossible to put down? In this game design lab, campers graduate from gamers to Game Architects, unlocking the secrets of "replayability." We’ll move beyond high scores and build our own endless-cycle games, engineering systems where the excitement scales with every second. Campers will code the logic behind the fun - balancing increasing speed, spawning dynamic enemy waves, and refining the "just one more try" factor. It’s a masterclass in player psychology and computer science!
In the afternoon, campers will build their own robotic turntable, uncovering how spinning motion and vibrations can transform into real music. It’s a full-day maker adventure packed with coding digital worlds and hands-on invention.

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

The Great Robotic Crab Invasion: NYC’s Wildest Engineering Derby!
Giant Crab Fishing? Indoors? In NYC?! Get ready for the most outrageously fun engineering adventure! Picture a classroom swarming with giant robotic crabs marching in every direction - and you are the one on the hunt! Campers will become crustacean engineers as they build their own larger-than-life crab robot, discovering what makes real crabs so extraordinary, from their armored exoskeletons to their wildly unique sideways movements. Using creative materials like plaster and bold robotic mechanisms, they’ll design, test, and unleash crawling creatures that look like they’ve escaped from an underwater robot world. And once the room fills with stomping, scuttling crabs, the real thrill begins: a high-energy, laugh-out-loud crab fishing frenzy where campers race to chase, hook, and celebrate their inventions in motion. Come ready for an adventure you won’t find anywhere else!

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Math in Motion: The Hungry Hungry Shark Controller
Get ready for a digital feeding frenzy! But to survive this ocean, you need more than fast reflexes - you need the power of mathematics. How do numbers control motion inside a video game? In this hands-on coding challenge, Masters discover how mathematics - especially the concept of degrees - powers the physics behind digital movement. By building their own physical steering controllers, they’ll learn to translate a spin of the dial into precise numbers (0° to 360°) that command the game’s physics engine. It’s a hands-on mission where abstract math becomes a real tool for control, giving campers the precision they need to steer their Hungry Shark to a high-score victory!

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

The Tipping Rain Garden: Build a Cloud That Makes It Rain
Did you know nature has its own never-ending water loop? Rain falls from the sky, soaks into the earth, rises back up, and then falls again - over and over! But how does that cycle really work… and could we build a tiny version of it ourselves?
In this adorable, hands-on engineering challenge, campers will design a miniature “rain cloud” that slowly fills with water, tips when it gets too heavy, and showers rain onto plants below. Using simple machines like levers and balance points, they’ll discover how weight, position, and motion work together to control when the rain begins. Explorers will focus on pouring and observing cause and effect, while Inventors will adjust their design to fine-tune the timing of the rainfall. As their cloud fills, tilts, and pours again, campers see how mechanical balance can model the water cycle in a way that’s playful, visible, and completely under their control. Creativity sparked, and a tiny rainstorm brought to life!

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Augmented Reality: The Future of Arcade Gaming
Blur the line between the real world and the digital screen! What if throwing a real ball could trigger a digital explosion? In this cutting-edge game design challenge, campers step "beyond the screen" to engineer a hybrid arcade experience. We aren't just coding pixels; we’re building a physical game lane equipped with smart sensors that "talk" to the computer. Campers will write game logic that waits for real-world input - a roll, a hit, or a swipe - and instantly converts it into digital action. It’s a crash course in Physical Computing, proving that the future of gaming isn't just about what you see, but how you interact with the world around you.

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Animatronics: Birth of Robotic Dragon with Mechanical Magic
It’s time to bring your imagination to life - literally! How do movie wizards and theme park engineers make metal and silicone look like it’s breathing? In this blend of art and robotics, campers step into the "Creature Shop" to engineer their own moving beasts.  We’ll look past the wires to master mechanical linkages and automata, discovering how simple levers can create complex, lifelike movements. Whether it’s a snapping dragon or a waving alien, campers won’t just build a robot; they’ll engineer a character with personality, proving that with the right design, a machine can have a soul.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Build Your Own Claw Machine (+ RoboCrab Hunt!)
What if you could engineer your very own arcade claw machine - the kind that grabs, lifts, and drops prizes with precision? In this wildly fun engineering challenge, campers will design and build a working mechatronic claw system, discovering how motors, structure, and control inputs work together to create smooth, controlled movement. As they test their machines, they’ll see how small design tweaks change grip strength, accuracy, and timing - just like the real arcade games everyone loves (and tries to beat!).

Then the arcade chaos begins. In the afternoon, campers will unleash their bio-inspired robotic crabs and put their claw machines to the ultimate test in a high-energy RoboCrab Hunt. Can their custom-built claw grab the scuttling creatures? Its mechanical precision meets laugh-out-loud competition in the most unforgettable engineering showdown.

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Toy Invention With Controlled Circuit Logic: Snapping Alligator!
How does a button make a toy suddenly snap, buzz, or react? Today, our NORY campers will build an alligator trap toy that uses hidden button circuits to create a playful surprise. Campers will learn that electricity needs a complete path to flow, and that each button can open or close that path to control when the toy activates. As they design their alligator, place the buttons, and test which choices trigger the trap, they will see how small wiring decisions can change the entire game. This project connects to the same ideas behind doorbells, alarms, interactive toys, and everyday switches. Campers will leave with a stronger understanding of how simple circuits can turn a creative build into a responsive invention. 

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Programmable Robotics Hackathon: Inventing an Automated Mouse Trap
What if your child could engineer an automatic, sensor-driven trap clever enough to outsmart a moving, cheese-hunting robot? Joining this hackathon gives campers a true product design mindset, challenging them to integrate mechanical structures with programming logic to solve dynamic problems. Campers will build their physical trap mechanisms using doors or nets, then write conditional code so the system responds instantly when a sensor detects the moving target. By testing their inventions against their classmates’ robots, they will continuously optimize their code and physical design for perfect timing and reliability. The room will echo with cheers as campers launch their ultimate rat-catching systems to see whose logic successfully secures the cheese.

Design Thinking Process: Robot Rescue Mission with Human Powered Energy
Uh-oh, a robot city has been shaken up, and fallen blocks are covering the road. The power is out, so the giant robo dog cannot clear the path on its own. Campers will step into this rescue scene and move through the Design Thinking Process as they brainstorm ideas, test possible solutions, and improve their designs through trial and error. As they work together to help the robo dog clear the path, they will discover that hand cranks can turn their own motion into usable power, and that this same energy can be directed in different ways depending on how a system is built. Later, they will bring that same problem-solving mindset into their take-home robot by designing a system that turns one source of motion into light, airflow, or, for Inventors, movement. As their robots begin to glow, spin, and come to life in different ways, campers will see the classroom fill with the excitement of ideas that were not handed to them, but shaped through teamwork, iteration, and invention.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Sorting Algorithms: Inventing an Automatic Skittle-Sorting Machine
What if you could build a machine that sorts through a bag of Skittles and finds your favorite color in seconds? Masters will learn how to program an algorithm to detect the colors of different Skittles, then invent and design their own hardware to sort them automatically. As they build, test, and revise their sorting systems, they will experiment with AI logic, color detection, and physical engineering to solve a real challenge. This same kind of algorithmic thinking powers the way photo galleries group images, computers organize files, and digital tools manage constant streams of data. They will leave with a concrete understanding of how sorting algorithms shape modern technology, and the bragging rights of building a machine that does their snack sorting for them. 

Off-Road Engineering: Build and Test a Vehicle Suspension System
Have you ever ridden in a car so smooth it felt like gliding on a cloud, where every bump just seemed to vanish beneath you? That feeling is the work of a suspension system, and campers will use reverse engineering to figure out exactly what creates it. As they investigate how tension, air, and structural design absorb force between wheels and road, they will experiment with airbag-style cushions, flexible materials, and different structural configurations to see how each choice performs. Using the scientific method, they will run controlled experiments to measure which combination absorbs the most force and why. Then comes the real test: campers will race their vehicles through a giant off-road course built across the classroom, watching their suspension tackle every bump, cheering when their design holds, and learning just as much from a spectacular wipeout. Every camper takes home the vehicle they built and a real understanding of how engineers turn material choices into a smoother, smarter ride.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Engineering Filtering Algorithms Through Game Strategy Design (+ Off-road Suspension Vehicle Project)
How do platforms like Amazon instantly decide what products to show you, and why do those choices feel so accurate? In this algorithm exploration, our NORY Masters will build their own loot filtering app, learning how algorithms sort, filter, and prioritize information to create the "best" possible outcome. Campers will design their own filter rules and define priorities, discovering how small changes can completely reshape results. As they test their apps, they will move through a loop of input, result, and refinement, seeing firsthand how systems evolve through iteration. Along the way, they will customize the user experience and interface, making their app both functional and intuitive. By the end of the day, campers will understand that the "best" result depends on how you define success, and how algorithms shape the choices we see every day.
Masters will also jump into hands-on robotics while building off-road suspension vehicles in the afternoon. 

Economics 101: Supply and Demand Modeling Robot
Why do prices rise when something is harder to get, and drop when there is plenty to go around? Through hands-on exploration, campers will take on this big real-world question in a simplified and intuitive way, building a model that helps them see how price changes as demand rises and supply shifts. Explorers will begin by learning the difference between abundance and scarcity, while Inventors will build on that foundation to understand supply, demand, and how it affects prices of goods. As they test and adjust their system, they will watch how one popular choice can become harder to get when too many people compete for it, while more available options can help balance the outcome. By turning an economics idea into something they can build, observe, and reason through together, campers will connect robotics, social science, and everyday decision-making in a way that feels concrete and memorable. They will leave with a clearer understanding of how supply, demand, and price shape the world around them.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Adaptive Algorithms: Type Racer App Development (+ Human-Powered Robotic Anglerfish Project)
How do apps like Duolingo or Quizlet know when to challenge you more and when to slow down? Campers will uncover the algorithmic logic behind adaptive technology by building a Type Racer game that responds to each player's skill level. As they code when the game speeds up, eases difficulty, and reacts to performance, they will see how algorithms can shape fairness, engagement, and progress. This connects directly to the learning tools and digital systems many families already use every day. They will leave understanding that strong algorithms do more than automate actions: they can make technology more personalized, supportive, and human-centered. Masters campers will also join Explorers and Inventors to control a giant robot using only mechanical energy and build a take-home robotic fish powered by smart design thinking.
Masters will also shift their gears into a hands-on robotic project in the afternoon. They will build anglerfish robots, which can be entirely powered by human energy.

Reverse-Engineering Steering Wheels: Rebuild an F1 Racer
What makes a steering wheel turn a car left or right? Campers will chase that question by reverse-engineering the steering system behind their own F1-inspired racer, turning an everyday mystery into a hands-on engineering challenge. As they build a vehicle that drives forward automatically and responds to a giant steering wheel, they will see how a driver's motion is translated into precise wheel movement for the car to change direction. Through testing, adjusting, and trying again, campers will develop a concrete understanding of how steering control really works and why engineers think carefully about every moving part in a system. Then, as racers speed across the track in a lively relay challenge, campers will watch their engineering decisions play out in real time through sharp turns, quick corrections, and the thrill of seeing a machine follow the path they designed.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Branching Algorithms and Decision Trees: Smart Guard Dog
Security cameras stay in one place, recording only a single spot. Campers will go further by building a smart guard dog that detects movement, tracks position, and chooses different behaviors based on what it senses. The key: they will learn how branching algorithms work by mapping out a logic tree where each condition they code changes what the guard dog does next. First, they will build and visualize their decision tree on a flowchart. Then, they will bring it to life by programming the guard dog to observe, interpret, and respond in real time. They will leave with a clear understanding that smart systems are built from decisions, not just steps, and the excitement of watching their creation outsmart an intruder on its own. 

Turning Physics into Invention: Smart Spin-Activated Lamp
What makes your body feel pushed outward on a fast ride, or sends water flying off a spinning umbrella? This force is called centrifugal force. As campers develop an understanding of this physics concept, they will create a special switch mechanism that detects when something is spinning fast enough to trigger a response, turning an abstract force into a working invention they can see in action. In the second physics lab session, they will connect that same spinning physics to other machines that use the spinning motion like helicopters! They will launch their own spinning flywheels across the room, watching the physics they engineered play out in a flying, whirring, room-filling celebration. As switches trigger, lights glow, and spinning inventions come alive across the room, the classroom will feel like a buzzing physics lab where motion itself becomes invention.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Behavioral Algorithms: Hack the NPC & Engineer the Ultimate Boss Fight (+ F1 Racer with a Steering Wheel Project)
Ever notice how some video game bosses are too easy to beat once you memorize their pattern? That is because their underlying algorithm is limited and predictable. Campers will step into the role of game hackers to decode the basic logic loops of an NPC (Non-Player Character). Once they understand how the "robotic" boss works, they will rewrite its brain. Using Behavioral Algorithms and conditional logic, they will upgrade their boss to react dynamically to player movements, creating a smarter, much harder opponent. They will see firsthand that "game difficulty" is simply an engineered algorithm. They will leave understanding how to identify weak, predictable logic and rewrite it into a highly intelligent system - with the ultimate bragging right of watching their friends try (and fail!) to beat the smart boss they coded.
In the afternoon, Masters will reverse-engineer a real steering mechanism and race their own F1-inspired cars in a relay showdown. 

Turning Physics into Invention: Smart Spin-Activated Lamp
What makes your body feel pushed outward on a fast ride, or sends water flying off a spinning umbrella? This force is called centrifugal force. As campers develop an understanding of this physics concept, they will create a special switch mechanism that detects when something is spinning fast enough to trigger a response, turning an abstract force into a working invention they can see in action. In the second physics lab session, they will connect that same spinning physics to other machines that use the spinning motion like helicopters! They will launch their own spinning flywheels across the room, watching the physics they engineered play out in a flying, whirring, room-filling celebration. As switches trigger, lights glow, and spinning inventions come alive across the room, the classroom will feel like a buzzing physics lab where motion itself becomes invention.

Explorers & Inventors: 3-7 Year Olds

Masters: 8-12 Year Olds

Behavioral Algorithms: Hack the NPC & Engineer the Ultimate Boss Fight (+ F1 Racer with a Steering Wheel Project)
Ever notice how some video game bosses are too easy to beat once you memorize their pattern? That is because their underlying algorithm is limited and predictable. Campers will step into the role of game hackers to decode the basic logic loops of an NPC (Non-Player Character). Once they understand how the "robotic" boss works, they will rewrite its brain. Using Behavioral Algorithms and conditional logic, they will upgrade their boss to react dynamically to player movements, creating a smarter, much harder opponent. They will see firsthand that "game difficulty" is simply an engineered algorithm. They will leave understanding how to identify weak, predictable logic and rewrite it into a highly intelligent system - with the ultimate bragging right of watching their friends try (and fail!) to beat the smart boss they coded.
In the afternoon, Masters will reverse-engineer a real steering mechanism and race their own F1-inspired cars in a relay showdown.