NEW YORK CITY — One of the best things about kids engaging with science isn't just that they learn the ins and outs of the world around them, but they also learn how to question things.
"STEM fields lend themselves to inquiry," i2 Camp co-founder Michael Zigman said. "That thought process — to question, to try things, to fail and come back and succeed — applies to everything in life."
Exploring STEM fields in a hands-on summer camp environment makes the cultivation of that thought process easier, Zigman said.
"It's important to have kids try this where they're not necessarily being graded," said Zigman. "If you strip away the negative consequences of failure and instill a positive sense of failure, you try and try and try."
DNAinfo New York has rounded up a handful of STEM field summer camps whose emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning is bound to have your child thinking critically throughout the summer:
► i2 Camp at the United Nations International School
Where: 2450 FDR Drive, Peter Cooper Village at 116 E. 97th St., Upper East Side
When: June 27 to July 29
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ages: Grades 5 to 8
Activities: Kinetic sculpture, robotics and electronics, digital game design, 3D printing and "crime scene" investigation
Pricing: $850 per week, with discounts if you book more than one week
Registration deadline: First come, first served
► Inventgenuity Summer Day Camp
Where: 60 Sackett St., Carroll Gardens
When: July 5 to Sept. 2
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Ages: Grades 2 to 6
Activities: Each year campers focus on themes such as sound, raw materials and the future. In the past, activities have included woodwork, movie making, animation, interactive art and handcrafting.
Pricing: $600 per week ($575 if you sign up for multiple weeks)
Registration deadline: Tuition due July 1
► Architecture Camp at the Center for Architecture
Where: 536 LaGuardia Pl., Greenwich Village
When: June 20 to Aug. 26
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ages: Grades 3 to 12
Activities: Past activities have included 3D computer modeling; site visits, scale drawings and scavenger hunts.
Pricing: $600 per week
Registration deadline: Registration information is available on Feb. 15
► Summer Media Camp at the Museum of the Moving Image
Where: 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria
When: July 18 to Aug. 26
Days and hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ages: 9 to 13
Activities: Stop-motion animation, video game design, and video and puppetry for the screen
Pricing: $475 to $2,400 depending on how many sessions attended
Registration deadline: Early bird registration (and $50 discount) on April 30
► Camp Pixel at the Pixel Academy
Where: 163 Pacific St., Cobble Hill
When: June 27 to September 2
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with flexible drop-off and pick up times
Ages: 7 to 14
Activities: Stop-motion animation, creating and remixing music samples, DJ performance, video game design and development, digital art and coding
Pricing: $735 to $835 per week, depending on topic selection and date of registration
Registration deadline: Early bird registration ends on March 15
► Innovation Camps at the New York Hall of Science
Where: 47-01 111th St., Corona
When: July 11 to 29
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Camp ends at 12 p.m. for kindergarten students.
Ages: Grades K to 4
Activities: habitat building, water systems design, relief aid and earthquake-resistant building design
Pricing: $225 to $375, depending on grade and membership status
Registration deadline: First come, first served
► Dazzling Discoveries STEM Summer Camp
Where: 971 Columbus Ave., Upper West Side
When: June 1 through September
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ages: 5 to 12
Activities: 3D printer and design software classes, computer games, furniture design, engineering, natural sciences classes as well as hands-on experiments in chemistry, physics and biology
Pricing: $600 per child per week, $140 per child per day
Registration deadline: First come, first served
► RoboFun Camp
Where: 2672 Broadway, Manhattan Valley
When: June 6 to Aug. 26
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (half days available as well)
Ages: Grades pre-k to 6
Activities: Lego pre-robotics and robotics; coding; game design, and stop-motion animation
Pricing: $850/week (full-day); $425/week (half-day)
Registration deadline: None
► Digital Universe Flight School at the American Museum of Natural History
Where: Central Park West at 79th St., Upper West Side
When: July 4 to 8, Aug. 15 to 19 and Aug. 29 to Sept. 2
Days and hours: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Ages: Grades 6 to 8
Activities: space "tours" via 3D mapping and data visualization, game design and interaction with scientists.
Pricing: $525/week for members and $550/week for non-members
Registration deadline: None
RELATED
► 11 Summer Language Camps in New York City to Keep Your Kid Learning
► 9 Visual and Performing Art Summer Camps in New York City
► 10 Sports Camps in New York City to Keep Your Kid Moving This Summer
